This quarter’s summit saw the participation of Saba’s Island Council members Vito Charles, Elsa Peterson, Julio Every, and Island Registrar Akilah Levenstone. The meeting provided a platform for exchanging ideas and best practices with fellow council members, focusing on enhancing public services, infrastructure, healthcare, and social initiatives.
Elsa Peterson, the Chairperson of the BES Summit, opened the event by welcoming attendees with a message of unity and collaboration. She emphasized the importance of working together across the islands to improve the lives of their communities. Peterson encouraged participants to approach the discussions with open minds and mutual respect, highlighting that their collective efforts would strengthen bonds and lead to positive outcomes for all. She concluded by expressing her hopes for a productive and unifying summit.
A portion of the summit was also dedicated to reviewing the minutes from the previous BES Summit, held on June 24th, 2024, in The Hague. Cooperation between the islands remains a central theme, with this summit focusing on key issues such as the BES 2025 Tax Plan and the permanent representation of the BES Islands in The Hague. The goal is to develop innovative solutions that benefit all residents by working together.
Reflecting on the discussions, Island Council Member Julio Every stated, "For me, it was clear that, despite the presence of various political parties from the three islands at the BES Summit, we all share a common goal: prioritizing the welfare of our islands and their people. The discussions on healthcare, taxes, and potential joint cooperation were particularly meaningful, and we will build on these aspects for the future.”
Island Council Member Elsa Peterson added, "Meaningful discussions were on key issues like the future of cooperation, the BES Tax Plan 2025, and establishing permanent representation in The Hague. However, the most critical topic was healthcare, spanning both mental and physical well-being. We look forward to building on these discussions at the next BES Summit in Saba this November."
Island Council Member Vito Charles highlighted the importance of ongoing collaboration, stating, "It was great to continue working on developing our cooperation together. Our commitment to regular meetings over time has resulted in better collaboration, and I look forward to moving forward in more structured ways in the future. We have many common challenges, and we must work together to address them."
