Working Group on colonial collections holds first in-person meeting on Saba

THE BOTTOM, Saba--A newly established working group on collections from a colonial context held its first in-person meeting on Saba, marking an important step toward greater Caribbean participation in decisions about cultural artifacts that were taken, surrendered under pressure or otherwise removed during the colonial period.

The working group was created following recent discussions on heritage and museums in the Caribbean, where increasing attention has been given to cultural objects connected to the colonial past. In response, the ministers of the Four-Country Ministerial Consultation decided to establish a dedicated working group to examine how collections from a colonial context should be handled moving forward.

The initiative is grounded in the principle of equal partnership and is intended to give museums and heritage institutions in the Caribbean region greater influence in the management, preservation, possible return and future treatment of these collections.

The first meeting was hosted at the Saba Heritage Center and the Eugenius Johnson Center. The sessions focused on shaping the main priorities and framework for recommendations that will be presented to the Four-Country Ministerial Consultation in November 2026.

Key themes discussed included collection management and preservation, digitization, professionalization, climate-conscious infrastructure, community engagement, knowledge sharing and cooperation within the Kingdom and the wider Caribbean region.

As the smallest island within the Kingdom, Saba provided a meaningful setting for the opening meeting. The program also included an educational walk through historical sites in The Bottom, guided by Saban anthropologist, oral historian and researcher Dimetri Whitfield.

The working group also visited Saba’s two museums, the Major Osmar Simmons Museum and the Harry L. Johnson Museum, as part of its engagement with the island’s heritage institutions and local historical context.

Ahead of the November 2026 Four-Country Ministerial Consultation, the working group will prepare recommendations on the return of cultural items and the management of museum collections. A deliberate new structure has been chosen for this process, bringing together civil servants from the governments as well as museum and heritage experts from the Caribbean and the European part of the Netherlands.

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has commissioned consultancy firm Scriptis, led by Ludmila Duncan, to guide and support the development of the recommendations in collaboration with the working group.

Participants in the working group include representatives from Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius and the Netherlands.

Aruba is represented by Raymundo Dijkhoff, Head of the Collections and Research Department at the National Archaeological Museum Aruba. Bonaire is represented by Daudi Cijntje, Program Manager for Culture and Heritage at the Public Entity Bonaire, and Ziran Chin-On, Freelance Project Consultant in the cultural sector and external expert at the Public Entity Bonaire.

Curaçao is represented by Irelnety Copra, Senior Policy Officer at the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Government of Curaçao, and Dyoñna Benett, an independent heritage professional specializing in museology, public engagement and inclusivity.

St. Maarten is represented by Koert A. Kerkhoff, Policy Officer in the Department of Culture at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.

Saba is represented by Shaigan Marten, Policy Advisor for Culture and Education in the Community Development and Culture Department at the Public Entity Saba, and Sharifa Balfour, Director of the Saba Archeological Center Foundation.

St. Eustatius is represented by Sjahaira Fleming, Manager of Culture at the Public Entity of St. Eustatius.

The Netherlands is represented by Remco Vermeulen, Senior Advisor for International Cooperation and Collection Management at the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, and Robert Verhoogt, Senior Policy Advisor for Museums and Collections at the Department for Arts and Heritage of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

Also involved are Gilia Croes, Policy Officer for Education and Culture at OCW Caribbean Region, and Gyonne Goedhoop, Senior Policy Officer for Culture at OCW Caribbean Region. Arminda Franken-Ruiz and Raimie Richardson complement the working group as external advisors based on their expertise and experience.

Ludmila Duncan of Scriptis serves as process facilitator.

The working group’s first meeting on Saba marks the start of a collaborative process aimed at ensuring that decisions about colonial collections are informed by Caribbean expertise, institutional experience and community perspectives.

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