First speech Island Governor John Soliano
In life there is an opportune time to do things. There is a right time to sow, a right time to grow and a right time to reap. Each phase in our lives prepares us for the next.
Dear guests, family, loved ones, ladies and gentlemen of the press and my fellow citizens.
I would like to take you back to a moment 33 years ago, when, as a young man of barely 19 years old, I stood at the airport surrounded by my ever-supportive family. I was waiting to board the KLM flight and leave the island where I was born in order to continue my studies in the Netherlands. My grandmother's parting words to me were that hard work always pays off! I vowed then to come back to serve my island. And, after my studies, that is exactly what I did!
More than 28 years have passed since I returned. I have worked in a variety of positions in various organizations, private and public. I have also been involved in volunteer work for various foundations in many sectors of our society such as care for the elderly, care for people with disabilities, cultural organizations, social welfare and many more.
I was fortunate enough to meet visionary leaders who gave me their support and space to develop myself so that I could grow as a person and gain sufficient self-confidence in my work to enable me to explore new horizons.
In these last years, with our island in a new political relationship with the Kingdom of the Netherlands, I regularly, consciously or subconsciously, analysed the activities of the Lieutenant Governors in office during events on our island. On several occasions I asked myself how I would have acted if I were the Governor in a certain specific circumstance. I would also debate these situations with my circle of confidants, and I believe that we were subconsciously preparing ourselves for this exact moment! That is, this moment when I assume responsibility to become Lieutenant Governor and prepare myself to make an even greater contribution to the development of our island and its inhabitants.
Bonaire is an island in full development and it is strong and resilient!
In recent years the explosive growth of our island has caused a lot of change to our socio-economic development but it has also created several challenges.
- The functioning of our island government
- The feeling of community in our society in the broadest sense of the word.
Challenges relating to the functioning of the government
Good governance … a concept that changes over time! Over the last 14 years we have made significant steps in the right direction, but at the same time we are aware that there is still a long way to go. Good governance is much more than just following the rules.
Good governance also means exemplary behaviour, giving and receiving trust based on mutual respect!
These are essential values when it comes to effective relationships and collaboration, both of which are necessary to ensure the desired results for all parties involved.
Respect creates a culture in which people feel valued and heard. This is vital for people's relationships on our island and in the rest of the Kingdom.
For me, as a Lieutenant Governor, it is fundamental to promote these values, both within our administration and within our society overall.
Let each of us who are here today and all those listening to me right now commit to a level of leadership that focuses on inclusion, talent recognition and collaboration - starting today. Let us focus on the continuous development of Bonaire for ourselves, our children and our children's children.
Let us empower our people to make optimal use of the scarce human capital that we have as an island. Together, the private and public sectors must create the right conditions for this to take place! This means, among other things, creating safe working environments where there is integrity and security. It also means making the right tools available in order to be able to function optimally, and providing a solid workplace where professional development is a continuous goal.
With this goal continuously in our minds, we as the island government must set a good example and promote a vision that is supported by the administration in its entirety. As Lieutenant Governor, this will be one of my key areas of focus.
We are living in times of change, which lead to rising individualism in our society. This can also be seen in the political and administrative context. The foundations of a healthy and strong society are peaceful coexistence, empathy and compassion. A healthy society is one that creates an environment wherein happiness levels are increased much more. I am sure of one thing: our society’s leaders are the ones to set the tone when it comes to behavioural norms, such as peaceful coexistence, empathy and compassion.
Challenges concerning peaceful coexistence
I just mentioned 'our people.' Who are ‘our people’? My definition of ‘our people’ is every single individual in our society who –in their own way- contributes to the development of Bonaire in a favourable way. Their age, nationality, gender or religion does not matter in this context at all.
In times of change, people are inclined to build a high wall around themselves to protect the me - the individual-, or us - my group-, from the others. On Bonaire the quick pace of change and the complexity of our world today cause daily conflicts of us versus the others. We witness them often. I appeal to everyone, especially the leaders in our society, to engage in healthy discussions about policies or changes in policies that are necessary to create well-being and happiness for all residents of Bonaire. Let us not fall into the trap of antagonism, polarization and identifying specific groups in our society as the source of all our problems...
10-10-10 brought significant developments in the field of socio-economics and in the areas of education, medical care, justice and security. As a result, our population has grown and unfortunately so has the sentiment of us and the others. I appeal to our leaders and to the entire society to unite and to face our challenges based on our strength and resilience as a society. Let us always act with love and respect for each other. As Governor, it is my responsibility to lead the way and to monitor this development very closely, as well as to intervene where necessary.
Obviously, there are many more topics in our society that deserve attention, but –today- my first words to you are focused on our sense of patriotism and peaceful coexistence. This is the foundation for the continued healthy development of our island.
I would like to conclude by thanking the Bonairean society for the support, the good wishes and even the warnings I have received in recent weeks. Your supportive words have given me the strength and confidence that are necessary to bear this responsibility and they will continue to do so.
I would like to thank the confidential committee that chose a new Governor for Bonaire, for their work and for their confidence in me.
Thank you to every member of the Island Council, our Executive Council and the Island Secretary and his team for the support I received.
I received a warm and cordial handover from Interim Lieutenant Governor Oleana. In the past I must have been a good and attentive pupil in Mr. Oleana’s class! I feel that, in his position as Lieutenant Governor, he not only wants to convey information about the job to me, but that he also wants more than anything to see me succeed in what I am about to do. Thank you very much Nolly and also thanks to your wife Ann.
Last but not least –and given the time constraint I will keep it short and not mention names- I would like to express my thanks to our Creator, to my family, my parents, brothers and sister, my mother-in-law and my father-in-law and especially my wife and my three children who are there for me every single day, and inspire me daily to be a better person, a better husband and a better father... I grow in these roles every day. Without your support I would not be standing here today.
It is a great honour for me to serve my island as its Governor. My mission as a professional is to serve my island and I can only be successful with your support.
Island Governor John Soliano