Edison Rijna
{{Short description|Dutch politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Edison Rijna
| image = EdisonRijna.jpg
| imagesize =
| office = Island Governor of Bonaire
| monarch = Willem-Alexander
| term_start = 22 August 2014
| term_end = 18 April 2023
| primeminister =
| predecessor = Lydia Emerencia
| successor = John Soliano{{Cite web |last=Hofstra |first=Hans |date=2024-06-16 |title=John Soliano about his new role as lieutenant governor: 'Integrity and inclusivity are crucial' |url=https://bes-reporter.com/john-soliano-about-his-new-role-as-lieutenant-governor-integrity-and-inclusivity-are-crucial/ |access-date=18 August 2024 |website=BES Reporter}}
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|07|07|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Bonaire
| death_date =
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| nationality = Dutch
| party =
| spouse = Freeke Kunst
| children = Ivan Rijna, Rosa Rijna
| residence =
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Edison Enrique Rijna (born 7 July 1967){{cite news|title=Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk plans to appoint Edison Rijna as Lt.Governor of Bonaire |url=http://bonairereporter.com/news/014pdfs/07-21-14.pdf |work=The Bonaire Reporter |issue=15 |date=21 July 2014 |page=2 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118141033/http://bonairereporter.com/news/014pdfs/07-21-14.pdf |archivedate=November 18, 2015 }} is a Dutch politician who was Lieutenant Governor of Bonaire from 2014 to 2023. He previously served as the acting Island governor from 1 March 2014 to 22 August 2014.
Early life and career
Rijna was born on 7 July 1967 in Bonaire. As a child he attended Prinses Beatrix School and SGB High School on Bonaire.{{cite news|title=Edison Rijna took the oath of office on August 22 as the new Island Governor |url=http://bonairereporter.com/news/014pdfs/09-01-14.pdf |work=The Bonaire Reporter |issue=18 |date=1 September 2014 |page=2 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118141053/http://bonairereporter.com/news/014pdfs/09-01-14.pdf |archivedate=18 November 2015 }} Afterwards, he moved to Curaçao, where he resided for some time working in different banks across the Caribbean.{{cite news |title=Edison Rijna benoemd tot gezaghebber Bonaire {{!}} Caribisch Netwerk |url=https://caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl/2014/07/11/edison-rijna-benoemd-tot-gezaghebber-bonaire/ |access-date=28 June 2025 |work=Caribisch Netwerk |date=11 July 2014 |language=nl-NL}} Upon moving back to Bonaire, he started a waste recycling company called Bon Recycling B.V in 2011 but soon after left again before moving back in the summer of 2014 to be Lieutenant Governor.{{cite news |title=Terug om Bonaire te helpen ontwikkelen {{!}} Caribisch Netwerk |url=https://caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl/2015/10/10/terug-om-bonaire-te-helpen-ontwikkelen/ |access-date=28 June 2025 |work=Caribisch Netwerk |date=10 October 2015 |language=nl-NL}}
He was appointed actiing Governor of Bonaire on 1 March after Lydia Emerencia announced her resignation after no longer having support of the Bonairean administrators, and he officially became governor on 20 August after being approved by the Dutch Council of Ministers on the recommendation of Ronald Plasterk in July. Upon becoming the governor on 22 August, he stated that his main priorities were increasing responsibility for disaster relief and moving away from traditional politics to become more approachable, as he stated he was apolitical.{{cite news |title=Rijna: ‘Dansen om als burgervader balans te vinden’ {{!}} Caribisch Netwerk |url=https://caribischnetwerk.ntr.nl/2014/08/22/rijna-dansen-om-als-burgervader-balans-te-vinden/ |access-date=28 June 2025 |work=Caribisch Netwerk |date=22 August 2014 |language=nl-NL}}
In May 2020 his six-year term was extended, which was effective on 20 August.{{cite news |title=Herbenoeming gezaghebber Bonaire |url=https://www.curacao.nu/nieuws/bonaire/38877/herbenoeming-gezaghebber-bonaire |access-date=28 June 2025 |work=Curacao |date=12 May 2020 |language=nl}} In October 2022 it was announced that Rijna would be sent on a two-week leave by the Bonaire Island Council on the vote of five of the nine parties who agreed that he needed to leave.{{cite news |title=Eilandraad stuurt gezaghebber Rijna met verlof |url=https://nu.cw/2022/10/13/eilandraad-stuurt-gezaghebber-rijna-met-verlof/ |access-date=28 June 2025 |work=Nu.CW |date=13 October 2022 |language=nl-NL}} He was criticized by them for facilitating construction projects in coral areas. It was agreed that Nolly Oleana would be Acting Island Governor to launch an investigation into the project.
Personal life
He was married to Freeke Rijna-Kunst, who died in February 2017 after having cancer for years and then having a sudden brain hemorrhage.{{cite news |title=Freeke Rijna-Kunst overleden |url=https://antilliaansdagblad.com/nieuws-menu/15229-freeke-rijna-kunst-overleden |access-date=28 June 2025 |work=Antilliaans Dagblad |date=12 February 2017 |language=nl-nl}} She was a lawyer and artist, and together they had two children named Ivan and Rosa.
See also
- Gerald Berkel, former island governor of Sint Eustatius
- Jonathan Johnson, island governor of Saba.
- Evelyn Wever-Croes, Prime Minister of Aruba
- Gilmar Pisas, Prime Minister of Curacao
- Silveria Jacobs, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten
References
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