Oranjestad, Sint Eustatius
Clear legal advice for the islands.
Columba Legal & Mediation is an independent legal consultancy on Sint Eustatius, serving the Caribbean Netherlands and Sint Maarten. Founded by Monique Lundh, LL.M., Columba gives employers, government bodies and private individuals clear, practical legal advice in English or Dutch. Where a dispute can be solved without a courtroom, Columba offers mediation as an alternative.
Advice in English or Dutch. Reachable the same working day.
Monique Lundh, LL.M.Founder
Who I work for
Employers, government and residents of the islands.
Three kinds of clients, one way of working: a clear answer and a workable next step.
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01
Employers and businesses
Hotels and resorts, dive operators, restaurants, shops and contractors. Contracts, dismissals, sick leave and work permits.
I work with employers who want to do things right the first time. A contract or dismissal handled properly today saves a dispute next year.
Advice for employers -
02
Government bodies and institutions
Ministries, the Public Entities of the BES islands, foundations and NGOs. Policy, regulation, procurement and governance.
Government work needs an advisor who knows the procedures, the politics and the islands. I have sat on the government side of the table.
Advice for government -
03
Private individuals
Residents of Sint Eustatius and the other islands with a work, housing, family or government problem.
You do not need to fly to Sint Maarten to get legal help. Columba is here, on Statia, and the first conversation is free.
Advice for individuals
Services
Labour law first. Practical help across the rest.
Labour law is the largest part of my practice. I also advise on permits, government decisions, contracts, companies, property, family matters and estates.
- 01Labour lawContracts, dismissal, sick leave, wages and the SZW dismissal permit
- 02Work and residence permitsTWV, residence permits, IND registration and objections
- 03Administrative and public lawObjections and appeals against government decisions
- 04MediationA neutral mediator for business, family, estate and neighbourhood disputes
- 05Contract drafting and reviewDrafted or reviewed before you sign
- 06Corporate law and foundationsB.V., N.V., foundations, associations and share transfers
- 07Tenancy, family, estates and moreProperty, divorce, inheritance, debt recovery, advisory and training
About
The advisor you will actually speak to.
Monique Lundh, LL.M., is a legal consultant and certified mediator based on Sint Eustatius. She founded Columba Legal & Mediation in 2025 after serving as acting head of the legal department of the Public Entity Sint Eustatius. Trained in Copenhagen and Maastricht, she advises employers, government bodies and private clients across the Caribbean Netherlands and Sint Maarten, in English and Dutch.
Monique LundhLegal consultant and certified mediator
Why Columba
Here, on the island, when you need it.
Columba is the only independent legal advisory practice based on Sint Eustatius. You do not need to fly to Sint Maarten or wait for an advisor to come over.
Before founding Columba I was legal policy advisor and acting head of the legal department of the Public Entity Sint Eustatius. I know the islands' legal frameworks from the inside.
My advice is practical and proportionate. The aim is to solve the problem, not to produce paperwork. And I can help on either side of a conflict: as advisor to one party, or as neutral mediator for both.
Recent results
From the first year.
Anonymised, as every matter on this site is. Each one is a description of what was done, not a promise about the next.
- Mediation, Saba
A construction dispute between two companies, settled in mediation in a single day.
- Customs
A customs penalty objection granted in full.
- Payroll tax
Payroll tax assessments against a company reduced to nil and penalties cancelled.
- Work permits
A resort group's work-permit process rebuilt so renewals now run on schedule.
Mediation
Not every dispute belongs in court.
On small islands, the person you are in conflict with today is someone you will see at the supermarket next year. Mediation lets both sides settle the matter themselves, with a neutral professional guiding the conversation.
How it starts
First, a conversation.
- 01
Describe your situation
Call, WhatsApp or email. The first conversation is free.
- 02
Hear what is needed
I tell you what I need from you and what the next step is.
- 03
Agree in writing
You receive a written confirmation of the engagement and the rate before any work starts.