The Council of Ministers, on the proposal of State Secretary Van Huffelen (Kingdom Relations and Digitalisation), has endorsed the bill to introduce the Citizen Service Number (BSN) and digital government login tools in Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba.

The law aims to strengthen the digital government and society in the Caribbean Netherlands. State Secretary Van Huffelen: “Having a unique and personal number, such as the Citizen Service Number, is going to make life easier on Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba”.

The bill regulates that the nearly 29,000 residents of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba who are registered in the Population Registry of the Islands (PIVA) are given a BSN. With the BSN, residents will have a unique personal number to identify themselves to government organizations.

The bill makes it legally possible for residents and entrepreneurs to gain access to the digital government login tools in the Netherlands, e.g., DigiD and eHerkenning (English: eRecognition) With these, residents and entrepreneurs can demonstrate online who they are to arrange matters with the government. Thus, The bill lays an important foundation to gradually offer government services in Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba increasingly digitally and make them more accessible.

This bill was developed in good cooperation with the governments of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba. From the 19th to the 31st of July, citizens could react to the bill via an internet consultation. The bill is now submitted to the Council of State for its advice. The aim is to present the bill to the House of Representatives in mid-2024.

RCN