Social challenges
In addition to the Netherlands, digitalisation is also changing society in Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten. The Dutch Caribbean countries want to better utilise the advantages that digitalisation offers and respond to the disadvantages. The challenges are often comparable to Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, or the Netherlands as a whole.
The transition requires extensive knowledge and capacity that is scarce and expensive in the region. There are also challenges in international connectivity, both in the Caribbean region and between the Caribbean region and Europe. Such challenges include the emerging market power and the installation of new fibre optic cables. Papiamentu is not easily accessible online. Information in Papiamentu is often unavailable in other languages and vice versa. Because Papiamentu is poorly incorporated into digital language technologies, it is not easily possible to develop speech software for those with poor vision or reading skills.
Results achieved by 2023
- The social task has been made more concrete through the introduction of periodic consultations, on-site experts and the expansion of the coordinating team at the Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK).
- The bill to introduce Citizen Service Number (in Dutch, Burgerservicenummer or BSN) and Digital Government Provisions Act (BES) facilities is ready in draft form and has been consulted.
- Bonaire is connected to the VNG’s Information Security Service.
- A digitalisation project leader has been appointed on Saba with assistance from BZK.
- Saba and St. Eustatius have begun to renew their websites to make them digitally accessible and technically ready for DigiD and digital services.
- In cooperation with EUTEL and sea cable company SSCS, a pilot setup improved the internet quality at the Governor De Graaff School.
Goals & indicators
| Goals | Indicators |
|---|---|
| 1. This gives prospective students from Aruba, Curaçao, and St Maarten a better start in the digital society in the Netherlands. |
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| 2. Respond to challenges and opportunities in the international digital connectivity of the Dutch Caribbean together. |
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| 3. Make Papiamentu more accessible in language technology. |
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What are our forthcoming actions?
To find out the goals we are setting for the upcoming year to work together on the digital society within the Kingdom, see priority 5.2 actions.
