The Council of Ministers has approved a legislative proposal by the State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalisation, Alexandra van Huffelen, for the introduction of the Citizen Service Number (Burgerservicenummer or BSN) and digital government login tools in Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba.
The aim of the legislation is to strengthen the digital government and society in the Caribbean Netherlands. State Secretary Van Huffelen stated, “Having a unique and personal identifier, such as the Citizen Service Number, will make life easier in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba.”
Improving government services
Currently, the nearly 29,000 inhabitants of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba currently possess solely an ID number, lacking secure and effective integration with DigiD. With the BSN, residents will have a unique personal number for identification at government organisations.
This also grants them access to the Netherlands’ digital government login tools, enabling them to manage their government affairs, such as DigiD and eHerkenning. For instance, they could report a change of residence or file tax returns from the comfort of their home, using a computer or smartphone. This convenience saves residents time and enhances government service delivery.
This legislative proposal lays an important foundation for gradually improving the digital service offering from the government in the Caribbean Netherlands and making them more accessible.
Process
The legislative proposal was developed in collaboration with the governments of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. From 19 June to July 31, 2023, citizens could provide feedback on the proposal via an online consultation. The proposal is now submitted to the Council of State for advice, with the goal of presenting it to the House of Representatives by mid-2024.
