With five regulatory amendments, the Public Entities of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba are set to start implementing the Citizen Service Number (BSN) for residents. This regulation enables the implementation of digital government services, such as the DigiD log in tool.
DigiD will allow island residents to access and manage their affairs with government organisations online in the European and Caribbean Netherlands. This marks a significant step in the Cabinet’s ambition to digitise the services on the island and align them with those available in the European Netherlands. The public consultation for this bill begins today, and it is concurrently being presented to the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) and the BES Personal Data Protection Commission. The goal is to enact these regulatory changes by 2025.
Facilitating online transactions
The BSN provides residents of the Caribbean Netherlands with a unique and personal identification number, similar to the one used in the European Netherlands for online identity verification. Such a number is crucial for digitising government services, including the introduction of DigiD, which enables residents to prove their identity online for governmental interactions.
The bill also facilitates online change-of-address notification within a Public Entity, eliminating the need for in-person visits at service counters.
One identifier and login tool for the government
With the BSN, Caribbean Netherlands citizens will have a single identifier for all government interactions. Soon, the BSN will replace the current ID and CRIB numbers used for identification on the islands. The login function for ‘MijnCN‘ (the online platform for government services in the Caribbean Netherlands) will also be transitioned to DigiD, enabling island residents to use one single access point for all digital government services.
