Island Governor of Bonaire, John Soliano, opened the conference
KRALENDIJK--The Commission for the Supervision of Personal Data Protection BES (CBP BES) has reflected on what it described as a successful symposium on digital data and privacy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, held on January 28, on Bonaire.
The event brought together administrators, regulators, policymakers and professionals from across the Kingdom to discuss digitalisation and the protection of personal data.
Among those in attendance were the Governor of Curaçao, His Excellency Mauritsz de Kort, representatives of the Parliament of Curaçao, and Aleid Wolfsen, chairman of the Dutch Data Protection Authority.
The gathering opened with remarks by the Island Governor of Bonaire, John Soliano, who emphasised the importance of safeguarding personal information and maintaining a secure digital government in the Caribbean Netherlands. He stressed that residents must be able to trust that their personal data is handled carefully and securely.
Femke Becht, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Justice and Security, highlighted the need for cooperation across the Kingdom in protecting digital data and privacy. Several experts then delivered substantive presentations, including Wolfsen; privacy lawyer Friederike van der Jagt of Hunter Legal BV; Rik Bergman, president of the Integrity Chamber of St. Maarten; Juri Nicolaas, director of the Aruba Security Service; Curt Belfor, director of the Regulatory Authority Curaçao; and Glenn Thodé, chairman of CBP BES.
The symposium also marked the farewell of Jacques van Eck, quartermaster and member of the commission. Organisers expressed appreciation for his commitment, expertise and significant contribution to the development and positioning of CBP BES.
Follow-up workshops were held on January 29, giving participants practical tools to apply privacy legislation in their daily work through real-life case studies. Sessions covered topics such as responding to data breaches, privacy by design in small businesses, cyber resilience in practice, and the role of privacy statements. According to organisers, the interactive format and practical examples were well received and directly applicable to professional practice.
Discussions during the symposium underscored that the protection of personal data across the Kingdom still requires improvement. Participants noted that safeguards in the Caribbean Netherlands and the wider Caribbean parts of the Kingdom remain insufficient, while differences in legislation and oversight can complicate cooperation and service delivery. Continued delays in modernising laws and supervisory frameworks were also identified as potential risks for citizens and organisations.
