BES Commission for data privacy launches website

Caribbean Netherlands organisation, the BES Commission for the Protection of Personal Data Privacy, has launched a website, www.cbpbes. com, to help clarify the effect and scope of implementing its statutory duties to the general public.

The commission is an independent body that supervises the management of all personal data.

The website was “specifically designed to provide as much information as possible to citizens, governments and all organisations that store personal information in data files. This could be a hospital, but also an insurance agent or an employment agency.

“Because this is a new ball game for most businesses, the focus is currently on creating awareness among all stakeholders. Information about various areas of interest is provided insightfully.

“The intention is to make it possible in the future to ask questions via the website and/or to send comments to the Commission. The goal for the website is to interactively make all stakeholders aware of the importance of protecting personal data.”

The Commission was established on April 1, 2014. In addition to Chairman Glenn Thodé, Esther Pourier and Jacques van Eck were also appointed as members. A secretariat assists the Commission with its daily activities. The Caribbean Netherlands is the first part of the Kingdom in the Caribbean where such a commission is active.

“Privacy is very important, but it’s also very vulnerable. There are numerous examples internationally, but also in the Caribbean, where the limit of how much private information can be disclosed has almost been reached or even exceeded,” a Commission press release read.

“All citizens should be able to trust that both the government and the private sector will carefully manage their personal data”, said Glenn Thodé.

“For the government even stricter rules should apply, because it also has to lead by example. That’s why clear frameworks and rules as to what is and what is not allowed must also be specifi ed. All the relevant players must abide by these.”

The protection of personal data is a relatively new concept in the Caribbean Netherlands, according to the press release. “The spirit of the law is that all citizens have a right to have their personal data managed carefully and that this right cannot be easily disregarded. Limits are placed on the use and storage of this data.”

The Daily Herald.