Privacy Day dedicated to employers and employees

On International Privacy Day, Thursday, January 28, the BES Commission for the Protection of Personal Data Privacy will focus its attention on the relationship between employers and employees in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. The Commission wants to stimulate both parties to engage in dialogue about the rules that apply to the handling of employees’ personal data.

Privacy Day has been observed on January 28 since 2009, to raise awareness about the rights and obligations with regard to privacy. This is deemed as important because personal information regarding citizens and organizations is often not well protected, easy to find and easy to misuse.

This year’s Privacy Day will focus on the relationship between employers and employees with respect to the protection of personal data. Bonaire, Statia and Saba still lack knowledge about the rules that apply to this subject, said Commission Chairman Glenn Thodé. “Precisely because of this lack of knowledge it is important to devote a lot of attention to this theme,” said Thodé.

“In March, we’re planning to organize sessions for a number of employers on Bonaire, Statia and Saba to provide information on the do’s and don’ts, and to discuss the legislation’s implications in this area,” said Thodé. “In the second half of the year we will organize sessions for employers who did not yet participate during the first round.”

The Commission was established in 2014 to bring attention to privacy legislation and to provide guidance on how to apply it. “After we concluded a period of education, we worked on raising awareness. Eventually, it is the Commission’s task to also monitor the law’s implementation; in the end, the law must be upheld,” said Thodé.

The Commission is an independent body that supervises the processing, storage and use of personal data. Information on this topic is to find on the Commission’s website www.cbpbes.com.

The Daily Herald.