Henk Brons to temporary head Kingdom Relations

Henk Brons, currently Representative of the Dutch Government in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten, will temporary head the Directorate of Kingdom Relations of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BZK per September 15.

Brons will combine the temporary position with his work on the islands. However, the majority of his workload will be in The Hague, stated a spokesperson of the BZK Ministry on Monday. As a result, his presence on the islands, especially in Curaçao where he is stationed, will be reduced.

Together with the current Acting Director Kingdom Relations Dirk-Jan Bonnet, Brons will head the Kingdom Relations Department which is responsible for the coordination policy and cooperation with the Dutch Caribbean countries Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands consisting of the Dutch public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.

According to the Ministry, this solution was chosen in response to a “special circumstance” that has presented itself at the start of a new Dutch Government as a result of two personnel changes at the top-level of the BZK Ministry.
Earlier it was announced that the current Secretary-General of the BZK Ministry Richard van Zwol, who holds the Kingdom Relations portfolio Kingdom Affairs in the Ministry’s Management Council, has been appointed Member of the Council of State per October 1, 2017.

Brons will temporarily replace current Director Kingdom Relations Erwin Arkenbout who will switch to the Ministry of Security and Justice where he will become the new Director Judicial System per September 15.

Brons was appointed Dutch Government Representative per January 1, 2015. The Dutch Representation has offices in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. Brons was formerly the Director-General of the Dutch Government Information Service RVD at the Ministry of General Affairs.

Curacao Chronicle.