Regional Service Centre

• What is already being done?
• The process of constituational change
• Questions or comments?

The Regional Service Centre (RSC)

The Netherlands strive for a transparent and efficient national government on Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba that is able to cooperate well. In order to achieve this, a Regional Service Centre (RSC) has been established on each island. The various ministries work together within the Regional Service Centre. The Regional Service Centre will also be the employer of the future civil servants on Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba.

In addition, the Regional Service Centre is the central information point of the national government. Citizens and companies can contact the RSC for answers to all their questions regarding the ramifications of the constitutional process, what it means for them, what will change and when.

What is already being done?

In anticipation of the new constitutional structure as of 10.10.10, many activities are being prepared for Bonaire, Saba and Saint Eustatius. Below a selection of the activities on the three islands:

A selection of the projects on the three islands:

Improvement of Education

• Catching-up programme languages and mathematics, new teaching methods, free schoolbooks
• Training of teachers, principals and school administrations
• Improvement of school buildings

Youth and Family

• Advice and information under one roof: Centre for Youth and Family
• More assistance for families and children
• More personnel and facilities
• Training for youth workers

Healthcare

• Introduction of healthcare costs insurance for everyone
• Expansion of healthcare facilities
• Expansion of sport and exercise facilities

Security

• Setting up a new police force and fire brigade
• Constantly manned control room
• Intensifying emergency assistance
• Doubling of crime investigation capacity
• Construction / renovation of police stations and fire stations
• Renovation / construction of detention centres

Infrastructure

• Improving airports and ports

Spatial planning and the Environment

• Providing for a good drinking water supply
• Providing for responsible disposal of wastewater and waste
• Providing for good spatial planning

Housing

• Investing in rental homes by Dutch housing cooperatives for people with a low income (construction and renovation)

Finance

• Setting up a pension fund
• Introduction of the US dollar as of 1 January 2011
• Introduction of new tax laws and reorganising the Tax and Customs Administration
• Preparing the legal framework, adjustment and indexation of benefits.
• Restructuring of other debts

The process of constitutional change

The process of constitutional change requires the necessary preparation on the part of the Netherlands. For the supervision of this process, the Dutch government has appointed Henk Kamp as Commissioner for Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba.

In addition, an experienced team of people from the Dutch Ministries is working together with the local authorities and the local organisations on the islands on preparing laws and on improvement projects for the three islands. This concerns specialists in the various policy areas, the so-called quartermasters. The quartermasters have been appointed temporarily to carry out the preparations for the constitutional changes and implement improvements together with the islands. When they are finished, they will return to the Netherlands. As for the execution of the tasks for which the Netherlands will be responsible, personnel will be recruited on the islands themselves in as far as possible.

Questions or comments?
If you have a question or comment about the Regional Service Centre or about the constitutional process, then you can contact us. We are pleased to be of assistance!

Regional Service Centre Bonaire
Kaya International z/n
PO Box 357
Kralendijk
Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

General telephone number: 00599 715 8333
Fax number: 00599 715 8330
E-mail: info-rsc@rsc-bes.nl

Regional Service Centre Saint Eustatius
Mazinga Complex A, B
Fort Oranjestraat
Oranjestad
Saint Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles

General e-mail: info-rsc@rsc-bes.nl
telephone number: 00599 318 3370
E-mail: info-rsc@rsc-bes.nl

Regional Service Centre Saba
The Bottom
Saba, Netherlands Antilles

General telephone number: 00599 416 3934
E-mail: info-rsc@rsc-bes.nl