Round table meeting on the future of the Central Dialogue Bonaire  on November 15th 2018

Oud VNO-NCW topman Jan-Willem van den Braak

November 15^th, 2018 the parties participating in the Central Dialogue Bonaire (Centrale Dialoog Bonaire) will meet again in a round table meeting. The Central Dialogue is a consultation between trade unions, employers and government on economic topics like employment relationships, social security and poverty reduction. All parties involved may propose topics for the Central Dialogue, which relate thereto.

An external facilitator has been appointed on behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid, SZW) and in consultation with the Public Entity and the representatives of the employers and employees. During this meeting he will offer proposals for a new opening-up of the Central Dialogue, which stagnated over the past period due to various reasons. The facilitator has had several talks over the past period with representatives of employers, employees and the Public Entity Bonaire, among others, which are involved in the Central Dialogue. These talks were constructive and the participants in the talks have made a positive effort. They agree that a good Central Dialogue can make an important contribution to their own influence and position but also to the welfare of Bonaire, while conflicting positions can be reconciled.

It is the intention to reach concrete agreements on the continuation and structure of the Central Dialogue in the future during the meeting on November 15^th. For instance on matters like setting up a schedule of meetings, the frequency of meetings, topics and assessment moments. Another discussion topic is the balanced division of seats across the different bodies. The seats in the Central Dialogue are currently divided across USIBO, BBE, BONHATA, BHG, the Public Entity Bonaire and the Chamber of Commerce. In addition, the involvement of the Ministry of SZW in the Central Dialogue will be discussed.

Jan-Willem van den Braak previously also helped to establish a social dialogue in Aruba and knows from that experience what it takes to make a social dialogue work. ”Because of the parties’ constructive engagement so far, there are high hopes  for a speedy re-opening of the Central Dialogue”, according to the facilitator.