As of Monday forthcoming March 21st Lucia Beck will be the new head of Communication for Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland (RCN). She takes over the mantel from the temporary head, Friso Fennema and will be responsible for the press relations and communication policy for the Dutch government departments and the Kingdom Representative on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. Alida Francis, Communication Advisor in the Windward Islands, will fill this role in the absence of Beck. Fennema returns to The Netherlands after 10 months in the Dutch Caribbean to resume work at the Ministry for Infrastructure and Environment in The Hague.
The task of Fennema was to communicatively lead the changes surrounding 10-10-10 and January 1, set up communication channels for the Rijksoverheid, and mainly to form a local team. Having a local head of communication as the face of the government is very important and fits the objectives of RCN to be a reflection of the community. "With Beck we have someone onboard who grew up in the Caribbean region and who therefore understand the culture and language of the islands. She knows The Netherlands and is above all a very experienced and all-round communication professional, who together with her colleagues will undoubtedly inform citizens of the three islands in a dynamic and open manner regarding government affairs", according to Fennema.
Beck is 40 years and has built up a great deal of international experience. She was born in The Netherlands, resided a short while in Germany and has lived most of her life on Curacao. She has studied PR and marketing at the College-level and has worked afterwards in among other the USA and Singapore as a journalist and in communications before she came to Bonaire 16 years ago. There she gained experience at Information and Protocol of the Island Government and was the Marketing and PR coordinator for Government NV’s. Beck is in service of RCN as Communication Advisor since May 2010.
RCN endeavors in its communication to be active, open and accessible to citizens. Every change has advantages and disadvantages and leads to uncertainties. Inhabitants of the islands should therefore come with their questions to the Rijksoverheid to be informed in a fast and correct manner. RCN has therefore set up a free information line 08008-101010 and is active on Facebook and has an own website. Where possible RCN communicates in three languages: English, Papiamento and Dutch. On St. Eustatius and Saba RCN organizes regular press conferences with the Executive Councils. On Bonaire there is a live TV programme, Keda Informa, every last Tuesday of the month which is aired on CBA/TV 11. The next broadcast is on March 31st at 8.30 PM and will be about Care. Viewers can call then and submit their questions to including Jan-Pieter Zandwijk, the new Director of the Health Insurance Office.