WILLEMSTAD - Due to an error, confidential information about approximately 5,000 welfare recipients was inadvertently sent to members of Parliament. Parliament Chairperson Charetti America-Francisca confirmed the incident and urgently requested that MPs delete the email containing the file.
The file included sensitive details such as names, addresses, identification numbers, phone contacts, and welfare payment information. The leak occurred when documents from the Ministry of Social Development, Labor, and Welfare (SOAW) were sent in response to parliamentary questions about welfare policies.
According to America-Francisca, the transmission was accidental and not an intentional action by Minister Javier Silvania, who oversees the ministry. She attributed the mistake to fatigue, noting that the civil servant responsible sent the documents late at night. In an internal message, MPs were asked not to share the file further and to delete it immediately.
Privacy Concerns
PNP party leader Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia called the incident unacceptable, stating that it violates the right to privacy. She emphasized that civil servants must avoid such errors and called for improved oversight.
The PNP faction also warned of the potential risk of other sensitive information being leaked, such as tax and salary data. The party has urged the implementation of strict measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.