WILLEMSTAD – The handling of both the First Supplementary Budget for 2025 and the explanatory notes to the 2026 Budget has become a focal point of a broader and more fundamental debate between the government and Parliament over how transparent, complete, and controllable Curaçao’s financial policy truly is.
Across both budget documents, the same tensions repeatedly surface. Members of Parliament question whether the budgets present a full and accurate financial picture, while the government consistently maintains that its plans are prudent, realistic, and drafted within the constraints of existing financial frameworks.
Retroactive Approval of Spending
In the supplementary budget for 2025, parliamentary criticism is largely directed at what lawmakers describe as the retroactive legitimization of expenditures. The government is seeking approval for payments that have already been made, including the Bashi bonus for civil servants.
Several parliamentary factions argue that this practice undermines Parliament’s budgetary authority, as consent is only requested after funds have already been spent. The government rejects that interpretation, stating that financial space for the payment was already included in the original budget through a general provision. According to the cabinet, the supplementary budget merely involves a technical reallocation to the appropriate cost centers.
Borrowing Under Scrutiny
The same underlying friction emerges in the discussion on government borrowing. In 2025, parliamentarians questioned why the government continues to take out loans amounting to hundreds of millions of guilders, despite earlier statements about a “full state treasury.” The loans, they argue, appear inconsistent with claims of strong public finances.
The government counters that it has chosen to repay maturing debts in part with its own funds, which in turn reduces the resources available for new investments. As a result, the cabinet says, attracting new loans has become unavoidable.
Questions Over the 2026 Budget
In the debate on the 2026 Budget, the focus shifts to whether the budget is sufficiently complete. Parliamentary factions have pointed out that major policy commitments—such as an increase in old-age pension benefits, wage developments in the education sector, and a structural financial solution for the Curaçao Medical Center—are not clearly backed by quantified figures.
Without clearly defined financial allocations, Parliament argues, effective policy oversight is impossible. The government responds that not all expenditures are reflected directly in the national budget, citing AOW payments administered through the Social Insurance Bank, and stresses that other obligations are covered by multi-year provisions, even if they are not immediately visible within individual budget chapters.
Landspakket Reform Debate
The implementation of the so-called Landspakket reforms agreed with the Netherlands has also become a recurring point of contention. Parliamentarians have repeatedly asked where the costs of these reforms can be found in the budget.
According to the government, there is no single central budget line for the Landspakket because reforms are spread across multiple ministries and do not always require additional funding. This explanation has fueled criticism that Parliament lacks a clear overview of the financial impact of the reform agenda.
Oversight Versus Flexibility
In its defense, the government emphasizes in both budget documents that the financial plans have been prepared within the frameworks set by the College for Financial Supervision and in line with international recommendations from institutions such as the International Monetary Fund.
The cabinet also stresses that not all financial risks can be fully anticipated in advance and that flexibility is needed to adjust during the fiscal year. According to the government, this adaptability is essential to absorb financial setbacks without disrupting public services.
A Core Governance Issue
The debate ultimately cuts to the core of financial governance in Curaçao. Parliament continues to push for prior approval, full financial disclosure, and a direct link between policy objectives and spending. The government, meanwhile, emphasizes administrative flexibility, technical budget structures, and compliance with international oversight frameworks.
This fundamental tension is evident in both the 2025 and 2026 budget discussions and remains the central theme shaping Curaçao’s ongoing budgetary debates.