Hundreds of families on Curaçao have been cut off from water due to financial problems.
WILLEMSTAD - Since 2012, the Ombudsman of Curaçao has been ringing the bell about households that are cut off from the water supply network on the island. Even during the corona crisis, households are still without water.
This is evident from a letter that Keursley Concincion, the Ombudsman of Curaçao, together with the Ombudsmen of Sint Maarten and the Netherlands wrote to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte.
For the first time since the institute was founded on the islands, the Ombudsmen jointly wrote a letter to the Dutch Premier. They draw attention to the socio-economic situation on the autonomous islands. Ombudsman Concincion pays specific attention to the drinking water problem in Curaçao.
“A large group of people are still without access to clean drinking water due to various socio-economic circumstances,” says the Ombudsman. “We have of course first indicated to our own government that we are concerned about this situation. Households are still being cut off, which is not desirable, certainly in this COVID 19 situation.”
“The COVID-19 situation is so exceptional on all islands that we chose to write a letter together,” says the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman of Aruba is missing in the letter, because Aruba does not yet have an Ombudsman.
In their letter, the Ombudsmen want to address the great poverty in the Caribbean islands and the effects of the conditions imposed by the Netherlands for liquidity support. "This will inevitably lead to more suffering, especially for the most vulnerable in society," the letter said.
"That cannot have been the intention of the Kingdom government," said the Ombudsman. "The effects of this measure increase social and economic inequality within the kingdom and do not benefit the democracy of the countries in the Caribbean part of the kingdom."
Survey
In addition to the official letter, the Ombudsman also launched a survey to inform the government about how the situation is perceived by citizens. “Most people who are cut off from their water bill do not receive a subsidy. The way in which to apply for a subsidy through the Ministry of Social Development, Labor and Employment (SOAW) appears to be a long-winded process, which is not ideal,” said the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsmen have not yet received a response to the letter already sent in July, but do expect it to come. “The Dutch government does usually answer official letters,” the Ombudsman states.
No comment
Despite the many requests in recent weeks, the Ministry of SOAW is not available for comment on the disconnection of households from the drinking water network.