WILLEMSTAD – A government report on the management of publicly owned and leased buildings paints a troubling picture of weak oversight, fragmented responsibilities, and inefficient use of public property.
According to the report, Curaçao lacks a central, up-to-date inventory of government-owned and rented buildings. As a result, ministries often do not know which properties they own, which are rented, or what condition they are in. Several buildings remain partially or fully unused, while the government continues to pay rent for external facilities.
The absence of clear ownership records and maintenance plans has contributed to deterioration of public assets, increasing long-term costs. In some cases, buildings were found to be vacant or underutilized for years without any strategic decision being taken on renovation, repurposing, or sale.
The report concludes that without structural reform, public real estate will continue to lose value, placing unnecessary pressure on public finances.