WILLEMSTAD – Neighborhood action group Save Zakitó is urging Minister of Traffic, Transportation and Spatial Planning (VVRP) Charles Cooper to immediately comply with a court ruling issued on November 4. Despite the ruling, the ministry declared Save Zakitó’s enforcement request inadmissible on November 25.
Save Zakitó submitted an enforcement request to the ministry on July 14. In its November 4 decision, the court ruled that Minister Cooper is required to take a formal decision on that request. However, instead of addressing the substance of the request, the ministry chose to declare it inadmissible.
Community Raises Alarm
An anonymous member of the Curaçao community has shared an analysis of the ministerial decision, describing it as a signal of a broader crisis in public governance. According to this analysis, the handling of the case reflects structural shortcomings in how government decisions are made and enforced.
Save Zakitó points to earlier findings by the Ombudsman, who concluded that repeated failures by the government to take formal decisions violate the principles of legality and good governance. The neighborhood group argues that the State Ordinance, the National Ordinance on Domanial Lands and Rights, and the National Ordinance on Public Access to Government Information require transparent and lawful conduct by public authorities.
Call for Further Investigation
The organization is now calling on the minister to fully execute the court ruling without introducing new obstacles, such as the application of a so-called 100-meter rule. In addition, Save Zakitó has appealed to the Ombudsman to launch a public follow-up investigation into what it describes as repeated government negligence.
“Curaçao deserves reliable, lawful and transparent institutions,” Save Zakitó stated. The group says it will continue to advocate for justice, environmental protection, and integrity in public administration.