THE HAGUE - According to the Undersecretary of Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops, the implementation of the National Package in Curaçao presents a mixed picture. But there have been delays in many files, including in dealing with financial problems at the Curaçao Medical Center (CMC), the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) funds, the gambling policy and the tax reform.
That is what outgoing the undersecretary writes in the Implementation Report of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten about the second quarter.
In general, the cooperation with Curaçao is constructive, Knops writes. “There was good contact with the team that coordinated and monitored the implementation of the National Package on behalf of outgoing Prime Minister Rhuggenaath. Nevertheless, progress paints a mixed picture. The outcome of the elections in Curaçao in March has had a delaying effect on the progress of the implementation.”
The new cabinet led by MFK Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas had initially asked the governor and former prime minister Rhuggenaath 'not to take irreversible steps'. As a result, among other things, the second Implementation Agenda could not be signed on 1 April, but only a few weeks later. The measures to curb the Covid-19 outbreak, including a 7-week lockdown, have also caused the necessary delay.
Nevertheless, the execution of the second Implementation Agenda has continued as far as possible, according to Knops. Examples of files that are reasonably well on schedule are the new land and property policy, housing policy, measures in the financial sector and the rule of law.
Where insufficient progress is being made is the reform of the gambling policy, 'which makes Curaçao vulnerable to rogue online gambling practices and potentially misses out on a lot of income'; And there is also no solution to the problem of the affordability of the SVB funds and the problems with the financing of the CMC.
The same applies to the approach to taxation. Knops: “In the coming months, extra effort will have to be put into this. After all, a well-organized, independently positioned tax administration and a well-considered tax system, which ensures that the strongest shoulders bear the heaviest burden, are indispensable to put the national treasury back in order.”