WILLEMSTAD - "There has been progress in the process. I personally sat down with the boards and we came up with a proposal on protocols that should now be introduced. This proposal is now under evaluation with the Covid Strategic Team." This is according to Dr. Steven Martina, Minister of Economic Development.
Martina is hereby responding to the event that the interest groups for the Curaçao entertainment world AMAK and KIF will be holding at Wilhelminaplein.
A few weeks ago, the two organizations sent letters to Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath, Justice Minister Quincy Girigorie and Martina. It was requested to sit down to find a solution for the nightlife in Curaçao, which is severely affected by the corona measures.
The interest groups issued an ultimatum and threatened with a manifestation if the ultimatum was not met.
The government complied with the request for consultation and AMAK and KIF met with government officials several times. A protocol has been formulated, but the two organizations believe that a final decision on this is taking too long and have therefore decided to take action.
Last week there was already action at Mambo Beach by the group "Artistanan Uní den Lucha" (Artists United in the Battle). They will also be there during the demonstration.
Martina says he can imagine that AMAK and KIF want to see results faster. "The proposal for a protocol that we have formulated offers many perspectives. But it is not only up to the Ministry of Economic Development to decide on this. This week other ministries will also have to go through it and that is in any case a start,” said Martina.
Finally, the minister says that Curaçao is a democratic country and everyone has the right to manifest if they are not happy about something. "The ministry will follow the developments to get a better picture of what the complaints are. Because we are certainly in favor of change. This will probably not happen at the speed that AMAK and KIF would like to see, but the change will come."
