WILLEMSTAD – The Council of Ministers has approved a series of institutional and administrative decisions affecting the organization of government and senior leadership, following its meeting on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
One of the key decisions concerns an adjustment of the ministerial portfolio distribution for 2025. According to the government, the revised allocation of responsibilities between ministries will now be further elaborated in legal terms. Once that process is completed, the updated portfolio distribution will be formally published.
In addition, the Council of Ministers agreed to appoint Shalten Hato as Vice Prime Minister and Charles Cooper as Second Vice Prime Minister, effective January 21, 2026. The corresponding national decrees will be submitted to the Governor of Curaçao for signature.
The cabinet also approved a temporary arrangement related to governance at government-owned entities. For a period of three months, the Stichting Bureau Toezicht en Normering Overheidsentiteiten (SBTNO) will be tasked with advising on the remuneration of directors and supervisory board members of public entities. A draft national decree formalizing this arrangement will be submitted to the Governor.
Finally, the Council agreed on the formal recording of the government’s response to the 2023 national financial statements, as outlined in a letter from the Minister of Finance to the General Audit Chamber of Curaçao (ARC). A copy of this response will be forwarded to the Curaçao Parliament.
Together, the decisions reflect a broader effort to strengthen administrative coordination, clarify responsibilities, and formalize governance structures within the central government.
