WILLEMSTAD - Opposition party MAN-PIN has sharply criticized the government over its public remarks about the Algemene Rekenkamer Curaçao, accusing the cabinet of intimidating the independent watchdog and weakening oversight of public spending.
According to MAN-PIN, strong and independent supervision is essential for a functioning society. The party argues that weak oversight contributes to a wide range of societal problems, from poor traffic behavior to environmental pollution. In that context, the role of the Audit Chamber is described as indispensable.
The Algemene Rekenkamer is tasked with overseeing how public funds are spent and reports exclusively to the Curaçao Parliament, not to the government itself. MAN-PIN emphasizes that this independent position is anchored in Curaçao’s constitutional framework and is a cornerstone of democratic accountability.
The party stresses that the Audit Chamber’s function is to objectively assess whether government spending is lawful and efficient. This process is one of accountability, not negotiation between the government and the oversight body. While the Audit Chamber may consider responses from the government, it is not obliged to adopt the government’s viewpoints and must retain its own independent judgment, in line with international standards for supreme audit institutions.
MAN-PIN warns that recent criticism from the government risks setting a dangerous precedent. If the independence of the Audit Chamber can be undermined, other independent institutions could also come under pressure, including the Ombudsman and the judiciary. Such developments, the party argues, would pose a serious threat to democratic governance in Curaçao.
The opposition party also notes that effective oversight is particularly important at the current moment, as the Cabinet Pisas governs without coalition partners. In the absence of internal counterbalances within government, external oversight by institutions such as the Audit Chamber becomes even more crucial, especially in monitoring the national budget.
MAN-PIN further points out that only the Algemene Rekenkamer is authorized to approve the government’s annual accounts. That responsibility does not lie with SOAB, which serves as the government’s internal auditor.
The party concludes by calling on the cabinet to halt what it describes as attacks on the Audit Chamber and to fully respect the independence of financial oversight in the interest of transparency, accountability and democratic stability in Curaçao.
