WILLEMSTAD – The Council of Ministers of Curaçao has announced it will go on recess during the month of July 2025. While the Council typically meets every Wednesday throughout the year—and holds additional meetings when necessary—the recess is a scheduled pause in these meetings, in line with common practice across the Kingdom of the Netherlands during the summer months and school holidays. 

During the weekly meetings, all ministers come together to share updates and make collective decisions on key matters related to national governance and public administration. The recess allows ministers to focus on internal affairs within their respective ministries, though each minister may also choose to take personal vacation days during this period. In such cases, they will be represented by an appointed deputy. 

The recess is not considered a formal vacation but rather a break from scheduled Cabinet meetings. The final meeting before the recess is set for Wednesday, June 25, 2025, with the first post-recess session scheduled for Wednesday, August 6, 2025. 

Despite the recess, government operations will continue as usual. In urgent cases, decisions can still be made through written procedures, known as “op stuk” decisions, whereby the necessary documents are circulated among ministries for approval without convening a full meeting. 

The government stresses the importance of informing both the public and civil servants about the recess period. Ministries are expected to be well-prepared, ensuring that all essential matters requiring Council approval are submitted in time, either before or during the recess. 

The recess aims to maintain efficient governance while giving ministers the opportunity to focus on departmental priorities and planning.