WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao government intends to approve a new poverty reduction plan before the end of October, with implementation expected to begin in several vulnerable neighborhoods once the Council of Ministers gives its approval.
Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas announced the initiative during the national celebration marking 16 years since Curaçao became an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
According to Pisas, the plan is in its final preparation phase and will soon be submitted to the Council of Ministers. The government intends to use the program to strengthen vulnerable neighborhoods, improve income security and create more opportunities for families.
The announcement comes as Curaçao continues to record strong economic figures while a significant part of the population remains in poverty.
Pisas pointed to economic growth of 5.1 percent last year, government budget surpluses in recent years and what he described as a substantial reduction in public debt. At the same time, he acknowledged that approximately 30 percent of Curaçao's population lives below the poverty line.
The prime minister said this demonstrates that Curaçao still has considerable work to do on the social front.
During his address at Brionplein, Pisas placed the poverty initiative within the government's broader concept of "nationbuilding." He argued that autonomy should not be measured solely by political independence or economic statistics, but also by whether residents benefit from the country's progress.
Particular attention will be directed toward vulnerable neighborhoods and young people with limited prospects.
However, several important details of the poverty reduction plan have not yet been disclosed. Pisas did not identify which neighborhoods would be selected first, how much funding would be allocated to the program or precisely which measures participating families could expect.
The financial position of elderly residents who depend exclusively on the General Old Age Pension, or AOV, was another issue addressed by the prime minister. He referred to agreements reached in December 2025 as an initial step toward improving their financial position and said the government would continue working toward allowing pensioners to live with dignity.
Pisas said the next four years should be used to further develop Curaçao ahead of another important milestone in 2030, when the country will mark 20 years of autonomous status.
By then, he said, progress should be visible not only in economic growth and healthy public finances but also in the daily lives of Curaçao residents.
The immediate test will be the government's new poverty reduction plan. More about its potential impact will become clear once the Council of Ministers considers the proposal and details emerge about its budget, measures and the communities that will be targeted first.