WILLEMSTAD – The government of Curaçao has announced a significant raise in vacation pay for civil servants, increasing the rate from 6% to 8% of their annual salary. For many government employees, this adjustment brings the bonus close to a full month’s salary. 

The legislative amendment enabling the increase has already been drafted and will soon be submitted for review by the CGOA (Central Government Consultation Platform for Civil Servants), which addresses matters related to public service employment conditions. 

The raise was first announced on March 17 via social media by Finance Minister Javier Silvania, who emphasized that the increase had not only been promised but is now being delivered. However, the announcement’s timing—just before the elections—sparked criticism from unions and segments of the public, with some viewing it as a pre-election move at the taxpayer’s expense. 

Despite that, union leaders have broadly welcomed the change. George Hernandez, head of the civil servants’ union ABVO, called it a historic step, saying: “We’ve fought for this for over thirty years. This isn’t just a bonus—it also means more money circulating in the economy.” 

Minister Shalton Hato of Governance, Planning and Public Services confirmed during a CGOA meeting that the government has formally approved the proposal. The draft bill is now in its final stages and will go through the Advisory Council before being submitted to Parliament (Staten). 

Due to the time required for the legislative process, civil servants will receive the original 6% vacation pay in mid-June, with the additional 2% to be paid retroactively once the law is officially enacted. 

Minister Hato said the adjustment is not only a fair correction but also a way to make government employment more attractive, noting that vacation pay in the private sector is generally higher. The 6% rate had remained unchanged for over three decades.