WILLEMSTAD - The Curaçao Parliament and government are urgently working to abolish the law that cuts civil servant benefits. Minister Shalten Hato (MFK) of the Ministry of Administration, Planning, and Public Services (BPD) responded in writing to questions from parliament members within 48 hours after the issue was discussed in the Central Committee. 

The proposed amendment targets the removal of Article 9, Sections 1 and 3, from the labor cuts law. The government aims to complete the change before the end of the year, allowing civil servants to qualify for indexing, wage scales, and a one-time payment of three percent starting next year. 

While coalition parties MFK and KEM are pushing for swift action, opposition parties PNP and MAN have delayed progress by posing numerous questions. PNP parliamentarian Sheldry Osepa faced multiple interruptions from MFK members, many of which were unrelated to the specifics of the law. 

In an effort to address tensions between the parties, MAN parliamentarian Giselle Mc William suggested holding a "healing session" between MFK and PNP due to the ongoing political rift. Minister Hato clarified that the proposed amendment is not intended to reverse previous cuts, as the financial consequences have already been factored into the country’s multi-year budget.