WILLEMSTAD – The government of Curaçao and the Minister of Public Health, Javier Silvania, have made it clear that they were not involved in the recent appointment of Johan de Graaf as the new CEO of the Curaçao Medical Center (CMC). In an official statement issued this week, it was emphasized that both the government and Minister Silvania were informed of the appointment only through the media on February 4, 2025.
Johan de Graaf
The statement comes amid growing public concern and questions about the appointment, particularly on social media, where many have asked why the new CEO is not a local from Curaçao. Minister Silvania, in his response, has distanced the government from the decision, explaining that they cannot be held responsible for the choice made by the CMC's governing bodies.
In a statement, the government highlighted the independence of the CMC's corporate governance structure, which separates the roles and responsibilities of various entities within the organization. One of the key points raised by Silvania is that while new commissioners of CMC Holding are appointed by the minister, appointments to the CMC Board of Commissioners are made through co-optation, meaning the sitting commissioners decide who will be added to the board.
The minister also noted that, although CMC Holding can suggest candidates for the board, the CMC Board of Commissioners has the power to reject these suggestions. He also stressed that the government has no influence over the appointment of the CEO or the composition of the board, specifically using capitalized letters to emphasize the government’s lack of control over the matter.
The announcement of the new CEO comes at a time when tensions are rising within the local political landscape. KEM, a political party in the coalition government, has expressed strong opposition to the appointment of any European Dutch national to head government agencies. From prison, the party leader of KEM wrote, “As a true child of the country of Curaçao, I say from now on that we are completely against (with capital letters) the appointment of any European Dutchman as the director of any government agency.”
While Javier Silvania thanked the departing CEO, Gilbert Martina, for his service and wished the new appointee success, it remains clear that the appointment of the new CMC CEO has sparked significant controversy. Minister Silvania has expressed hope that Johan de Graaf will successfully continue to lead CMC, reinforcing its position as a leading healthcare institution in the Caribbean region.
The issue highlights the ongoing debate in Curaçao regarding the appointment of local versus foreign professionals in leadership positions within public institutions, especially as the country faces significant challenges in the healthcare sector.