WILLEMSTAD - A key hearing is set this week in the lawsuit filed by journalist Nardy Cramm against the Governor, Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance of Curaçao, challenging the mandate under which the Gaming Control Board (GCB) operates. Cramm is seeking access to documents proving the GCB’s authority to issue gambling licenses under the Landsverordening Buitengaatse Hazardspelen (LBH), Curaçao’s offshore gaming law.
Cramm, along with Member of Parliament Steven Croes, has long argued that only the Governor of Curaçao is authorized to issue gaming licenses, as explicitly stated in the LBH. In response to previous inquiries, Finance Minister Javier Silvania claimed that a mandate was issued in December 2019, allowing the Governor to delegate this authority to the Ministry of Finance. Subsequently, in March 2020, the Ministry is said to have further delegated this authority to the GCB through a sub-mandate.
Despite these claims, Cramm alleges that no evidence of this delegation has been provided. As the founder of the claim organization SBGOK, she is using legal action to obtain access to the documents, arguing that her journalistic right to information is being violated.
Court Ordered Proof Yet to Be Delivered
In April, Cramm achieved a partial victory when the court ruled that the Governor, Prime Minister, and Minister of Finance must provide evidence of the GCB's mandate. However, this evidence was never submitted. Cramm later filed for an interim injunction to expedite access to the documents, but this was denied due to the absence of urgent necessity.
The hearing scheduled for tomorrow will address whether Cramm has the right to access the requested documents. The court will also examine the legal basis for the mandate and sub-mandate that the GCB relies on to issue gaming licenses. A verdict is expected within six weeks.
Broader Implications and Allegations
This case is unfolding against a backdrop of increased scrutiny over Curaçao’s gambling sector. Last week, opposition member Luigi Faneyte filed charges against Minister Silvania and associated Maltese investors, accusing them of issuing licenses without the required legal basis.
Faneyte also alleged that much of the licensing process has been outsourced to Maltese investors, including Mario Galea, a former director of the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). Galea has been advising Curaçao on gaming policy and is reportedly a key figure in the current licensing framework.
This ongoing controversy highlights persistent concerns about transparency and legality in Curaçao’s gambling industry, with the outcome of Cramm’s lawsuit potentially having far-reaching consequences for the sector.