WILLEMSTAD – Member of Parliament Anthony Godett from the KEM party has submitted a bill establishing regulations for prosecuting politicians in office. According to the proposal, the Attorney General must first seek approval from the Court of Justice before a minister or parliamentarian can face criminal prosecution. Only after the court grants permission can legal proceedings begin.
A similar law already exists in Sint Maarten. The reasoning behind it is that criminal prosecution has significant consequences for a politician. Not only is a minister or parliamentarian suspended once they are taken into pretrial detention or convicted, but an irrevocable conviction also results in the loss of their position.
Curaçao’s constitutional rules differ in some respects. For example, the pretrial detention of a parliamentarian does not automatically lead to suspension. Only an irrevocable conviction requires them to step down. These and other legal differences have been considered in the bill’s adjustments.
Legal Expertise and Funding
The KEM faction has hired a legal expert to implement the necessary modifications to the bill’s text. To finance this, KEM was the first to request funds from the 100,000-guilder budget allocated in Parliament for factions requiring professional support. This budget was made available in December 2024 following a motion by the Trabou pa Kòrsou faction.
This initiative comes at a time when Michelangelo ‘Lo’ Martines, former KEM party leader, has been in custody since November 2024 on suspicion of drug trafficking and money laundering. Martines was arrested on November 5 as part of the criminal investigation ‘Bleda,’ which focuses on serious crimes with a major impact on community safety.
Godett regrets that the bill could not be submitted in Papiamento simultaneously. The faction had intended to do so, but the translation process would have taken too long. Now that the proposal has been submitted to Parliament, it will be forwarded to the Advisory Council for review. Afterward, Parliament can debate and vote on the bill.