WILLEMSTAD – Opposition party MAN-PIN has accused the government of violating the law by failing to increase the old-age pension (AOV) since 2022. In a statement issued on July 8, the party claims that the current administration has ignored Article 7 of the national ordinance on AOV, which mandates an annual adjustment of the pension based on real economic growth.
Citing data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), MAN-PIN argues that economic growth in recent years has been sufficient to justify an increase. According to their calculations, the AOV benefit should have risen to 1,051 guilders per month as of January 2025, estimating that pensioners have missed out on approximately 6,000 guilders each since 2022.
Ministry Fires Back: “Political Opportunism”
The Ministry of Finance has firmly rejected MAN-PIN’s accusations, labeling them as politically opportunistic. In its response, the ministry pointed out that it was MAN and PIN, while previously in government, who failed to amend the law to ensure its proper application.
The ministry also emphasized that the implementation of Article 7 has been problematic since 2013, primarily because CBS calculates annual growth figures, while the law requires growth data specifically measured as of August each year.
A 2017 proposal to revise the law—suggesting the use of the household consumption price index as a more appropriate benchmark—was never addressed by then-Minister Suzy Römer, who now represents MAN/PIN, the Ministry noted.
Structural Pension Reform Underway
Finance Minister Javier Silvania responded by stating that the current government does have concrete plans to raise the AOV benefit, as outlined in the coalition’s governing program. These plans include a structural approach to pension reform, which will incorporate indexation to ensure long-term sustainability and fairness.
The government expressed regret that MAN-PIN is, in its words, “playing politics with the plight of pensioners”, and stressed that legal soundness and careful policy-making are essential when it comes to social security reforms.
The exchange signals an intensifying political battle over pension policy in Curaçao, with both sides trading blame for years of inaction, even as the island's elderly continue to face financial hardship.
