WILLEMSTAD – The MAN-PIN parliamentary faction is calling for a careful and coordinated response to address the impact of the Dutch childcare benefits scandal (toeslagenaffaire) on young people from Curaçao. The faction has formally requested a meeting of the parliamentary committee for Social Development, Labor and Welfare, specifically to discuss this issue. 

MAN-PIN also wants the leadership of the Minority’s Foundation to be present at the meeting to explain the situation in detail. On May 15, the foundation sent a letter to Parliament urging attention for the number of Curaçaoan youth who were negatively affected by the scandal. 

Thousands Wrongly Accused by Dutch Tax Authority 

The childcare benefits scandal began around 2005 and has affected approximately 26,000 parents in the Netherlands who were wrongfully labeled as fraudsters by the Dutch Tax Authority. A significant portion of the victims are of Caribbean origin or descent. 

As a result, they were ordered to repay tens of thousands of euros they had previously received in childcare benefits. The tax authority then seized all other social benefits, including housing support, childcare allowances, and tax refunds, plunging many families into financial ruin. 

For affected families—many of whom already lived with limited income—this meant losing access to essential support, leaving them unable to meet basic living expenses. 

A Call for Justice and Support 

MAN-PIN emphasizes that the situation calls for parliamentary attention and action, particularly to support young Curaçaoans who were caught in the aftermath of their families being wrongly penalized. The party insists that a careful and just solution must be developed in collaboration with all stakeholders, including local organizations working on behalf of affected individuals. 

The proposed parliamentary session would be a first step in exploring what measures Curaçao can take to support its citizens and advocate for justice within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.