WILLEMSTAD – Members of Parliament in Curaçao are in some cases waiting more than seven months for answers from ministers to written questions, according to the fourth 2025 overview of unanswered questions. The report was sent this month by the Chair of Parliament to Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas.
The overview covers the period from May 11 through December 31, 2025, and reveals structural breaches of the agreed response period of two months.
Under the protocol between Parliament and the government, ministers are required to respond to written questions within sixty days or provide written justification explaining why they are unable to meet the deadline. In practice, however, dozens of questions remain unanswered without explanation.
Average Waiting Time Exceeds Four Months
The waiting period for unanswered questions ranges from 30 to 242 days. Most of the pending questions have been outstanding for more than 120 days. The average waiting time stands at approximately 150 days — more than double the permitted term.
The longest delay concerns a letter dated May 19, 2025, addressed to the Prime Minister, requesting a position to be taken in the Kingdom Council of Ministers regarding Gaza. After 242 days, that question remains unanswered.
Other topics left pending for months include integrity concerns at Kas di Kòrsou, subsidy management, corruption signals, public safety issues, problems at the Tax Department, and crime.
Justice, Finance and General Affairs Lead in Backlog
The ministries with the largest number of outstanding questions are General Affairs, led by Prime Minister Pisas, Justice, and Finance.
At the Ministry of Justice, pending questions relate to violent crime, neighborhood policing, femicide, undocumented migrants, and fire safety in government buildings. At Finance, MPs are still awaiting responses on matters involving the Tax Department, budget reporting, guarantee funds, and accountability for public expenditures.
Other ministries are also affected. At the Ministry of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning, questions have been pending for more than 200 days, including issues related to alleged corruption signals and carnival-related levies. At the Ministry of Social Development, Labor and Welfare, inquiries regarding labor migration and social policy priorities remain unanswered.
Parliament Warns of Erosion of Oversight
The Chair of Parliament has cautioned the government that the failure to respond in a timely manner undermines the individual right of MPs to pose questions. Without prompt answers, Parliament loses one of its most important tools to hold the government accountable.
The growing backlog raises renewed concerns about transparency and the functioning of democratic oversight within Curaçao’s political system.