WILLEMSTAD - In a recent letter to the President of Parliament, Ana Maria Pauletta, a member of the opposition party PAR, has voiced serious concerns about the process through which individuals are losing their Dutch nationality in Curaçao. She described the experience as profoundly painful, particularly when it results in the complete loss of one’s identity as a citizen. Pauletta emphasized the severe impact this issue has on the lives of many residents of the island.
Pauletta highlighted that around 2002, the Dutch Kingdom introduced a new procedure aimed at conducting additional investigations related to the acquisition of nationality. This measure was intended to rectify the records at the Civil Registry (Kranshi). However, in practice, this has led to many long-term residents of Curaçao losing their Dutch nationality, with devastating consequences. These individuals had no involvement in or control over the administrative errors that led to their loss of nationality.
The issue has become particularly urgent in recent months. Pauletta noted that in July 2024 alone, three families lost their Dutch nationality, which also affected their employment within the public sector. Furthermore, there are reports of other individuals who are currently at risk of losing their jobs for the same reason.
In response to this ongoing crisis, Pauletta outlined several pressing questions to the Minister of Government Policy and Service. She inquired about the total number of individuals who have lost their Dutch nationality since the procedure’s introduction in 2002 and asked how many more might be at risk based on Kranshi's records. Additionally, she sought information on the number of civil servants who have lost their jobs due to this issue and how many more are currently at risk.
Pauletta also questioned whether this procedure is still being enforced across the Kingdom after 22 years and urged the Minister to request that the Kingdom Government halt all nationality loss processes until a thorough investigation is conducted both in Curaçao and the Kingdom.
Furthermore, Pauletta directed additional questions to the Minister of Justice. She asked whether there have been any recent cases of Ministry of Justice employees losing or facing the risk of losing their jobs due to the nationality procedure. She also inquired whether individuals who have lost their nationality can apply for a residence permit and whether the Minister has the authority to make these permits retroactive to the date of their entry into Curaçao.
Given the urgency of the situation, Pauletta called for a "Question Hour" meeting under Article 96a, where she requested the presence of Minister Martina of Government Policy and Service and Minister Hato of Justice to address these critical concerns. She stressed that the fate of many citizens' nationalities and jobs hangs in the balance, making it imperative for Parliament to take immediate action.