WILLEMSTAD – The parliamentary leader of the Partido Nashonal di Pueblo (PNP) has formally requested clarification from the President of the Curaçao Parliament regarding what the party describes as serious protocol and organizational failures during the recent visit of the Raad van State to Parliament. According to the PNP, the incident has damaged Curaçao’s image within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
In a letter addressed to Parliament President Fergino Brownbill, PNP parliamentary leader Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia stated that the delegation, led by Thom de Graaf, was required to wait for approximately half an hour upon arrival. In addition, the chair of the parliamentary committee for Kingdom Relations, as well as the designated substitute, were reportedly absent at the start of the visit.
According to the PNP, the issues went beyond scheduling problems. The party also points to insufficient preparation and inadequate knowledge of the relevant dossiers among the receiving delegation. As a result, the discussions allegedly failed to reach the level expected of a parliamentary exchange within the Kingdom. The PNP argues that this reflects poorly on the Parliament of Curaçao and undermines the island’s reputation as a reliable and professional partner.
In her letter, Larmonie-Cecilia asks the Parliament President to confirm what went wrong during the visit and to explain which concrete measures will be taken to prevent a recurrence. The PNP is calling for stricter adherence to protocol, improved substantive preparation, and clearer assignment of responsibilities for future visits involving local, international, and Kingdom-level delegations.
The matter adds to broader concerns about institutional professionalism and the way Curaçao presents itself in high-level intergovernmental relations within the Kingdom.