WILLEMSTAD – Former Minister Norberto Ribeiro has returned to the candidate list of the PAR party for the upcoming parliamentary elections in March. During a members’ meeting last Saturday, the final list was approved. Ribeiro, who occupies the 15th spot on the list, returns to the party where he previously held various roles.
Ribeiro has served as Minister of Justice, Island Council member, and plenipotentiary minister in Washington representing PAR. In 2010, he left the party and ran as the political leader of the Democratic Party (DP), which failed to win any seats. After leaving active politics, Ribeiro served as sector director at the Ministry of General Affairs and as head of the Legislation and Legal Affairs Directorate. In 2016, he joined Kòrsou di Nos Tur (KdNT), the party of businessman Amparo dos Santos, and participated as a minister in the interim Pisas cabinet.
During his tenure as minister in the Pisas cabinet, Ribeiro faced criticism for a controversial proposal to postpone the April 2017 elections. This proposal was rejected by the governor after intervention from the Netherlands, which led to temporary enhanced oversight by the Kingdom to ensure orderly elections. Ribeiro's role in this matter sparked significant unrest and criticism from the opposition, including from PAR.
Ribeiro's return to the PAR candidate list has come as a surprise. However, party leader Quincy Girigorie emphasized that PAR is always open to former members who wish to make a positive contribution. During the meeting, Ribeiro expressed regret over his departure from the party and voiced his commitment to contributing to a stronger Curaçao.
Candidate List
The PAR list is headed by Quincy Girigorie, followed by former PAR chairperson Shaheen Elhage in second place and former Minister Ana Maria Pauletta in third. Newcomer Luigi Faneyte occupies the fourth position. Other notable names include MP Steven Croes (5), Astryd Poulina (6), Ghatim Kabbara (12), and former MP Stephen Walroud (28). Michel Berry, the party chair, rounds out the list as the final candidate.