The community has the right to voice its opinion on what belongs to it.
WILLEMSTAD - As a former Minister of Economic Development of Curaçao, I deeply regret the recent developments surrounding our beaches. As a visionary focused on Curaçao’s economic growth, I wholeheartedly support the development of infrastructure and facilities on our beaches. However, we must not forget that our beaches are sacred, and it is our duty to protect them, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to which we are committed. Furthermore, as I have always emphasized, the involvement of all stakeholders, including the people of Curaçao, is essential to ensuring sustainable and inclusive tourism development.
Sustainable and Inclusive Tourism Development
During my tenure as Minister of Economic Development, I advocated for the involvement of all relevant stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, including the Ministry of Economic Development, the Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB), and CHATA, in the sustainable development of our tourism industry. I made room for the people of Curaçao to play an active role in this process. The series of pre-tourism conferences held under my leadership clearly demonstrate this. I am extremely proud of the progress we made in establishing consultation platforms that allowed for active participation from the public and private sectors, NGOs, and the community. These initiatives ensured that the needs and desires of all involved partners, including our citizens, were considered in every aspect of tourism development.
Developing Our Beaches
I appreciate the ongoing efforts to improve the infrastructure of our country, including our beaches, to make them enjoyable for both the local community and tourists. Our beaches do need facilities, which is why I believe it is appropriate to collaborate with the CTB, the experts in our tourism industry. This industry generates significant revenue for the national treasury, and it is crucial that we guide this process in a way that benefits the industry, our community, and our visitors. With this in mind, I advocated for the management of beaches not yet overseen by the CTB to be assigned to them so they can coordinate the development of our local beaches. The CTB’s development plans are aligned with the resolutions agreed upon during the National Tourism Conference held in Curaçao on September 27, World Tourism Day. Dona Regis-Prosper, Secretary-General and CEO of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, also emphasized the importance of community participation and inclusion in tourism planning and implementation during her presentation, which highlighted the principles of “People, Planet, Prosperity, Purpose, Partnership” and “Peace.”
Respecting Development Standards
In the beach development process, I urge Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas, who heads Curaçao’s SDG committee, to adhere to established standards. According to these standards, building on the coastline is not permitted. For this reason, palapas and other facilities are being constructed next to the beaches to help preserve the underwater environment.
Solutions to Avoid Loss of Investment Funds
There are ways to prevent the loss of funds allocated for the infrastructure development of our beaches. It is possible to assign the CTB the responsibility for managing these beaches and allocate the development funds to them. We can “transfer” these funds, taking them out of the “capital service” category. Therefore, there is no need to alarm the community by warning that the plans must be carried out this year to avoid losing the money.
In conclusion, I reiterate that by placing our community at the heart of tourism development, we not only strengthen social cohesion but also lay a solid foundation for a sustainable future. Emphasizing the rights and participation of the community ensures that tourism developments enrich both the economy and the quality of life of every citizen of Curaçao.