WILLEMSTAD – UNESCO reportedly never received answers to questions it sent to the Curaçao government regarding several controversial construction projects in historic Willemstad, according to Lusette Verboom, chair of the Monument Council of Curaçao.
Verboom said the international organization sought clarification after four heritage organizations expressed concerns that a number of large-scale developments could threaten the Outstanding Universal Value for which Historic Willemstad was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The concerns were formally submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre on February 10 by the Monument Council, NV Stadsherstel, Stichting Pro Monumento, and Stichting Docomomo Curaçao. The organizations questioned whether projects including The Wharf in Scharloo, Pen Resort in Pietermaai, Majestic Apartments and Hotel, Waterfort Plaza in Punda, West Wharf, and Belvedère in Otrobanda are compatible with the historic scale and character of the city.
According to Verboom, UNESCO acknowledged receipt of the complaint and supporting documentation before forwarding questions to the competent authorities within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Those questions were reportedly addressed to then-Minister of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning Charles Cooper.
"Other than UNESCO's acknowledgement letter, we have heard nothing further," Verboom said, adding that, to her knowledge, the questions sent to Cooper were never answered.
It remains unclear what specific information UNESCO requested or whether the Curaçao government or the Kingdom of the Netherlands later submitted a response through another channel.
Historic Willemstad has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 because of the exceptional value of its historic urban landscape, including Punda, Otrobanda, Pietermaai, Scharloo, the city's fortifications, and its natural harbor.