WILLEMSTAD - The National Ordinance Exceptional Situation, better known as the Emergency Act, was passed in Parliament yesterday. All eleven members of the coalition parties voted in favor, a total of nine members of the opposition voted against. In addition to the emergency law, the MAN faction has submitted an amendment that has also been adopted.

This amendment stipulates that in the event of a state of emergency, parliament must meet within 2 × 24 hours to determine how long the state of emergency should last. It is also more concretely indicated when the government may enter a house in the event of an emergency. The emergency law provides the government with laws and regulations to act quickly in the event of war, natural disasters, terrorism, a military incursion, or any other unusual condition.

In fact, Curaçao should already have such a law in 2010, according to the government. There was a lot of criticism against the law from both opposition parties and in the community. Prime Minister Rhuggenaath said in parliament on Tuesday that the government needs the emergency law to manage the current COVID-19 crisis.

Minister of Justice Quincey Girigori indicated that now that the law has been adopted, the authorities will start to implement it even this weekend.