WILLEMSTAD – For years, Curaçao had an unwritten rule that the government would hold a weekly press conference following the Council of Ministers' meetings. The purpose of these conferences was to inform the public about government actions, decisions, achievements, and public expenditures. The press had the opportunity to ask questions, seek clarifications, and uncover the truth. However, according to journalist Oswaldo Dulzaides, "the government’s press conference has been phased out in a unique way." 

In recent times, government press conferences have become increasingly rare, replaced instead by a more controlled format resembling a media show. Dulzaides warns that this situation is alarming and negatively impacts the country’s democratic integrity. Instead of engaging with the press, ministers now primarily use social media to share information, making it nearly impossible for journalists to fact-check or hold officials accountable. 

One of the risks of this approach became evident in a recent tax exemption case, where the court used a minister’s Facebook statements as evidence against the government. Dulzaides questions: “Is this the transparency we want?” Additionally, this method of communication excludes many elderly citizens who are not active on social media. 

It is also well known that some government officials fail to respond to parliamentary inquiries, while others take an excessive amount of time to appear before Parliament and fulfill their duty of accountability. The press, as the fourth pillar of democracy, plays a crucial role as a watchdog, and restricting its access to government information threatens both democracy and the wider community. 

“What is there to hide that has led to the end of the government’s weekly press conferences?” Dulzaides asks. He points out that with nine ministries in the government, each ministry could take turns briefing the press every nine weeks. In the Netherlands, for example, the Prime Minister holds a press conference every Friday without fail. 

Dulzaides argues that reinstating the weekly government press conference is essential, regardless of which political party is in power, as a necessary step toward a more transparent and accountable Curaçao.