WILLEMSTAD – Opposition party MAN-PIN has strongly opposed the government’s plan to include the indexation of the AOV pension in a broader national dialogue on the future of the system. According to the party, indexation is a legal right of retirees and should be implemented without debate.

The stance comes as Curaçao marks 65 years since the introduction of the AOV and enters the Month of the Elderly. MAN-PIN notes that many pensioners are looking with anticipation to October 1, International Day of Older Persons, but instead of feeling recognized, they remain frustrated due to the government’s delay in applying the legally mandated indexation of pensions.

The government recently announced in a letter on the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) report that it will initiate a national dialogue on how to manage and increase AOV in the future. While MAN-PIN supports discussions on structural reforms, the party insists that indexation should not be part of that conversation.

“Our elderly should not have to negotiate over something that already belongs to them by law,” the party declared. “The only question should be when they will receive their money, not if.”

According to MAN-PIN’s calculations, retirees entitled to AOV since 2021 are owed more than 5,000 guilders each in backdated indexation. In total, the outstanding amount owed to pensioners is estimated at around 40 million guilders.

“The cost of living continues to rise, supermarket prices keep going up, and the situation for our elderly is becoming increasingly difficult,” the party warned.

MAN-PIN has demanded that Minister of Social Development, Labor and Welfare, Charetti America-Francisca (MFK), clearly state the exact date when indexation will be paid. The party also called for a public parliamentary meeting with the minister to openly debate the implementation of the AOV law.

“It is high time that the rights of our elderly are not only acknowledged but also respected,” MAN-PIN concluded.