WILLEMSTAD - After informateurs (pathfinders) Martha and Peterson presented their interim report on the formation of a new government in Curaçao to Governor Lucille George-Wout, she received the political leaders of the Movementu Futuro Korsou Gilmar Pisas and of the Partido Nashonal di Pueblo Ruthmila Larmonie-Cecilia. The formation process is speeding up says both leaders.

"If all goes well, we will have a coalition agreement before the end of the month." "This was announced by the chairman of the MFK, Sithree van Heydoorn. "Our goal is to be sworn in at the same time as the inauguration of the new parliament on May 11th."

Since the elections on March 19, Curaçao has been working hard to establish a new government. It will most likely consist of the MFK (the big winner with nine seats) and the PNP (which saw itself return to parliament with four seats). What is striking is the speed with which the new government is being formed. Already during election night, leaders of the two parties announced that they would like to form a government together. Two days after the elections, a declaration of willingness was signed and a week later the distribution of ministerial posts was signed.

Working groups

Van Heydoorn: “As MFK, we quickly set to work to determine what we think the coalition agreement should look like. Sessions were planned this week to consult with the PNP in various working groups. But due to the corona situation, we have canceled that. In recent days, the parties have written down in their own circle what they want to get done in "their" ministries for the next four years. The MFK wants to be ready with that before the weekend. Then the two parties will meet again.”

According to the MFK chairman, "the green party" PNP is also working hard. The parties say it is working seriously to draw up the best possible coalition agreement. At the same time, Rutsel Martha (former Minister of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and now a renowned lawyer in international law) and the well-known Curaçao lawyer Chester Peterson started working as pathfinders. On April 6, they handed in their information assignment to the governor. Both want to continue working on the formation process. On Friday, the governor spoke about this with the leaders of MFK and PNP.

Flexible

It is striking how smoothly the cooperation has been so far. There is no 'leakage' to the press by negotiators and politically sensitive matters such as the introduction of the Caribbean Body for Reform and Development (COHO) and the fight against the corona pandemic has been labeled by the parties as a 'special topic' that was discussed in a joint effort.

From Curaçao, the other parties are remarkably quiet, especially after the many election rhetoric for March 19. Coalition parties PAR (down from six to four seats) and MAN (down from four to two) are engaged in the final weeks of the Rhuggenaath government. New parties Trabou pa Kòrsou and KEM hardly make themselves heard anymore; at least not in public. The MFK / PNP coalition still keeps the possibility open for more parties to join. But that must be done on the basis of the coalition agreement that the two draw up together.

Criticism from Dutch Senator

The only fierce criticism so far came from the Netherlands, from PvdA senator Jeroen Recourt. He said last week during a debate in the Senate that the MFK was responsible for 'financial mismanagement' during the Schotte government between 2010 and 2012 and that the Netherlands must therefore now look closely at the public finances of the island because the MFK for the first time rejoins the government.

Van Heydoorn responded directly to Recourt's criticism by saying that the comment makes no sense at all. “The Schotte government left behind the same government reserves as there were at the beginning of its term. The governments since then have become much more indebted and now there are no reserves at all.” He regrets that some Dutch politicians are already putting the new government of MFK and PNP in a negative light. “We do not want any quarrels or conflicts with the Netherlands. We want for us to listen to each other and work together in all seriousness and with respect.”