WILLEMSTAD - Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Justice Gilmar Pisas had a meeting with the Amnesty International delegation in Fort Amsterdam this week. In order to improve cooperation with the human rights organization, it has been agreed that a permanent contact person will be established within the Ministry of Justice. This should improve mutual communication.

The cabinet was not happy with some of the conclusions in the Amnesty report on the reception of Venezuelan refugees. That is why Pisas wanted to make concrete agreements about future cooperation between the Ministry of Justice and Amnesty.

The collaboration should be as transparent as possible. Pisas wants to prevent Curaçao from being unfairly portrayed in a negative light. Amnesty has also been reminded of what is being done in the field of reception of undocumented migrants, despite the poor public finances and the pandemic.

Subsequently, the delegation, consisting of director Dagmar Oudshoorn and Yara Boff Tonella, could take a look at the barracks and new construction at the prison. They took the opportunity to talk to the undocumented migrants.

In 2019, a working group was established that consists of representatives from various ministries in Curaçao and in the Netherlands. Together they are working on the construction of a new reception center for undocumented foreigners. The center must ensure that undocumented migrants who have been arrested are treated better.

The government is aware that the situation is not yet ideal. The Pisas cabinet therefore plans to implement the Amnesty recommendations. But the government needs more time for that.