WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao has taken greater ownership of the reforms contained in the Landspakket, while the Netherlands has increasingly shifted into a supporting role, according to Rudsel Sophia of the National Reform Commission (NHC).
In the annual report of the Temporary Work Organization (TWO), Sophia describes a significant evolution in the relationship between Curaçao and the Dutch government since the start of the reform process. He recalls the initial tensions surrounding the proposed Caribbean Reform and Development Entity (COHO), the resistance it generated, and the eventual signing of the mutual reform agreement in April 2023.
According to Sophia, cooperation has improved considerably in recent years. “There is now more cooperation and participation between Curaçao and the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations,” he said. “The NHC clearly holds the steering role, while the Netherlands provides support.”
The report suggests that the reform process has moved away from external direction and toward local ownership, a development considered essential for the long-term success of the reforms.