WILLEMSTAD – A recent integrity assessment within the Curaçao government has revealed a noticeable gap between civil servants’ knowledge of integrity policies and their actual application in day-to-day operations, highlighting the need for greater support, dialogue, and guidance across the public sector.
The findings were presented during the Integrity Symposium held on Monday, June 9, where government officials, regulators, and private-sector representatives gathered to discuss the role of integrity in strengthening Curaçao’s governance and development.
The Baseline Integrity Scan was conducted through a digital survey combined with qualitative and quantitative analyses. More than 300 civil servants from all nine ministries participated in the study.
According to the results, while awareness of integrity policies exists throughout government organizations, translating those principles into practical behavior remains a challenge. Participants also expressed a clear need for more communication, support mechanisms, and direction regarding integrity-related matters.
The assessment serves as the starting point for the development of more ministry-specific integrity policies. The baseline measurement was carried out in September 2025 and is expected to be repeated every two to three years as part of an ongoing cycle of planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
The Ministry of Governance, Planning and Public Service (BPD) said the findings will help shape future integrity initiatives aimed at strengthening ethical standards throughout the public sector.
Integrity was described during the symposium as a key pillar of a well-functioning democracy, a healthy economy, and a trustworthy government. Officials stressed that maintaining public confidence requires not only policies on paper but also consistent implementation throughout government institutions.
The symposium brought together several members of the Council of Ministers, including Minister of Justice and BPD Shalten Hato, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Sithree van Heydoorn, Minister of Social Development, Labor and Welfare Charetti America, Minister of Economic Development Roderick Middelhof, and Minister Charles Cooper of Finance and Traffic, Transportation and Spatial Planning.
Government officials emphasized that integrity remains a shared responsibility of government, the private sector, media, and society as a whole.