WILLEMSTAD - In his traditional New Year's speech, Prime Minister Gilmar 'Pik' Pisas outlined the priorities of his cabinet for 2024. A prominent objective is the restart of the refinery in Curaçao, aiming to create new employment opportunities. The Prime Minister also emphasized the importance of implementing the recently closed agreement with Venezuela for the repayment of old debts from PdVSA and the pursuit of a gas connection between Venezuela and Curaçao.
For the Ministry of General Affairs, under his responsibility, the restart of the refinery and achieving an agreement with Venezuela for the supply of natural gas are crucial goals. Pisas also mentioned the abolition of visas for citizens of the Dominican Republic and Curaçao's accession as an associate member of the Caribbean intergovernmental organization Caricom.
The Ministry of Finance aims to revise the National Ordinance on Games of Chance, receive a positive evaluation from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), and establish the Budget Chamber, which will oversee the national budget.
The Ministry of Justice focuses on addressing personnel shortages within the justice chain, investigating the construction of a new fire station, and acquiring modern equipment for the police.
For the Ministry of Traffic, Transportation, and Spatial Planning, road maintenance and the completion of 850 files for the allocation of leasehold lands are priorities. This is expected to generate an additional income of 3.5 million for the government coffers. Additionally, the goal is to grant 1,500 building permits, representing an economic investment of 450 million guilders.
The Ministry of Social Development, Labor, and Welfare is focused on the construction of social housing, a structural increase in old-age pensions, and the enhancement of the island's social infrastructure.
The Ministry of Health, Environment, and Nature sets its priorities for 2024 as the opening of the general practitioner post (RAP), the renovation of the Curaçao Zoo, and the improvement of care for diabetes patients.
Economically, the Ministry of Economic Development anticipates a 14 percent growth in tourism in 2024. This comes with the expansion of the number of hotel rooms on the island and training of local workers for the tourism sector.
For Governance, Planning, and Services, the completion of the Census 2023, the implementation of a program to enhance government functioning, and further investments in the digitization of the government are the primary goals.