Every year, like clockwork, hundreds of people gather in the waters of Fuik Bay to celebrate Fuiddag (Fuik Day), a vibrant tradition that marks the first Sunday of the year. Boats, music, and laughter fill the air, creating a spectacle of joy and unity. But beneath the surface of this celebration lies an undeniable truth: the ocean is being slowly choked by the actions of those who partake in this event. The garbage left behind year after year is becoming an environmental disaster. 

As the boats dock and the parties end, the Fuik Bay area is often left in ruins. Trash, from plastic bottles to metal cans, litters the waters, and with every tide, it sinks to the ocean floor, polluting the ecosystem. Despite the repeated calls for respect and responsibility, the situation persists, and the question must be asked: Why does the government continue to allow this? 

The participants have shown time and again that they will not take responsibility for their waste. The trash left behind by those celebrating Fuik Day is not just an eyesore—it is a death sentence for marine life. Fish, turtles, and other creatures are suffocating in a sea of pollution that should never have been allowed in the first place. The divers who care deeply for our nature and work tirelessly to remove the debris have time and time again documented the sheer volume of cans and plastic that are retrieved from the ocean. Yet, we continue to see the same issues year after year. 

So, I ask again: Why do we continue to allow this? Why is the government not stepping in with more stringent measures to protect our waters, our wildlife, and our future? The people have shown that without intervention, they will not take responsibility. If the government does not act now, we risk losing our marine ecosystems to irreparable harm. 

We cannot continue to let this happen. Fuik Day, as much as it represents a celebration of community, must not come at the cost of our environment. We need accountability, regulation, and enforcement to ensure that everyone who partakes in the festivities does so with respect for our planet. It is time to put in place the necessary measures to prevent this disgraceful behavior. Only then can we preserve what makes Curacao such a special and unique place to live and visit. 

The ocean cannot speak for itself, but its silence is deafening. Let us be the voice for it, and let us act before it’s too late.