Opinion piece by Fundashon Kòrsou Transparente 

On December 9, the International Anti-Corruption Day is observed worldwide. This moment provides us in Curaçao with a unique opportunity to critically assess our collective fight against corruption and focus on concrete steps to further strengthen integrity and transparency. 

Corruption undermines trust in government institutions, harms economic development, and ultimately impacts society as a whole. In the past, reports, including the one by Transparency International (TI) from 2013, have highlighted vulnerabilities in Curaçao’s institutions. 

Four Key Recommendations 
The four main recommendations from this report were: 

Accession to the UN Convention Against Corruption (Curaçao finally acceded to it in June 2024); 

Promoting transparency in political party financing; 

Prioritizing funding and capacity building for law enforcement agencies; 

Ensuring greater independence and accountability in the public sector. 

Of these four recommendations, only the first has been formally implemented: Curaçao acceded to the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in June 2024. This is an important step, but it does not mean that our obligations under this convention have been fully complied with. The convention still needs to be (fully) implemented. A critical measure in this regard is the establishment of an independent Integrity Bureau, which is crucial for ensuring integrity in the public sector. 

Political Will as the Key to Success 

Although the UN Convention provides a powerful legal and institutional framework, political will is essential to actually implement the necessary reforms. Political will here means that there is a clear willingness among policymakers and institutions to address corruption structurally, even when this requires difficult decisions or challenges established interests. Without this commitment, the necessary measures will not be taken, regardless of the legislation introduced. 

Although some progress has been made since the 2013 TI report, much remains to be done. A new assessment by Transparency International, as recently proposed by the Secretary of State for Kingdom Relations, Mr. Zsolt Szabó, could provide valuable insights and concrete recommendations to further strengthen our policies and institutions. However, at the same time, many points from the 2013 report are likely to be repeated because insufficient change has occurred. 

It is also important to acknowledge that such an investigation takes a significant amount of time. Carefully mapping out challenges, shortcomings, as well as potential solutions and action points can certainly take one to one and a half years. This means that we can likely expect the results by the end of 2025 or into 2026, depending on the progress of the research. Can we afford to wait that long, knowing that many of the recommendations from 2013 will resurface? Can't we start working on key action points now? The information, the identification of relevance, and the research around it are already available. 

Concrete Measures for Now 

Fundashon Kòrsou Transparente advocates for not waiting, but instead taking concrete steps now to strengthen both our government and the rule of law. Four (4) essential points from the 2013 report, directly related to the earlier mentioned 4 main recommendations, urgently need attention: 

Establishment of an Integrity Bureau 

Curaçao has the obligation under the UN Convention Against Corruption to ensure integrity in the public sector. The establishment of an independent Integrity Bureau is a crucial step in strengthening our institutions. This bureau can monitor integrity within the government, support policy development, and identify risks. 

Transparency and Reforms 

Now that Curaçao has signed the UN Convention, various national ordinances must be amended. One example is the National Ordinance on Political Groupings’ Finances. 

Currently, political parties are required to submit their annual report (including financial statements) to the Electoral Council, which has it audited by the Government Accountants Bureau Foundation (SOAB). However, both organizations are bound by confidentiality, meaning these documents are not made available to the public unless the political party itself decides to disclose them. 

The UN Convention requires political parties to make their financial reports and donation registers for donations above ANG 5,000 publicly available. This is a vital step in promoting transparency in political financing and restoring public trust. 

A limiting factor for Curaçao in implementing this recommendation from the TI report is that we have been facing a severe shortage of legislative lawyers for years. By providing technical and/or financial support, the Kingdom can ensure that this issue can be addressed in the short term. This assistance was previously offered by then-Secretary of State Alexandra van Huffelen, but we have been unable to confirm whether this was implemented.3. Versterking van handhavingsinstanties: capaciteit en vertrouwen  

The struggle against corruption cannot succeed without a well-functioning public prosecution service (om) and an effective Curaçao police force.Currently, these institutions are functioning at only a fraction of their required capacity. According to a press officer from the OM, the organization operated in 2023 at only 55% of the necessary capacity for public prosecutors. The Curaçao Police Force is also facing capacity issues, utilizing only 63% of the required capacity for criminal investigations. 

In addition to these practical challenges, there is frequent public concern about what has happened with various reports related to corruption. Several reports have been filed, but often there is no information about the progress of the investigations. This lack of transparency regarding ongoing cases strengthens the sense of distrust in our institutions. Confidence in law enforcement is undermined, which can hinder the willingness of citizens to report misconduct. 

To address this crisis of trust, investigative agencies must not only have sufficient resources to investigate corruption cases, but also actively communicate the progress of investigations. The Kingdom can assist by temporarily providing additional capacity or sharing expertise. 

4. Awareness and Community Involvement 

Fighting corruption begins with awareness and fostering a culture of integrity. This applies not only to public officials and politicians but also to businesses and society as a whole. Fundashon Kòrsou Transparente is currently working on awareness campaigns and organizing information sessions for political parties, the media, and the public. For the elections in March 2025, the foundation aims to ensure well-informed voters who make decisions based on substance, rather than empty promises from politicians. 

The Way Forward 

With the establishment of an Integrity Bureau, changes to legislation, strengthening enforcement agencies, and investments in awareness, Curaçao can increase transparency in the public sector and take an active role in fighting corruption. 

In this way, a future assessment by Transparency International could focus on improving existing checks-and-balances mechanisms, rather than introducing new ones. Furthermore, it would make use of existing information and recommendations, which do not need to be repeated.