WILLEMSTAD – The Algemene Rekenkamer Curaçao has upheld its critical assessment of the Country of Curaçao’s 2023 annual accounts, rejecting a request by Minister of Finance Charles Cooper to amend or withdraw parts of its report.
This is confirmed in a letter sent by the Audit Chamber to the Curaçao Parliament.
According to the oversight body, the government’s response was carefully reviewed, but it found no grounds to revise its conclusions. The additional explanations and documents submitted by the Ministry of Finance do not materially alter the overall picture of financial management in 2023, the Audit Chamber stated.
Irregularities and Weak Internal Controls
In its original report, the Audit Chamber concluded that multiple irregularities and shortcomings were present in the 2023 accounts. Among the issues identified were significant budget overruns, insufficiently substantiated payments and loans, and inadequate documentation in financial files.
The report also pointed to weaknesses in internal control mechanisms across various expenditure categories.
Earlier this year, the Minister of Finance requested that certain sections of the report be reconsidered. According to the government, some of the expenditures and budget overruns could be justified and were, in its view, consistent with existing legal and financial frameworks.
However, the Audit Chamber emphasized that its conclusions are based on statutory norms and professional auditing standards. It acknowledged reviewing the government’s explanations but maintained that these did not warrant any changes to the final judgment.
No Revision After Completion
In its letter to Parliament, the Audit Chamber further noted that the government had several opportunities during the audit process to submit information and respond to preliminary findings.
Documents provided only after the completion of the audit do not constitute sufficient grounds to amend the final report, the oversight body stated.
The reaffirmation of the Audit Chamber’s position adds to ongoing scrutiny surrounding public financial management and budget discipline. The matter is expected to be further discussed within Parliament as lawmakers review both the 2023 accounts and the government’s response to the audit findings.