WILLEMSTAD – A resident living next to the Baoase Luxury Resort says she is increasingly concerned about what she describes as a lack of transparency surrounding the resort’s expansion plans, including possible future construction behind her home and in the sea near Winterswijkstraat.
This resident, who lives adjacent to the luxury resort, says her concerns go beyond the recently approved construction of twelve hotel suites on the neighboring plots at Winterswijkstraat 8 and 10.
Baoase Curaçao
The resident had challenged the permit in court, arguing that the project does not fit within the designated urban residential zoning and would negatively affect the character of the neighborhood, her privacy and her living environment.
However, the court rejected her appeal, ruling the objections unfounded.
Despite the ruling, the resident says the situation remains unclear and troubling.
According to her, the original public notice referred to a permit for an apartment on Winterswijkstraat 10, while the actual project now involves twelve hotel rooms.
The resident argues that the information surrounding the development has changed repeatedly, including questions about whether a swimming pool or generator would be part of the project.
For this resident, the uncertainty has created mistrust.
She says one of her biggest concerns is privacy, warning that the new development could result in direct views into her private living spaces, including her bathroom and kitchen.
The resident insists that the current plans do not clearly explain how privacy protections such as visual barriers or screening will be handled.
She has announced plans to appeal the court’s decision.
Beyond the construction next to her home, the resident says she is also worried about possible expansion behind her property and into the sea.
She claims she has sought information through both formal objections and requests under Curaçao’s public disclosure legislation, but says she has not received clarity from authorities.
According to this resident, she was previously assured that she would be informed about any possible land reclamation plans in the waters behind her property.
That concern intensified after several yellow buoys with floating lines were recently placed in the sea behind her garden, in an area where Baoase has reportedly requested permission for a breakwater or land reclamation project.
The resident believes the placement of the markers may indicate survey or preparation work.
She says neither the Ministry of Traffic, Transport and Spatial Planning nor the developer has formally informed her about the activities.
In addition to the legal and privacy concerns, the neighbor also raised environmental alarms.
She claims coral damage is occurring regularly in the area, alleging that between four and six corals are being cut or broken each week.
The concerns add a new dimension to the ongoing debate over tourism expansion and coastal development in Curaçao, where balancing economic investment with residential rights and environmental protection remains a growing challenge.