WILLEMSTAD – The Council of Ministers of Curaçao, led by Prime Minister Gilmar 'Pik' Pisas, together with Minister Charles Cooper and Minister Tyron Boekhoudt, formally said farewell to Thom de Graaf during a meeting held at Fort Amsterdam on Tuesday, April 28.
Thom de Graaf (third from left) during his visit to the Council of Ministers
De Graaf has served as Vice President of the Council of State of the Kingdom of the Netherlands since 2018 and is set to step down on July 1 after nearly eight years in office.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Pisas expressed his appreciation for De Graaf’s long career in public administration and politics, as well as his continued contribution to Kingdom relations.
Pisas highlighted the open, constructive and respectful relationship that De Graaf maintained with the Caribbean countries within the Kingdom, including Curaçao.
The conversation also reflected on De Graaf’s role in recent constitutional and Kingdom-related matters, including his involvement in the advisory process surrounding the 70th anniversary of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the positions taken by the countries of the Kingdom during that process.
Pisas thanked De Graaf for his years of service and wished him well in the next chapter of his life, expressing hope that he will remain a friend of Curaçao in the future.
De Graaf will be succeeded by Sybrand Buma, the current mayor of Leeuwarden and former leader of the Dutch CDA party.
The Curaçao government said it looks forward to continuing a constructive working relationship with the new leadership of the Council of State.