WILLEMSTAD – The Court of First Instance in Curaçao has decided that marine construction activities linked to the expansion plans of Baoase Luxury Resort must remain suspended while legal proceedings continue over the project’s environmental permit.
The decision was issued by the judge handling administrative law cases under the National Ordinance on Administrative Jurisdiction.
The case centers on a permit granted by Minister Tyron Boekhoudt of the Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN) to Flamingo Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij on April 21, 2026.
The permit authorized activities involving coral removal as part of a planned land expansion project extending into the sea near the resort.
The permit was challenged in court by neighboring resident Talitha Visser and her sons, together with environmental organization Fundashon Pro Monumento (ProMo), who requested both an appeal and an emergency suspension of the authorization.
Earlier this month, the court already issued a temporary order immediately halting all marine works connected to the permit pending further hearings.
Following a new hearing held on May 13, the court has now extended that suspension order.
According to the judge, the extension was considered necessary after reviewing the case documents, hearing arguments from all parties involved, and weighing the various interests connected to the dispute.
As a result, Flamingo Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij remains prohibited from carrying out activities covered under the permit until the court issues a decision on the requests for provisional measures.
The ruling specifically prevents the company from breaking, cutting, or otherwise removing coral formations in the project area.
However, the judge did allow corals that had already been detached before the earlier suspension order — and which remain in the water or stored in crates — to be relocated to the designated coral placement area.
The dispute has drawn significant public attention because of ongoing concerns surrounding coastal development, environmental protection, and the impact of construction projects on Curaçao’s marine ecosystems.