SANTO DOMINGO, WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao’s parliamentary delegation has participated in a meeting of the Special Commission for the Caribbean of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO) in Santo Domingo, where climate change, the regional sargassum crisis and food security dominated discussions.
The meetings were held at the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic from September 10 to 12, bringing together parliamentarians and representatives from Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten and several Latin American countries.
The commission has particular significance for Curaçao. PARLATINO records show that the Curaçao Parliament formally requested the creation of a special body dedicated to Caribbean issues. The PARLATINO board approved the proposal on March 25, and its 39th Ordinary Assembly ratified the decision on March 27. The commission was subsequently officially installed in Willemstad on May 20.
The body is chaired by Aruba Senator Otami S.S. Thomasia, while Curaçao MP Ramón Yung serves as secretary. Its mandate includes identifying priority issues for the Caribbean, strengthening international cooperation and addressing renewable energy and climate change.
During the Santo Domingo meeting, Thomasia said the commission should address climate action, the regional sargassum crisis, island resilience, coastal mitigation, food security, sustainable trade, legislative capacity-building and regional integration. She described the commission as an opportunity for smaller Caribbean countries and territories to strengthen their voice in regional discussions.
Sargassum received particular attention as Caribbean countries confront exceptionally high levels of the floating seaweed.
NASA reported in July that the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt reached near-record levels in June 2026. Although the overall Atlantic belt was slightly below the record set in 2025, the Caribbean Sea itself reached an all-time high. Scientists estimated 3.6 million metric tons in the western Caribbean and 9 million metric tons in the eastern Caribbean during June.
The problem varies considerably across the region. Curaçao is generally outside the principal pathway of the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, with its main tourism beaches on the protected southern and western coasts, while many other Caribbean destinations face substantial coastal accumulation.
The Santo Domingo discussions also examined possible legislative responses. Former PARLATINO president and former Mexican congressional leader Beatriz Paredes presented proposals for coordinated parliamentary action on sargassum, while participants examined the Parliamentary Charter for Climate Action in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Curaçao Minister of Economic Development and Tourism Roderick Middelhof attended as a special guest and presented the Curaçao government's plans and policies concerning food security.
The Curaçao parliamentary delegation consisted of Parliament President Fergino Brownbill and MPs Ramón Yung, Ruisandro Cijntje and Juniël Carolina, accompanied by Clerk of Parliament Silvin Cijntje.
PARLATINO President Rolando González Patricio said the Santo Domingo agenda allowed the commission to address several major regional concerns, although there was insufficient time to cover every challenge facing the Caribbean.