WILLEMSTAD – Beyond plans to support Suriname and Guyana's emerging oil industries, the Curaçao government is pursuing additional projects aimed at expanding economic activity in the island's harbor area and reducing its dependence on tourism.
During a presentation to Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Eric van der Burg, Finance and Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning Minister Charles Cooper outlined plans to further develop the Buskabaai area. Before industrial expansion can take place, the government intends to remove the existing asphalt lake, creating additional space for maritime and industrial activities.
The government is also revisiting long-delayed plans to resume asphalt production in partnership with Global Oil. According to Cooper, the agreements with the company will have to be renegotiated before the project can move forward.
Although these initiatives are separate from the opportunities created by Suriname's offshore oil industry, they form part of a broader strategy to attract more commercial and maritime activities to Curaçao's port.
Van der Burg said he sees potential for the projects to help diversify Curaçao's economy, which remains heavily dependent on tourism. Expanding port operations, he noted, could generate new sources of income and create employment opportunities.
The government has not yet disclosed the estimated investment required for the projects or the number of jobs they could generate. It is also still unclear how future costs would be shared between the Curaçao government, the Netherlands and private investors.