WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Parliament held a Central Committee meeting on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, to discuss three legislative matters, including a proposed law introducing paternity leave, new regulations governing payment service providers, and the continuation of discussions on a Kingdom dispute resolution mechanism.
The meeting, chaired by Parliament President Fergino Brownbill, resulted in procedural progress on two legislative proposals, while the third agenda item was postponed until Friday, November 6.
Parliament Examines Proposed Paternity Leave Legislation
The first agenda item concerned a parliamentary initiative to amend several existing laws to introduce paternity leave in Curaçao.
The proposed legislation, officially titled the Paternity Leave National Ordinance (Landsverordening Vaderschapsverlof), seeks to amend Book 7A of the Civil Code, legislation governing employment conditions, vacation, and leave arrangements for public servants, and the National Ordinance on Sickness Insurance.
The proposal was submitted during the 2025–2026 parliamentary year under reference number 212.
Before opening the questioning round, Brownbill gave Member of Parliament Giselle Mc William the opportunity to explain the legislative initiative.
Following her presentation, members of Parliament were invited to express their views and submit questions regarding the proposal.
The discussions formed part of the legislative review process, during which parliamentarians examine proposed changes and seek clarification before determining the next procedural steps.
After the single round of questions, the Central Committee agreed to prepare a preliminary report on the proposed legislation.
This means the initiative will continue through the parliamentary review process. The committee did not hold a final vote on the proposed law during Wednesday's meeting.
New Rules for Payment Service Providers Move Forward
The second agenda item focused on proposed legislation establishing a regulatory framework for the supervision of payment service providers in Curaçao.
The draft National Ordinance on the Supervision of Payment Service Providers, registered under parliamentary reference number 239 for the 2026–2027 legislative year, was discussed in connection with the government's memorandum of reply.
The proposed legislation concerns the supervision of businesses providing payment services, an area of growing importance as financial transactions increasingly take place through electronic and digital channels.
During the meeting, members of Parliament presented their observations and raised questions about the proposed regulatory framework.
Following the discussion, the Central Committee agreed to prepare a final report on the draft legislation.
The decision represents another procedural step in the legislative process, although the proposal has not yet received final parliamentary approval.
Kingdom Dispute Resolution Proposal Postponed
The third agenda item concerned the proposed Kingdom Act on Disputes (Voorstel van Rijkswet Koninkrijksgeschillen), which addresses the handling of disputes within the constitutional framework of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The matter was placed on the agenda following a request from parliamentary delegations during the Tripartite Meeting held on October 15, 2026.
The delegations had requested support for continuing the legislative process concerning the proposed Kingdom dispute resolution mechanism.
However, after suspending the Central Committee meeting for one hour, Brownbill announced that consideration of the third agenda item would be postponed.
As a result, Parliament did not proceed with substantive discussions on the Kingdom dispute resolution proposal during Wednesday's session.
The proposed legislation concerns a longstanding constitutional issue within the Kingdom: the establishment of a mechanism for addressing disputes between the countries of the Kingdom concerning the interpretation and application of Kingdom arrangements.
Central Committee to Resume Friday
The Central Committee is scheduled to continue its meeting on Friday, November 6, 2026.
Wednesday's proceedings marked progress on two separate legislative matters affecting employment rights and financial regulation.
The paternity leave initiative remains under review, with a preliminary report to be prepared, while the payment services legislation has advanced to the preparation of a final committee report.
Meanwhile, consideration of the Kingdom dispute resolution proposal remains pending following the decision to postpone the third agenda item.
The meeting concluded without final parliamentary votes on any of the three legislative matters.