WILLEMSTAD – A debate over the 2027 budget of the Curaçao Parliament has drawn renewed attention to what lawmakers describe as outdated bureaucratic systems and terminology still embedded in government administration.
The discussion emerged during treatment of the Parliament budget when lawmakers questioned why certain obsolete budget descriptions continue appearing in official documents.
One of the most discussed examples involved a budget allocation of 320,000 guilders listed under “telephone and fax costs,” despite Parliament no longer having any fax machines.
According to Parliament President Fergino Brownbill, the terminology originates from standardized budget categories used by the Ministry of Finance across government institutions.
The issue was raised by MFK parliamentarian Juniël Carolina, who questioned why outdated terminology continues appearing in modern government budgets.
Another controversial item involved references to the former pension fund APNA, which was dissolved more than fifteen years ago and replaced by APC.
MAN-PIN parliamentarian Suzy Camelia-Römer argued that maintaining outdated names in official budgets contributes to confusion and reflects a lack of administrative modernization.
Brownbill acknowledged the concerns and stated he is open to discussions with the Ministry of Finance regarding updating the wording and classifications used in government budget documents.
The incident has renewed broader discussions about modernization within Curaçao’s public administration, where critics have repeatedly argued that legacy systems, outdated terminology, and bureaucratic inefficiencies continue affecting government operations.
The Parliament budget for 2027 has already been approved by the Central Committee and will be incorporated into Curaçao’s national draft budget.