WILLEMSTAD – Members of the Curaçao Parliament are demanding greater transparency about the country's progress toward obtaining Category 1 aviation safety status from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as preparations continue for a possible new assessment toward the end of 2027.
The issue features prominently in a parliamentary committee report on the proposed Aviation Ordinance, which aims to modernize Curaçao's aviation legislation and align national regulations with international standards.
The MFK parliamentary faction has expressed support for the legislation but wants the government to clarify how much progress has been made in implementing recommendations from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
According to MFK, the objective is to achieve compliance with 90 percent of approximately 800 assessment questions. The faction wants to know the current percentage and whether the country is on schedule to meet the requirements.
MAN-PIN has raised similar concerns, referring to previous FAA and ICAO assessments conducted in 2011 and 2019, respectively.
The faction states that Curaçao met approximately 40 percent of ICAO requirements in 2019 and is asking the government to provide an updated compliance figure.
MAN-PIN also wants to know which deficiencies identified during previous assessments have been corrected, which remain unresolved, and how much money has already been spent on efforts to achieve Category 1 status.
The questions highlight the importance of demonstrating that legislative reforms are supported by effective aviation oversight, qualified inspectors, sufficient financial resources, and functioning safety systems.
Category 1 status is significant because it indicates that a country's civil aviation oversight system meets applicable international safety standards assessed by the FAA.
The proposed Aviation Ordinance is intended to strengthen the legal framework for aviation supervision, certification, inspections, and enforcement.
However, parliamentarians have warned that adopting legislation alone will not guarantee compliance.
The PAR faction has emphasized that modern aviation regulations must be accompanied by trained personnel, adequate equipment, financial resources, and effective coordination between the responsible institutions.
Meanwhile, PNP has expressed support for achieving Category 1 status while calling for careful consideration of the financial consequences for airlines, passengers, and the airport.
The committee report does not establish Curaçao's current ICAO compliance percentage or confirm that an FAA assessment has been formally scheduled for late 2027.
Those questions remain for the government to answer as Parliament continues examining the proposed legislation.