WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Parliament continued its examination of the government's 2023 annual financial accounts on Wednesday, October 7, with representatives of the General Audit Chamber answering questions previously submitted by members of Parliament.
The Central Committee meeting, chaired by Parliament President Fergino Brownbill, resumed deliberations that had been suspended on April 28, 2026.
Representing the General Audit Chamber were Joel Felida and Shanela Cathalina, who were invited to respond to questions raised by MPs during the earlier round of discussions.
The General Audit Chamber during the parliamentary debate
Following their responses, Brownbill officially closed the meeting.
The parliamentary examination concerns the General Audit Chamber's report on the 2023 annual accounts of the Country of Curaçao, a document that has generated controversy over the government's financial management and accountability.
In its report, the Audit Chamber identified several shortcomings in the administration of public finances, including budget overruns, insufficient documentation supporting certain payments and loans, weaknesses in recordkeeping and deficiencies in internal financial controls.
The findings also led to a disagreement between the Audit Chamber and the government.
Finance Minister Charles Cooper previously requested that the independent oversight institution revise or withdraw parts of its critical assessment. However, the Audit Chamber rejected that request, maintaining that the additional explanations and documents submitted by the government did not materially change its conclusions.
The institution emphasized that its findings were based on legal requirements and professional auditing standards.
The controversy also involved delays in the submission of essential financial documents.
In 2025, the Audit Chamber reported that it had been unable to complete its examination within the legally required timeframe because the government had not provided the formally approved version of the 2023 annual accounts, including the accompanying annual report.
Although the Chamber received documentation from the government accounting organization SOAB in July 2025, that version reportedly differed from financial statements previously submitted by the Ministry of Finance in September 2024.
The Audit Chamber warned that such delays undermine financial transparency and Parliament's ability to exercise effective oversight over government spending.
The 2023 annual accounts are particularly important because they allow Parliament to compare the government's approved budget with actual revenue and expenditure.
While the annual budget establishes how public funds are expected to be collected and spent, the annual accounts provide the financial record against which the government's performance and compliance with applicable rules can be assessed.
The General Audit Chamber is responsible for independently examining whether public revenue and expenditure comply with legal requirements and whether government financial management meets established standards.
Wednesday's meeting provided MPs with an opportunity to receive further explanations from the institution responsible for auditing the government's financial administration.
Parliament's announcement did not specify the individual questions addressed by Felida and Cathalina or whether their responses resulted in any additional recommendations.
The meeting concluded after the Audit Chamber representatives had answered the outstanding questions, bringing this stage of the Central Committee's deliberations on the 2023 annual accounts to a close.