WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao’s Urban Planning Service (ROP) and Stichting Monumentenfonds Curaçao have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at improving the protection, preservation, and restoration of the island’s historic monuments and cultural heritage.
The agreement establishes a formal framework for closer cooperation between the two organizations, particularly in the assessment of permit applications and the execution of maintenance, restoration, and emergency repair work involving protected monuments.
The cooperation protocol was signed by ROP Acting Director Raymond Felisie, representing the Minister of Traffic, Transport and Spatial Planning (VVRP), and Jonathan Jukema, Director of Stichting Monumentenfonds Curaçao.
Under the agreement, both organizations will coordinate their responsibilities and procedures when handling applications involving historic buildings and monuments. These include requests for restoration, maintenance, emergency repairs, and demolition.
The objective is to establish clearer procedures and improve communication between the institutions, making the decision-making process more efficient, transparent, and thorough.
Historic preservation requires careful coordination between government authorities responsible for spatial planning and organizations involved in maintaining and restoring cultural heritage. The new agreement is intended to strengthen that cooperation while ensuring that decisions affecting protected monuments receive appropriate consideration.
The protocol also introduces a mechanism for monitoring the effectiveness of the partnership. Both organizations have agreed to evaluate their cooperation annually, with the first evaluation scheduled to take place one year after the signing.
Through this agreement, the Ministry of Traffic, Transport and Spatial Planning, ROP, and Stichting Monumentenfonds Curaçao reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding the island’s historical and cultural heritage.
The initiative is intended to help ensure that Curaçao’s historic buildings and monuments are properly maintained and preserved for present and future generations.