WILLEMSTAD – Efforts to improve Curaçao’s financial management are falling short, prompting authorities to revise the reform strategy introduced in 2021.
According to the Temporary Work Organization (TWO), which supports the implementation of reforms under the Landspakket, the current roadmap has not delivered the expected results. The program consists of 11 sub-projects aimed at resolving structural weaknesses in public financial management and achieving an unqualified audit opinion on the national budget.
However, the organization reports that the chosen approach has proven ineffective in several areas. As a result, multiple projects are experiencing delays or are at risk of falling behind schedule. Adjustments to both the strategy and timeline are now considered necessary to still reach the intended improvements within a reasonable timeframe.
The findings are outlined in a recent publication by the TWO, a joint initiative involving Curaçao and the Netherlands, with the Dutch government investing tens of millions of guilders in the reform process.
The report suggests that one of the key obstacles is a lack of “administrative support and commitment” on the part of the government in Willemstad. This has hindered progress on several reform tracks, raising concerns about the pace and effectiveness of efforts to strengthen financial governance.
The revision of the roadmap is expected to refocus the reform process in an effort to overcome existing bottlenecks and improve accountability and transparency in public finances.