The poverty mindset has become deeply rooted in Curaçaoan society. Nearly 40 percent of our workforce survives on the minimum wage. It is time for every citizen to recognize that the living conditions endured by a large part of our population are completely unacceptable. Too many people live in hardship, struggling every single day just to make ends meet.
For more than twenty years, we have known that the minimum wage on Curaçao falls far below what is needed for a person to live with dignity and cover basic living expenses. This is the uncomfortable reality that successive governments have chosen to ignore. A significant portion of our community continues to live in poverty. This includes pensioners, recipients of social assistance and everyone who depends on the minimum wage.
We have discussed this issue for years—even decades—yet little has changed. Poverty continues to spread across neighborhoods throughout the island. Somehow, we have come to accept being the poorest community within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, poorer than Aruba, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba and, of course, the European Netherlands.
The Mentality Never Disappeared
Slavery was abolished on July 1, 1863, but the mentality that allowed injustice to flourish did not disappear overnight. In my view, that mindset still influences how our society functions today. Too many people are expected to survive on an income that offers little hope of building a decent life.
The legal institution of slavery ended, but attitudes that tolerate inequality and disregard the well-being of ordinary people seem to have lingered. The result is a society where many citizens continue to feel left behind and undervalued.
It is difficult to celebrate the state of Curaçao today when we know the daily reality faced by so many families. Why do wages remain so low? Why has it become acceptable that hardworking people struggle to afford even the basics? These are questions we should all be asking.
Some policymakers appear detached from the challenges faced by pensioners and senior citizens. At times, it seems as though those who have spent their lives contributing to society are no longer considered a priority.
At the same time, there has been insufficient determination to invest in education. The consequences are serious. Too many young people leave school without the knowledge and skills they need to build successful futures. A society that neglects education is one that weakens its own future.
The Cost of Living Keeps Rising
Anyone who shops on Curaçao knows that food prices have risen sharply. The cost of groceries bears little resemblance to the wages earned by many workers. The gap between income and the cost of living has become increasingly difficult to justify.
Land policy only widens that divide. Those who already possess land or financial resources often enjoy opportunities unavailable to others, while many families continue struggling to secure decent housing and economic security.
Inequality is visible in many aspects of daily life. Even public access to beaches regularly becomes a subject of controversy, reinforcing the perception among many residents that fairness is not applied equally.
Time for Leadership
We can continue condemning robberies, vehicle thefts and other crimes, but if we fail to address the social and economic conditions that fuel frustration and despair, we are only treating the symptoms rather than the disease.
That responsibility lies first and foremost with the government. The way Curaçao is governed has a direct impact on opportunities, equality and quality of life.
The Council of Ministers and the members of Parliament must take the lead in confronting the structural problems affecting our society. They should not wait until frustration reaches a breaking point or people begin taking matters into their own hands.
Those who are financially comfortable today should remember one important lesson: circumstances can change quickly. Economic hardship does not discriminate forever. If today's inequalities continue to deepen, the consequences will eventually affect every sector of Curaçaoan society.
Poverty should never be accepted as normal. It should be confronted with urgency, compassion and the political courage to make lasting change.
By Erwin Raphaela
Journalist and Columnist