WILLEMSTAD – The departure of two Maltese advisers who were closely involved in reforming Curaçao's gambling industry has raised concerns about the protection of confidential government information and the possible continued possession of sensitive documents by former external consultants.
The controversy centers on Mario Galea, associated with Malta-based Random Consulting, and communications adviser Aideen Shortt, both of whom played roles in the implementation of Curaçao's new gambling regulatory system.
The Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) ended its cooperation with Random Consulting in early October following a major security incident involving the regulator's digital licensing portal.
Shortt's involvement in the gambling reform has also ended.
Their departures have prompted questions about the information to which they had access, the agreements governing confidential material and whether sufficient measures were taken to secure government records when their assignments concluded.
The newspaper Vigilante has devoted extensive attention to both advisers, questioning whether the government adequately investigated the risks associated with their involvement in the gambling reform.
According to the newspaper, those risks include potential conflicts of interest, access to confidential government communications and the handling of sensitive information after the advisers' departure.
Major Data Breach Preceded Termination of Contract
The CGA's decision to end its cooperation with Random Consulting followed revelations about a major security breach involving the licensing portal.
On October 7, the regulator decided to permanently discontinue the existing portal and terminate the associated services.
The decision followed disclosures in September by investigative platform Follow the Money concerning unauthorized access to the system.
German cybersecurity researcher Lilith Wittmann had reportedly obtained access to the portal in December 2025 using an account created under a false identity.
The breach exposed tens of thousands of confidential documents, including personal information, financial records and internal documents relating to gambling license applications.
The incident raised serious questions about the security arrangements surrounding a system containing highly sensitive information about companies and individuals seeking authorization to operate in Curaçao's gambling sector.
On October 19, the CGA introduced a temporary replacement licensing portal.
The regulator also announced plans to develop a permanent system that would operate under its own management.
However, questions remain about how historical licensing information, technical documentation and access permissions were transferred after the relationship with Random Consulting ended.
It has not been publicly established whether the CGA has assumed all the activities previously carried out by the company.
It is also unknown whether former external personnel retain copies of confidential information obtained during their assignments.
There is no established evidence that former advisers unlawfully retained such material.
Questions Surrounding Aideen Shortt's Role
Particular attention has also focused on Aideen Shortt, who worked as a communications and public relations adviser during the gambling reform and collaborated with former Finance Minister Javier Silvania.
According to Vigilante, Shortt had extensive access to electronic correspondence concerning the new gambling system.
The newspaper has questioned the use of external email addresses and the potential risks associated with granting outside consultants access to sensitive government communications.
However, the precise extent of Shortt's access to ministerial correspondence and internal CGA files has not been independently established.
There is also no evidence that she retained access to confidential government systems after her assignment ended.
Another issue concerns Shortt's previous commercial relationship with Random Consulting.
In February 2015, the company announced that she had joined as a partner consultant.
At the time, Shortt and Galea were presented as professionals capable of assisting gambling businesses with regulatory matters, operations and marketing.
Both subsequently became involved in Curaçao's gambling reform, although in different capacities.
Their earlier professional relationship has prompted questions about how the government assessed potential conflicts of interest when selecting advisers.
Calls for Examination of Data Protection Arrangements
Vigilante has argued that the government should investigate what information the foreign consultants received during their assignments and what agreements governed the storage, return or destruction of that information.
Such an examination could establish whether access rights were properly terminated and whether confidential records remained protected after the advisers left.
The questions have become more urgent because of the scale of the licensing portal breach and the sensitive nature of the information involved.
Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas has announced plans for an independent investigation into developments at the CGA, with ten international investigation firms reportedly under consideration.
Whether that investigation will specifically examine the handling of confidential information by former external advisers remains to be seen.
The departure of Galea and Shortt does not, by itself, establish wrongdoing.
Nevertheless, their involvement in the reform and the subsequent security breach have placed renewed attention on how Curaçao manages external consultants entrusted with sensitive government information.
The central question is whether the government can demonstrate that confidential documents, electronic communications and licensing records remain properly secured following the termination of these assignments.