At Curaçao Chronicle, we are always interested when the weekly communication from the Council of Ministers arrives. After all, Curaçao has no shortage of problems requiring government attention, policy and, ultimately, decisions.
So when this week’s notice arrived following the Council of Ministers meeting of September 30, we expected to learn what decisions had been taken.
Instead, the government informed the public that “no decisions concerning matters of state were taken that can be made available to the public.”
That is more nuanced than saying the government made no decisions at all. There may have been discussions or decisions that, for legitimate reasons, cannot yet be disclosed publicly.
But the message still leaves us with a question:
Nothing that can be shared with the people of Curaçao?
In an entire Council of Ministers meeting?
At a time when Curaçao faces so many urgent issues, that deserves attention.
Our pensioners are struggling with the cost of living and questions surrounding the adequacy of the AOV. Families are dealing with higher prices for groceries, electricity, water and fuel. Household debt and financial vulnerability are increasingly part of the public debate.
Our education system requires attention. Schools face challenges involving infrastructure, teachers, special education and the quality of learning. The government itself is looking at how Curaçao can better measure educational performance and determine whether investments are actually producing results.
Public safety is another major concern. Curaçao has recently experienced several violent deaths and shootings. At the same time, concerns remain about illegal firearms, organized crime, investigative capacity and personnel shortages within the justice system.
Tourism continues to perform strongly, but even leaders within the tourism industry are now warning that Curaçao cannot continue growing at the current pace without considering sustainability, infrastructure and the impact on the population.
Our economy may be growing, but that does not automatically mean families have more money left at the end of the month. Businesses are facing rising operating expenses, while restaurants and other sectors are already sounding the alarm about higher utility and fuel costs.
And that is only the beginning.
Curaçao has housing challenges. Traffic congestion is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Roads need maintenance. Healthcare must prepare for an aging population. Our energy system requires major investments and decisions about renewable energy and storage. Immigration policy and its implementation demand attention. Nature and coastal development require protection. Government finances must remain sustainable.
There are questions about poverty, wages, economic diversification, public companies, bureaucracy, youth opportunities, crime prevention and the effectiveness of government services.
These issues do not disappear because they were not on this week’s list of publicly available decisions.
To be clear, we are not suggesting that the Council of Ministers must adopt a major policy decision every week simply to have something to publish.
Government does not work that way.
Some proposals require months of preparation. Ministers receive advice, legislation must be drafted, financial consequences must be calculated and departments must coordinate their work. Some Cabinet deliberations are confidential, and there can be legitimate reasons why particular decisions cannot immediately be made public.
But that makes government communication even more important.
If no decisions concerning matters of state can be made public following a Council of Ministers meeting, then tell the public what the government is working on.
What are the priorities?
What problems are currently before the Cabinet?
Which reforms are being prepared?
What legislation is coming?
Which decisions can citizens expect in the months ahead?
What progress is being made on issues that directly affect their lives?
There is an important difference between confidentiality and silence.
A government must sometimes deliberate behind closed doors. But governing in a democracy also requires showing citizens that their concerns are being addressed.
This government is in a particularly strong position to do that. MFK holds an outright majority in the Curaçao Parliament. The Cabinet therefore does not face the type of coalition instability or parliamentary gridlock that can sometimes prevent governments from moving their agenda forward.
Such a strong mandate brings a strong responsibility.
The government has the political space to make decisions. It should use it.
The people of Curaçao do not expect every problem to be solved overnight. But they are entitled to see direction, urgency and progress.
Pensioners cannot put the cost of living on hold.
Parents cannot postpone concerns about their children's education.
Businesses cannot postpone paying higher electricity and water bills.
Families cannot postpone buying groceries.
Crime does not wait for the next Council of Ministers meeting.
And Curaçao cannot postpone preparing for its future.
Perhaps important work did take place behind the doors of the Council of Ministers on September 30. Perhaps there were decisions that legally or administratively cannot yet be disclosed. The government's notice does not tell us.
And that is precisely the problem.
The public should not be left wondering whether its government is working on the issues that matter most.
So our question is no longer, “Why did the government make no decisions this week?”
The government's wording does not justify that conclusion.
The better question is:
With everything Curaçao is facing, was there really nothing from this week’s Council of Ministers meeting that the government could tell its people?
Good government is not only about making decisions.
It is also about accountability, transparency and keeping the public informed.
Curaçao deserves all four.
Image: “Following the most recent meeting of the Council of Ministers on September 30, 2026, the Government of Curaçao announces that no decisions concerning matters of state were taken that can be made available to the public.”