WILLEMSTAD – PAR parliamentarian Shaheen Elhage says Curaçao’s autonomy must also include transparency, accountability and clear communication from government when dealing with sensitive international issues.
Elhage is urging Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas to respond publicly to concerns raised in a 2025 open letter submitted by several Curaçao organizations regarding international law, trade policies and government procurement decisions.
The organizations behind the letter asked the government to evaluate Curaçao’s obligations following the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice issued on July 19, 2024.
Elhage stated that autonomy is not limited to making independent decisions, but also requires a government to carefully consider requests from society, evaluate them properly and provide clear reasons for its decisions.
He is calling on the government to address the concerns raised, publish its evaluation and inform the public about the steps it intends to take.
According to Elhage, transparency is essential to maintaining public trust and ensuring that Curaçao’s decisions are made based on careful consideration of legal obligations and public interests.