WILLEMSTAD – The future of the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS) was discussed during the recent visit of Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten to Sint Maarten.
According to reports, regional financial stability and the functioning of the CBCS formed part of the discussions held during the visit.
The developments come as the government of Curaçao continues evaluating the future of the monetary union between Curaçao and Sint Maarten.
The Curaçao government is also examining the possibility of establishing its own separate central bank.
Parliament has already been formally asked to hold discussions in the short term regarding the desired future policy direction of the CBCS and the possible consequences of changes to the current monetary structure.
According to Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas, there has been a long-standing impasse between Curaçao and Sint Maarten concerning the appointment of members to the Supervisory Board of the central bank.
Because the two countries have repeatedly failed to reach consensus, some supervisory board members have been appointed through the Joint Court of Justice since 2010.
The government of Curaçao now wants to use Parliament’s position as the basis for opening formal discussions with Sint Maarten about the future of the monetary union.
Any potential restructuring or separation of the CBCS would carry major financial and economic implications for both countries, including monetary policy, foreign exchange reserves, banking supervision, and the future of the Caribbean guilder.
The issue has become increasingly politically sensitive in recent months as debate grows over governance, autonomy, and the long-term sustainability of the shared central banking system.