WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao government is moving forward with a landsbesluit that would allow medical specialists to earn salaries above the limits set in the Landsverordening normering topinkomens (LNT), citing persistent staff shortages, long waiting lists and growing pressure on the healthcare system. This emerges from a detailed explanatory report submitted to the Governor alongside the draft decree .
The proposal is based on Article 4, paragraph 3 of the LNT, which allows for deviations of up to 30 percent above the statutory salary ceiling under exceptional labor market conditions and where highly specialized expertise is required. According to the government, both conditions apply to medical specialists working at the Curaçao Medical Center.
The report stresses that Curaçao faces structural shortages across nearly all medical specialties. Due to the island’s small scale and dependence on foreign-trained professionals, attracting and retaining specialists has become increasingly difficult. Although the LNT was introduced to curb excessive public-sector salaries, the government argues that its rigid application risks undermining access to essential healthcare.
Officials emphasize that the proposed adjustment is not intended as a blanket salary increase, but as a targeted measure to safeguard continuity of care and prevent further deterioration of hospital capacity.