WILLEMSTAD – MFK Member of Parliament Ishahier Monte has requested a question hour in the Curaçao Parliament regarding a reported payment of ANG 8.3 million made by the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA) to an individual for work related to the online gambling sector in Malta.
Monte submitted the request to the President of Parliament, stating that the information published in the media has raised serious questions within the community about the legality, necessity and transparency of the payment.
According to Monte, the size of the amount and the public interest surrounding the matter make it essential that Parliament receives complete clarification about the case.
The MFK parliamentarian acknowledged that the responsible minister has announced an independent investigation into the issue. However, he emphasized that his request for a parliamentary question hour is not intended to prejudge the outcome of that investigation, but is part of Parliament’s constitutional duty to supervise government actions.
“Transparency does not only begin when an investigation has been completed,” Monte stated. “It also requires clarity about which questions the investigation must answer and which facts will ultimately be presented to the public.”
Monte is asking the minister to clarify whether the CGA indeed paid ANG 8.3 million to an individual for activities related to online gambling in Malta.
Among the questions he wants answered are what the exact assignment involved, what services were provided, and on what legal basis and administrative decision the payment was approved.
The MFK parliamentarian also wants to know who issued the assignment, who authorized the payment, and whether a selection procedure or public tender process was followed.
Additional questions concern why the work had to be carried out in Malta, what concrete results were delivered, and how the government evaluated whether the services provided were proportional to the amount paid.
Monte is also requesting information on whether the Council of Ministers or Parliament was informed about the payment before or after it was made, and whether contracts, invoices, reports and other relevant documents can be made available to Parliament.
According to Monte, Parliament must have sufficient information to properly fulfill its oversight role in a matter involving significant public funds.