WILLEMSTAD – MFK Member of Parliament Maria Nita is calling on the government to urgently address what she describes as a growing and overlooked problem in downtown Willemstad: the lack of accessible public restroom facilities in Punda and Otrobanda.
In a formal letter to Minister of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning Charles Cooper, Nita raised concerns about the limited availability of public sanitary facilities in the capital’s busiest commercial and tourism districts.
The lawmaker said the issue has become increasingly visible and urgent, affecting both residents and tourists who frequent the city center for shopping, work and recreation.
According to Nita, while Punda and Otrobanda attract thousands of people daily, there is still no clear, structured and visible system of public restroom access.
She noted that many businesses and restaurants refuse restroom use to non-customers, creating difficult and sometimes uncomfortable situations for visitors.
Nita stressed that the problem disproportionately affects elderly residents, people with medical conditions such as diabetes or intestinal disorders, and tourists unfamiliar with the city layout.
She also pointed to the absence of clear signage or public maps showing where restroom facilities are located, making access even more difficult.
Using Article 96 of Curaçao Parliament’s Rules of Order, Nita formally submitted a series of parliamentary questions to Cooper.
Among them, she asked whether the government currently has a management plan for public restroom facilities in Punda and Otrobanda, and whether it is willing to develop a network of strategically placed public restrooms in the city center.
She also asked whether the government would consider creating a funding mechanism and assigning qualified staff to guarantee proper maintenance of such facilities, potentially in cooperation with businesses in the downtown area.
In addition, Nita wants the government to explore visual and digital guidance systems—including maps and social media tools—to help both residents and tourists easily locate available restroom facilities.
A key concern in her letter is accessibility.
Nita asked how the government intends to ensure that elderly citizens, people with medical conditions and those with physical limitations have adequate access to sanitary facilities.
She argued that improving public restroom access would not only improve the quality of life for residents but also strengthen Curaçao’s tourism experience.
With tourism remaining one of the island’s economic pillars, Nita said adequate public facilities are part of the broader visitor experience and should be treated as an essential public service.
The parliamentarian is now awaiting a written response from the minister.