WILLEMSTAD – Juniel Carolina, a Member of Parliament for the ruling Movementu Futuro Kòrsou (MFK), says he was publicly defamed during a television interview connected to last week’s protest at the Domain Management Office.
In a public statement released after the demonstration, Carolina said he was accused and provoked on television “without any proof” during coverage related to the growing controversy surrounding delayed land applications and legalization requests at Domain Management.
The protest took place last week outside the Domain Management Office, where citizens and activist groups expressed frustration over what they describe as years of unanswered land requests, administrative delays, and lack of communication from authorities.
During the protest and subsequent media discussions, tensions rose as politicians, activists, and citizens exchanged accusations over responsibility for the longstanding problems.
Carolina stated that while he respects freedom of expression, he rejects what he described as personal attacks and false statements that damage a person’s reputation.
The parliamentarian specifically referred to an interview broadcast by the local TV station TV Direct, saying he expected the same media platform that aired the accusations to also provide him the opportunity to present “the other side of the story,” which he described as a normal principle of balanced journalism.
According to Carolina, he may have reacted strongly because he felt he was not given the same treatment and opportunity to respond that other parliamentarians, collaborators, and opposition politicians receive in the media.
Despite the controversy, Carolina said he remains confident that the public can form its own judgment and emphasized that he will continue focusing on his parliamentary work for Curaçao.
The dispute comes amid increasing political pressure surrounding the handling of land applications at Domain Management, an issue that has become a major public debate in recent weeks following protests organized by Plataforma Bandariba and growing criticism of government procedures and delays.