WILLEMSTAD – Opposition party PAR has strongly rejected Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas' attempt to blame opposition politicians for the government's inability to pay year-end bonuses to civil servants and other public-sector employees in December 2026. According to the party, the government created the controversy itself by including additional payments for ministers and members of Curaçao Parliament in a compensation package intended for public-sector workers.
In a press statement dated November 11, 2026, the PAR parliamentary faction accused Pisas of attempting to shift responsibility for the situation instead of acknowledging mistakes made by his administration.
The statement follows the prime minister's announcement that the government will not be able to distribute the planned bonuses in December because it has not yet received all the necessary documents and institutional advice.
Pisas previously expressed disappointment that opposition parties had turned the bonus arrangement into a political controversy, arguing that the resulting scrutiny had complicated the payment process.
PAR, however, maintains that the opposition is not responsible for the delay.
According to the party, the problem arose when the government decided to combine additional compensation for ministers and parliamentarians with the proposed bonuses for civil servants and other public-sector employees.
PAR argues that the inclusion of political officeholders in the arrangement was contrary to the law.
The party also referred to the governor's decision not to sign the decree concerning bonuses for ministers and parliamentarians.
However, PAR emphasized that this did not mean the proposed bonuses for ordinary civil servants had also been rejected.
The distinction is central to the party's criticism of the prime minister.
"Why did you mix the two payments?" PAR asked Pisas in its statement, accusing him of attempting to blame the opposition for problems created by his own government.
The party believes the government should have handled the two categories of payments separately from the beginning.
According to PAR, doing so would have prevented the controversy surrounding additional compensation for political officeholders from affecting the proposed payments to public-sector workers.
PAR Challenges Pisas to Present Evidence
The opposition party also responded to accusations attributed to Pisas concerning politicians from PAR who allegedly became millionaires while serving in government.
PAR challenged the prime minister to identify the individuals he was referring to and provide evidence supporting his allegations.
The party insisted that accusations of this nature should not be made without substantiation.
In its response, PAR referred to previous court judgments involving former MFK leaders, including convictions related to corruption, money laundering, and the murder of political leader Helmin Wiels.
The party used those references to challenge the prime minister's criticism of political integrity, although the statement did not identify the specific individuals allegedly targeted by Pisas' remarks.
PAR further declared that it would not compromise its political principles in exchange for positions in government.
"Integrity is not negotiable," the party stated.
Demand for Clarity for Public-Sector Workers
Beyond the political confrontation, PAR is demanding that the government take immediate steps to separate the proposed bonuses for civil servants from the disputed payments intended for ministers and parliamentarians.
The party wants the administration to correct the payment process and provide public-sector employees with clear information about the status of their year-end bonuses.
The government's announcement that payments cannot be made in December has created uncertainty for workers who had been expecting additional financial compensation before the end of the year.
Although Pisas has indicated that the government is still evaluating how the bonuses can be paid, no new payment date has been announced.
PAR maintains that the responsibility for resolving the situation rests with the government rather than the opposition.
The party's statement was issued on behalf of its parliamentary faction, consisting of Quincy Girigorie, Shaheen Elhage, Luigi Fanyete, and Ana Maria Pauletta.
In its concluding message, PAR directly addressed the prime minister, urging him to stop looking for others to blame.
"You are governing. You are responsible," the party declared.
The latest exchange further intensifies the political dispute surrounding the year-end bonuses, with the government blaming opposition intervention for the delay and PAR insisting that the administration's own decisions created the legal and administrative complications now affecting public-sector workers.