WILLEMSTAD – Opposition party PAR has reaffirmed its support for Curaçao’s place within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while stressing that autonomy must remain the foundation of cooperation between the Kingdom partners. That position was outlined in a press statement issued on Wednesday by Quincy Girigorie, leader of the PAR parliamentary group, in response to a recent advisory opinion by the Raad van State on the 70th anniversary of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
According to PAR, the Kingdom continues to provide added value for Curaçao, particularly in the current geopolitical context. The party argues that cooperation on cross-border and international challenges, combined with a shared division of responsibilities, is important for the island’s future. At the same time, PAR acknowledges that the Charter is an imperfect document, containing colonial characteristics and reinforcing the dominant position of the Netherlands.
The party points to Curaçao’s recent development as evidence of growing maturity and resilience. PAR notes that the economy has shown stable growth since the Covid-19 crisis and that the island has achieved major successes in sports, reducing its financial dependence on the Netherlands. However, as a small island, Curaçao continues to face challenges it cannot resolve on its own, including national security, cross-border crime and climate change. Recognizing limits and choosing cooperation, PAR argues, is not a sign of weakness but of political maturity.
PAR also emphasizes that many pressing issues remain the autonomous responsibility of the islands themselves. Problems such as poverty, population ageing and an education system under pressure require solutions within the limited human, financial and institutional capacity of the islands. These challenges, the party says, demand focused national policy rather than external intervention.
In its response to the Raad van State’s advisory opinion of October 12, 2024, PAR addresses several key points. The party sees no added democratic value in granting residents of the Caribbean countries voting rights for the Dutch House of Representatives. On the use of the Kingdom’s so-called guarantee function in the context of human rights, PAR agrees that international law requires an active responsibility to support the islands in meeting and maintaining international human rights and development standards. In practice, this should translate into ensuring an acceptable standard of living for all Kingdom citizens. Such cooperation, however, should be based on requests from the islands themselves to prevent misuse of the guarantee function.
PAR further states that closer cooperation within the Kingdom requires a renewed foundation of mutual trust, with all countries investing in building that trust. While the party is not fundamentally opposed to consensus Kingdom legislation, it argues that an urgent and transparent process is needed to determine when such legislation is truly necessary.
On the division of responsibilities within the Charter, PAR maintains that there is no need to introduce an intermediate governance layer. In the party’s view, the Charter already offers sufficient scope for cooperation based on autonomy and voluntary participation. The same principle, PAR says, applies to the use of the guarantee function in relation to good governance and legal certainty, which should be interpreted in line with human rights considerations.
Finally, PAR calls for strengthening the position of the Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao in the Netherlands. According to the party, this requires a clear profile, the appointment of qualified individuals and reinforcement of the organization with capable staff. In that context, PAR has requested a public meeting on the role of the Minister Plenipotentiary and the Curaçao House in the Netherlands.
Girigorie said the party’s vision is aimed at a future-oriented Kingdom relationship in which autonomy, cooperation and mutual respect form the basis for addressing shared challenges.