WILLEMSTAD – PAR Member of Parliament Shaheen Elhage has asked Parliament President Fergino Brownbill to urgently address two letters submitted by citizen Stanley Bodok in 2024, after Bodok reportedly received neither confirmation that his correspondence had been received nor a substantive response.
In a letter dated September 17, 2026, Elhage refers to Bodok’s original letter of November 11, 2024, registered by Parliament under number SR 24-25/00271, and a follow-up sent on December 27, 2024 under number SR 24-25/00456. The original correspondence was titled “What is the true state of democracy in Curaçao?”
According to Elhage, Bodok told him that he had never received confirmation that Parliament had received the correspondence and had not received a response to the issues he raised.
The letters reportedly contain questions concerning parliamentary oversight, financial supervision and the consequences of government policies for Curaçao’s citizens and businesses.
Elhage argues that Parliament has an obligation to properly process correspondence and petitions submitted by citizens.
In his letter, the PAR parliamentarian specifically refers to Article 7 of Curaçao’s Constitution, which states that everyone has the right to submit written petitions to the competent authority and that authorities must respond within a reasonable period.
Elhage notes that the explanatory text accompanying the constitutional provision emphasizes that a petition should not simply remain unread or untreated. If providing a substantive answer requires additional time, authorities should at minimum acknowledge receipt before subsequently providing a response within a reasonable period.
Elhage has now asked Brownbill to verify whether Parliament received and registered both of Bodok’s letters and to ensure that Bodok receives written confirmation of receipt.
He also wants the correspondence to be given serious consideration and for Bodok to receive a reasoned response within a reasonable period. Elhage additionally requested that he himself be informed about how Parliament has handled the two letters.
If Bodok has indeed been waiting since November 2024 without even receiving an acknowledgment, the matter means his initial correspondence has remained unanswered for nearly two years.
Elhage framed the issue as broader than the handling of a single citizen's letters. According to the PAR parliamentarian, careful treatment of citizens’ petitions is important for maintaining confidence in Curaçao’s democratic rule of law and in the relationship between Parliament and the people.