WILLEMSTAD – PAR parliamentarian Shaheen Elhage is questioning whether Curaçao’s reported budget surplus truly reflects stronger public finances or is partly the result of government projects and investments that have simply not been carried out.
In a series of parliamentary questions submitted on August 4, Elhage asked Finance Minister Charles Cooper to provide detailed information about the execution of the 2026 budget during the first half of the year.
According to the document, the government reported a surplus of approximately ANG 111 million during the first quarter of 2026. However, Elhage points to another figure that he considers particularly significant: of approximately ANG 199 million budgeted for investments, only around ANG 6 million had actually been spent.
The PAR parliamentarian argues that a surplus cannot automatically be considered a major success when expenditures are lower because approved projects, maintenance work and investments have not been executed.
Elhage is therefore asking Cooper to explain how much of the first-quarter surplus represents a structural improvement in government finances and how much is the result of payments that have not yet been made, revenues received earlier than expected or projects that have been delayed.
He is also requesting a detailed breakdown of the approximately ANG 6 million invested and ANG 41 million reportedly committed, including the projects involved, responsible ministries, contracts, contractors, amounts paid and the progress of the work.
The questions also focus on whether Curaçao will be able to execute the remaining investment program before the end of 2026. Elhage wants the Finance Ministry to identify which projects can realistically still be completed and which will have to be reduced or postponed.
The PAR member also raised concerns about several unresolved financial issues identified in reports from the Board of Financial Supervision (Cft), including the financial consequences of measures involving the AOV pension system, the financial position of Curaçao Medical Center (CMC), the absence of a multi-year investment plan and the need for a comprehensive government debt strategy.
In addition, Elhage wants an update on the modernization of the Tax Department. The government had indicated that the new digital system, a project that started in 2015, would be completed in 2026.
He is asking when the different components of the system will become operational and what additional tax revenues or reduction in outstanding cases the government expects the modernization to produce.
The parliamentarian also wants clarity about Curaçao’s overdue annual financial statements and is requesting a complete overview of assignments given to government accounting and advisory organization SOAB, including their costs, results and safeguards against conflicts of interest.
According to Elhage, sound financial management should not be measured exclusively by whether the government records a surplus.
He argues that taxpayers should ultimately be able to see their money translated into improved roads, schools, healthcare, public safety and social protection.
The questions form part of a much broader review conducted by Elhage of the government’s performance during the first half of 2026. He has submitted similar questions concerning several ministries and is calling for greater transparency over how budgeted funds are being used.