WILLEMSTAD – Former PAR parliamentarian Ana-Maria Pauletta believes the Curaçao government—not Fundashon Kas Popular (FKP)—should take responsibility for the future development of Plantage Vetter, arguing that the public housing foundation lacks the capacity to carry out the ambitious project.
In a press statement released Tuesday, Pauletta stressed that Curaçao urgently needs more affordable housing and fully supports transforming the historic Vetter estate into a residential development.
However, she questioned FKP's dependence on government support and warned that the foundation has historically relied on public funding and government-owned land to construct social housing projects.
She cited developments such as Sapate and Tera Kòrá, which were built with public funds, and noted that FKP has already indicated it would need to sell part of the Vetter property commercially to finance roads, utilities and other infrastructure before affordable homes can be built.
According to Pauletta, it remains unclear how much of the estate would ultimately have to be sold for commercial purposes in order to finance the social housing project.
She argued that the government should instead assume responsibility for developing the Vetter property while ensuring that current residents receive the rights and protections they deserve.
"The need for social housing is one of the most pressing challenges facing our community," Pauletta said. "That is precisely why the project should be managed by an institution that is transparent, accountable and capable of inspiring public confidence."
The Joint Court of Justice recently indicated its intention to award the entire Plantage Vetter estate to FKP, but the decision is not yet final. The Court will hear any remaining objections during a hearing scheduled for August 17 before issuing its final ruling.
Pauletta said the government should use the opportunity not only to resolve the long-running Vetter land dispute but also to continue developing other areas suitable for affordable housing across Curaçao.