WILLEMSTAD – Prime Minister Gilmar “Pik” Pisas has announced that the Curaçao government will not be able to pay the planned year-end bonuses to civil servants, equivalent public-sector employees, and government institutions in December 2026. The prime minister is blaming the opposition for creating political controversy around the payments, which he says has forced the government to seek additional legal and administrative advice before proceeding.
In a statement addressing the ongoing controversy, Pisas expressed disappointment that opposition parties had turned the proposed bonuses into a political issue, arguing that the resulting scrutiny has complicated the government's efforts to provide public-sector workers with additional financial compensation.
According to the prime minister, the government has been required to obtain advice from several institutions to ensure that the proposed payments can be implemented properly.
However, not all the necessary documents and opinions have been received.
As a result, the government is no longer in a position to distribute the bonuses in December, as originally intended.
Pisas indicated that the administration is continuing to evaluate how the additional payments can be made, but he did not announce a new payment date.
The development represents a significant setback for public-sector employees who had been expecting additional income before the end of the year.
Controversy Over Legal Basis
The announcement follows weeks of political debate over the government's decision to introduce year-end bonuses for civil servants and other categories of public-sector personnel.
The Council of Ministers approved the proposal on October 7, 2026. The broader arrangement was expected to cost approximately XCG 30 million.
However, questions subsequently emerged about whether the government had obtained the necessary legal advice before approving the expenditure.
Premier Pisas had acknowledged that the government was still analyzing the proposal and awaiting advice, nearly a month after the original cabinet decision.
The controversy intensified when it became known that the proposed arrangement could also benefit government ministers and members of Curaçao Parliament.
Opposition faction MAN-PIN questioned whether the government had the legal authority to award additional compensation to political officeholders without amending the legislation governing their remuneration.
The faction argued that additional payments to parliamentarians require a proper legal basis and that changes to their financial compensation must comply with constitutional requirements.
MAN-PIN also questioned the government's spending priorities, particularly given the financial difficulties facing many Curaçao households.
Governor Requested Reconsideration
The controversy also involved Governor Mauritsz de Kort.
Initial media reports indicated that the governor had refused to sign a decree authorizing additional compensation for ministers and parliamentarians.
However, during a subsequent press conference, Pisas disputed that interpretation.
On November 11, the prime minister explained that the governor had requested the government to reconsider the proposal rather than formally rejecting it.
Following an internal evaluation, the cabinet decided not to proceed with the year-end bonuses for ministers and parliamentarians.
That decision concerned political officeholders, while the government continued examining the separate arrangements for civil servants and other public-sector employees.
The latest announcement now indicates that those broader payments have also encountered delays.
Pisas Says Similar Bonuses Were Paid Before
In defending the government's approach, Pisas pointed to previous occasions when public-sector employees received bonuses, cash premiums, and other additional payments.
According to the prime minister, such payments had been made in the past without requiring the same collection of documents and institutional advice now being sought.
He suggested that the opposition's intervention had created additional obstacles that were preventing the government from moving forward with the planned December payments.
Pisas expressed regret that the situation had reached this point, maintaining that the government's intention was to provide extra financial support to public-sector workers.
However, the opposition has presented a different argument.
MAN-PIN maintains that public spending must comply with the law, regardless of whether the intended beneficiaries are civil servants, ministers, or parliamentarians.
The opposition has also questioned whether the government can authorize substantial additional expenditure without first establishing the appropriate legal framework and ensuring parliamentary oversight.
The College of Financial Supervision (Cft) previously emphasized that additional compensation for political officeholders requires an adequate legal basis and that the associated expenditure must be properly incorporated into the national budget.
Uncertainty for Public-Sector Workers
The latest development leaves civil servants and other eligible public-sector personnel uncertain about when, or whether, they will receive the additional compensation.
Although Pisas has ruled out payment in December 2026, he has not indicated that the government is abandoning the broader bonus initiative.
Instead, the administration is continuing to examine possible arrangements that would allow the payments to proceed after the necessary advice has been obtained.
The prime minister has not specified which institutions have yet to submit their opinions, what legal or administrative obstacles remain, or when the government expects to complete its evaluation.
For now, the proposed bonuses remain unresolved, with the government blaming opposition criticism for the delay and opposition parties insisting that the legality of public expenditure must be established before payments are authorized.
The immediate consequence is that public-sector workers who had anticipated receiving additional income in December will have to wait for further clarification from the Pisas administration.