WILLEMSTAD – More than 35 letters containing written questions submitted by the opposition PNP have been awaiting answers from the government for more than 100 days, according to the parliamentary faction. Some questions have allegedly remained unanswered for more than 400 days, prompting the party to accuse both the government and Parliament President Fergino Brownbill of failing to uphold agreements governing Parliament’s right to information.
In a letter dated August 10, the PNP said the growing backlog is preventing Parliament from properly carrying out its oversight responsibilities.
According to the party, within the PNP faction alone there are more than 35 letters containing questions that have remained unanswered for periods ranging from 100 to 400 days or more.
The opposition party describes the situation as a structural violation of the parliamentary right to question ministers. It refers, among other things, to Article 57 of the Constitution of Curaçao, which establishes the obligation of ministers to provide information to Parliament, subject to the limitations provided by law.
The PNP argues that this obligation is closely connected to ministerial accountability and Parliament's constitutional responsibility to scrutinize the government.
In addition to the constitutional provisions, the party points to a protocol agreed between the Curaçao Parliament and the government in 2013 concerning the handling of written parliamentary questions.
Under that agreement, ministers are expected to answer written questions within two months. If that deadline cannot be met, the responsible minister must inform the President of Parliament in writing and explain the reason for the delay.
The agreement also provides for the publication every three months of an overview showing questions submitted by Members of Parliament, answers received and questions that have remained unanswered for more than three months.
The protocol was formally established between Parliament and the government in August 2013, with the then-prime minister authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the Country of Curaçao.
According to the PNP, both the two-month response period and the reporting requirements are being systematically ignored.
The party is also directing criticism at Parliament President Fergino Brownbill, saying he has not taken sufficiently visible action against ministers who repeatedly fail to answer parliamentary questions on time.
The PNP claims that the most recent quarterly overview of unanswered correspondence publicly available dates from the first quarter of 2025. The faction wants Brownbill to explain why regular reports have not subsequently appeared covering the second, third and fourth quarters of 2025 and the first two quarters of 2026.
It also wants to know what measures the Parliament President intends to take to ensure that ministers comply with the established procedures.
The PNP has characterized the situation in particularly strong terms, describing it as a “constitutional crisis.”
According to the faction, the issue goes beyond delayed correspondence. When ministers fail to provide requested information, Members of Parliament have greater difficulty determining whether government policies are being implemented, examining decisions and monitoring how public funds are spent.
The party is therefore requesting that Brownbill convene a special meeting of Parliament’s Central Committee as soon as possible, with the parliamentary right to submit questions and the conduct of ministers as the sole agenda item.
The dispute comes amid a broader discussion about parliamentary oversight in Curaçao. PAR MP Shaheen Elhage has also questioned ministers extensively this month about implementation of the 2026 budget.
Timely access to government information is essential for Parliament to perform that oversight effectively, making the growing backlog of unanswered questions a wider institutional issue rather than simply a dispute between the PNP and the government.