WILLEMSTAD – PNP Member of Parliament Ruisandro Cijntje is calling for a National Summit on the Cost of Living and Purchasing Power, arguing that Curaçao needs to move beyond political debate and develop concrete measures to ease the financial pressure on households.
Cijntje says the rising cost of food, water, electricity, fuel, transportation and other basic expenses is putting increasing pressure on family budgets and requires a coordinated national response.
According to the parliamentarian, the issue is too broad to be addressed by a single ministry, political party or economic sector.
He wants the government and Parliament to bring together labor unions, employers, businesses, importers, distributors, supermarkets, relevant public companies, consumer organizations, experts and other socioeconomic stakeholders.
“Parliamentary questions are important for democratic oversight, but questions alone do not pay the water bill, fill the refrigerator or strengthen purchasing power. It is time to move from words to action,” Cijntje said.
The PNP parliamentarian said Curaçao cannot continue in a cycle in which lawmakers ask questions, the government provides answers and Parliament debates the issue without producing meaningful changes for households.
According to Cijntje, the proposed summit should examine the actual figures behind Curaçao’s cost of living and identify areas where costs can realistically be reduced. Discussions should include the Makutu Básiko basic-goods basket, water and electricity rates, fuel prices, imports, transportation, commercial margins throughout the supply chain, competition, consumer protection, wages and household income, and local production.
Cijntje, a former Minister of Economic Development, pointed to his previous efforts to expand the Makutu Básiko as an example of measures intended to provide consumers with more choices and financial relief.
However, he said his experience also demonstrated that isolated measures are insufficient.
Purchasing power, according to Cijntje, should now be treated as a national challenge requiring an integrated approach.
He stressed that the purpose of the summit should not be to assign blame but to bring the relevant parties together to determine which measures are feasible and can produce tangible relief for Curaçao households.
“The people are not only asking for an explanation of why things are expensive. The people want to see action. The people want to see results. The people want to feel that their income has more value at the end of the month,” Cijntje said.