WILLEMSTAD – The Ministry of Social Development, Labor and Welfare (SOAW) stands out from other ministries in Curaçao's Integrity Baseline Scan for an unusual reason: employees report seeing integrity practices more often than they recognize the formal policy itself.
According to the report, 39 percent of respondents indicated they are familiar with the integrity policy, while 44 percent said they observe integrity measures being applied in practice.
This contrasts with the pattern seen in several other ministries where policy awareness exceeded practical implementation.
Researchers interpret the finding as a sign that employees may experience integrity-related procedures and controls without necessarily connecting them to the government's formal integrity framework.
The report notes that this can be both positive and problematic. On the one hand, integrity principles appear to be influencing behavior. On the other hand, limited awareness of the formal policy may weaken consistency and long-term sustainability.
The findings suggest that SOAW may benefit from strengthening communication about how existing practices relate to the government's broader integrity strategy.