Sixteen years after 10-10-10, a fundamental question demands our attention: What does financial stability mean when a significant portion of the population lacks basic economic security?
When Curaçao prepares its national budget, the Board of Financial Supervision (Cft) closely scrutinizes the figures. Budgetary balance, public debt, and financial risks are subjected to rigorous examination. There is also extensive cooperation with the Netherlands in the areas of justice and law enforcement.
This oversight and cooperation are necessary. Sound public finances and a properly functioning rule of law are indispensable. But why are social outcomes not monitored with the same determination?
A balanced budget, after all, does not automatically mean a healthy society.
The Social Reality Behind Our Autonomy
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), no less than 30.4 percent of Curaçao's households lived below the poverty line in 2023. Behind that percentage are families struggling to make ends meet, elderly residents living on limited financial resources, and young people facing uncertain prospects.
Poverty affects more than income. It also influences health, education, labor force participation, and opportunities for social advancement.
In August 2026, Curaçao's Council of Advice emphasized that combating poverty requires a more urgent and structural approach. The Council also pointed to the government's duty of care and the oversight responsibilities of the Curaçao Parliament.
Since October 10, 2010, Curaçao has been an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Article 41 of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands establishes that the countries independently manage their own affairs. Primary responsibility for social policy therefore rests with Curaçao.
Furthermore, Article 23 of Curaçao's Constitution stipulates that economic security, the distribution of prosperity, and public welfare are matters of government responsibility. Social development is therefore not merely a political ambition but also a constitutional obligation.
Article 43 of the Kingdom Charter additionally places responsibility on each country for safeguarding fundamental human rights, legal certainty, and good governance. The Kingdom has an overarching responsibility to safeguard these principles.
That safeguarding responsibility does not mean that the Netherlands must automatically finance or implement Curaçao's social policies. However, the Charter provides opportunities for cooperation and mutual assistance.
The question, therefore, is not who should take over Curaçao's responsibilities, but how both countries, within their respective constitutional roles, can contribute to measurable social progress.
The Netherlands Provides Support, but Where Are the Results?
Through the Country Packages (Landspakketten), the Netherlands and Curaçao cooperate on reforms in areas including education, healthcare, and social security. The Netherlands has also committed €30 million in multiyear funding to improve educational facilities.
This involvement deserves recognition. However, financial commitments and reform plans do not automatically translate into improvements in people's lives.
In April 2026, an independent evaluation committee concluded that cooperation through the Country Packages had initiated reforms. At the same time, the committee found that limited implementation capacity and other operational difficulties were hindering progress.
These findings demand concrete answers.
Which reforms have actually been implemented? Which are falling behind schedule? What are the social consequences of these delays? And, most importantly, when will citizens begin to experience tangible improvements?
Curaçao remains responsible for its own policy decisions and their implementation. The Netherlands, in turn, must be accountable for its contribution to the agreed cooperation.
Autonomy must not become an excuse for administrative stagnation. But cooperation within the Kingdom should not be measured solely by financial discipline either.
In early 2026, the Cft observed that Curaçao's budget continued to comply with the central budgetary standard, while significant uncertainties remained concerning the General Old Age Pension (AOV) system and Curaçao Medical Center (CMC).
A budget surplus may demonstrate responsible financial management, but it can also coexist with inadequate investment or insufficient implementation of public policies.
We must therefore look beyond the budget balance.
How many households are escaping poverty? Is purchasing power improving? Is healthcare becoming more accessible? Are young people gaining better opportunities for education and employment?
These are essential indicators of effective governance.
From Financial Oversight to Social Progress
Curaçao does not need another layer of Dutch social supervision that restricts its autonomy. What both countries can do, however, is agree on a joint, publicly accessible framework for measuring social outcomes within their existing cooperation arrangements.
Such a framework should establish measurable objectives for poverty reduction, purchasing power, education, healthcare, employment, and housing, supported by clearly defined responsibilities and periodic progress reports.
The Curaçao Parliament must hold the Curaçao government accountable for its policies and implementation. The Dutch House of Representatives must hold the Dutch government accountable for its contribution to the cooperation.
This would create mutual accountability without undermining the constitutional division of responsibilities within the Kingdom.
Sixteen years after 10-10-10, we should no longer assess our autonomy solely in terms of governmental powers, institutions, and budgetary results. We must also examine what our self-government has actually delivered for the people of Curaçao.
After all, what has a financially healthy country truly achieved if its population does not adequately benefit from that financial health?
A balanced budget is important, but it must never become an end in itself.
The true measure of good governance is not merely how responsibly a government manages public funds, but, above all, how many people are able to live better lives because of its policies.
drs. Luigi A. Faneyte, MSc, CFE, CICA, CCS
Economist | Financial Expert | Analyst | Parliamentary Staff Member for PAR in the Curaçao Parliament