WILLEMSTAD – The Council of Ministers met with Eric van der Burg during his working visit to Curaçao this week, with discussions focusing on cooperation within the Kingdom and the future of the Reform Packages (Landspakket).
Despite the talks, uncertainty remains over whether the reform agreements will continue and in what form. According to the government, no clear decision has yet been made, with Van der Burg indicating that it is up to the Curaçao government to provide clarity on the next steps.
The Landspakketten, introduced in 2020, are agreements between Curaçao and the Netherlands aimed at strengthening governance, the economy, and public finances. In exchange for financial support, Curaçao committed to implementing reforms in areas such as healthcare, education, taxation, and public administration.
The Temporary Work Organization (TWO) has played a central role in supporting the implementation of these reforms, providing technical assistance, project support, and monitoring progress, while acting as a bridge between Curaçao and the Netherlands.
According to the government, the program has now entered its final phase, with a shift from planning to execution. This means that Curaçao must make strategic decisions about which reforms to prioritize, given limited implementation capacity within the public sector.
The issue comes at a time when the Netherlands has previously warned that several key reforms are lagging behind and remain in the planning stage, particularly in areas such as financial management, taxation, digitalization, and legislative capacity.
With the agreements nearing their end, pressure is increasing to move from plans to tangible results. At the same time, Curaçao has emphasized that any continuation of the reforms should be based on equality and greater national ownership.
If the Landspakketten are discontinued or not extended, Curaçao risks losing access to additional implementation capacity, technical expertise, and a joint monitoring framework, as well as an important channel for support and co-financing of ongoing reform projects.
During a press conference on Thursday, Van der Burg declined to provide detailed comments on the future of the agreements, again stressing that the decision lies with the Curaçao government. He did note, however, that Curaçao appears to be taking a different approach compared to Aruba and Sint Maarten.