Curaçao Evening News Broadcast — March 18, 2025

The Union of Pensioners for Progress and Justice (UPAH) has expressed support for a petition by trade union ABVO calling for APC Pension Fund retirees to receive vacation pay starting in 2027. UPAH stated that although it was not consulted before the petition was filed, it cannot oppose a measure that would benefit pensioners. The organization is also seeking more transparency and public information regarding pension legislation and the APC Bank. The push for vacation pay reflects broader concerns among retirees about financial adequacy and the need for improved benefits. UPAH's backing adds institutional weight to the ABVO petition and signals growing solidarity among pensioner advocacy groups in Curaçao. The timeline set for implementation is 2027, giving relevant authorities and the pension fund time to prepare.

The Curaçao teachers' union Sitek has received an official guarantee that a law ensuring safety in schools and other educational settings will be published by the end of 2026. The commitment marks a significant milestone for the union, which first submitted the safety legislation proposal back in 2014. The proposal has been pending for over a decade, making this guarantee a long-awaited breakthrough for education workers on the island. The law is intended to formally protect teachers, staff, and students within school environments and related educational areas. While the guarantee is a positive step, the actual publication deadline of end-2026 means implementation remains some time away. Sitek's persistence over more than ten years underscores ongoing concerns about safety conditions in Curaçao's educational sector.

Curaçao parliamentarian Susanne Camelia-Römer of the MAN-PIN faction has submitted no fewer than 55 questions to Finance Minister Charles Cooper and Justice Minister Shalten Hato regarding the exoneration of tax debts. The move was directly triggered by a Supreme Court ruling issued on July 10, 2026, related to a cassation case involving tax law. Camelia-Römer is seeking transparency and accountability from both ministries over how and why certain tax debts were forgiven. The large number of questions signals serious concern within the opposition about the legality and process surrounding the debt exoneration decisions. The Supreme Court ruling appears to have raised questions about whether proper procedures were followed under existing law. The parliamentary inquiry reflects broader tensions in Curaçao's government over fiscal governance and ministerial accountability. No immediate responses from the ministers have been reported.