The Politician in Carnival   16 February 2026   Carnival as we know it today began in 1970, in the aftermath of 30 May 1969. It formed part of a broader effort to strengthen social cohesion. In that sense, it succeeded. Carnival became a space where differences temporarily faded and the community could celebrate itself.   In the early years, politics kept its distance. As far as I recall, Mrs. Lucina DaCosta Gomez was among the first to participate visibly in the mid-1970s. S

8% Poor? Or a Comfortable Figure?   14 February 2026   According to the recent report of the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek , 7.9% of the population is multidimensionally poor. At the same time, 30.4% of households live below the income poverty line. That difference is not a detail. It is politically relevant.   The Comfortable Number A poverty rate of 8% sounds manageable. It suggests the problem is concentrated, contained, and controllable. For politicians, that is a re

And then there is this   14 February 2026   I read two news items side by side, and I cannot reconcile them.   In the Antilliaans Dagblad  it was reported that medical specialists are now officially allowed to earn more. That would make it easier to attract and retain them here. In itself, that is understandable. Good specialists are scarce. Competition with the Netherlands and the region is strong. If we want high-quality healthcare, we must be willing to pay for it. I whole

Multidimensional Poverty Index   13 February 2026   The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) recently reported that, according to the Multidimensional Poverty Index  (MPI), 7.9% of Curaçao’s population is classified as poor (CBS, 2026). At the same time, figures from that same CBS show that approximately 30% of the population lives below the poverty line. Those two realities are difficult to reconcile.   The MPI looks at multiple dimensions, such as access to healthcare, educat

How, then?   12 February 2026   I read the report stating that yesterday the States unanimously amended the law that formalizes the government apparatus  ( nu.cw , 2026). The article does not specify what the amendments actually entail. However, this process has been underway for quite some time, which makes it plausible that it includes, among other things, a terminological and organizational shift — such as replacing the designation Secretary-General  with Director-General

Between Glitter and Decline   February 10, 2026   As Monday draws to a close, the wires in my brain begin making all sorts of connections. They are triggered by seemingly unrelated events. To start with, Stephen’s remark that he is more or less in shock that I am not writing about, in his eyes, Bad Bunny’s out-of-this-world performance during the Super Bowl halftime, where, among all the flags, our flag was also waving. Two weeks ago, the majority of humanity had not yet hear

Monday Morning, Carnival, and Poverty   9 February 2026   It is Monday morning and lunchtime is approaching. It is carnival week. The main parades take place this week, but in my immediate surroundings, it does not really seem to resonate. Yesterday, however, the roads were very busy after the parade.   I have not blogged yet. Not because there are no topics, but partly because it seems to have little use: everything remains as it was. To keep it simple, I take as my subject

Slowly, It Begins to Dawn on Me 7 February 2026 It is Saturday morning, after breakfast. I am sitting in my home office, reflecting. And in truth, very little is happening. Of course, my calendar is full — but are these things that really matter? Then messages start popping up on social media, under the auspices of the VBC, the Curaçao Business Association. They concern a conference with the telling title “Curaçao Under Pressure: Navigating the Geopolitical Storm.” The post i

Further, No One Will Have Noticed 5 February 2026 Yesterday, I chose not to write. Not because our global provider — which, after acquiring our local UTS in 2019, was supposed to launch us into the community of nations — has been stuttering with problems for four days now. It’s not the first time. In 2025, we were cut off from the rest of the world for a full 24 hours. But mentioning this now would make it seem as if I want to talk about the internet provider. Yesterday I mos

When We Look in the Mirror of Festival di Tumba   2 February 2026   What do we see?   The beginning of a new era.  The youth has definitively taken over. Feco is the last man standing . It cannot be otherwise—no one is immortal in this body. In itself, it is positive that the new generation is taking over and will shape it as they wish. That increases the chances of continuity. This festival is unique worldwide precisely because it has existed for so long—since, I believe, 19

Blue Wave must not become a tsunami that drags us into the deep   1 February 2026   I am writing this with mixed feelings. The reason is an article describing the so-called Blue Wave effect : Curaçao’s national team qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as the smallest country ever to do so.   It is understandable that many see this primarily as an economic opportunity. Curaçao’s international visibility will undoubtedly increase because of the World Cup. I have also pointe

Finale Festival di Tumba   30 January 2026   It is still only morning. But after midday, things will become hectic: some 10,000 people will have to find their way to the Festival Center, while the rest will follow it somewhere on a screen.   Festival di Tumba is no longer self-evidently a people’s celebration. It has increasingly become a product.   I will return a few more times to this year’s carnival, because it reflects where we stand as a society.   Back to the festival.

The Minister   29 January 2025   There is an ongoing debate about the Minister of Finance’s criticism of the General Audit Chamber’s report on the 2023 annual accounts ( Curaçao.nu , n.d.). In particular, the way in which he addresses this High Council of State. This is an attack on the pillars of the democratic rule of law. It stands in stark contrast to how he defends SOAB ( NU.cw , 2026). This too undermines a key pillar of checks and balances. It is remarkable that a prin

Sometimes it seems quiet   28 January 2026   But appearances are deceiving. I think people define it that way to take a break. Right now, people are taking a break in Curaçao: we celebrate Carnival and everything revolves around the Festival di Tumba . But in the meantime, the world keeps moving.   In reality, the world order is changing faster than we think. The EU and India signed a free trade agreement (European Commission, 2026). India thereby consolidates its position as

Perseverance and Resilience   27 January 2026   On these islands, resilience and perseverance are not abstract virtues; they are survival skills. You only realize how many of them you have built up when you go to live abroad. Things tend to go relatively easily for us there, not because life elsewhere is simpler, but because we have spent years struggling against systems that quietly train you to endure.   An example. Yesterday, after gathering information from fellow citizen

Communication   25 January 2026   Today I connect two developments that at first sight seem unrelated.   1. Young people, smartphones and social media In England, concrete steps are now being taken to restrict the use of smartphones and social media by young people. In doing so, the country is following Australia's example (Facebook, 2026). Given the many problems young people are facing today, this is not so much surprising as it is long overdue. The real question is: who wi

Between Davos, Tumor Tourism, and Tumba   24 January 2026   It is Friday afternoon, and the evening is falling. It has been a heavy third week of the new year — but why, exactly? While in Davos, the contours of a new world order are being drawn ever more sharply, here in Curaçao, we are celebrating the pathological growth  of mass tourism. That new world order is increasingly marked by power politics, resource competition, and the erosion of old certainties — precisely the ki

Between Davos, Tumor Tourism and Tumba   24 January 2026   It is Friday afternoon, and the evening is falling. It has been a heavy third week of the new year — but why, exactly? While in Davos, the contours of a new world order are being drawn ever more sharply, here in Curaçao, we are celebrating the pathological growth  of mass tourism. That new world order is increasingly marked by power politics, resource competition, and the erosion of old certainties — precisely the kin

Less Work For The Same Pay Just When You Think It Can’t Get Any Crazier 23 January 2026 Another one of those news items you first leave aside, because you simply cannot believe it. Yet it was right there in the media: civil servants in Curaçao want to follow the global trend of working less for the same pay (Curaçao.nu, 2026). This is in a context where citizens have, for years, received little value for their tax money. Where basic public services routinely fail, and the gov

Paying Taxes Is for Fools   22 January 2026   The news about the exoneration of more than three billion guilders in tax debts up to and including 2017 has been in the headlines for several days now (Rekenkamer Curaçao, 2026). This is not about a handful of CRIB numbers, but about more than 80,000 CRIB numbers. The Antilliaans Dagblad  devoted an editorial to the issue. Its conclusion: non-payment is being rewarded (Antilliaans Dagblad, 2026). I fully agree.   Before I go any