Challenging the Status Quo: The Governance Academy Curaçao
April 24, 2024
Yesterday, on April 22, 2024, I watched the Governance Academy Curaçao opening ceremony on TV, officiated by the Minister of BDP.
This academy, now under the umbrella of SOAB, the government's in-house accountant, raises a critical question: How can an external accountant, traditionally focused on financial matters, effectively serve as the educator for this institution? It's a unique setup that requires careful consideration.
Along with prof. Roel in 't Veld, I was among the first to propose the establishment of a governance academy modeled after the NSOB in The Hague back in 2007 (Goede & in 't Veld, 2007). However, this proposal was quickly suppressed. It seemed no one truly understood its significance. We aimed to prepare the bureaucratic elite for the new structure that would come into effect in 2010.
Since 2010, the bureaucratic apparatus has significantly weakened in terms of structure and personnel quality. The establishment of this governance academy, a beacon of hope, holds the promise of addressing these shortcomings, instilling a sense of optimism for a brighter future.
As early as 2007, there was reluctance within the political sphere to establish a genuine academy for a Master's in Public Administration. Instead, the institution was expected to offer courses even for receptionists. While this is a choice, it comes at the expense of focusing on the development of top-tier leadership. Twenty years ago, our vision was to establish an international, regional institute—a pillar of the knowledge economy—in the form of transnational educational and research institutions.
The current setup within SOAB is unlikely to be effective, but this may go unnoticed because people only realize when they know what it should be. It won't work because, in education, you can only pass on what you possess yourself, and that requires more than just a university degree. SOAB is part of the local scene, and what we need is an injection of best practices from those who are involved internationally. None of the narratives offer a strong governance story about public administration. Everything seems to revolve around the façade of a well-behaved civil servant, a superficial image that doesn't reflect the complex challenges of our society. This is a missed opportunity that needs urgent correction.
However, the chance of correction is slim because what is actually happening here is that the government has essentially handed the entire education budget to SOAB. It's all about the money. This perpetuates the lack of integrity, patronage, nepotism, and cronyism, a situation that is not just unacceptable, it's a crisis that demands immediate attention.
Miguel Goede
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