How, then?

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. Elsewhere, I have also read that the legal position of the police is being improved.

Further research presents a more coherent picture. The amendment to the National Ordinance on the Civil Service Organization, unanimously adopted on 10 February 2026, introduces a number of fundamental changes to the structure of Curaçao’s government apparatus. The core of this structural reform focuses on:

• Strengthening the top structure through the establishment of a Directorate for the Government’s Top Structure.

• Centralization of support services (such as IT, HR and finance) to improve efficiency across ministries.

• Restructuring of ministries, replacing outdated 2012 business plans with new organizational and staffing reports.

• Reorganization of the Human Resources Organization (HRO), including adjustments to salary structures for uniformed services.

• Modernization of functions and salary scales, allowing for greater flexibility and more market-conforming positioning.

In short, the structure is shifting from relatively autonomous “islands” to a more integrated and centrally steered apparatus.

At the same time, an article published a day earlier states that the government is barely able to implement the country package with this same apparatus (Dossier Koninkrijksrelaties, 2026). Ironically, improving the government apparatus itself is explicitly included as part of that country package.

So where am I heading with this? We — the public administration and governance community — knew from the outset that Curaçao’s Achilles’ heel would not be policy design, but implementation. That is precisely why The Hague initially proposed a more directive form of COHO (Goede, 2025). A struggle followed, The Hague conceded, and the outcome was a diluted form of an intergovernmental arrangement.

Today, the bill is being presented. And as if that were not enough, the university is discontinuing research, including research in public administration. Without knowledge production, without implementation capacity, and without an administrative backbone, reform remains largely on paper.

Miguel Goede

APA references (original titles retained)

nu.cw. (2026, 11 februari). Parlementsleden stemmen in met wijziging ambtelijke organisatie.https://nu.cw/2026/02/11/parlementsleden-stemmen-in-met-wijziging-ambtelijke-organisatie/

Dossier Koninkrijksrelaties. (2026, 10 februari). Na 6 jaar geen schot in belangrijkste projecten landspakket Curaçao.https://dossierkoninkrijksrelaties.nl/2026/02/10/na-6-jaar-geen-schot-in-belangrijkste-projecten-landspakket-curacao/

Goede, M. (2025). COHO werd onderlinge regering. LinkedIn.https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/coho-werd-onderlinge-regering-miguel-goede/