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The Civil Service of CuraƧao

The Civil Service of CuraƧao

An Update

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11 January 2026

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Much has been written about the civil service of CuraƧao, including by me. A comprehensive article dates back to 2019, in which I analyzed the structural weaknesses and historical baggage of the apparatus (Goede, 2019). It is time for an update.

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The current civil service acquired its formal shape on 10 October 2010, when CuraƧao became an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This was by no means a fresh start. On the contrary, almost the entire institutional legacy of the past was carried over, including culture, routines, and informal power structures.

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A current and illustrative example of institutional decline is the development of SOAB. Although SOAB is formally an independent foundation, tasked with internal control and financial oversight, the degeneration of this institution is symptomatic of the broader failure of the civil service as a whole (Antilliaans Dagblad, 2024). When even internal control loses its credibility, this says much about the state of the system. Moreover, the country has never produced an approved set of annual accounts.

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Against this background, it is striking that civil servants are increasingly being indulged. After various bonuses in December, the so-called bashiĀ bonus was presented in January, with visible affection by the minister responsible for the civil service. The civil servantsā€™ union consistently argues that civil servants have, in the past, contributed more than average in terms of sacrifices.

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Meanwhile, the administrative culture now exudes a sense of permanent celebration, standing in sharp contrast to the daily struggle for survival faced by a large part of the population. At the same time, outputā€”both quantitatively and qualitativelyā€”leaves much to be desired. The image of a professional and competent organization has virtually disappeared. This process unfolded first slowly, but inevitably. Almost on a daily basis, journalist Mariano points out linguistic and substantive errors in official documents produced by the apparatus itself.

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All of this is closely connected to the broader debate about the lack of analytical capacity and problem-solving ability within government. It is the result of a persistent Family & FriendsĀ approach, in which the civil service is not viewed as a professional organization, but rather as a collection of votes (patronage) and an applause machine for ministers and political parties. One may reasonably ask how anyone expects solutions to todayā€™s problems to emerge from such a system.

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Integrity is therefore a core issue, yet it appears to be systematically avoided. For example, the government proudly announced that no fewer than 516 building permits were issued in 2025ā€”a record, with a combined value of more than 483 million guilders (Paradise FM, 2025). At the same time, hardly anyone asks about the status of the corruption investigation at Public Works, in which several arrests have been made (CuraƧao.nu, 2024).

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The same pattern is visible in the case of the refinery. 2Bays broke with Vigor over the future operation of the refinery, yet there is a striking silence regarding the progress of the investigation surrounding the refinery and the so-called Iguana case (Antilliaans Dagblad, 2023). It is precisely these silences that further erode the credibility of governance and of the civil service itself.

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Similar signals appear elsewhere as well, including media reports of alleged fraud within the CuraƧaohuis. These are not isolated incidents, but manifestations of a recurring pattern.

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All of this recalls my earlier criticism of the Governorā€™s 2026 New Yearā€™s address, in which the issue of integrity was once again largely absent. This is not a minor omission, but a fundamental one.

At its core, the problem is that the civil service ultimately reflects the society of which it is part. And that society has sunk deeply. The fact that CuraƧao has recently been named Best Island to Visit in the CaribbeanĀ (USA Today, 2024) will not help in this regard. On the contrary, it increases the pressure on a government that is already unable to cope with existing challenges, let alone manage further growth in tourism.


Miguel Goede



Sources (APA)

Antilliaans Dagblad. (2023). Iguana-zaak vergevorderd.https://antilliaansdagblad.com/curacao/29464-iguana-zaak-vergevorderd

Antilliaans Dagblad. (2024). SOAB buiten haar boekje.https://antilliaansdagblad.com/nieuws-menu/32202-soab-buiten-haar-boekje

Paradise FM. (2025). Overheid heeft in 2025 516 bouwvergunningen afgegeven met waarde van meer dan 483 miljoen.https://paradisefm.cw/overheid-heeft-in-2025-516-bouwverguningen-afgegeggeven-met-waarde-van-meer-dan-483-miljoen/

USA Today. (2024). Best Caribbean Island to Visit.https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-caribbean-island-to-visit/

© Miguel Goede, 2024
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