WILLEMSTAD - Former Minister Stanley Bodok has called on the Ombudsman and the Parliament of Curaçao to intervene in what he describes as a “systematic violation of the law” by the government. According to Bodok, the government has for years failed to adjust the old-age pension (AOV) to match the rising cost of living, despite being legally required to do so.

In a letter sent last week, Bodok pointed out that thousands of retirees have been financially disadvantaged as a result. He is demanding that the government immediately and fully pay out all overdue indexations. Additionally, he urged Parliament to strengthen its oversight of legal compliance and proposed organizing a public consultation with senior citizens’ organizations to discuss the future of the AOV system.

The issue of AOV increases has been a long-standing concern, with uncertainty surrounding when adjustments will finally be made.

In a letter dated September 24, the Ombudsman confirmed that the government has indeed failed to fulfill its legal obligation to adjust the AOV. The Ombudsman stated that this failure “is at odds with the principle of good governance, which requires the government to act lawfully and reliably.”

However, the Ombudsman decided not to launch an independent investigation, citing the recent establishment of an inter-ministerial working group tasked with reviewing the matter. Bodok criticized that decision as too slow, pointing out what he sees as a stark contrast between the government’s passive approach to the AOV issue and the speed with which Parliament previously approved its own salary and benefits adjustments.