WILLEMSTAD – The government of Curaçao welcomed the recent CARICOM report on the island’s elections with a celebratory press release, highlighting the “orderly conduct” of the electoral process. However, critics argue that this selective interpretation masks a deeper issue: the lack of transparency in political party financing and the institutions’ failure to enforce existing laws.
While CARICOM observers praised the Electoral Council for ensuring a smooth and peaceful voting process, the report did not address a critical omission—the widespread failure of political parties to disclose their income and expenditures, as required by law.
Under the National Ordinance on Political Party Finances, parties are legally obligated to report their finances to the Electoral Council. Yet, according to earlier analyses, only two parties—MAN and PAR—fulfilled this duty in 2023. Other major parties, including the governing MFK and previously PNP, failed to comply, raising serious concerns about financial accountability and democratic integrity.
Weak enforcement
The law empowers the Electoral Council to request support from the government’s audit office, SOAB, when financial expertise is needed to review party accounts. This mechanism was explicitly written into the law, acknowledging that the Council might lack in-house capacity. However, in practice, SOAB has rarely been called upon.
Similarly, the General Audit Chamber (ARC) holds a broader mandate that could extend to Electoral Council oversight but has never exercised it in this area. As a result, the systemic non-compliance of political parties with financial disclosure requirements has never been effectively challenged.
Cherry-picking undermines trust
Observers point out that the government, in particular Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas and Justice Minister Shalton Hato, have engaged in “cherry picking”—publicly celebrating international praise while ignoring the structural weaknesses undermining Curaçao’s democratic institutions.
“Transparency is not an optional recommendation; it is the foundation of a healthy democracy,” one governance expert noted. “What good is an election if voters do not know who is funding the parties competing for power?”
Civil society organizations such as Fundashon Kòrsou Transparente stress that undisclosed financial backers can distort the democratic process. “Who pays, decides,” the group warned, emphasizing that without financial disclosure, hidden interests and potentially corrupt money flows remain unchecked—even in elections that appear flawless on voting day.
Call for accountability
Critics argue that the government must go beyond public relations statements and take concrete action: enforcing compliance, engaging SOAB where necessary, and empowering the General Audit Chamber to investigate. Only then, they say, can public trust in the integrity of elections be restored.
The government’s celebratory press release, while highlighting international recognition, sidestepped the core issue. Unless Curaçao’s political class addresses the persistent lack of financial accountability, questions over the true integrity of its democracy will remain unresolved.
