WILLEMSTAD - Curaçao’s Parliament was forced to cancel its scheduled Question Hour on Thursday morning after lawmakers discovered they could not proceed due to a technical malfunction. Although MPs were already gathered in the plenary hall, they had to leave without addressing the agenda.

The disruption was caused by a defect in the communication system, which has not yet been repaired following a lightning strike two weeks ago.

The Question Hour was set to tackle two sensitive issues. Justice Minister Shalten Hato (MFK) was scheduled to answer questions about the fire safety of the tax office on Regentesselaan. Opposition MPs have previously raised concerns about whether the building, which was heavily damaged by arson in 2019, now meets modern fire safety standards.

The second topic on the agenda was public trust in the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Lawmakers have long debated how justice authorities can operate more transparently and accountably, particularly in high-profile cases that draw significant public scrutiny. Several factions have been urging the OM to take more visible steps to strengthen public confidence.

With Thursday’s cancellation, the Question Hour has been postponed for two weeks, by which time officials expect the technical issues to be fully resolved.