For days, Curaçao was digitally paralyzed. Thousands of residents had no internet access, no cable television, no ability to communicate, make payments, attend online classes, or even access government services. Small businesses were left in limbo, orders vanished, hospitals were forced to improvise, and citizens were cut off from a world that, today, runs entirely online. 

So what does the island’s leading internet provider, Flow, offer in response to this serious failure? A 15% discount on the monthly bill. And as if that weren’t already embarrassingly inadequate, the company now announces — with stunning confidence — that this so-called “gesture” cost them $600,000, as if the public should be grateful for their generosity. 

Let’s be clear: this is not compensation, and certainly not a gesture of goodwill. It is a calculated public relations maneuver, an obscene attempt at framing the narrative — to divert attention from the real, long-lasting damage caused to an economy and society that depends on reliable digital infrastructure. 

This was more than a service disruption. It was a systemic failure that exposed how vulnerable Curaçao is to outages in what has become an essential public utility. Small businesses lost days of revenue. Families were cut off from educational resources. Entire communities were digitally stranded. And yet, what we receive in return is not transparency, not accountability, not even a public apology — but a symbolic discount and a media campaign highlighting the company’s “losses.” 

What’s more troubling is that no structural explanation has been provided. There has been no transparent review of what went wrong. No reassurance to the public. No action plan to ensure this doesn't happen again. Just one message: “look how much this cost us.” 

That’s the real message here: Flow does not see itself as a provider of an essential public service, but as a private company concerned only with its own bottom line. That is a deeply concerning signal from a provider operating in an increasingly digital and interconnected society. 

Curaçao deserves more than a discount. It deserves accountability. It deserves a provider that understands that internet is not a luxury — it is a critical part of our social fabric. 

If this crisis has taught us anything, it is that essential infrastructure should never be at the mercy of private entities that do not feel publicly accountable. A 15% discount is not a gesture of goodwill — it is a symbol of weakness and an insult to every citizen and business that truly suffered from this digital collapse. 

The people of Curaçao deserve better.