The latest report from the General Audit Chamber of Curaçao paints a troubling picture of government accountability. With just over a year left before the target date for a clean audit opinion on the 2026 financial statements, the evidence is overwhelming: Curaçao is nowhere near ready.

The Chamber’s findings are stark — only 12 percent of the required improvement projects have been completed, and none of the nine ministries are on schedule. The reforms that were supposed to restore trust in government finances are lagging behind, tangled in bureaucracy, staff shortages, and poor coordination.

This is not just a technical problem; it is a governance crisis. Since becoming an autonomous country in 2010, Curaçao has never received a single unqualified audit opinion on its financial statements. Year after year, the same problems persist: missing documentation, improper use of funds, and violations of the budget law.

The Minister of Finance must now act decisively. The Audit Chamber’s recommendations are clear — prioritize high-impact reforms, fill key financial positions, and ensure real testing of internal controls. Empty promises and procedural excuses will no longer suffice.

Parliament, for its part, cannot remain silent. It has both the authority and the duty to demand progress and transparency from the executive branch. The audit process is not a formality — it is the foundation of democratic oversight. Every guilder that enters or leaves the public treasury must be traceable, lawful, and accountable to the people.

If Curaçao fails to meet the 2026 audit goal, it will send a damaging signal not only to the citizens but also to the broader Kingdom and international partners who continue to question the island’s fiscal credibility. The time for excuses is over. The time for political will and administrative competence has arrived.