While Curaçao must deal with the greatest economic and financial crisis in ages due to the corona crisis, local politicians mainly create political instability.
Curaçao politics came to an impasse last week after Rennox Calmes, faction leader of the party Partido Inovashon Nashonal (PIN), left the party and withdrew his support from the government. According to Calmes, "the party no longer meets its own objectives." Calmes wants to continue as an independent member of parliament.
"The culture has changed and decisions were made that I was not aware of or forced to support a proposal that the party knew I did not support," Calmes said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Calmes says he has expressed his dissatisfaction with the current situation with Prime Minister Rhuggenaath and indicated what he would like to see changes to continue to support the government. But when Rhuggenaath failed to comply with these conditions, he withdrew his support from the government.
No more majority
Now that Calmes has withdrawn his support from the government and after the death of President of Parliament William "Junior" Millerson (PAR) last June, the government no longer has a majority in parliament.
At present, there are as many members (10) in the opposition as in the coalition (10). Calmes’action also had consequences for the only ministerial post of the party. Health Minister Suzanne Camelia-Römer, who has also been under fire for some time, no longer has representation in parliament, so she officially resigned today.
Empty ministerial posts
With the resignation of Camelia-Römer, another ministerial post is empty. Earlier this year, Education Minister Marilyn Alcalá-Wallé (PAR) stepped down after a complaint was filed against her for conflict of interest.
The Education Minister would not have distanced herself from her positions with foundations and companies during her ministry. Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath has overseen this portfolio as acting minister since January.
To obtain a majority, Alcalá-Wallé was asked succeed William Millerson as Member of Parliament, which is not prohibited by law. But after the Public Prosecution Service (OM) announced after months of preliminary investigations this week that Alcalá-Wallé is still being prosecuted, the former minister decided not to join parliament. She also resigned from her political party.
Opposition boycotts new swearing in
After Alcalá-Wallé, Shaheen Elhage is the next at the top of the PAR candidate’s list from last election. He must be sworn in as a Member of Parliament as soon as possible.
This gives the Rhuggenaath cabinet a small majority of 11 of the 21 seats again. The opposition has boycotted the public meeting on Thursday, which meant that Elhage could not be officially sworn in that day. President of Parliament Ana-Maria Pauletta announced that the appointment of Elhage is now on the agenda for Friday.
Whether the opposition will show up on Friday, Pauletta was not able to say. "I have heard that they are boycotting the meeting, but if that will be the case on Friday I can only confirm during the meeting."
If the opposition does not show up to approve Elhage’s credentials, then the President of parliament will take the case to court.