Off to a Hopefully Happy New Year!
Kindly adjust your bookmark
See you around.

Nos A Skapa!
But wait for better times. Amigoe figures that if M*F*K gets one more seat in parliament, they have the power to change the Landsverordening/constitution. For that, 3/4 of the seats is necessary, which they now just don't have.
Yet?
2025-12-31

About those Batteries...
If you care at all, and are in for a good horror story, check this out: The Unreported Story of Battery Grid Fires. I tried again, and again without success, to find out how much battery storage Aqualectra has installed, or the location. Both of which are to use the popular word, "crucial".
Because, first, the capacity has to be enormous to supply us with enough power to survive another black-out. Pray it never comes.
Then, what if the system catches fire as these things are wont to do? No matter where the system is located (except on the very Westpunt), it will result in toxic fumes which are unavoidable on this densely populated island. And keeping your windows closed is no solution, really not; especially with no power available to run your airco.
What can I say but, "Good Luck!"?
Actually, I did find out a while ago: that battery capacity is nowhere near sufficient.
2025-12-31

Tico Breaks His Promise
Tico Vos does have another article written and published. But don't blame him as his conclusion is the question "Who is really governing this country?"
Not "who" but "what", Tico: money is. Our money.
2025-12-31

Leave It to Our Bleaders
700 million worth of government loans (not by but to, wot you teenk, mon?) turn out to be illegal. In the sense that they don't meet basic legal requirements.
I mention it again because it's one more thing that makes the government budget a hollow phrase.
2025-12-31

Airconditioning? Now that You Mention It
School aircos have been promised long since several times, so don't act surprised when you hear that we are a long time away from actually getting them. Needed were 24.9 million guilders but as the schools are clustering (thanks to the graying of the population which does have its good points) this has been reduced to 16m. Aircos are already "in place" in 42.7% of where needed, and 7% are ready to get 'em. Problems are missing windows, broken doors, ceilings that need fixing and no or not working wall plugs.
But nobody has any idea how much all this is gonna cost per year. So what?
2025-12-31

That's Inhumane!
We must strongly protest that we are forbidden to hold barbecues on the Swinging Lady, Queen Emma pontoon bridge. Chairs and tables on there are also out-of-bounds.
Can't we have some decent innocent family fun on New Year's Eve?
2025-12-31

That We May Live to See It!
Bolo Mudbelly announces that Hato airport only needs "two or three" functions to be fulfilled by qualified personnel, and then we'll be ready for upgrading to category 1 after an audit by FAA.
Couldn't call that "fast", took 14 years. If it happens.
2025-12-30

Let's Hope So
Carmabi reports a large amount of whales and dolphins in the waters round the island, and takes action to protect them.
Would this lead to the final death knell for the floating hydrogen-producing windmills, in a parallel to 5 of those "parks" having just been shut down along the USA East coast? Let's hope so.
2025-12-30

Good Question, Betrian
He points at the almost 4 billion guilders which just disappeared in the yearly budgets, and asks why parliament doesn't take any action. That's an easy one: most of 'em are in the plot.
He also wonders, as these disappearing guilders are violations of law, if the public ministry shouldn't prosecute the guilty parties. Now you're talking, Betrian!
In fact, Betrian figures a total of 7.9 milliard pulled a disappearing act. Uh oh.
2025-12-30

Closed? No Problem!
The trash dumping problems at Dam Pretu may finally be over, so it's now dumped at Choloma. But no worries: GMN health ministry is keeping an eye on it.
2025-12-30

Drain
Of the hundreds of youngsters leaving the island every year, only 5% returns after having finished their studies.
You must excuse me for not delving into the figures Antilliaans Dagblad quotes; they're just a total bruamentu.
2025-12-30

Come Off It
Apart from the problems mentioned below, kustwacht expects operational pressure because of Climate Change. Because of, all alleged, rising sea temperatures, stronger hurricanes and more rainfall (depending on who's talking).
We'll worry about all that when or rather, if, it actually happens.
2025-12-30

So Do It
The coast guard/kustwacht warns that we're on the international route for smuggling drugs and weapons. Yes, we'd noticed, thank you ever so much. They want to stop all those transports because they also mean more drugs and weapons here. Fancy that.
Broader regional destabilization is also mentioned. Cuba? Hezbollah, anyone?
2025-12-30

It's No Joke
But reminded me of one Wodehouse tells: a guy in prison is visited by a friend who asks him what he's in for. On hearing why, he says, "But they can't put you in jail for that." To which the reply is "I know they can't, but they did."
Sure beats Kafka, if you ask me. Much snappier.
This popped up because experts keep assuring us that Trump's actions are illegal, and he can't bomb drug smuggling vessels or close the Venezuelan airspace. He did anyway. So there.
2025-12-30

Look Before You Leap
In all haste, the country introduced a law for minimal tax of 15% for multinationals to parliament, disregarding all RvA advice council warnings that there were legal problems with it. Seems it should serve to avoid international deals for a world wide 15% tariff for multinationals, which could result in Curaçao missing out on that for charging less.
Bad news for off-shore business, I guess, if there's still much around; last of my worries. Just might get interesting for the gambling mafia, though.
The government is proceeding anyway, while promising to partially adapt the proposal.
2025-12-29

That Sounds More Serious
ARC also concludes that the country has illegally granted several loans. One dates from 2020 but still wasn't formalised in 2023 (or now, is my guess), for 442 million guilders to Hospital Nobo Otrobanda, the real estate business behind CMC hospital; the other one one is for the infamous Girobank settlement of 291 million.
Both loans stink intensely even though they can't possibly be characterized as "chicken shit".
2025-12-29

So?
ARC Rekenkamer audit office tells us that severaL SOAB accounting assignments were illegal. Which is not SOAB's fault, but the government's who shouldn't have given them the jobs.
But it's only one item in a lot of structural shortcomings in the 2023 budget.
2025-12-29

Tico, Here's Your Solution
Tico Vos regularly writes articles that, for some reason (maybe lack of material?) are published in several media. But now he's written one that begs the question: "Why Writing to Convince No Longer Works." I got news for you, Tico, it never worked to start with.
So here's the promised advise: stop writing them. Not that I expect to convince you.
Tico does promise, in the same article, to change his tune. Good for him. He sounds even more convinced of his own viewpoint's correctness than I do.
2025-12-29

At Least, that's the Plan
The harbor capacity of Curaçao will be enlarged by 1/3rd, in a message by PMT Programmatische Maritime Tafel [which means programmatic maritime table, whatever that means] in which CPA Curaçao Port Authority, CDM/Dok Holding, Blue Harbour City, Buskabaai, 2Bays and "members of CMAR" are united. It's all supervised by MP and other ministers.
More influence-grabbing by the government, in other words.
If 30% more capacity will lead to an equivalent growth of the economy is not per se an automatic given.
2025-12-27

That's a Lot
SER social-economic council thinks raising the minimum wage is good, but not enough. (It will be 2,066.28 guilders/month next year, over twice the AOV welfare pension.) At the same time, SER warns that raising it too much may bring more problems, such as less jobs. Which we have been able to see in for example California, USA.
That's not what I mean by "a lot"— rather, the fact that SER estimates 40% of the 2017 economy was "informal". In other words, no taxes, no social premiums were paid.
2025-12-27

Oh, It's OK
It's minister Lew-Jen-Tai herself who assures us that the electoral council, in spite of getting much less than they need, is just fine. Nothing to worry about, folks. The government never lies to you.
2025-12-27

It's Our Culture!
Sounds familiar. Rings a bell—in fact, hundreds of 'em loud 'n clear. It's a video of a Somali (I skipped my description) bragging about how he gets a free living paid for by American taxpayers suckers. From Iowa.
Here's another link.
You may not believe this, but it actually started a discussion whether emigrating Somalis should abandon their honored country's pirate tradition of stealing everything they can for their own limited circle, or adapt to the rules in "their" new county.
2025-12-26

Merry Christmas, You All!
No kidding...
2025-12-25

For Starters
ARC Rekenkamer audit office concludes that the country's 2025 budget has been exceeded by 1.2 billion guilders. That's $660 million or (am I right?!) $44,400 for each and every one of us suckers.
But wait. Apart from that, 26.7 million worth of budget changes have not been executed. And why should they? M*F*K is absolute boss.
That's still much better than 2023, though, when the annual account showed over 2 billion in errors and over 2 billion in uncertainties; for which the legal maximum is 17.6 million.
ARC advises parliament to "sharply address" the government and to demand financial management is approved "fast and demonstrable". Good luck with that! With responsible Silly Vain incommunicado, Bolo Mudbelly in the saddle and an absolute M*F*K parliament majority.
Oh yeah, and next year's budget, such as it is, is already exceeded by 1226.1 million guilders. Put another way, over 1.2 billion.
2025-12-25

Vigor Won't Like that
There now is a suggestion to transfer 2Bays' installations at Isla refinery and Bullenbaai terminal to Curoil. They can put 'em to good use and have the personnel to maintain them. In the future, they may even start blending different types of oil.
Say, didn't we hear that before? Vigor was planning to do the same and is sure to protest. Yes, that's iffy.
If this goes through, one more step down on the slippery road to fascism.
2025-12-24

Who Cares
Except the exploiters, that's for sure. Even one missed tourist ship can be a serious setback for the economy, we now read.
2025-12-24

Now Do It
And fast, please? The government has published a list of road maintenance and infrastructure works, including what (their term) so-called life extension" work.
Plus more speed bumps: "traffic-calming measures".
At least no more money should be spent on buying those; there's an ample stock left over.
2025-12-24

As Per Usual
Over a month ago, the Ombudsman sent a letter to GMN health ministry inquiring about the state of subsidies for old people's homes.
No answer has been received as yet.
Ombudsman comments he gropes in vain for a reason why not. To all of us, it's obvious.
2025-12-24

Hope It's True
Ihe electoral council is independent and will keep on working even though the budget is insufficient.
Or so we're told.
2025-12-24

#ThereToo
In the USA more and more protests are coming in about real estate tax (our OZB Onroerende zaken belasting). Property values are going up and up, there as well, and with it the taxes: "Exploding" is the word used. Which many people just can't afford.
For once, it's an agreeable surprise that our government recognized the problem.
2025-12-23

Antipole
In New York, infamously progressive, EV school buses were acquired on a large scale. Now it's winter and the drivers are switching off the heating to spare the batteries, so the kids are arriving blue with white rims of frost.
Agree, switching off the airco here would not be that bad; as long as you can open the windows. Still.
We here precious little about those Evil Plans any longer. Fine with me, unless we can expect a nasty surprise.
2025-12-23

Clever!
Even if it's the government. The electoral commission complains that the subsidy (or whatever it is called) needed to manage its affairs is not paid out; in 2024 out of 1.294.500 they got 871.900, and in 2025 only 869.3000 instead of 1.532.500.
Let us all hope that this is not a smart sneaky underhand trick by Crooks In Charge to limit the commission's activities in the next elections.
2025-12-23

A Pity
The movement Kòrsow ta move will grind to a halt, because there's no money to keep it running: 85,000 guilders/month. Which PNP MP Gerard found an exorbitant sum, as just about the only thing done was to close off the Nieuwe Haven road twice a month.
PNP MP Martina said he was glad to get "an honest answer" from Mudbelly Cooper. Who might be well advised to take some exercise himself.
2025-12-22

Better and Worse
The government doesn't even have a central registration system and thus can only have the faintest idea what buildings it owns.
Nothing to look at here, folks. That's more the rule than the exception.
2025-12-22

One More
Since 10-10-10, when our glorious indepence set in, we have two fishery laws; one from before then which was never retracted, leaving one which is different. With the result the fishermen have no idea which one they should follow.
One law is for large-scale fisheries outside territorial waters which seems of no importance for practically all fishing going on.
2025-12-22

Something Was Actually Done
Will wonders never cease! An illegal building project on government terrain was told to stop, but (understandably) went on regardless. PTH project team then proceeded to dismantle concrete forms and will now demolish the already poured foundation.
2025-12-22

For Once
Good point, M*F*K PM Prick Pias! He complains that the Dutch media are making a big noise about the supposed tensions between the USA and Venezuela, but that in fact we're quite safe here.
2025-12-21

It Gets Even Better
Or worse, depending on your POV. While the government wants, or said it wants, to reduce 2020 quartering costs by 20%, they just go up and up. There's a workgroup working on it, but we know what that means: not a thing. To the contrary, more and more places are rented.
Of 463 buildings available to the government, 76 are empty (16%) and of 32 it's not even known if they are in use or not.
Gee, I wonder how much those work group members get paid.
2025-12-21

What a Relief
Parliament accorded an amendment in which extra money is reserved for "congresses and advisors". 'Only' 250,000 guilders—but don't forget, it's "extra".
2025-12-20

Dios Yuda Nos
Anuschka Cova working for CHATA comments on the tourist tsunami threatening to drown us all. "Curaçao is twice as large as Aruba and has only half its tourist visitors" so there's room enough to expand. "Which means we have to really think about if we want that growth," she adds.
Well, better start thinking now, ma'am.
Two years ago, building cost 2,850 guilders/m^2; now it's 4,500 to 5,500.
2025-12-20

Is this Getting Serious?
Let's hope so. Long past time at any rate. Regulators face increasing pressure to prevent misuse of their licensing frameworks with an international investigation of illegal online gambling targeting the UK. All about a casino brand MyStake (who would be that "me"? is a good question). Associated are Santeda International B.V. and Ryker B.V. Now, "Curaçao faces growing expectations to ensure that its licenses are not used to facilitate consumer harm or evade foreign laws. Failure to do so could lead to reputational damage, increased financial scrutiny, and reduced access to international payment and banking services" to quote Curaçao Chronicle.
I got news for CC: there are banks already that refuse to do business with Curaçao.
3.5 billion pounds are estimated to flow through Curaçao corporate structures; 64% is estimated from UK customers..
2025-12-20

Por Fin
Parliament accepted a motion to look into the financial affairs of the Kas di Kòrsow in den Haag, Holland. For some inexplicable reason, only over the years 2022-2025, while we have all been suspecting flimflam long before then; remember Fräudlein Wiels?
2025-12-20

Some Good News
Prices for car gas, diesel, water and electricity will go down next month. RAC regulating authority says "the changes reflect recent trends in energy and production costs.".
Wind energy? No, oil prices have gone down and keep doing so; there's a world-wide oil glut. Dare I say "Trump effect"?
2025-12-20

New Panic
Now that the demolition of Sentro pro Arte finally is underway, asbestos has been found in there. One consequence is that the terrain and buildings next to it, belonging to APC pension fund, are out of bounds for everybody: renters, workers, contractors, security and customers.
Enjoy your holiday, people!
For all I know, cancer-causing forms of asbestos had been banned long before that theater was built, but here in Curaçao you never know, that's true.
2025-12-20

Waste of Money
The government rents buildings for a total of 16.6 million guilders. Too bad Antilliaans Dagblad omits to say if that's over the entire period, or per month or per year. They merely say "average", as reported by ARC Rekenkamer accounting. Let's say it's per year, for 57% of the buildings used by ministries. Only 43% are government property.
"There is no effective management" says the report. No kidding. That would be a miracle!
2025-12-20

A New One
With more to follow. Local entrepreneurs are being forced to close down because project developers buy up the terrains where they work on, for even more tourism developments.
One factor is, some of these guys have been operating for tens of years without the government coming through with the needed, and applied for, permits and licenses.
2025-12-20

Simply True
"During a lull, when there is no wind, it doesn't matter if you have 30,000 or 60,000 turbines. The output remains zero."
As we here had occasion to notice every October. More batteries!
2025-12-19

Hopeless
The parking space at Hato airport is much too small. It's often impossible to find room to park when picking up passengers; there are much too many arriving flights, all in the afternoon.
CAP airport management is looking for a solution. Which is quite a job: there just seems to be no room to expand the parking lot, enclosed by the road between the terminal and a steep hill.
2025-12-19

Hmmm, Interesting
Tax receiver Trona gets "conditional" permission to talk to court notwithstanding his civil servants' confidentiality obligation.
But will he talk? What's in it for him? Or more to the point, us?
2025-12-19

Go Ahead, Do It
And see what it gets you. Aruba, Curaçao and the Netherlands want to lodge a formal complaint with the USA for violations of their airspace by military planes.
2025-12-19

Celebrate?
As from next month, AOV is raised to 1000 guilders per month. Which is still 100 below what the oldies have a (lawful!) right to expect.
The overdue indexation of 2500 guilders will be paid out, half in 2026 and half in 2027. Court may still decide the indexation has to be paid out in total. The trade unions accepted the government's proposal. Weaklings.
2025-12-19

Setback
A guy Huntington Ingalls jas been trying to get his hands on the oil stored in Bonaire's BOPEC and Curaçao's Isla, but no such luck. The supreme court decided that the oil is property of PdVSA but that doesn't mean it belongs to the state of Venezuela. So Ingalls loses several hundreds of million dollars; and others who want to sue Venezuela for PdVSA's debts can expect the same.
Surprising, as PdVSA is the property of Venezuela. Not according to Venezuelan law, it seems.
Not the slightest idea who this Ingalls is or represents, I have to admit. Not that I much care.
2025-12-19

No Stopping 'Em
There has been no annuling of reservations by tourists, not for flights or rooms. What do they care about a conflict between the USA and Venezuela? Or, for that matter, we. It's the politicians and the media who keep kicking up as if there were any real troubles.
2025-12-19

"No Incident"
Air traffic control denies there was any problem in the cases the media are panicking about. The case where JetBlue had to evade a US tanker plane was not, as was claimed, in the JetBlue's climb but long after that, when in fact the plane had already left Curaçao's air space; and in the second one a plane was duly warned that another one was in its path, whereupon it took evasive action.
Which is what the air traffic control is for. No problem, mon: it worked as it should.
2025-12-19

Here, the Other Way Around
In the USA, the mass deportations already have the effect of bringing rents down, or so we're told. But as always, we know better: mass importations of tourists and rich foreigners bring them up. In Bonaire, rents were doubled in the last 5 years.
2025-12-18

Aw, Take Pity
Parliament members have had to stay awake till after midnight to discuss the 2026 budget. Two times already, with still one night to go.
Not that it will make any difference.
2025-12-18

Maybe
Aruba and Curaçao have decided establishing a new ferry service between the islands has its advantages. It's a start, but it isn't there yet by a long way to go.
2025-12-18

That's One Less
The Norwegian Epic cruise ship decided to skip Curaçao on its route to Barbados. Because of the "military exercises and operations" on the sea. They still came to Aruba, which is much closer to Venezuela?
Anyway, that's not 1 but 4200 day trippers less.
2025-12-18

That's Good!
There's no breach of contract by Vigor says PM Pias. As yet, he adds. Just wait.
2025-12-18

More of the Same
The climate doomsayers have a new report: In 2050 Curaçao's temperature will be 0.8 to 1.3 degrees higher than now, and in 2100 it "may" be 3.3 degrees. (Then again, it may not.) Rainfall will go down (while, interestingly, with the higher temps in recent years it has gone up instead; as in fact was to be expected). And the chestnut of rising sea levels is back again as well (hiya, old friend!) and will be 23 to 25cms in 2050 and even 48 to 82 by 2100.
These are not predictions, we're told, but a scientifically substantiated image of possible futures. Glad to know there's a difference there.
2025-12-18

What to Say But, Yes
The Dutch cabinet says that Curaçao lacks a long-term financial vision. And we know about the short-term vision as well: fill those pockets.
And the results of the financial supervision are "mixed"—which is putting it much too mildly to our taste.
While the economy is growing, "the window for reform is narrow": like a mail-slot on its side.
2025-12-18

Worry... Worry...
The two aircraft near-misses (which were not so near in fact) caused a lot of commotion. The media just eat it: food for news.
KLM announces they will keep their logo-lights on around here; most reassuring.
And every passenger will get a parachute, at least those who pay a €50/$55 rental price. Where they'll stow it is their problem in those chock-full cabins with chairs built for dwarfs oops people of short stature. Just kidding, or had you noticed? It's no joke, man.
But the minister of economic development reaffirms that "Curaçao remains a safe and welcoming destination for travelers and international partners." Then again, what else did you expect him to say?
As long as they don't drive a car.
And parliament demands military assistance by Holland. Maybe to shoot down those USA planes without transponders? Is what I'd call not advisable. In fact, what they ask for is a higher sensor capacity so aircraft without a transponder can be seen. I guess that must be a very expensive idea and will take a long time as well; forget it.
2025-12-17

Amazing? Not Really
PNP MP Larmonie-Cecilia strongly critics the Pias M*F*K government's social policies. There is much wrong with it, and poverty keeps growing even if she admits that the draft budget is balanced. (Not really, though.)
And MAN-PIN's Mc William points out that now, long after the elections, we still don't have a government program. Which begs the question, will we ever have one? With the answer: do we need one? Just a farce anyway.
2025-12-17

I Bet the Answer Is "Yes"
PNP MP Osepa must mean ex-minister, now MP Silly Vain who has disappeared from view, when he asks if MPs can stay away from their jobs just like that, and just as Silly Vain does.
He also asks what this means for the parliament's functioning. We all know the answer to that one: nothing at all. Don't make no difference, mon.
2025-12-17

So What
Central bank CBCS director Doornbosch warns that tourism may go down because of the USA-Venezuela conflict. Maybe 3% and, worst case, 5%.
Not hardly enough.
2025-12-17

No Big Deal
Following the standard OM operating method, as the police call it:Media Motto
Bad News Is Good News
Good News Is No News we read panic stories about two alleged near-collisions of passenger aircraft with US tanker planes. But Hato airport traffic control says there's nothing to it. Sounds correct: those 2 stories are full of internal contradictions.
2025-12-16

Easy, Kids
Staten/parliament wants more to say in decisions on the situation re. the USA-Venezuela conflict. Sorry, that's what I call impotent ravings.
Which I commit here on an almost daily base, sure. I plead guilty. It's stronger than me, your honor.
2025-12-16

Rejoice?
CBCS central bank lowers interest percentage. So borrowing becomes a bit cheaper.
Saving, on the other hand, was not worth while already: pays less than inflation makes the money value go down.
2025-12-16

Suckers!
The Dutch government, in its ingrowing idiocy (but that's government for you) has decided not to apply sanctions to Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten for not timely repaying loans. That's just asking for more delays. It's bad enough already.
The excuse is external shocks which the poor babies can't help, like pandemics. As if Holland itself had no COVID and other problems.
2025-12-16

All Over
No, alas: tourism isn't all over and done with, but its growth is growing on. In Aruba they had 16% more of 'em in November than in 2024; but they spent only 12.3% more. As most came from Latin America, that's no surprise.
2025-12-15

Gets Almost Amusing
The boat on which Machado escaped from Venezuela probably is of the Lancha Rapida type, the same GoFast that's popular with cocaine smugglers.
And the helicopter that took her from a boat to Curaça airport almost certainly must have been a Dutch Navy one. Uh oh. What price Dutch denials, then?
M*F*K PM Pias is getting more and more pissed off he wasn't told about it. Nobody trusts you to keep mum, Pias! Get it?
2025-12-15

They Would, Wouldn't They
The government rejects all the criticisms they got on the 2026 budget. Well, what else did you expect? They wouldn't even know what to do about it.
2025-12-13

You Don't Say
Social SOAW minister America-Francisca says AOV is very important to her. As important as to the people who get it, not, it looks like: in Bonaire, as from January, they get 2837 guilders/month, but here 862.
Saka bo som.
2025-12-13

People Grumble
Resistance against the ongoing "wave of cement" to accommodate foreigners and tourists is growing stronger and stronger. Now, it's an article "No More Hotels" (in Dutch) in Antilliaans Dagblad which describes a kajak trip along the South coast East of Willemstad, where everybody seems to have gone ahead doing whatever they want without any limiting controls. There's no stopping them! Mentioned by name as the worst offenders are the Seaquarium and Baoase resort, but that last one is by no means the only one where the detested Van der Valk family just does whatever tickles their fancy.
But will it help any? With this government, No. It won't.
2025-12-13

Believe It or Not!
The minister of social affairs makes known that penshonados who get less that 2000 guilders/month will get 400 guilders extra in January; those who are lucky enough to get more than that will get 250. This time, it's for everybody who gets a social support, including AOV.
Next week advices on what to do with the AOV, by CBCS central bank and CFT financial supervision, are expected to be delivered.
2025-12-13

What Else?
It's the government, so it's a godforsaken mess. The system, to use the word loosely, of licensing restaurants is totally behind schedule; and that goes without even considering the places that don't bother to apply for one.
Blamed is lack of personnel. Sure, hire some more Spoiled Brats!
2025-12-13

Good Luck, Maduro
"We will not fail" he exclaims, with the pressure from the USA getting stronger and stronger. Now three of his nephews and six oil tankers are taken aim at.
This is getting good for another movie.
2025-12-13

Good for a Movie Script
Machado's escape from Venezuela via Curaçao to Oslo reads like an adventure thriller by now. Those planes circling above the Gulf of Venezuela: they were jamming radar signals so the fishing boat carrying her remained undetected. She was then picked up by a Dutch helicopter (so much for the Dutch assurances they remain neutral) and taken to Curaçao, from where she was taken to Bangor, Maine USA, in what must have been an American plane, be it military or private; and from there on to Oslo.
Small wonder PM Prick Pias is pissed off; it shows him to be without any real power at all (except to fuck us around, true).
2025-12-13

False Alarm
There is no poison or oil rests in the saliña along the road to Bullenbaai after all. Two samples have been analysed, separately, and nothing has been found.
That's what the ministry of health tells us at least. My idea, they're most probably right.
2025-12-13

Oh, And those Jets
Leisurely cruising over the Gulf of Venezuela? Looks like nothing but a distraction to prevent finding out about Machado's escape.
Heh heh, I can't help feeling.
2025-12-12

Heavy, Mon
The people living around Cubaweg have asked Hato, minister of justice to close all night bars there; three of 'em. Not only because of the almost weekly shooting incidents; also as cars and scooters race through the street. At night I guess, when said bars remain open until the early morning hours, after which fights break out, fueled by alcohol.
We really don't need "Zero Tolerance", just regular law maintaining.
2025-12-12

See?
It just won't help. Now people around St. Joris are, rightly, angry because trash has been dumped there. Driving to waste containers? That's too hard.
2025-12-12

Ees Troo
Curaçao Chronicle reminds us that Machado's escape brings to light that the fear-stricken attitude of our cowardly Bleeders won't help them. It's impossible for us to pretend to maintain neutrality in the USA-Venezuela conflict, and not even desirable.
Come right down to it, this in history has become an important function of those three ABC-islands. Venezuela would long since have succumbed to tyranny it it wasn't for us. Just say, Brion!
2025-12-12

Guyana Too
That tanker recently confiscated by the USA carried the Guyana flag, and that country is protesting. Not the confiscating, but the fact it was a false flag.
Which reminds us.
2025-12-12

Malta's Missing
Now it's the "technology" Swiss firm SoftSwiss that, claims to be a software vendor, but uses that as a cover of "of a vast clandestine gambling and crypto-finance network spanning Curaçao, Cyprus, Estonia and the British Virgin Islands", to quote Curaçao Chronicle.
Key entities in the SoftSwiss network are registered here. Quelle surprise!
No mention of Malta.
2025-12-12

Same Here
In Aruba, almost 80% of the people are overweight, and 46% can only be called "obese".
Judging from a photo in Antilliaans Dagblad this applies to our representatives as well. Must be the fleshpots kept simmerin' on their outrageous salaries.
2025-12-12

More Rèspèt!
The Pias cabinet considers a "modern partnership" to be the way to a "sustainable and continual" relationship with the Kingdom. But the keyword here is "dignity". Yeah, sure.
To translate to the old cliché, Rèspèt. Oh these guys make me so tired.
Pay your debts and stop your begging if you want >Rèspèt, man.
Comes close to what a tax judge once impatiently said to ex-PM Uncool IJs who failed to come up with any decent argument at all in a case I started.
2025-12-12

Pias Pissed
M*F*K PM Pias is indignant that nobody informed him that Venezuelan Machado escaped from Maduro's clutches by taking a fishing boat to Curaçao. Face it, Pias: you're not important at all. Except for us here, more's the pity.
Not that the Dutch knew anything about it. Did Pias expect Machado to announce her plans on television before she escaped? Nobody could be that stupid. Except... let it go.
2025-12-12

"Wind Is Becoming Too Expensive"
Truer word was never spoken. This one from the mouth of Australian AEMO, Australian Energy Market Operator. Transmission costs are the killer.
So Australia will be keeping the coal fired power (i.e., fossil fuel) on after many years of failed trying for "Net Zero".
There's as much coal in Australia as coffee in Brazil, after all.
2025-12-11

Weaklings
In Havana de Cuba, riots broke out against the commie regime. Reason, electricity supply broke down and the city remained powerless for 15 hours.
Weaklings! We would shrug it off, hardened as we are.
Say, who exactly are the weaklings here? We never rioted!
The utility claimed it was a fuel shortage that caused the blackout, but no worries: they would soon be replacing the generators with solar panels and then all problems would be over.
Uh oh. We heard that one before as well.
2025-12-11

Our Old Function
Venezuelan Maduro's main power competitor Machado traveled to Oslo to receive the Nobel prize for Peace. Now for the funny part: she managed to get out of her country by taking a boat to Curaçao. Just like in the past: we're still a thorn in the flesh of Venezuelan authorities. No wonder they keep trying to get rid of us.
2025-12-11

Oh, that's Why
French air authorities have stopped Air Antilles from flying because of "serious shortcomings in the company's safety management systems."
Wouldn't concern us, if Air Antilles wasn't a partner of Winair.
2025-12-11

Couldn't Say
ABC bus company has 8 new buses to improve their services. But not a word about these are the dreaded (by me) electrical buses we were threatened to get, and I'm pretty sure that would have been mentioned in the press releases.
On the other hand, the Aqualectra representation at the take-over ceremiony makes one fear the worst. What else could Aqualectra have to do with it?
2025-12-11

Oops, Mistake
That wasn't the Maracaïbo Lake but the Gulf of Venezuela those US jet fighters were pestering Maduro at. They staid well out of Venezuelan territories.
2025-12-11

Watch It. It's Getting Close
"The Yellow Danger" as it used to be called. Communist China has found out that an easy way to make friends and influence politicians is to offer "predatory" loans. The countries offered those to build harbors, railways and roads nobody needs with, can never pay back and are then forced to do whatever China wants.
This, in our neighborhood, happened to Panamá, Ecuador, Bolivia, Perú, Argentina, Chile, and of course Venezuela. Not to mention Asia and Africa.
And with our Bleeders digging themselves into more and deeper trouble, it may only be a question of time before they grab their chance of what looks like getting some easy money.
Which will leave us still deeper in the pits. Because don't fool yourself: it can be done. (Just look at Haïti.)
2025-12-10

Another Instance
Spear fishing has been a no-no for almost as long as I remember. But you regularly get fish offered for sale that obviously have been caught with a spear. Even though all spear fishing equipment has been banned it can often be found on board of boats. The (then, rather stoopit) law seems to have to catch you redhanded using them.
In short, it's the old story: no enforcing of the law.
2025-12-10

Not to Worry
We're again and once more advised not to travel to Venezuela or try fishing in the Venezuelan waters; except for drugs of course. Meanwhile the USA is getting more and more determined to show its teeth, daring the Russian air defence to shoot 'em down above the Maracaïbo Lake.
Well, who in his right mind would contemplate a visit there? Always excepting fishing for drugs.
2025-12-10

Stop Your Naggin'; Please?
A historic Soublette photograph of the Handelskade will be shown at the Curaçao Museum. Which is an occasion for Curaçao Chronicle to start whining about the former slavery ending in 1863, while the photograph can only be from a later date. Also, the site remarks how the sacks being loaded in the picture "may" have contained salt, which as far as I know was loaded at other places much closer to the producing salt ponds; like Daaibooi.
Let alone packing it in sacks, just madness.
2025-12-10

Big Shame
PNP MP Larmonie-Cecilia refers to the budget restraints stopping the government from organizing large public (by which is meant, for the Soiled Rats) celebrations, and opting for a 300 guilders voucher instead. But an invitation she received from BPF ministry of Public Service (hah!) announces a 19 December "Gala Experience" with a "Classic Chique" dress code; organized by who else? Mudbelly's VVRP.
But subsidies remain unpaid. Not to mention, as she does, the AOV disaster.
2025-12-10

Same Old Story
Since 2015 addiction clinic Brasami has received about half the subsidies it actually needs, amounting to a shortage of one million guilders by now. By the end of the year, it won't surprise you, Brasami therefore is in serious trouble and continuity of its activities is endangered.
2025-12-10

Aki, Si!
At least in St. Maarten, close enough. PM Mercelina has asked the Dutch government for military support to fight the growing crime.
Quite a difference with the USA where government's opponents seem to support criminals by sabotaging the ICE-workers.
2025-12-10

Wise Words
Of which by now, we know the effect: those in charge (our Bleeders) won't listen. This time it's an economist, Van den Bergh who in Antilliaans Dagblad wonders about the effects of tourism. First, he points at the awful "wave of cement" as he calls it which is flooding the island, and he suggests a construction stop (which he/we won't get) because of the shortage of service personnel and building workers, which results in higher costs for locals. He advises a moratorium on short-term leases as well as on building, like we've had in the past on tokos, snack-bars and gas stations.
Then there's the infamous tax holiday, which the customs dept. says results in 100 million guilders a year on import duty and sales tax: which would come in handy in solving the AOV welfare pension problem.
I've often wondered, in my filthy paranoid mind, how much has to be paid to whom to get such a tax holiday.
He also wonders how CTB tourist board can possibly decide how many tourists the island can handle. They can't; in fact, we're already over the limit accepted by other popular tourist destinations.
And finally he mentions the growing road congestion, which already is bad enough is much too bad without any tourist traffic.
2025-12-09

There We Go—Again
The government wants to dissolve Curaçao Data Television CD&T, which includes ATM/Telecuraçao, so the shares of the companies involved are in hands of the government.
As if it wasn't bad enough already. Onward on the road to fascism!
2025-12-09

Who's Right?
Mudbelly Cooper corrects Cft financial supervision on its claims that the budget for subsidies has been exceeded, leading to great societal unrest (as it should). It's not true, he says, Cft has got it all wrong.
Well, that's what he says.
2025-12-09

Who Cares
Maybe PNP Cijntje does, who's asking questions about "deeply concerning developments, particularly in light of Curaçao's international reputation and economic interests." About gambling and all, you bet (huh huh, that's some joke!) PM Pias should come forward and provide clarity. (But he's much too busy counting.) "If no wrongdoing is taking place, a strong and transparent government should be able to reassure the people of Curaçao and the international community with a clear and unequivocal statement" to quote Curaçao Chronicle.
It should be able to alright, only we do not have such a government. It's weak and opaque.
2025-12-09

Sorry, Won't Help
As from next year, free trash dumping at Malpais landfill is "structural", we read. Oh how fine. It still means you have to find transport to take it over there, while it's much easier to dump it somewhere in the mondi.
2025-12-09

So Do We
"Vigor wants a solution" writes Antilliaans Dagblad. That sounds simple to achieve: pay your debts! (If you can, true.) Which Vigor claims it did, in flagrant contradiction of what everybody else says.
2025-12-09

Like I Said
Citizens' club Kòrsou Transparente warns that freedom of theCuraçao press is under pressure by less and less overtness of the government, combined with its own communications.
Will the warning help? No... it's already much more serious than that with the government members willfully and knowingly crossing their legal boundaries.
That's fascism, folks!
2025-12-09

There Too
The European Hydrogen Bank subsidies may be rejected by Spanish EDP, developing a large green hydrogen project. This is the third, after BP pulled the plug on their Teesside Hydrogen/CCS plant and the collapse of the Acorn carbon capture scheme in Scotland. The problem with these projects is, will there will be sufficient demand for their products? Hydrogen is ridiculously expensive compared to gas.
At least, the giant floating windmill monsters planned here, for the time being, have been scratched in favor of the internet cable.
2025-12-08

Less Murders
That's good! you say. Sure, but what we have instead is more drugs smuggling, financial crimes, human trafficking and a larger role in international criminal networks.
Count your blessings.
2025-12-08

But Will He?
The Zakitó action groups asks minister Cooper to execute the court judgment immediately and take a formal decision on the handhavingsverzoek [appeal afformation is the closest translation I get].
As the Ombudsman remarked before, the government's neglect to take a decision is in conflict with principles of legality and good governance. Which is by now a characteristic of that government.
2025-12-08

Take Your Time
What does it matter, anyway? The clean-up of the government's administration won't be finished before 2028. Understandably; it must be a hell of a job to make sense of that chaotic clutter.
2025-12-07

If So, then Fine
With me at least: PAR wants to get rid of wage and income tax and replace it all by a BTW/VAT system. I'm all for it. So it won't go through, at least not next year.
There are hang-ups, to be sure. Almost half of the people earn less than the minimum for wage tax, and the same problem exists for welfare pensioners (AOV), who would all see their income versus costs of living go down. Solution could be reserving part of the incoming VAT for those groups.
And somber note: the government says it has not seen any IMF recommendations to get rid of wage and income tax. So I predict, they'll keep it in (and forfeit any advantage of easier administration—plus they'll receive the extra revenue).
Easier administration means, less personnel. Never!
2025-12-06

What's the Use
The opposition's motions on the matters of AOV and support of the Voedselbank/Feed bank have been voted out by the M*F*K majority. Of course they were. The opposition parties might as well stay at home and enjoy their salaries.
That's Democracy, Folks!
2025-12-06

Suckers
Aqualectra's bond program to the tune of 75 million guilders was a success, has been fully subscribed.
The company "pledged to honor that confidence through continued responsible management." Continued?
2025-12-06

"That's All, Folks!"
2Bays refinery has seized Vigor's oil products as Vigor's debt has run up to 10 million guilders. CRU services to Vigor have been stopped as well. Goodbye, Vigor, in other words.
"... contractors, workers and policymakers urgently awaiting clarity on the island's next steps." But will those be worth waiting for? I guess it's the Finis all right.
You think Vigor's products are worth anything approaching 10 million? I don't. And even then, the contractors etc. will get nothing...
2025-12-06

He Won't
Nobody wants Nicolás Maduro, even though USA-president Trump offered him a deal to accept exile in Qatar. Like Dutch PVV leader Wilders (whom the muslims want killed) he's sleeping in another location every night and keeps changing his cell phone. But Maduro runs a real danger of being killed if he leaves as Venezuelan president; he is needed as a straw man for regimes like Cuba, Russia, Turkey, North Korea and Iran. What a fine bunch of friends!
2025-12-05

"Feasible"
Raising AOV from 2026 is "feasible" says the government, but by how much is another question. In fact, this proves again that the government considers themselves not bound by law, or by their election promises (what else is new?); not that we needed any more proof.
Admittedly, there is something to be said for the argument they'll wait for the court's judgment on the AOV-matter.
2025-12-05

No Doubt
The first 2025 supplementary budget is a sign of incapability, says the opposition, and who could deny it? If they could do any better is another question which now needs not to be answered.
An extra loan of 148 million guilders is needed to keep the public treasury rolling.
2025-12-05

Figures
The court of justice has decided the builder of CMC hospital does get compensation for higher costs, but many millions less than contractor Ballast Nedam NV wanted—and which have already been paid by builders HNO and Sona.
We'll have to see how and when this will be paid back.
2025-12-05

All Lies
I'll leave it up to you to conclude which are: the allegations that the subsidy-budget was exceeded by the government, or the denials of Mudbelly Cooper that it happened.
Mudbelly wants a Cft rectification. Will he get it?
2025-12-05

Wise Words
But will they be heeded? KKN chamber of commerce warns that things seem to ge so fine with the economy, but it's all tourism and real estate (both are intricately connected). We get a warning that there are many factors needed to develop a strong and resilient economy.
But will that pay those-in-charge hard cash? Good question which I don't dare answer.
2025-12-04

Who's to Say?
The fire safety of the Tax Office is "seriously" bad, says a report of SOAB accounting. Procedures have been neglected, installations have been badly installed, there was no certification and the Fire Dept. was only involved late and incompletely.
The installation was executed by a contractor who was not registered with the Fire Dept., which repeatedly asked for documentation and discussions without getting any.
Sorry if my paranoia is showing again, but we heard such stories before. Like with the South coast road to the island's West, where the contractor had no permits either but got the job anyway. Has somebody been paying somebody off, again, perchance? Not to mention names, I'm (just) too smart for that.
On the other hand, it's "merely" the opposition consisting of PNP and MAN/PIN who are asking these questions.
2025-12-04

Finally
M*F*K PM Prick Pias has had enough of the empty promises he gets from Vigor. Seems to be a connection with Global Oil as well, to nobody's surprise. If it was up to Pias, he would have kicked Vigor out stante pede but that ain't so easy; also because Vigor still has to pay money to workers and sub-contractors.
If they ever will.
2025-12-04

They Escaped
Dutch Kustwacht/coast guard intercepted near the Arubian coast a boat carrying "a significant quantity of" drugs, with 4 Venezuelans and 1 Colombian making up the crew.
The USA would have blown them out of the water; now, they have been arrested. Which confirms what Hansen, Dutch Navy commander, tells us: the ABC islands are not part of these USA actions.
2025-12-04

So they DID Try Again
The government slyly included their higher holiday bonus, which parliament didn't like, into the law for the civil servants bonus. But PAR wasn't totally asleep and noticed all right: "the legislative process was misused, state regulations were violated, and the amended version should never have been sent to Parliament."
Yes, a lawless government that just does what it wants. We knew that already.
2025-12-04

Not Only Here
You know already, of course, but it does no harm at all to confirm it. Now, it's the €U where our Bleeders keep trying to make us part of. The €U is entirely autocratic and many people are sick of it. Which is one very good reason why in the last Dutch elections €U figurehead Frans Timmermans, who thought his Groen Links/PvdA party would easily win, was mercilessly beaten by Wilders's PVV. The €U really is what Hitler and the Nazis wished for: "Es steht EIN großes Deutschland da!" [there we have ONE great Germany].
So guess what: "the Belgian police raided the EU's foreign service and the College of Europe. Two of the EU's most powerful senior officials have been arrested." In fact, there were three arrests "in an investigation into possible fraud in the use of EU funds." You bet. Where there's money, you get scavengers.
2025-12-03

They're All Leaving
Medics, technicians... everybody who has had enough of our government and its tyrannical methods. Now Dept. of Education is warning that there is a harrowing shortage of educators. Teachers, in another word. Which has a direct influence on lesson quality, accompaniment and exams.
Interestingly, it's a strongly growing trend, those people having had enough. During the past month, number of daily visitors to our ranting and raving has gone up to about 500% of what it was.
2025-12-03

He Can't and Won't
The president-to-president phone call Maduro made to Trump lasted for 15 minutes, and the result is Maduro didn't get anything he really wanted: going on just like he did. Trump gave him one week to get out of the country, which expired last Friday, November 28th.
Or else?
Tense times.
That's when Trump declared Venezuela's air space to be closed.
2025-12-03

What Else: CFT Is Blamed
The government doesn't like it one bit that Cft financial supervision has its doubts about CGA gaming authority: this "may cause financial and reputational damage to the country." Which we have plenty of already, thanks (not only by any means) to the LOK gambling mafia enabling law and that very same CGA.
Mudbelly Cooper is really pissed off, sure. He wonders where Cft got the information from (translation: "and we thought we'd kept it such a great secret!") It's not Cft's business anyway, he claims. The claims are "unfounded and harmful" and he wants a rectification. We'll see about that.
"If you get flak, you're over the target" is what we think right now.
2025-12-03

That's Believable
M*F*K PM Prick Pias tells us that ex-finance minister Silly Vain needs time to work on his spiritual and physical health. Poor guy... He really asked for it.
Seem rumors were going around that Silly Vain had been "admitted" (where?) but Pias denied this and called them "mean".
2025-12-02

For Now
The government retracted its scandalous proposal to raise their own holiday bonus from 6% to 8%. There was too much resistance, even to their taste.
Next time better, guys. Try, try again.
2025-12-02

Still Not Safe
Is what the Fire Dept. judges so after reconsidering the just renovated and reopened Tax Office, after it had been closed for years because of arson.
Sprinklers will not be installed until January 2026, but with fire guards present the Dept. thinks it safe enough for the workers, now.
However, that was not all they worried about.
2025-12-02

Seriously
Mudbelly Cooper has now made quite clear that he doesn't care about the law and what the court decides. He does as he wants. Just like the rest of our precious government, it's more and more starting to look like.
2025-12-02

Really?
The Pias M*F*K government has spent 72 million more on subsidies than was budgeted for; in the period January-September.
Cft financial supervision doesn't give details.
2025-12-02

Plenty More where They Came from
The prosecutor demanded heavy verdicts for 7 guys involved (allegedly, of course) in drug smuggling. All this with cooperation of the /Coast Guard. They are accused of large scale drug smuggling, gun ownership and membership of criminal organizations.
They used the coast guard's timetables, I guess to know when friendly guys were at work.
2025-12-02

Sic 'Em, Fang!
Cft financial supervision is investigating CGA gaming authority, and as it turns out, RST Recherche Samenwerkingsteam [Detective Collaboration Team] has been on that for some time already. It also has to do with the Tax Collector.
Which brings the total of investigations connected with ex-minister Silly Vain to four. He may be very popular, but that can't help him much.
2025-12-01

What Plan B?
Antilliaans Dagblad publishes an analysis of the Qatar Vigor/Oryx oil company, which is supposed to take over Isla refinery. Remember? After all, that's a pretty long time ago already, and not much is happening. Which makes the newspaper wonder if it's time for Curaçao to start working on a "Plan B".
What Plan B? Vigor is just about Plan Z already.
2025-12-01

And Maybe Praying
Police warns that there are many car thefts going on these days, with the stolen cars getting stripped for parts and then abandoned in the mondi. Some measures you can take to prevent that are advised, but mine as per above not.
And just to give you a piece of advice you know already, don't count on the cops to catch those crooks.
2025-12-01

Sure, He May Be Crazy, But Not THAT Stupid
Messages keep being spread around on the a-social media that Maduro is contemplating an invasion of Curaçao. Come on now, keep your cool. In the first place, with what? His militia or crummy navy? Then, what could he hope to achieve? Giving the USA a reason to attack his country (after the Dutch navy shot his leaking boats out of the water—even if there'd be fuel to get 'em over here)?
Keep your cool, for crissakes.
2025-11-30

It's Over
Looks like it. After the last Green Orgy in Belém, COP30, it seems they might as well give up. Nobody has much interest in keeping the Green Hysteria alive. After all those years of preaching, nothing substantial has been achieved. CO₂ "pollution" just keeps going up. Why bother, seems to be most people's attitude.
No matter: onwards to COP31!
2025-11-30

That's How It Is
Now... In Curaçao! Since the latest government got itself settled in Ali Baba's Cavern, MAN/PIN has sent them 19 letters with questions and received only one reply. This is nothing new, has been going on for years. Fact is, there is no obligation for those-in-charge to answer those pesky letters. You are allowed to ask questions (Wow! Ain't that great?) but nobody needs to answer them.
2025-11-30

Beg Pardon
There were "only" 3 powerful outboard engines in use by those drug-trafficking boats, not 4 as I miscounted before.
2025-11-29

Poor Bastards
Dutch Vitens customers' water bill will go up with an average of €9 per year! My, that's more than what we pay for 1 m^3. Over there the price per m^3 (1000 liters) will become €1.34, say XCG2.80. We pay at least 8.06 here.
2025-11-29

Stop That, Please?
Curaçao Chronicle keeps publishing articles by the Chinese consul-general, which can only be described as Chinese Communist propaganda. In the last one Zhang Kaibuin brags about the 5-year plans (which remind one of the USSR disasters almost a century ago) which supposedly have been such a success for China's economy.
This while we read, hopefully not too exaggerated, comments elsewhere how the CCP has obviously overextended and as a result is in serious trouble. Not in the last because of Trump's tariff measures.
It's completely inexplicable why Curaçao Chronicle would agree to publish such rubbish. Not for the first time, either.
And don't forget: China is one of the powers that support Venezuela's narco-dictator tyrant Maduro. Much too close for comfort. Disgusting and, yes, frightening.
2025-11-29

What Else
Mudbelly Cooper has declared the denizen's request on Zakitó niet ontvankelijk [not admissible], on very unfirm grounds indeed. This in spite of the court's November 4 verdict that he had to come up with a decision in a month. Applicants do not meet the sight and distance criteria set by him (not by law!) and Movimentu Save Zakitó is no legal entity either; also disregarding the court's opinion on it.
No suprprise at all: the gobierno acts like it wants and disregards the law.
2025-11-29

Cummon Vigor!
The Qatar, or was that USA? oil company which acquired a 30-year right to exploit the remains of Isla refinery and Bullenbaai oil terminal got an ultimatum: start complying with its financial obligations before December (that's next Monday, folks!) or CRU utilities will stop all provision of services.
That includes payments to sub-contractors, medical service workers and (aha!) SOEs [state operated enterprises].
2025-11-29

#TheyToo
Advent Hospital is in financial trouble because it's forced to work with the 2001 government tariffs. Which of course is plain ridiculous.
2025-11-29

Not Here
The USA has ended all program payments to South Africa, because of its policy of the (in this instance the term is correct) genocide of whites ("Kill the Boer!"), who still make up 20% of the population. Much more than I figured.
Here, I've been told it's less than 10% but who's counting? Officially, nobody. It's not registered anywhere, even if it would have some advantages, for instance, in medicine.
2025-11-28

I'd Think So
A guy living in Holland who rents out 3 Curaçao luxury apartments to tourists thought he'd get away with not paying taxes on the revenue. Well, he must after all. Over 256,000 guilders in 2023 alone.
2025-11-28

More Stink?
SOAB has got more money, from the government. Potential problem here is, it serves both as internal control of the government and handles government assignments, asking for a conflict of interests. Remarkably, SOAB costs went up from 8.9 million in 2022 to 22.5 million this year. Also remarkably, the illustrating photo in Antilliaans Dagblad shows ex-finance minister Silly Vain handling over the check or whatever to SOAB, while there are complaints about where the fuck he is at these days.
2025-11-28

Too Late
Yes, for what's-its-name, Thanksgiving, but in time for Christmas. Car gas price will be lowered to less than 2 guilders per liter! Hard to imagine.
So this year we can go and pester our relatives on the other end of the island without going bankrupt.
But diesel goes up, tough for the mini-buses.
2025-11-28

Read this, Mudbelly!
And not only you. This is what has been going on in England: Demolishing old tipiko city sights and replacing them with concrete/glass blocks of Modern apartment and office buildings. Result? "The city is the largest artefact that a society possesses, and to erase its historic form is to deprive citizens of the physical evidence that they belong to something larger and older than themselves." Small wonder that it took so long for the British to really start revolting against the influx of refugees.
And here? Just look what's happening to Willemstad and the coast plus countryside. Also with an influx of immigrants, that now comprise one quarter of the population. With Spanish taking over as a language as well.
2025-11-27

No Rat Feast
In its wisdom, for once, the government has decided to skip a repeat of last year's (much criticized) Soiled Rats' feast in the Airport Dome. Instead, they'll all get a 300 instead of 150 guilders bonus.
2025-11-27

Possibly
You might well wonder why Venezuelan president narco-terrorist dictator Maduro doesn't load a plane full of gold and takes refuge somewhere, with the country definitely starting to look unsafe from him. But this may be the answer: "Part of the challenge of persuading Maduro to leave, U.S. officials say, is that his Cuban handlers might execute him if he yields to American pressure and quits."
Maduro definitely is in power thanks to Cuban, Russian, Chinese and Iranese/Jihadist support, so there may well be more than some truth in this. (What a list of friends!)
2025-11-27

Weak, Petro
Colombian president Petro says the USA is just out to get the Venezuelan oil, that drug dealing excuse is just a pretence. After all, the UN says Venezuela doesn't produce cocaine.
That may be right, in which case they get it all from Colombia.
Out of the 3700 tons world production, Columbia produces over 2500 tons. So those 14 tons seized recently? Peanuts!
2025-11-27

Sue the Bastards!
The penshonados are threatening to sue the government if it doesn't come across with a raise of the AOV welfare pension to the legal 1086 guilders/month. It's the government's responsibility to keep to the law, they say, so it's up to the government to figure out where to get the money from.
Quite right, of course. And why then not sue them for back installments?
2025-11-27

Will Miracles Never Cease
In Buenaventura, Colombia, 14 tons of cocaine were intercepted—by the police. No really, it's right there in the papers so it must be true. The stuff, mixed with gypsum, with a street value of over $388 million was destined for Holland.
This against the background of the USA, protested by Colombia president Petro, just having removed the country from a list "list of countries considered to be fully cooperating in global counter-narcotics efforts." So it may be an empty gesture with the suspects going free? (Wink, wink.)
2025-11-27

More Drugs!
Court has its hands full. After the Lo Martines case, now it's the "Merida-Heelal affair" concerning 3 groups of suspects. After years of investigating small boats transporting drugs from Venezuela to Curaçao and the role of the Kustwacht [Coast Guard]. First, a guy who sold beacons and Sky-phones. Second, members of Kustwacht. Third, those who take care of sending drugs to Curaçao and importing them here.
The whole affair, split up into at least nine sub-cases, took a substantial time. Years and years, is my guess.
2025-11-27

Frankly (for a Change)
I don't agree with MAN/PIN, who complain that Silly Vain hasn't attended a single parliament meeting since he turned from minister to MP. "A blow in the face of the Curaçao people!" they exclaim.
Come, come. He'd not be of any use in parliament anyway, the champ shammer.
Nobody even knows where the guy is. Even on FakeBooc he's clammed up.
2025-11-27

Well, Yes
The opposition parties think the higher holiday bonus for ministers and MPs should not be introduced before next elections have taken place. It's a bad idea to have them voting for their own income.
So if they get back in the government then, those parties will pluck the advantage anyway.
2025-11-26

Will They?
Venezuela threatens the airlines who stopped their services to Venezuela after FAA warnings, with retracting their licenses if they don't resume flying within 48 hours.
My guess is, this will backfire badly.
Airlines include Portugal TAP Air, Colombia Avianca, Spain Iberia, Brazil GOL, Air Europa and Plus Ultra. More had canceled already.
2025-11-26

Come and Get It!
There still is 8 million available at the Giro wreckage for depositors under 1.2 million, of which there are about 500.
For those who had more in their accounts: you're out of luck. Goodbye!
2025-11-26

Makes Me Curious
How many more millions of €s or $s have been paid out in bribes to those directors of Kompania di Tou? I'm sure we'd all like to know.
2025-11-26

Applause!
To be sure, that new scare word is creative: "Climate Collapse" (all I can say for myself, I hadn't noticed. Yet?)
2025-11-25

Good to Read
Not really; what is good is that Curaçao Chronicle has taken over from Knipselkrant Curaçao (still not back) and has obtained a "confidential investigative report" on the global gambling brand 22Bet, which operates with a Curaçao license but is "tied to a network of entities facing regulatory sanctions, unpaid debts, shell-company collapses, and widespread allegations of misconduct across Europe."
22Bet is operated by "TechSolutions Group N.V. (Curaçao registration 144920). From Curaçao, this entity oversees a vast portfolio of online casinos, including 22Bet, 20Bet, Bizzo, and National Casino." Read the ugly story for yourself. Associated operating companies are to be found in Curaçao, Cyprus, Estonia, and Malta. (Countries our former minister of finance Silly Vain "coincidentally" arranged tax accords with.)
2025-11-25

Good for Doran
MP Gibi Doran is disgusted with the ministers and MPs treating themselves with a vacation money bonus raise from 6 to 8%. #MeToo!
Doran is an M*F*K* member himself.
2025-11-25

Fridges?!
Every year for the past ten years, there's an action to clean up Klein Curçao island. This time they got lots of plastic, parts of a boat wreck, meters of hawsers—and two broken-down refrigerators.
Question being, how did those come there?
2025-11-25

That's Rich
Several parents have asked the Education Dept. to take care that school exams will be held before the Soccer World Championship, where Curaçao (to general hysteria reactions) will be participating for the first time. So they with their kids can travel to foreign countries to see the matches.
My brother in Vancouver informs me that one ticket for a match there will set you back a thousand dollars.
Against the background of the AOV fights, I am good and disgusted.
2025-11-25

Gaah...
SER social-economic council says AOV may be raised with 30%—for those who have no other income.
Even for them it remains very meager and I doubt if their income then is above the poverty line.
2025-11-25

Poor Baby
Ex CAP director Lopez Ramirez maintains that he is not guilty of accepting a Damen Shipyards bribe for the building of a tug. But as the poor baby is in such bad health he's decided to accept a schikking [disposition] offered by the Dutch OM public ministry, in which he acknowledges guilt but avoids a public court hearing.
What sentence or fine he got is not mentioned. What is mentioned is that all nine tugs owned by Kompania di Tou probably have been built by Damen.
Between you and me, I never trusted that enterprise—from the very start.
2025-11-25

Thanks, I'll Pass
Veneuzelan Laser Airlines assures us that "all flight operations remain stable, reliable, and unaffected by recent developments." So I'm a coward.
2025-11-25

Aha!
In spite of the denials of Damen Shipyard's director, it turns out that Damen has been bribing the director of CAP (not surprising at all, knowing that outfit) for €230,000 so Damen would get the order for building a tug.
Can only have been for the Towage Company Kompania di Tou.
The three consecutive CAP managers in that period all deny, wot else you teenk? Their names are Richard Lopez Ramirez, Augustin Diaz and 'Chonky' de Lannoy. They did everything according to the standard and transparent procedures. Sure.
Right, the denials still stand as this concerns the Dutch Damen branch.
2025-11-24

Not So Good
There now is a FAA aviation alert for the airspace in the Maiquetía Flight Information Region (FIR). From the map shown, it looks like all the KLM/TUI/Corendon flights will have to make a detour to reach Curaçao. How they will reach Bonaire is anybody's guess.
Inter-island flights CUR-BON, Windward Islands and flights to/from T&T, Guyana, Santo Domingo may be problematic as well. Ain't that nice.
2025-11-24

Happy Swimming
Since we've had some rain (and not even much, for the season) the algae suffocating the coral at the South coast have been growing just fine, thank you. Cause: sewage water.
And we here keep being told that our sewage is processed in (expensive) plants.
Moral: look out when you take a refreshing swim.
2025-11-24

Better Make Sure
If you can, that is. A project group will have a look at guaranteeing the food supply for Curaçao. One of the items they work on, is stimulating local production. While this certainly helps, if only a bit, they will also have a look at import.
Now you're talking.
2025-11-24

Oh, Where Did It All Go?
MAN/PIN's Camelia-Römer for once has a good question: why, if we keep being assured that we have plenty of money—plenty! and don't need to borrow, in the supplementary budget a 147 million guilders loan from Holland (where else?) is mentioned, which comes on top of 80 million "refinancing" which, as she rightly remarks, means another loan.
All this against the background of the M*F*K Pias government assuring us that borrowing is not needed and that all preceding governments were wrong because they did borrow.
M*F*K is right there. 2025-11-23

Yeah, Better Keep Out
USA authorities warn that flying over Venezuela these the days is pretty risky, what with all that trouble going on. No doubt they're right. Even if Venezuela has not said they intend to threaten civilian air traffic—how nice of them!
2025-11-22

They'll Get It
The ministers and MPs want an 8% raise in their vacation benefits. Such chutzpah; leave it to them. Only M*F*K is for it, which means it will be passed, of course.
So the other parties can well afford to be against, their MPs will get it as well, anyway.
2025-11-22

He's Right, As We Know
Lawyer Evertsz, who is proceeding against the government about the AOV payments, is afraid they're busy to hollow out the entire system, leaving the penshonados in the cold.
There's not much to hollow out, in the first place. An empty shell, almost describes the "system".
2025-11-22

Bad for Business
Contrary to predictions, the (not yet finished) hurricane season this year was a flop. It was the first time in ten years that not a single one made a USA landfall.
Too bad if you lived in Jamaica or Cuba, of course.
Home Depot hardware chain even says, there was so little hurricane damage (say, none) that their sales went down.
2025-11-21

None of Your Business
Financial advisor Deloitte has done a proposal on civil servants' salary structure, but the Unions don't get to see it, while the government claims it hasn't received it. It's part of the by now infamous sounding Landspakket that's supposed to reform the government in connection with Dutch loans.
2025-11-21

Not Here, Oh No
Damen Shipyards in Holland is accused of paying bribes, falsifying agreements and disregarding Russian sanctions. There's a dossier of 89 pages listing suspicions all over the world on which the Dutch prosecutor has been working for 8 years.
But Curaçao director Derks, who's leaving next year, says the Shipyards here have nothing to do with that, as it's all old stuff from before the take-over from CDM/DOK. We can only wait to see if he's right. In Dutch court next Monday (November 24th).
2025-11-21

Now They Tell Me
Yesterday was International Men's Day. What fun! Something to celebrate beside Mothers' Day, Day of the Alphabet Soup and Pride Month. I only read about it when the day was more than half over. Left me time enough to drink myself into a stupor.
By a coincidence, or is it outright mockery, it also was the United Nations World Toilet Day.
2025-11-20

Not Much Today
Good! Everybody and all media is full of the news that Curaçao soccer players succeeded in eking out a 0-0 equal play in a match with Jamaica and is thus eligible in the World Championships. I can't get excited, sorry. One result is all Spoiled Brats got one day off, which I hope they enjoy (as I'm paying for it, like all of us).
2025-11-20

Hato's New Owner
CAP Hato airport shares are taken over from CCR by Mexican Asur. We're assured that won't mean any change in operations.
2025-11-20

Yes, But How Much?!
SER social economic council has advised Social Minister on the AOV payments. We're not informed on what this exactly means; that's the much-vaunted transparency, we have to assume.
PAR's Elhage warns the whole scheme may be a sly way to deliberately weaken pensioners' future claims, instead of applying the indexation required by law. We wouldn't put it past them, no sirree.
2025-11-20

Progress!
Amazing! Wunderbar! At my last visit to Hato airport, what a delight to discover that MCBank had finally arranged to enable customers to pay for their parking ticket with plastic. Too bad only one of the machines worked, so there was a long line.
Alas, at the same occasion I noted that the fine model of the Fokker F-XVIII Snip, which in fact got the airport started, had disappeared. Let us hope it will turn up again.
2025-11-19

Here's One More
The law on Onroerende Zaken Belasting [real estate tax] has been in rewrite since 2019, because even our government understands that old people can't pay for the increasing rates resulting from foreigners buying and building houses here; and don't forget the tourist trade.
So the rates must be lowered. But that seems to take time. And also, here it comes: first the government has to see if they have enough money to lower that tax without getting in trouble.
So let the oldies get in trouble instead. Is this a system? Here it is.
2025-11-19

Is What You Get
The police corps policies are regularly crossed by the different ministers of justice; not really amazing. As a result, as far as I can make out from the concise press articles, the weapon licensing in Curaçao is a mess.
No need to tell us about it. And there must be more problems, too.
2025-11-19

Get On With It
Only now we read that OM public ministry has been investigating Tax Person Trona since January already, instigated by a SOAB accounting report. The only thing that happened until today, Trona has gone on a paid holiday.
Yesterday the Tax Office was visited by OM reps, in a "demand for information" action. That's all we get to know, folks.
2025-11-19

Don't Brag, Please?
That's nothing to brag about. Out of 929 proposed laws, 274 "consolidated" texts have been published, and 60 more are ready for that. (So is the total 989 perchance?) Once they have been published, they're actually the Rule of Law. Before that, not so.
This all started on 10-10-10. Took them only 25 years.
2025-11-18

Hope It's Final
Ramon Chong's pipe dream nightmare plans for monstrous floating windmills to produce hydrogen will not proceed "for the time being". The money reserved for it has to be applied instead to the new undersea communications cable.
That's for next year's budget. Hopefully the impetus of this loser-project has definitely fallen away.
2025-11-18

To Be Locked Up
KEM party's Martines has been saddled with 7 years of jail. The court found his appeal "not admissible".
2025-11-18

Now, for the Audit
Our beloved government tells us the financial situation is growing stronger; in fact, there is a positive balance of over 75 million guilders. They say.
Let's see what the final figures are; if we ever get them.
A significant contribution to the improved outlook was higher revenue from special import duties on gasoline. Uh oh.
Unique is that for 80 million guilders' worth there won't be refinancing: it will be paid back, for a welcome and rare change.
2025-11-18

Don't Panic: They Don't Know
Remember? First we were told there'd be a new Ice Age, then we got the Acid Rain Scare, the Ozone Hole, Global Warming, Climate Change (that may not be complete; so many of those alarms were sounded that it's hard to keep track). Now they're recycling them (it's getting hard to think up new ones) and we're back to a new Ice Age. Because the Greenland ice cover is melting (spoiler hint: it isn't) that may result in the Gulf Stream being cut off, which will result in a much colder Europe. Then again, it may not as it isn't melting. It's just more computer simulations.
Also, you may ask, won't that melting stop anyway if it gets colder? Don't ask me, I'm not an expert and unlike others, neither do I pretend to be one.
2025-11-17

That's Better
CMC hospital gets more government money so exploitation costs will be balanced. That's 68 million/year, 3% of the country's budget. Good. You can't even find fault with the demand that CMC must comply with the law Corporate Governance. Of course it must; it's the law, ain't it?
If only all SOEs would comply with the same law.
2025-11-17

Sick Joke
Once again, there's a COP international conference to fight the Climate (or maybe the Globe); this one in Belém Brazil is number 30 already but not much progress has been made. First, for a highway to the airport 100,000 rain forest trees were cut down, that's 2 per participant; then, the highway wasn't finished in time before the conference.
Then, India, China and the USA decided not to participate at all, which makes it all an even emptier gesture than usual. To top it off, a bunch of natives dressed up as Savages broke through security and caused a nice disruption.
And the visitors are complaining there are not sufficient hamburgers (and telling us meat is bad for the Planet Gaia), that the aircos break down or are not good enough (while we are scoffed at for running them). And finally, the sewers of Belém just seem to empty into the Amazon river (and we here are worrying about the Caribbean Sea).
Visitors to the Feast are asked to put their toilet paper in separate receptacles instead of flushing it, which often is the case in Latin America; I don't know why except the pipes must be too narrow to handle it. Let us try not to think about the workers who have to handle that.
I figured to give you all these details even though they're readily available; as so often, you have to look beyond the official Media, though.
2025-11-15

Good for T&T
In a welcome diversion from the attitude of our squeamish Big Bleeders, Trinidad and Tobago have announced they will join the USA Caribbean military exercises.
Of course, they have even more reason to try and get rid of socialist narco-dictator Maduro than we have; but don't fool yourself. He would just as soon grab our thorn-in-the-eye ABC-islands as well. If he could.
2025-11-15

Lock Him Up!
The verdict in the case against KEM-party's Martines is expected next Monday, November 17th. Martines is accused of having been a partner in smuggling at least 120 kilos of cocaine to Europe and laundering millions of Euros.
Lawyer clown Peppie Sulvaran claims Martines didn't get a chance, it's all political. What else is new?
Martines also is one of the 30 politicians who didn't bother to declare their support received for the last elections. Which doesn't bear on this case, just makes the PG public prosecutor (and everybody else) think a bit.
2025-11-15

Pee, Nuts
The country has received 53.6 million guilders because of LOK gambling mafia licenses, which is better than the 600,000 in years past.
It's still next to nothing compared to what is earned by the mafiosi, I'm prepared to gamble. The 5 pleasure business trips Silly Vain made to Malta already cost 0.7% of the total amount.
2025-11-15

Hope It Has Effect
Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and CARMABI Foundation have announced 11 projects, meant to improve the Caribbean sea water quality. I don't read any specifics, but mentioned are better wastewater treatment, expansion of water monitoring, limitation of nutrient discharges and greater involvement of local communities in water management.
2025-11-15

They Don't Know?
Both justice minister Hato and finance minister Cooper have no idea about the criminal investigation started by OM public ministry in Curaçao Gaming Authority.
They don't deny nor confirm, but I feel they should. Hey, ultimately these guys are responsible, after all.
2025-11-15

Oho, AOV
The government can't really move until that case has come to court. Meanwhile, we do have the promise AOV will definitely go up in January; by how much nobody knows yet. The unions will present a proposal next week, for what that's worth.
M*F*K PM Prick Pias said that paying the oldies what should be coming is prohibitive. And whose fault is that? "The country would get into financial problems"—but who cares that the AOV-receivers have had those for umpteen years?
2025-11-15

Don't Know about You
But I get sick of reporting those tourist figures. Went up 15% again, in October: over 61,000 or more than 1 for every 3 of us. I'll just stop mentioning it, gives me a bad mood.
2025-11-15

What Else to Expect
The old Sehos hospital, a magnificent building, is just sitting there unattended while those-in-charge make up their minds (such as they are, I can't resist that crack) what to do with it. Now, as we read for months already, youth have been vandalizing the building with graffiti, breaking open doors and damaging objects of sometimes great value.
The perps have been recorded on camera and will be prosecuted. Is at least what we're promised. Why they could work their deeds for months is anybody's guess.
2025-11-14

Delay...
Minister Mudbelly has "parked" (his description) the AOV matter until the judge has decided; which is not before February 12th, 2026.
He does say AOV will be raised, not "indexed".
2025-11-14

Finally
The demolition of the Sentro Pro Arte theater building (which burned down after what must have been arson during "mostly peaceful" demonstrations riots) will finally happen. Before the contractors' holiday.
Not a word (yet?) about rebuilding plans.
Not that the building was so fine.
2025-11-14

GENocide or FATocide
Israelis, as you must be aware by constant hammering of the message by the media, are accused of committing genocide on the Gaza people. Not only are they killing them back when they get shot at, they have also caused a famine by withholding food supplies.
But in fact, the Palestines are bugged by obesitas, much more so than the Israelis.
It's official: UNICEEF says so: in Israel, 23% of 5-9 year olds were fat, but 28% of children in the same age group in 'Palestine' were obese. 28% of children aged 10-14 in Israel were fat, but in 'Palestine', 33% of children were obese. Among 15-19 year olds, 19% of Israeli teens were fat, but 32% of 'Palestinian' teens were.
Now, who could see this coming? Israel is accused of willfully causing that by sending the Gazans too many carbohydrates, processed cheese, and manufactured meat.
2025-11-13

Keep Kalm
The Venezuelan barquettes delivering (mostly) fruit and veggies to Curaçao harbor, are not very worried about the USA blowing up drug transports elsewhere, nor about the presence of several US warships between the island and Venezuela. They are not hassled, they say; there are some controls but that figures. Their main worry is fuel price.
Wish our and Holland's government would keep their cool as well.
2025-11-13

Only Two?
At a morning Santa Rosa traffic Control 117 vehicles were stopped, of which 96 got a ticket. Most for no valid test certificate, no driver's license, no insurance or paid tax and as per usual, no license plate or not wearing a safety belt. Also black windows, phoning while driving and driving in the wrong direction.
Only two vehicles were town away.
2025-11-13

Monstro-City
The Virgin Voyages cruise ship Brilliant Lady has paid its first visit to Curaçao, with a capacity of 2770 passengers, or 2% of our population in one fell swoop.
Here's a picture.
Enough to make you run screaming for the hills; except, there you'll find those tourists as well.
There are 4 of these monsters around.
A reasonable estimate seems, about 10% of the cabins have a sea view.
2025-11-13

Oh, So Green
With the last (for now) COP30 conference in Belém, Brazil going on, plagued by many bad news items, here's one more: at least 50% of the world's balsa demand is currently being supplied by illegal logging in Ecuadorian virgin rainforest. These are used for the manufacture of mainly (mark that word) Chinese wind turbine blades.
2025-11-13

Move that Mud, Belly!
Court has given the minister one month to make a decision on an enforcement request about possible violations at Zakitó. The minister tried the excuse that the group suing him was no legal entity, but the judge told him all individuals making up the group had their rights.
No building stop, though. The case now boils down to 5 points: 1/ Towers are higher than permitted; 2/ There's no dredging permit; 3/ No or little compliance with permit stipulations; 4/ Spatial impact, also for fishermen; 5/ Excluding citizens from objection procedures.
The ministry was told to pay the amount the protesting group had paid to court to get the case rolling: 150 guilders.
2025-11-12

Hey, There's Where You Need Go
M*F*K Nita is worried about the growing prostitution and she well might be. Famia Plania tells more or less the same story: Apart from the "legal" prostitutes from Colombia and Santo Domingo (they're "legal" because they arrive here with a tourist visum), there's a growing amount of undocumented illegal women, mainly from Venezuela but I dare say locals as well, plying their trade.
Since Campo Alegre closed down, they're all over. Here's where to find them: Cubaweg, Scharloo and Rooseveltweg.
Interestingly, Famia Plania mentions that Campo Alegre was a bad deal for the women there: rooms were expensive so they needed a lot of customers, and were also liable to be exploited and abused. I'm not surprised. So much for that "well-regulated" bordello, which we thankfully got rid of.
Or did we?
2025-11-12

Imagine!
The four countries in the Mighty Kingdom are getting together to find out how drugs trafficking direction Holland can be combated.
Well, that's easy: close the harbors and airports.
2025-11-12

Not Here!
Food prices all over the world have been going down. (Must be the dreaded Global Warming which results in bigger crops.)
At any rate, here they went up: by 0.4%. Don't ask me why, I must watch my heart so won't try to explain. Which brings the total inflation over the past 12 months to 1.7%.
2025-11-12

It Gets Even Better
And even if you take your car out of the UK and drive around in France, you are obliged to pay that extra tax per kilometer. Really. They're supposed to pay that in England; apart from that, when going to Europe they'll have to pay heavy tolls [péage] on the French roads. A way out of this is to charge the EVs the equivalent of £1000/year [XCG2335] of tax paid for average fuel use.
2025-11-11

Maybe
AOV-receivers may, or may not, look forward to an extra bonus in December. But if and when, only those who have no other income. Or maybe those will get it as well; Mudbelly is still thinking it over.
2025-11-11

Club Joined by New Member
More trouble at Dam Pretu: residents around there are still bothered by the chicken manure dumps by Moderno farm, but that is now joined by a pig breeder's refuse.
Moderno is waiting for the final installation of a manure processing machine, but claims that the manure that's now still being dumped is covered with a layer of sand.
2025-11-11

What's their Complaint?
Four Venezolanos who were caught smuggling 480 kilos of cocaine got 5 years of jail, just like their captain. They appeal: found it too high. They thought they were smuggling gasoline from Colombia to Venezuela and only by a navigation mistake arrived in Curaçao waters. A likely story. Two likely stories.
They should consider themselves lucky they got off alive.
2025-11-11

Let's
In England the plan is to tax EVs with 3p per mile on top of other road taxes. Because tax revenues from fuel are shrinking, and after all that road maintenance has to be paid for somehow.
Goodbye to another Free Lunch.
3p today equals over 7 of our cents.
Figure it another way, that's 7 guilders per 100km, while my present gasoline car consumes 7 liters worth 14.35 guilders over that distance.
2025-11-10

Please Send More B-52s
They have been flying between Curaçao and Venezuela. TDS-patients get all excited, just like they do when the USA blows up innocent fishermen (speeding with up to 4! outboard motors—those fish are damn fast) as "alleged" drug traffickers. I say let 'em come.
Because our Mid-Eastern friends of Hezb'allah vow to expand their Venezuelan drug operations, "focusing on money laundering, and the production and smuggling of cocaine and Captagon." It's how they finance their err... activities.
What the hell is Captagon? Glad you asked.
2025-11-10

The End — Finis
The Aruba Lago oil refinery, set up by Standard Oil more than an century ago, will finally be demolished, after tens of years since activities were stopped. It will be replaced by "more sustainable and inclusive developments."
Holland will help out with €50 million, which as far as I know is peanuts. Getting rid of our old Isla refinery here would cost many times that.
Not a single word about the recently announced oil discovery; which is rather amazing, surprising and stunning. What's going on here? One would think a refinery might come in handy, or not?
2025-11-10

Same Story
Eight businesses were checked in the nightly hours, of which six had to close. No permits or just exceeding their opening hours, or music too loud, or seats offered ... No need to go on.
They get six days to apply for permits.
2025-11-10

Don't Shout for Joy
A bacterium, or maybe several, has developed that eats plastic. After all, that's full of energy (burns like hell) which Nature hates to go to waste. It has already spread over much of the world.
End of the waste problem?
Hang on: the law of unexpected consequences may hit us there. We have made ourselves almost totally dependent on the stuff, and once those bacteria find out we've prepared their dish... watch out!
Paints, nets, ropes, fiberglass ship hulls, ballpoints, cars, clothing, computers, bikinis, even Tula monuments. All food, yummy!
2025-11-09

What Else
The penshonados club had a second meeting on the AOV welfare pension, that should be raised. But this time the two ministers who were supposed to take part didn't show up, so they all went home.
Not before they were forbidden to speak to the media. How's that for transparency?
2025-11-09

Not Here, though
FAO United Nations agricultural organization tells us, from Rome, that for the second month in a row over the world all agri products have become cheaper, because of a large production (no doubt thanks to Climate Disruption).
Here, prices went up still more. You never really get used to it.
2025-11-08

That's Our Style
PNP's Osepa accuses the government of having led Curaçao to "total Bankruptcy". Since the glorious 10-10-10 independency, not one single year has passed the budgetary audits.
Too bad Osepa conveniently forgets to mention that his own party has been part of former governments in that period, as well. That's politics, folks!
2025-11-08

Something in that
PAR Girigorie accuses the M*F*K government that they keep the tax affairs closed in a "black box" deliberately blocking transparency.
Just what we would expect. We're in Curaçao here!
No news either from the OM public prosecutor on whether criminal investigations on this affair have been started. Move your public ass!
2025-11-08

Quite a Job
Again, we read that Mudbelly tells us how the confidence in the Tax Dept must be restored. What confidence? I never had any and I guess many feel the same.
Just try, Mudbelly... Mend your ways first, that might help—even if it's much too late.
2025-11-08

Why Should They?
OM public ministry has sent another "warning letter" to 30 members of political parties, who haven't taken the trouble to report their sponsors at the last elections.
Now for the funny part: it all started with drug-dealer (alleged, sure, sure) Martines who got such a letter and refuses to accept its legitimacy, as he was locked up at the time. (So he can't have had any financial support? The logic escapes me.)
2025-11-08

New Fiber Cable
The government will be owner of part of the capacity of Celia underwater cable, so it figures that SOE Aqualectra will take care of it. As virtually all internet providers here will use it, we can only hope that Aqualectra will do a better job than we've come to expect by now.
2025-11-08

Oh, Great
Managers of companies who get privately addressed by the dear Tax Person for debts of the company they work for, may now go the Civil courts to protest.
2025-11-08

What Else Did They Expect?
Ministries Health, Environment and Nature (GMN), Justice (JUS), and Social Development, Labor and Welfare (SOAW) "have failed to complete a single financial reform project under the government's Roadmap 2026 program" according to ARC as quoted in Curaçao Chronicle.
2025-11-07

Just So
In an October document sent by Staten head Brownbill to PM Prick Pias it's mentioned that dozens of parliament questions to ministers remain unanswered, some for four months.
All part of the same package.
2025-11-07

You Can't Be Serious
ARC general audit warns that government keeps violating the budget law, with ministries regularly spending beyond their approved budgets without proper authorization.
It's Endemic! It's our Culture! We're Entitled! Who's Boss here? Autonomy!
Finance ministry says it would take too long to wait for authorization, and it would endanger "normal operations".
Normal for them, that is.
2025-11-07

He Said It
Carmabi's Vermeij tells us that further measurements of the deplorable water quality around the island are of little use; it's time to take measures, not -ments.
If that will happen? Measuring has been going on for 50 years, in which period 80% of the coral has disappeared. "You should count drunks, not how much beer there's left in the bar," he adds: get rid of the algae that have consumed the nutrients and choke the coral.
2025-11-07

What Confidence?
There is not and never was such a thing, Mudbelly, even if you say "confidence in the Tax [Deceiver oops] Receiver must be restored."
Which goes for the whole Tax Office.
2025-11-07

No, It's Not
PAR asks if a national discourse on AOV welfare pension raising is really necessary. They know as well as we do that it isn't: the government should just follow the law.
Then, PAR proposes a raised AOW of 1500 guilders/month. Still peanuts and much too low for oldies to make a decent living, even if it's 45% more in real value than the present payments.
PAR also proposes several ways to get the needed money out of indirect taxes and temporary working permits for immigrants. No matter, nobody will listen to PAR!
2025-11-06

Leave It to Them
Without boring you with ugly details, the government has been making it a habit to take decisions without having parliament decide as stipulated in the constitution. Especially, quelle surprise! in budget affairs.
This is power grabbing that isn't even necessary, as M*F*K has an absolute majority in parliament. They may be wanting to hide something?
2025-11-06

Bloody Nonsense
Some outfit calling itself WWA World Weather Attribution comes out with the news that because of Global Change (correct it yourself, you know the terms) hurricanes are 6 times as dangerous as they used to be. "Proof": we just had Melissa, that caused 61 deaths in Jamaica, Cuba and Haïti.
The chance of extreme downpours doubled in Jamaica, and got 9 times larger in Cuba, it's claimed. Storms like that now occur once every 1,700 years, while it used to be 8,100. Not that anybody has ever been able to count them.
Good to know it will take almost two millennia before we get another one.
Just sowing panic, a literal translation of a Dutch expression.
2025-11-06

It Could Be Done, After All
MCBank is lowering the interest on saving deposits even more. And it was about zero, 0.75% already! Now it's 0.25%; 1/3 of that.
To be fair, it's in line with the USA-policies ("to stimulate the economy" by getting more money spent; in other words, inflation) which is logical because the guilder still is dependent on the dollar. But you can't fool me into thinking that MCB doesn't like it.
2025-11-05

Sigh; We Know...
The infamous 2023 "crude for depth" settlement where PdVSA would deliver crude oil to Curaçao in payment of its debts to the refinery was never executed. Not one barrel of it.
To add U-No-Wot to More-of-the-Same, 2Bays manager Newton now confirms that they knew in advance that the deal couldn't be executed because of USA-sanctions. But they signed it anyway with a view on the future. The future of their own wallets, perchance?
2025-11-05

Yeah, Sure
A new development project, Lake View, has been started at Rif/St. Marie, where M*F*K PM Prick Pias had the temerity of mentioning in a speech that it was so good: "sustainable" development conserving nature and heritage.
In fact, it just ruins one of the last great views we had. Onward to the next!


Let there Be Light—from my book Curaçao Fiesta
2025-11-05

Same Story
There's a Ko law arranging childcare, but it seems none of the 107 crèches has a license to operate. Nobody can even tell if they didn't get one or if they even appplied for one.
2025-11-05

Not Yet
curaçao.nu mentions, now that once again three people have been hurt in several accidents caused by cars running red traffic lights, that we may have cameras and all that, but one thing still lacks: a law enabling to fine the owner of a car by his license plate.
Not that it would guarantee results, let's face it. Not with all those cars running around without any legal plates.
Mudbelly promised in 2023 that this 1969 law would soon be fixed. He must be too busy counting his money to get around to it.
2025-11-05

It's a Miracle
The GI-RO Settlement Holding is paying back the 170 million 2021 loan to the government, connected to the Girobank-bankruptcy. In July 33 million guilders were paid back, which is almost 3 times the planned amount.
Too bad it doesn't mean the account holders get their money, are you kidding?
2025-11-04

We'll Believe It when I Happens
A new parliament meeting on the Tax affairs has been scheduled. Or will that be sabotaged as well?
Your guess may be better than mine.
2025-11-04

But Will Holland Do So?
Taking a line through past experiences, the answer is "No"; especially since PVV didn't win the recent elections.
Ex-PM Betrian warns Mudbelly that he must act decisively fast to prevent Dutch intervention in Curaçao's affairs. The island has been operating "for years outside the statutory budget rules and the framework of the Financial Supervision Act."
And will Mudbelly do so? Don't hold your breath.
2025-11-04

But Our Autonomy!
"The island's autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands is non-negotiable and must remain fully guaranteed under all circumstances" can be read in a 19-page document prepared by the government.
Even when they make a mess of their promises. Because that's their main purpose for getting in the driver's seat: grab while the grabbin's good..
2025-11-04

Kick 'Em Out
Almost half of the 5000 people who rent a house from FKP social housing don't pay their rent. Meanwhile, there are 8000 others on the waiting list to get a house.
The only word is, "insane". You know what I'd do?
The judge thinks FKP should act more actively.
Stop me if you heard this one before, but there's a government rent subsidy for inadequate incomes, but it often is just not paid out.
2025-11-04

He Hates You, Just Like We Do
Governor Newsom of California, "the Land of Fruits and Nuts" says "There is nothing I dislike more than a politician who sits there and lies to you."
It isn't clear whether he was sitting or standing while saying that; but it makes precious little difference anyway, even if we agree. (I disliked him already.)
2025-11-03

A Quote
It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions
in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.
—Thomas Sowell
So, naturally, we do it all the time. After 4 years, watch the déluge come in!

You Bet
The Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied CCG in 2024 has granted over 1.1 million guilders of subsidies, but the number of requests keeps growing while structural government contributions and external support keep going down.
The CCG fund is a (disguised?) division of the Prins Bernhardfonds.
2025-11-03

Let Us Laugh
MAN/PIN is asking questions about, what's going on with the gambling sector since CGA walked out? How much money has actually been paid by the gambling mafia, and how many pleasure trips have been made to Malta? And now for the laugh: Curaçao risks to become internationally known as "corruption sensitive". Those who know about the island at all would be awfully naïve to have a different idea.
2025-11-03

Check It Out
Court of Justice has opened a website to make jurisdiction more accessible to the public. For now in Dutch but soon to be followed by Papiamentu, Papiamento (really!) and English versions.
In my perverse innocence, I'd figured it was easy enough to get acquainted with jurisdiction: FAFO or, just commit a crime.
2025-11-03

Solid
Alcohol use. Over 50% of people, according to a 2024 enquete, has at least once driven under influence, and over 10% had an accident while DUI. Over 10% reports alcohol use influenced their health, work or family (fair guess, negatively). After alcohol, cigarettes and vape products are the heaviest used addictive stuffs.
Cocaine isn't mentioned; why not I couldn't say.
2025-11-03

Out? But No Down
Ex-PM Shorty was a member of the delegation that visited Colombia in connection with Mi Kas Awor. As a consultant of minister America-Francisca (M*F*K, what else?)
Antilliaans Dagblad slyly mentions that nobody knows if Shorty has indeed paid off his 1.8 million debt by now.
Between you and me, I always somehow mistrusted that whole Mi Kas Awor business. Paranoid, sure—why not? For good and solid reasons; I only need to mention Mudbelly's role.
2025-11-03

Let's See
One more month to go in the heavy hurricane season; which up to know hasn't turned out so heavy after all. In fact, we had one just now, which wreaked havoc in Jamaica, Cuba and Haïti and then petered out to leave no trace before it reached Bermuda.
2025-11-03

Hurry Up
This won't make me popular with the TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) patients, but it's still my feeling that the threats to attack military locations and harbors used for Venezuelan drug exports should be followed up, the sooner the better.
For many years we have been confronted with the results of that dictatorial regime and it would be good for all to have it ended. (Not to mention for the Venezuelans.) Hopefully mulish Maduro will be too stubborn, stupid and shortsighted to flee before it's too late.
It may happen "within a few days or even a few hours" we read yesterday. Well, cummon already!
2025-11-01

Maybe, After All?
Social minister America-Francisca acknowledges that the government was remiss in not following the obligatory indexing in raising AOV welfare pensions, and (now she's talking) that the raises should be paid out.
Too bad she adds that this is only the case since 2021. To refresh your memory, dear Ms. Minister, it's since 2013.
2025-11-01

Still Waiting
USA sanctions on Venezuelan oil prevent Vigor (and so, 2Bays refinery) to import PdVSA-crude in payment for its debt. Can't tell you how high that is. Anyway, there's not so much crude available from that source, with most of the little there's left after decades of Socialist Tyranny seemingly going to Russia and China. Illegally.
Vigor still wants to fully resume operations. There's a 30-year agreement for which Vigor is supposed to pay $15M yearly, of which 8M has been paid this year.
2025-11-01

Not Good Enough
A loader or similar machine was found working on a government-owned terrain (at Mahuma), "cleaning" it and digging foundations. Without any permits, of course, wot you teenk?
So that Project Team actually did something: it ordered to bring the terrain back in its original state; meaning no more than filling those foundation holes.
Put denuded vegetation back? Forget it. Fines weren't mentioned in the press, either.
2025-10-31

Boring Boers
USA president (as if you didn't know he is) Trump has decided to admit more refugees from South Africa, as "victims of unjust discrimination." White Afrikaanders, Boeren. He has a good point: "Kill the Boer!" is a popular song.
Trouble is, many of those stubborn Afrikaanders consider South Africa as their country, their home land, and have little desire to move elsewhere.
2025-10-31

If Anything...
... will happen with the illegal towering buildings at Zakitó, we now can presume what: NOTHING. Taking a line through what the court just decided in Francia: while admitting VVRP (Mudbelly's ministry) proceeded "inaccurately", which makes the building permit other residents protested against invalid, the buildings may remain.
2025-10-31

Cheaper Rates
Car gas/diesel will be a little bit cheaper as from tomorrow. So will water and electricity.
It's caused by lower fossil fuel prices on the world market. So much for those alternative sources.
2025-10-31

Mudbelly's Team
The Project Team for Supervision and Enforcement (PTH) of the Ministry of Traffic, Transport, and Urban Planning (VVRP—Mudbelly's) has opened a new office. In the DOW public works center, where else?
Mudbelly himself shows up in the photo, but he's not the only well-fed person there.
2025-10-31

It's an Idea
... and will get no further. Tax payer Buchi writes in Antilliaans Dagblad about his experiences with the Tax Persons (inspection and receiver); they're bad. Tell me about it.
Buchi suggests setting up an independent Bureau Klachten Belasting en Ontvanger [bureau complaints taxes and receiver]; but he admits that they don't listen to Ombudsman there, and going to SOAB auditing is of little use either.
And finally, who will pay for such a bureau? Independent, great (if it works), but the only solution is, the complainers will have to do so.
2025-10-31

Koekie van Eigen Deeg
A cookie of their own dough. M*F*K PM Prick Pias complains that Vigor is not anywhere near vigorous enough in fulfilling their promises. Delays, delays. An agreement was signed over a year ago and no action followed.
Vigor must feel right at home dealing with our government.
2025-10-31

Good, Solid Work
The tax persons went on strike. They didn't like it that ceiling slabs just started to rain down on them.
The restored building was re-opened recently. They were lucky: there hasn't been a fire—yet. Seems the contractor did a fine job.
There are also complaints about fungus and water streaming down walls.
2025-10-30

That's Funny...
Not really. But a plane, grounded on Bonaire, nevertheless somehow managed to take off with a two-Colombian crew and was shut down when it came too close to Venezuela. Crew killed. Not funny at all.
The funny part is, how did that plane manage to depart while being grounded? "Smells fishy to me, Ed."
2025-10-30

New Governor!
He's got his work cut out for him. Hope he gets paid well (but I'm not worried).
2025-10-30

Aw, It's Just a Name
Naturally caught my attention: The Curaçao Riverside Resort. My mind, hopelessly under-equipped for such a daunting task, desperately looked for a possible location. Turns out to be in Suffisant, and the judge thinks it's worth almost 1 million guilders.
2025-10-29

Salary Raise
The license 13 workers at VVRP (Mudbelly's ministry) got to act against illegal building may amount to just that. What a chance to make some extra money in bribes!
Let's hope that's just my paranoia speaking (against all hope).
2025-10-29

Plans...
There are 29 large illegal landfills and over 300 trash dumping places on the island. But who's counting?
That would be John de Lannoy of the campaign Di Bo, Pa Bo, Ku Bo [yours, for you and with you] set up by GMN ministry of health. It will take at least 6 years to get to a national waste management plan where garbage is split in 4 categories: composting, building stuff, recycling and burning. Households will get two containers so they can start separating the rubbish themselves.
The good news, maybe, is that de Lannoy says no new landfills are joining the club, and the smaller trash dumps are "under control"—whatever that means.
2025-10-29

Not Exactly So
We read that during a traffic control over 80% of drivers were fined, "for driving without a valid inspection certificate, driver's license, insurance, or proof of paid road tax." That's bad enough, in fact too bad, but it's only the drivers stopped for inspection. Many more than 75 vehicles must have passed the point in the peak morning hours.
2025-10-29

No Matter
After M*F*K PM Pias declared that it was quite okay for that parliament meeting on the Trona-Silly Vain tax fight to be delayed (until Never), the opposition comes out and among other things tells him he doesn't understand the law.
Which begs the question, "What does Pias understand?" The answer can only be a very short one.
No matter. Only marks on paper, anyway. Pias, our Commander-in-Chief, at least got that straight.
2025-10-29

That's the Rule, Not the Exception by Now
Amigo di Tera's Narain now reports that the EOP development plan for the Oostpunt terrain has been adapted without the legally required participation procedures. Amigu di Tera's protest has not been discussed in parliament, and the government even denied it had been submitted.
As Mudbelly was one of the main actors in the deal, this should not surprise us at all.
2025-10-28

Good for Them
Trinidad and Tobago have welcomed a US man-o'-war in their harbor, which naturally pissed off Venezuela who protested. But T&T, much closer to Venezuela than we are, reacted absolutely fearlessly.
Here, not so much. The cowards-in-charge have assured us that none of that US fleet is welcome here.
2025-10-28

Prediction
Hereby I officially and confidently predict that the predictions on rising sea levels, extreme weather, arctic/antarctic melting and all that aren't worth the keyboards they're typed out on.
I may be wrong, but at least I admit it.
2025-10-27

The Devil Help Us
Because his competition up there won't: the main factors in the coming economic growth are tourism, air traffic and gaming, says CINEX Curaçao Investment & Export Promotion Agency.
2025-10-27

Dreams Are Free
"Integrity is of the greatest importance" and will be the main focal point in the future. Don't jubilate yet, that's only the financial sector's interpretation.
Not the government's. They just now once again repeated how they love transparency schramtarency. That the parliament meeting about the Trona_Silly Vain quarrels was delayed (until who knows?) is quite normal, M*F*K says; and these days, we must admit they're right: it is quite normal—with them at the helm.
2025-10-27

Blow Me Down!
Very appropriate: tropical storm Melissa after all did evolve into a hurricane! Only, this one won't hit the USA either.
What wrong with those hurricanes this year? Makes you lose all confidence in predictions.
2025-10-26

Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish
As the saying goes. Tax receiver Trona has been summoned to stay at home as from now (he himself calls it a "vacation"), while OM public ministry is investigating him.
Don't fool yourselves, greasy politicians. I'm sure Trona is breeding on revenge already, contemplating what facts in his hidden drawer he will make public.
I for one can hardly wait. That's Entertainment, Folks!
2025-10-25

Suddenly...
Now Aqualectra utility announced the tariffs will go down by 18%. Has this somehow to do with nasty questions recently asked? Because wind energy is so cheap, we're told. In that case, why did we have to wait so long?
Also, what is not mentioned, oil prices are going down so much that a market glut may be coming soon. That can't have to do with it, of course.
But Aqualectra does say they've switched to a different type of fuel. Fossil fuel, to be sure.
Oh, and they paid out the measly amount of 136,000 guilders in damage compensation after that horrible black-out which must have cost the economy many millions.
2025-10-25

Don't Ever Worry
Yesterday Julianabrug has been closed for traffic during a few hours, because cracks were detected in the viaducts leading up to it.
But DOW public works dept. says they've known about them for three years, and that there really is no danger. There was no money budgeted for repairs, but (here it comes) now they will start fixing the cracks anyway.
2025-10-25

Izzatso?
The well-respected, for all I, know, magazine Ocean Science has an article on Flow patterns, hotspots, and connectivity of land-derived substances at the sea surface of Curaçao in the southern Caribbean. Quite a mouthful, but then, it's a science magazine. Here's a Short Summary:

This study explores ocean currents around Curaçao and how land-derived substances like pollutants and nutrients travel in the water. Most substances move northwest, following the main current, but at times, ocean eddies spread them in other directions. This movement may link polluted areas to pristine coral reefs, impacting marine ecosystems. Understanding these patterns helps inform conservation and pollution management around Curaçao.

While I don't doubt for a second that the sea around us is much more polluted than it should be, the article isn't very clear (to me) on what causes it. I've always had the impression that what comes down here from Bonaire and especially Venezuela is much worse than what we add ourselves. As far as I know, the main sources of pollution is the Shute (chute) at Hato airport, still going strong, plus possibly the sewage plant at Tera Corá. In fact, the maps showing sources of pollution (on which neither appears) make very clear that the South-West coast is much filthier.
As the currents are carrying all that in a North-West direction, I can't be convinced that we here are the main cause. For all I know. Also, that weasel-word "may".
Thanks for reading. Sorry if I bored you.
2025-10-25

Oh, So That's Why!
Thanks for splainin'... That horrible black-out was not caused by wind fluctuations, oh no! It was merely triggered by it.
Good to know? Not even that. We had a black-out, is all that matters to us.
That was one of the things that came up in a meeting of parliament with PM Pias and Aqualectra top. We were reassured that it won't happen again, now that the battery back-up system has been installed.
While a problem there could lead to a real disaster.
No reply to the question why those batteries weren't installed at the same time as the wind generators; and when we can expect lower users' tariffs. But we know the answer to that anyway: when Mudbelly, Trona and Arsjes grow wings.
2025-10-24

C***-Post As Well
It's all between government friends, after all. What really hurts is how C***-Post since March 2024 never paid the Motor Tax to the Inspector (3.7M, which brings the total to 7.5M). While we (well, not all of us, right you are) scratched and saved to come up with the required dough.
And also all those people whose loonbelasting/wage tax was held in from their salaries and never collected by the Inspector. God damn his soul to hell. And explains what we always wondered about: how did all those firms managed to go bankrupt—with millions of debt in taxes?
Small wonder Trona looks much more obese than's healthy. Probably got Free Lunches at his wife's snèk as well.
2025-10-24

Foamy Soap
Wherever you stir the Trona-Silly Vain tax quarrel, more bubbles start forming. Now it's a shipping company, with a total debt of 4.45 million guilders, which in 2018 managed to make a deal with Trona (against his staff's recommendations) of a down payment of 30,000 guilders followed by monthly payments of 5,000. Until 2021, when the customs debt was largely voided by the Customs Inspector.
Might well make one wonder how much money changed to whose hands to get all that arranged.
To quote Curaçao Chronicle: "... the audit documents themselves point to a systemic governance problem: Trona independently arranged settlements with taxpayers before final assessments were issued, kept no written records of his reasoning, and bypassed formal review by Customs or the Ministry of Finance."
Florida Express NV?
2025-10-24

Some Things Don't Change?
The USA has, for now, stationed the Hurricane Hunters on Hato airport. The planes are Lockheed C-130 Hercules, first introduced in 1956; which makes it a champion.
Long ago, that task was done by another Lockheed aircraft, the Super Constellation, among the crews known as the WV-2 Willy Victors.
In the usual hysteria of "No News Is Bad News" the media keep blowing up the present tropical storm Melissa to a "possible" hurricane. And "possibly" not, or even "probably."
2025-10-24

Another Record Year
This time not Global Warming but something much worse, for us: number of tourist visitors. And as CHATA accomodation club remarks, you ain't seen nothing yet: we're just entering the "best" three months of the year.
2025-10-23

Good Point, Trona
As far as it goes. It was not he, but Silly Vain who stopped collection of older-than-1917 tax debts. In fact, it passed parliament, too. And now they're talking 3 million, but in fact, it was over 3 billion guilders' worth.
OM public ministry is still investigating. Both of them.
PM Pias would welcome Silly Vain back in his cabinet. Understandably; there's a real danger that Silly Vain might start yet another party, seeing that at the last elections he got more votes than Pias.
And one more tourist had to be evacuated from Klein Curaçao, with chest pains. By helicopter.
2025-10-23

Wow! Who'd Have Thought It!
Seriously? CBS statistics as figured it out: lower income people have much more problems with the inflation than higher ones.
CBS is paid out of tax money, to be sure.
2025-10-22

Delay, Delay...
The announced third totally superfluous meeting on AOV welfare pension has been canceled. It should have taken place yesterday, but the government just annulled it without preliminary warning.
Three more meetings are announced to follow. If and when. Don't expect too much, ole farts y'all; there's a workgroup and a steering group, with at the head PM Pias and what was Silly Vain, replaced by Mudbelly.
It is totally superfluous because by law, the government should just raise the payments. Last year alone, by over 20% according to CBS. Right, forget it. And it's still peanuts.
2025-10-22

Striking Fact
Tax receiver Trona's wife runs a snackbar, which hasn't paid any taxes over longer than the past ten years. There is more, listed by Silly Vain in the transfer file handed to his successor. Soab accounting is supposed to be investigating.
2025-10-22

Over Soon
The conversation PM Pias had with Curoil's top on Curaçao's energy future. Can't have had much to talk about.
Except more "green sources" and thus, naturally! higher prices.
2025-10-22

Good One, Admit It
That almost total lack of hurricanes in a predicted heavier-than-usual season? Washington Post has the answer: "the lack of storms is actually evidence of manmade climate change."
See? It's your fault; mea culpa, too—I admit having sinned myself. Switch off that airco. Take the bike instead of your gas guzzler. Anything that makes life harder to take helps fight Climate Injustice.
October, which was supposed to make up for the rest of the "disappointing" year, is almost gone already. Come November...
2025-10-21

There Are Always Ways
MAN/PIN proposes a law to protect whistle-blowing civil servants against retaliation. Sorry, but I guess that's really impossible. I don't see a whistle-blower starting a years-long court case against the government with its unlimited resources.
2025-10-21

We All Thought So
Preliminary, not published, reports indicate that tax person Trona just did as he liked without caring about regulations. It's so bad, many of those below-the-table deals weren't even registered, so it's impossible to find out who got how fine a deal.
2025-10-21

Mi Kas Awor
"My House Now", an action to enable people to get their own house, has now reached 9000 applicants. Which gives Mudbelly a reason in a podcast to brag loud-mouthedly on how great he is, and what a smart politician.
He says he's one of the longest-time functioning politicians here, from 2001 to 2025. Ain't that a shame.
Let us at least hope that all those people do get a house.
2025-10-21

What "Rebuilding"?
Silly Vain's resigning is a "a potentially catastrophic setback for Curaçao's long-awaited gambling regulation overhaul" writes Curaçao Chronicle. Because now "Curaçao's efforts to rebuild credibility as a modern, compliant iGaming jurisdiction face a serious credibility crisis."
You could have fooled many of us, who are surprised that such a non-existing credibility can be rebuilt.
2025-10-21

Oh No! It Will Scare Investors!
The Mondi Beach Club was temporarily closed down; we're not told why but it will have been for the usual catering-club violations. Naturally, Mudbelly is pissed off at his colleague-minister Middelhof, because right now a delegation of European investors is visiting to look for opportunities, and this may scare them away.
Because as we all now, investors don't like having to follow regulations.
2025-10-21

Come Off It
Now some politician, it's so bloody stupid I refrain from mention "their" name to spare "them" shame, is talking about "femicide" occurring in Curaçao. This while I'm totally sure more men get killed than women.
That person must have picked up the expression, or one resembling it, while watching TV.
And no, I don't think beating up your spouse is a good idea.
2025-10-20

That Will Stop It
Hato airport buildings are lit with blue light to stop human trafficking.
Reminds me of that Kurosawa film where a father tells his son how iron is painted orange so it won't rust.
2025-10-20

This Can Go On For Years
M*F*K PM Prick Pias says that it wasn't the public quarrel between Silly Vain and tax person Trona, but the investigation that was started to make Silly Vain take his leave as minister. "He may return to that post," says Pias. And also remarks they have nothing to hide.
2025-10-20

You Don't Say
MAN/PIN party/parties, whatever, are really on their toes. They claim the 2026 budget is not correct.
None of us can remember when it ever was.
2025-10-20

Fits In
Only a few years ago, a cry went up when in Indonesia forests, habitat of orang-utans, were cut down to make space for palm oil plantations. Which was supposed to fight climate change. Not that the cry helped one tiny little bit.
Now, forests there are bulldozed down to get at the nickel deposits below them. Because nickel is highly valuable to make batteries, EVs, wind generators... all to fight global warming.
And in Brazil, 100,000 Amazonian forest trees are bulldozed down for a highway connecting Belém to the airport, to prepare for the influx of participants in the next no-good COP30 climate warming (or was that global change?) conference. A jolly good time will be had by all there.
While Greenpeace is agitating for saving the forests. To prevent U-no-wot.
2025-10-20

What Else Did You Expect?
Thirty years after the introduction of EOP island development plan it's still systematically attacked by government and developers. So tells us Lloyd Narain of Amigu di Tera; only, we don't need telling. Same old story: EOP? only marks on paper, and we do as we want. Or rather, they do as they want.
That's democracy, folks!
And also to blame is tourism... how could we forget tourism.
Narain promises to keep fighting. If it helps is another matter.
2025-10-20

That Seems True
Word is, Maduro has indeed offered the USA, in negotiations going on for months already, mining and oil rights to exploit. If only the drug transports are left alone.
Looks like it won't happen that way.
After all, we all understand that mining and oil isn't where Maduro really makes his real money from.
2025-10-19

Back Soon?
A heavy lighting crash accompanied by an impressive thunderclap just now (07:50) finished Aqualectra power plus of course the internet. So long folks!
Power came back around 16:30; Internet half an hour earlier. Huh? Yes, we have our own battery back-up system. Not lithium-ion though.
2025-10-18

You Think? Hmmm...
The refinery, under whatever name that tickles their fancy, has applied for permits to restart Bullenbaai oil terminal. Betcha they'll get 'em all.
Meanwhile, 2Bays operates under a temporary permit. For how long? As long as it pleases some guys.
2025-10-18

Not an Exception; More Like the Rule
Ombudsman accuses Mudbelly Cooper of onbehoorlijk bestuur/improper government, as Mudbelly has not reacted to 18 complaints by civilians; the first from 2024 when he got 8 weeks' time to react. It's now up to parliament, where Mudbelly's M*F*K has a solid majority, to hold him responsible.
And it's no surprise that M*F*K has announced that since the last rumbles, Mudbelly is now vice-PM, plus he gets to manage Finance; and Pisas will manage the ministry of Health.
Woe 'R' Us.
2025-10-18

No Way, Mon!
The parliament meeting on the M*F*K/Silly Vain/Trona hassles has been "delayed"—we don't know until when. When fish grow wings? No, even later because some have done so already.
Opposition parties have complained with governor Wout ("It's a slap in the face of democracy") and all three, PAR, PNP and MAN-PIN, each on their own, have asked for a new date.
Obviously M*F*K hasn't been able to find credible songs and dances to explain the brouhaha, let alone to excuse it.
It's Wout's last working day. She must be relieved it's over—for her.
2025-10-17

Cover It Up
"... before it stinks" is the common expression. But this stinks intensely, already. M*F*K announces a further investigation of the struggle and strife between Silly Vain and tax receiver Trona. But how and by whom? Sssst.... that's a secret.
2025-10-17

So Little Time
Entrepreneurs get 30 days to fix their licenses. Among which the catering sector. High time, you say? I won't deny it.
Or else? "They risk sanctions."
The minister of economic development compares it to insurance and road tax. Well, there you go.
2025-10-17

What Else
A neighbor of Baoase resort protests against the latest plans to expand still further. She complains that protests are made almost impossible, the way it's arranged by VVRP (Mudbelly's ministry); and that the plans impair her property rights to the beach. Also mentioned are endangerment of the coral reef, other fauna and flora, among which the CITES-protected wayaká tree.
Finally, she argues that the very few more tourists who will stay at Boase will hardly have any impact on the enormously grown total now visiting Curaçao.
But please realize, dear complainant, that's hardly an argument: Money's the name of the game. Where it flows too? Good question which I won't presume to answer. I like my freedom.
2025-10-17

Sheer Genius
SER social-economic council comes with another stupidly short-sighted proposal: legitimize the "undocumented work migrants" and have them pay for the AOV welfare pension of the oldies.
Not a word about what happens when they grow old and have to get AOV. Just kick the can farther along the road; they'll be long gone when that problem raises its, you bet, very ugly head.
Just look at what happened in Europe.
2025-10-17

Very Bad Joke
And in very bad taste, as well. Curaçao Chronicle publishes an article by Chinese Consul General Zhang Kaibin (why they would do so is anybody's guess) about how the CCP Communist Party since 1921 "has remained committed to women's liberation and development and gender equality." Oh, now we understand why in China for many years women were only allowed 1 or maybe 2 babies, and why so many female babies were aborted that there are far too many men in China these days.
Don't try to fool us with your clumsy lies, Mr. Consul General.
Makes you almost happy to know that those woman-friendly policies completely backfired and resulted in awful problems, also economically.
2025-10-17

Grrroan...
Compared to 2024, tourism in September went up by 8%. But over the year 2025 until now, it grew with 13%.
One for every 3 of us, in September alone.
2025-10-17

He's Gone!
Finance minister Silly Vain is now ex-minister. He has, after his vulgar quarrel with tax person Trona, no doubt most unwillingly relinquished his function to some guy called Boekhoudt, also M*F*K so more of the same. But he will take up a seat in parliament.
They tell us that this may cause a split in M*F*K who may even be considering a new coalition with what's now an opposition (hah!) party. You won't catch me complaining, but I don't see that happen.
2025-10-16

But He, Never!
Venezuelan Nobel-prize winner Machado, after dedicating it to USA-president Trump, asks her president Maduro to please bugger off. But Maduro is much too mulishly dense to take such an obviously astute hint.
2025-10-16

Watch It
The hopefully last act of ex-minister Silly Vain has been to simplify climate and quality norms for "natural" medicines. But the apothecaries warn this is dangerous. Medicines tested for temperate climates won't stand our much higher temperatures and humidity. A sticker warning for this is no guarantee at all. "Even a power disruption can make them unusable." What can you do but agree?
But they're NATURAL, so must be good!
GRC medication registration committee was dissolved in December 2023 after disagreement on this law. That was under our thankfully finally gone now ex-minister Silly Vain.
Oh where's Quackie Constancia now that we really need her? Also M*F*K, remember?
2025-10-16

See?
First, they told us two months late about CGA saying goodbye to Silly Vain, and that PM Pias had taken over. And only now we're told that it wasn't Pias but ministry of justice. Not that it makes much difference; all members of the happy family M*F*K clan.
What does seem to be clear, for what it really matters, is that Silly Vain lost his direct influence in CGA gaming control.
2025-10-15

What Do We Know
Not very much. We're told even less. Now MAN/PIN MP Mc William is accusing OM public ministry of wrong press releases abut Landsontvanger/tax receiver.
She may even be right, who knows? I don't and can't.
2025-10-15

We Don't Use Drugs, We Sell Drugs
You'd almost think that, but it's not the complete and whole truth. At any rate, drugs use in Holland is much higher than in Curaçao, writes Amigoe. Also, marihuana use in Curaçao is by far lowest compared with the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cayman and Trinidad.
2025-10-15

Congrats!
Nothing in the media this morning to get worked up about. Ain't that great and welcome.
2025-10-14

Maybe Now
And maybe not... Four reports of SOAB accounting last year, which amazingly got little attention in parliament, critically commented on Tax Receiver's investment management. For an "appreciable period" said receiver (Trona) acts contrary the established guidelines on handling collectable tax debts.
Both Trona and Silly Vain have presented a statement at Criminal Investigation Department. Makes us all curious as to what they declared. But telling us? Fat chance.
Anyway, Amigoe only reports on the contents of those 4 reports. A bit late, you say? Won't deny it.
2025-10-13

Atrako Foiled
Police are bragging that, for once, they managed to thwart a hit; on KFC Otrabanda. Good, of course. Keep it up! is all we can comment.
2025-10-13

What Now
There's been a rumble going on, even if we're only told about it one month late. The entire board of CGA gaming authority took its leave half September, so there's no supervision of the gambling mafia at all. Except for that of PM Prick Pias, who took over from Silly Vain—without bothering to tell us about it; and "informally" as well.
We also read only now that CGA isn't even registered in KKN chamber of commerce, which it is legally obliged to. Who cares about the law? Not our Leaders.
2025-10-13

Wish I Were Wrong
But as it turns out much too often, I was right! That's not very good. In fact, that's what's wrong.
2025-10-13

Don't Forget (I Almost Did)
With all the blah-blah about how clean hydrogen is, and how it would reduce CO₂ emissions, one point is hardly ever mentioned: water vapor is a much more powerful greenhouse gas, and switching to burning hydrogen instead of fossil fuels would mean replacing CO₂ with water vapor.
Count your profits.
I do apologize for having some items below that are much longer than usual, but I can only figure it's worth it. Thanks for reading.
2025-10-12

Those Batteries
That Back-up system that has just been tested, or still is in the process. Amazing how I've been unable to find for how many Amp/hrs that will be. And Aqualectra's so proud... why not tell us? Not because of this, as it's damn sure they never thought of it.
Kindly excuse my paranoia.
Took me an awfully long time to find out, but finally did at the Wärtsilä site: 25-45MW battery energy storage system. Which is many, many times the "50 kWh limitation" mentioned in the other link.
2025-10-12

Fer Cryin' Out Loud
What are we (still) waiting for?
An article from the Rational Optimist Society spells it out, once again: Who's winning the SMR race? In which SMR stands for Small Modular Reactors. I would advise anyone just in the slightest interested in our energy, and water, supply to read it. Especially Aqualectra, but you don't need to tell me: that hope is vain. Main arguments, a straight quote:

#1: Clean. Nuclear is twice as clean as wind and 9 times cleaner than solar, when measured by CO-equivalent emissions.
#2: Safe. More men die working on oil rigs each year than have ever died from nuclear power. Chernobyl included. And this is with "old" nuclear technology. SMRs are even safer.
#3: Reliable. Nuclear reactors hum along 24/7 with a 92% uptime. That's twice as reliable as coal and three times more reliable than solar. They can run for decades without refueling.
#4: Dense. A fingertip-sized fuel pellet packs the same energy as 1.3 tons of coal.

The article lists 4 classes: *1* Microreactors, powering 5000 homes; *2* Campus-sized, for 50,000 homes; *3* Utility scale, 200,000 homes; *4* LMRs, 1 million homes.
Finally, SMRs are built in factories, delivered by truck or in a shipping container in a few months, and run for 5-10 years without refueling.
Rests of course to make the distribution net more reliable. Getting rid of "green alternatives" would help a lot, if not enough. And it only has to be done if we keep insisting on centralized power production, in the form of LMRs, Large Modular Reactors.
2025-10-12

Goodbye to All That, or, They Never Told Us
How I wish. But it's not so easy...
engineersonline carries a most interesting article. In the first place, it seems that the present methods of producing hydrogen from seawater cost 1,375,000 cubic meters (1,375,000,000 liters) of fresh water per year per gigawatt (1,000,000,000 watt) worth of electrolyzers. If I'm not fooling myself, as per usual, that's over 1 liter/watt. How about that, Ramon Chong?
Where will we get all this water from? Like Isla refinery use to do, pump it out of water plantations?
But wait. There's a New Deal in the works, called Seahydrogen, which uses membrane distillation instead of reverse osmosis and uses surplus warmth from the electrolyzer to evaporate seawater, producing fresh water. A by-product is a highly concentrated brine that contains table salt, and may even be used to extract magnesium, phosphorus or lithium.
And why not gold, one of the oldest swindlers' tricks in the books?
Looks like another piece of pie-in-the-sky. Not to mention that several deposits of hydrogen just-for-pumping have been found, that Airbus and several others have given up on their plans to use it for fuel, as it needs to be cooled and pressurized which adds to the weight and then, it escapes like Houdini; that gasoline, kerosene and diesel contain 5 times as much energy per weight unit which makes it unpractical for sea, air and road/rail freight.
Even Pernis Rotterdam has given up on the idea, I read. Not to mention a small problem: How to get that fresh water and that hydrogen ashore? And finally, the price per BTU produced is several times that of using other methods than electrolyzing.
But as always, we know better! Full steam ahead!
Because, as we all realize, there's money to be made on those Monster Machines.
2025-10-11

There We Went Again
At least, the power did. Aqualectra a bai... For about 3 or 4 hours, in the heat of the night. Boy, and it was sweaty!
Thanks, hopeless bunglers!
They do send me a reminding email every day before their bill payment is due, but a letter to apologize? That's too much trouble.
2025-10-11

Keep Them Coming!
TUI announces still more flights to Curaçao: on Tuesday, from April to October 2026, an extra flight will be added, good for 8000 more seats.
2025-10-11

Not for Us
The real estate transactions last year passed the 2.1 billion mark, which is described as having a direct impact on the economy. You bet.
The impact mostly being, many island people can not afford buying a house to live in any longer. It's all for tourists.
2025-10-11

Still Peanuts
Attorney Evertsz has started court actions against SVB social bank, who according to him should have raised AOV payments in 2016, instead of as SVB claims 2022. (Which they didn't anyway.) The increase should bring the monthly pay-out to 1055 guilders; still embarrassingly low.
Evertsz also complains that, despite nice talk about national dialogues, SVB refuses to publish relevant documents pertaining to the matter.
Evertsz wants SVB to come across or pay 500 guilders/day to a maximum of 15,000. Talk about peanuts.
2025-10-11

Oh
A conflict between lawyer Bijkerk and Knipselkrant publisher Cramm has been resolved in court. Both had joined forces in the fight against, legal or illegit, casinos on behalf of their duped clients. Without bothering you with details, Bijkerk has paid Cramm some money out of their SBGOK foundation's cash, and Cramm now seems to have been fired from her post in there. Whatever.
That may be one reason why Knipselkrant announces it will be back soon.
2025-10-11

Maybe
Tax person Trona and finance minister Silly Vain will meet in parliament next Friday (October 17th). Interesting, as the a-social media seem to have published the news that Silly Vain is out already and his ministers' jobs been given to other people. Which M*F*K hasn't denied.
If that is true, great is Trona's power.
2025-10-11

TSD
Venezuelan opponent Machado has, to many people's (and probably her own) surprise received the Nobel prize for peace; despite his maybe premature success in the Gaza-Israel conflict Trump didn't get it.
Interestingly, curaçao.nu gives us the news but "forgets" to mention that Machado lost no time at all in dedicating her prize to Trump.
To refresh your memory: TSD stands for Trump Derangement Syndrome. Machado does not suffer from that disease.
2025-10-11

Don't Ask Me
In some news, we hear about president Maduro protesting with the UN about the USA attacks on drug smugglers, with a jump to the threat of attacking the country. (While Trump, for whatever it's worth, keeps saying "No boots on the ground"—no invasion.)
And in other places we read that "Maduro blinks" and offers all Venezuelan oil and gold resources to be exploited by USA companies.
Can't both be true. Or can it?
2025-10-11

"Natural" Hairdos
Please forgive me, but the new rules on hairdos that will soon be valid in St. Maarten will not be without possible bad consequences. A dentist tells me that in the time when afro hair was so popular here, lots of youngsters were bothered by head lice; which was a reason for schools to prohibit it. Now that's seen as discrimination. Memories are short.
Admittedly, a condition is the hair must be "clean and well cared for." And the catholic schools have announced that they will go on maintaining the "biblical" rules instead.
Why "afros, dreadlocks, twists, braids and and cornrows" are described as "natural" is a riddle to me.
2025-10-11

Back Soon
Is what Knipselkrant Curaçao promises. Can't be fast enough!
2025-10-11

PABIEN!

Congratulations on this beautiful day
15 years of Independence!
and just look what a mess they made of it
2025-10-10

So, Get Him Them, Already
PAR Girigorie demands immediate action from OM public prosecutor and Staten/parliament after the quarrel between Silly Vain and Trona, who accused Silly Vain of criminal acts. Girigorie thinks Trona has good points, referring to 2 police officers who in 2022 refused to go on as his security because of the minister's intolerable behavior, the continuing delays with raising AOV welfare pension, and the medical specialists leaving CMC hospital in droves. Trona should be summoned by the public ministry right away.
On the other hand, Trona is no angel. He separately keeps dossiers on several public figures in what among Tax personnel is called "Trona's drawer" and if you ask me, that's asking for him being able to blackmail all of them.
If all that will help Our Democracy out of the chronic depression remains to be seen.
2025-10-09

Not Much Effect
That's the commentary on the USA blowing up boats transporting drugs in full sea. The trade routes have just been adapted, says Dutch Navy commodore. And he hasn't seen any difference in sea transports.
Maybe not, but you have to start somewhere. Next... Please? And anyway, McDermott of Insight Crime think tank does say transports from the Venezuelan coasts have stopped. Which he calls "temporary".
I don't know who's right here.
2025-10-09

Strong Words
M*F*K leadership, such as it is, addresses the controversy between minister Silly Vain and Tax receiver Trona. "The board has 'taken note of the incident' and is handling the matter with seriousness and discretion." That's all.
Curaçao Chronicle comments that "Silvania seems to understand that opening the drawer risks exposing far more than one corrupt official. It could reveal a network of complicity that reaches deep into the political, business, and bureaucratic elite." And then asks "whether anyone has the courage to confront it."
Good question. That would be a miracle by now.
2025-10-08

Whatever
Amigoe has an article on alcohol, comparing Holland to the islands. There's no comparing! so no comment on that. But it begs one question: the "guideline" says, 1 glass per day. And "excessive" means, over 14 drinks (women) or 21 (men) per week.
Discrimination! Why should men be allowed half as many drinks than women? And also, what do you call a guy who drinks like a sissy with 14 drinks/week?
It's all rubbish anyway, right.
2025-10-08

"It's Complicated"
Meant is the planned introduction of a $60 tourist tax, payable upon arrival. Would pay the country 75.6 million guilders a year. But wait! There's also talk of a $65 tax, but differentiated between men, women and children. That would pay 72 million this year, and even more in the coming two years.
But wait again! This tax will not be collected before next year, so how that amount figures in the 2025 budget is anybody's guess. In fact, there's a contradiction inside those reports.
Go figure. Somebody will have to.
2025-10-08

No Worries Here
We read a lot of stories these days from the USA about illegal immigrants driving 18-wheeler trucks (and causing havoc) without proper driving licenses, but with fake so-called CDL commercial licenses. Without even a driver's name on them.
Here, no problem, mon. We don't need no illegal immigrants for that. Our own people can handle it quite as well, if not better: no license at all!
Nos mes por!
2025-10-07

That's Good
The Tula memorial service was a great success, characterized by a stylish demeanor of the participants.
I take it the political leaders weren't there, then.
2025-10-07

Getting Out
More CMC troubles: after general director Martina and medical director Merkies, now it's financial and operational director Lombardi-de Freitas Brás who's had enough and taking her leave.
Those in the know tell how it's all related to the attitude of finance minister Silly Vain who also happens to be, for some abstruse reason, minister of health. Constant strife and struggle. (Not that abstruse: they couldn't get one better, which makes you think.)
All those troubles have, come right down to it, find their origin in our politicians, among which M*F*K's ex-PM Shorty, eagerly going for the loot to be made when it was planned and built.
Not to mention the medical specialists themselves, also leaving in droves.
2025-10-07

Pop the Corn, Please!
The fight between finance minister Silly Vain and Tax Receiver Trona is intensifying. Not only did Trona react in a letter to what he called "a polished video" (on FakeBooc, sure) by Silly Vain, he came out with a lot of dirty laundry. First, he says, he's not a politician but a civil servant. I refrain from judging if that speaks in or against his favor.
The Tax personnel are working in an environment of constant fear, he says, which is harmful.
This may be caused by Vain's bullying or by his insisting on results; take your pick.
Then, Silly Vain ordered a personal investigation into Trona's private life under the false pretext of a general audit, which Trona calls "a serious breach of trust." He ends by stating that "Our work must remain guided by professionalism, legality, and the trust of the people of Curaçao." Which, for all I have experienced, is a wild fling into unknown territories. In short, he could have fooled me. Not much trust here.
But now, the civil servants' unions (because, you may be surprised to learn, we have such absurdities) and organized a press meeting to publicly expose the treatment of this top functionary and other civil servants, and to condemn it.
M*F*K party bosses are keeping mum. How long they can keep that up? They still wallow in having Absolute Power.
Trona wants the OM public ministry to ask him for a statement, after which "Sylvania will not remain a minister any longer."
If only M*F*K's pride would come before a fall. If... Only...
2025-10-07

Good Trick

You don't get the link, but here's how: sabotage your water meter! Many people have done so and got away with it.
Join the popular club!
It does take more than merely removing the seal, as shown.
2025-10-06

It's a Record!
The first time in ten years that the USA has not been hit by a hurricane crossing the coast, in spite of the dire season predictions. Only "tropical storm" Chantal made it.
Come to think of it, the old saying Curaçao is hit by a hurricane every century is long past its expiration date as well. Hurricane Tecla hit in 1877, 148 years ago.
But AccuWeather is still warning us October/November will be extremely heavy. To make good?
2025-10-06

So What
PNP MP Cijntje asks the government several nasty questions on the fray between Silly Vain and Troniea, containing the sentence "Leadership is now in question."
Whaddayamean, "now", Cijntje? Is there even any at all?
2025-10-06

Lose Your Money—Fast or Slower
Aqualectra announces they will be issuing bonds to the value of 75 million guilders. Minimum 50,000 guilders so I'm out anyway. Not that I am interested in the first place.
This is the first time an SOE government company is selling bonds; interest rate 5-5.2% and a period of 5.5 and 7 years.
The money will be used to refinance existing debts and also, among other things, to make more investments in renewable energy.
2025-10-06

This Has To Stop
A brass band rehearsal on a terrain distanced from residential buildings so those living there wouldn't be disturbed, came to a crude end when a car driving at very high speed crashed over a wall and after having knocked over some flag masts finally came to a standstill on a rocky terrain. Brass band members and a group practicing choreography made a run for their lives; some got hit by flying rocks.
The car had no valid papers whatsoever.
2025-10-06

It's Never Enough
Baoase has asked for a permit for still more land reclamation and building a shore protection in the sea. We have ten (10) days to protest with the VVRP ministry; good luck!
No mention is made of the application necessary for the Rifbeheersverordening/coral reef protection law, leaving us guessing if it has been applied for.
2025-10-06

About Time, You Say
High time, in fact. Over time, let's face it. The Inspection of Health has finally come up with a norm for homes for the elderly.
I've visited several of those myself. Some are okay, some are what only can be called a disgrace.
"What a drag it is growing old"—forsooth.
Now to see that the Inspection keeps those homes to the norms.
2025-10-06

Dummy Died
Sorry for those deploring the incident, but an American tourist died after pulling the foolhardy stunt of diving off a cliff at Playa Forti. Local kids do it all the time, which doesn't mean any tourist can do it as well. He never resurfaced after the dive. Why not? Does it really matter?
We can be pretty sure it will happen again.
2025-10-06

We're Impressed... NOT
Venezuela has "strongly protested" against the USA illegally incursing its territory by combat aircraft. These were at 75kms from the Venezuelan coastline and allegedly posed a serious risk to civil and commercial aviation.
Venezuela will not accept this. We hold our breath.
2025-10-06

Who Knows?
USA oil entrepreneur Bill Armstrong at least says he does: Aruba has the largest oil field in the world! And his company has signed an agreement to exploit it with the Arubian oil company (state-owned, what else?).
It's the largest unexplored oil-field he's ever seen, 200,000 acres (80,000ha) with "a seal" (whatever that means) of 600m. It may contain 60 billion barrels of crude. The Repsol test drillings of 6 years ago seem to have missed the most important basin. There is much interest, Armstrong says: ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, BP, Eni, Repsol en Occidental Petroleum have contacted him already.
Geologists tend to be very doubtful that these claims will come true. Even then, it may not mean heaven on earth for Arubianos.
2025-10-04

Not Here, Though
On the BES-islands (part of the Netherlands) all people over 60 got a notice to go to the doctor and get a pneumonia vaccination.
As I have passed that age myself, I thought "good idea" and asked my GP for a prescription. I got it all right, but had to pay it myself: over 103 guilders. At least she'll give me the injection itself without my having to pay her.
2025-10-04

No, Not Them
Attorney general Schoop mentioned a growing number of psychoses on the Caribbean islands. It's worrying, he comments. But he didn't mean the politicians, as you'd be excused to expect, but was talking about society in more general terms.
Those politics drive all us us over the edge!
2025-10-04

Can't Be True... No WAY!
Finance minister Silly Vain and Tax person Troniea in their coarse word-fight accused each other of corruption.
Makes you think a bit.
And also, as Antilliaans Dagblad points out, what Silly Vain said in the heat of the er... discussion, "I have enough power" is food for thought. "Ministers must realize they are no overlords, but servants of the citizens" comments the paper. Dream on. It was their capo dei capi mafia boss who called himself the Commander in Chief.
I guess we all know what expression they flung at each other, but as we're more civilized (it's easy) that won't be repeated here.
2025-10-04

He Said It
Oswin Martina, head of government penshonados union: the "national dialogue" on AOV is a farce. There was a meeting in UoC which however boiled down to a presentation, mainly by Jackson. Even CBS statistics hardly got a chance, let alone asking questions by the audience.
By now we're all convinced it's not even a farce, it's a very bad joke. On us.
2025-10-03

Remember!
The head of the ambulance service was fired by Silly Vain. But looking back, it all started under ex-PM (also M*F*K!) Shorty's reign when sinister of health Quackie Constancia left it in disarray. Probably to get rid of its management.
Well, it took 12 years but M*F*K finally got its wish. Or, hopefully, just maybe not.
2025-10-03

Pelea!
But that's all we know: a coarse brawl between minister Silly Vain and tax boss Trona. Seems it went pretty high, with fists hitting the table and "vulgar" swearing words. A fragment was even uploaded to FakeBooc.
But I couldn't tell you what it was about. Could be anything, or even several things.
2025-10-03

Juridical Science
The process of Bonaire against the kingdom, arranged by Greenpeace, will have to decide if the state, in its responsibility for the people, must protect them against the effects of climate change. It seems that there is much international attention as to how this will turn out (though that may be no more than propagandistic exaggeration by Greenpeace).
Those people should get more protection against raising sea levels, extreme weather and dying coral. Scientifically, all extreme doubtful points; and Greenpeace's insistence that by 2040 the CO₂ emissions must be reduced to zero is now pretty generally accepted as unattainable; if of any use at all.
So the judge, whose expertise is in law, will be asked to decide on matters that are scientifically very debatable.
2025-10-03

Dumb Dumber Dummies
PAR proposes legitimizing all "undocumented" refugees, so they can pay along for the AOV benefits.
And worsening that very same problem twenty years from now. But you can't expect politicians to learn anything.
2025-10-03

False! Fake!
curaçao.nu warns that the government is giving less and less press meetings, but prefers to send out messages on the a-social media. (The plans for their own radio station are not mentioned.) This time it's about the fact that Curaçao has moved up from Tier 3 to 2 in the human trafficking list, which is brought as great news. But no mention is made at all about the negative aspects of that upgrade. The report mentions "significant efforts" as well as "serious shortcomings".
Fascism, anyone?
2025-10-02

Hope It Helps
Holland will intensify their help in fighting criminality on the Caribbean islands. Mentioned are fighting fraud, undermining crime, combating corruption and promoting integrity.
They got their work cut out for them.
2025-10-02

It's a Long Wait
Vigor, formerly Oryx, is "waiting for customers". When and if they found them (for storage facilities) then renovation projects can start.
Meanwhile, the contractors are left guessing; not to mention their workers.
Vigor/Oryx first was expected to exploit the 2Bays/Isla refinery, but then announced they would work on storage, transfer and blending of oil products; now they call themselves an "investment company".
2025-10-02

Agreed
What else? "Growth of government employment is inflationary." Why our Bleeders keep going out of their way to prove it? They must have a so-called Hidden Agenda. Only they don't hide it so well.
2025-10-02

It's All Over
Not yet, but getting there. The USA Energy Dept. now shies away from the words climate change, emissions, decarbonization, emissions, energy transition, Carbon Footprint, dirty energy, and clean energy.
Not everybody else does, understood.
But Michael Mann has been "forced to resign" from his function as the University of Pennsylvania's first Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action. Let us raise a glass full of beer and CO2 bubbles to celebrate. Or even champagne? Not really worth it.
He may be finished as provost, but remains a professor.
It wasn't his climate opinions that caused the problem, but his crazy remarks about Charlie Kirk having been murdered by the Israelis. Oh no, equipping him with Trump as Hitler's head. Or sump'n.
2025-10-01

Impressive
Depends on how you look at it. In 2020-2025 Curaçao saved 41 million guilders on government housing expenses; that's 21,5%. Where all that money went instead?
Better not ask. Also don't wonder how it was saved, perchance partly on maintenance?
2025-10-01

Sorry, No Details
So I can't tell if the commotion about the Dutch government refusing the CAS proposal at the Ipko conference to adopt their dispute settlement mechanism is reasonable or not. One thing I do know: that those dwarfish island states tend to give themselves a much more important function than they deserve. It was "rejected it in favor of a framework that the islands cannot accept."
That Holland could not accept the CAS framework carries no weight, of course.
2025-10-01

Oho
Minister Silly Vain wants to end the present agreement with the (very modest) Curaçao Zoo because the management is bad, so out with 'em! Animals are not fed enough, for one thing.
But the zoo's management strikes back with the remark it's no wonder: they have warned that the subsidy is not sufficient. Which figures.
Would you believe that, ran by the government, the zoo would be better managed then it is now by at least willing and interested people? Neither do I.
2025-10-01

Mi Kas Awor
My House Now: title of a report offered by FKP social housing to the government. A structural reform of social house planning. They swear it will pay for itself, plus open over 30,000 jobs and an end to rent subsidies.
I can't say and don't know more but hope it's correct, and in that case that it will be followed up.
2025-10-01

That's Reasonable!
Sure. If you can't reason. curaçao.nu writes that there's no real autonomy in the kingdom as long as we here can't vote in Dutch elections.
Imagine the indignant screams if, in turn, the Dutch got a voice in our elections!
2025-10-01

Will this Stop Him?
We know it won't. Here are global warming propagandist Michael Mann's hurricane predictions, and how they turned out:

Year	Predicted Storms	±	Actual	Off by
2024	33	4.0	18	-15
2023	15.9	4.0	20	+4
2022	14.9	3.8	14	got lucky there
2021	11.9	3.4	21	+9
2020	19.8	3.4	30	+10
2019	10.9	3.2	18	+8
2018	10.2	3.2	15	+5
2017	15.3	3.9	21	+6
2015	6.9	2.6	11	+4
2014	9.3	3.0	6	-3

But if you think Michael learned from this, you're wrong.
Sorry, no info on 2016.
2025-10-01

You Said a Mouthful, Prof
At the IPKO kingdom conference, professor Oostindie insists on strengthening the islands' position as members of the kingdom, in view of the troubling geopolitical developments. We're very vulnerable, even though compared to other Caribbean islands we're "beacons of rest and legal rules" which Oostindie largely credits on of our "non-sovereign status and the geopolitical, miltary, economic and judicial protection the kingdom offers."
Oostindie, even without a trema? His very name is colonial.
And so much for those screamers who still want complete independence, after all those referenda where the people voted otherwise.
2025-09-30

Promises
The government promises a decision on the AOV raise will be taken before 2026. It won't be more than 23%, how nice to hear (/sarcasm). But first, SVB social insurance must make the necessary calculations to see if the 91 million per year can be found.
Translation: if there's no money, even that meager raise won't come.
2025-09-30

Cool Clear Water
In Israel, the level of Galilee Lake (that's the one Jesus walked on according to the bible) became so low that it crossed a Red Line. So Israel has started to pump sea water from the Mediterranean into it, distilled so no longer salty, but fresh.
At the rate of 5000 cubic meters per hour.
Aqualectra's 2026 total water production will be some 50,000 cubic meters per day or about 2000/hour. Just saying. Because, while Israel has enormous gas fields, most electricity is generated "from coal- and oil-burning thermal stations."
Just like here? No... Aqualectra prefers unstable green sources.
2025-09-29

We're Not Surprised. Only, Huh?
Compared to Holland, between 2012 and 2022 there were 25 times as many people murdered in Curaçao: 17.6 per 100,000 inhabitants (per year). Which is by far the worst of all 6 islands. St. Maarten has had 11, Aruba 4.1 and Saba (imagine) 5. The others do slightly better but had at least 2.8 of 'em, compared to 0.7 in Holland.
Weirdly, the accompanying image in curaçao.nu shows St. Maarten as the top killer with 17.6, with Curaçao "only" 11. Take your pick.
Top is Jamaica with over 50, closely followed by South Africa: over 40. We're getting there. Surely and much too fast, as well.
2025-09-28

Kick Them Out!? Not So Fast
Miguel Goede points to the wave of civil servants fired after the elections. This happens every time, he says. Maybe so, I wouldn't know but do have the idea he's right. He mentions fire dept's and ambulance services' bosses who recently flew out, as far as I can see just like that.
To me, every one out is good—if only they weren't replaced at once by more of them.
Goede reminds us that this leads to a culture of fear in the government apparatus; yet another sign that our democracy isn't healthy.
2025-09-28

Better Believe It
Mudbelly Cooper denies that Aqualectra connects water and electricity to illegal structures. This came from reports originating in his own VVRP ministry. It's supposed to be contrary to agreements between Aqualectra and VVRP.
Well, whatever. I'm quite prepared to believe they do. Especially when I read, "discussions are ongoing in a spirit of constructive cooperation."
2025-09-28

Go Ahead, It's Only Money
PM Prick Pias is in Washington. His agenda is full, we're told. Good, keeps him from committing crimes foolishness? Let's hope so; all we can do. One thing is, he announced appointing a plenipotentiary minister in Washington. Like we have in the Hague, Holland. From which post the last ten years, or maybe even longer, nothing but bad news has been forthcoming.
A waste of good money. Who cares? We're rolling in dough, thanks to those Dutch loans.
2025-09-27

That's Off, Too
There's still hope. For us, I mean. The California $247 million Humboldt project has been canceled. It was supposed to have wind generators in the deep sea, mounted not on anchored football-size floats but on another, also never tried out system. But Trump withdrew federal support, and now it's Gone With the Wind.
So if we they want to go on with a similar project here, they'll have to figure out how to, themselves. Which will cost US extra.
Happy Sunday!
2025-09-27

IPKO Feast
The Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation is full of it. MP Brownbill complains that the kingdom doesn't respect the autonomy of the islands. As long as the kingdom keeps paying the bills, that's easy to follow. Brownbill also thinks Cft financial supervision makes conditions much too stringent for Dutch loans to Curaçao.
Then, the new gambling regulations of the LOK law get a wary eye. "Provisional licenses issued under the old regime have been extended until at least December 2025, raising concerns about whether Curaçao's gambling industry can truly shake off its controversial past" writes Curaçao Chronicle, and also "The European Union and the Netherlands have long criticized Curaçao for allowing thousands of offshore betting sites to operate with limited supervision."
And there you have it. What has been going on after LOK was adopted is not a confidence builder at all. Complaints keep pouring in from many countries.
2025-09-27

More and Still More
The number of hotel rooms grows in a frighteningly sickening tempo. Since 2017, 4000 have been added, bringing this year's expected total to 10,539, growing to 14,627 in 2027.
Which means it will almost have doubled in 10 years' time.
2025-09-27

Keep It Down
CBS statistics says about the still-delayed AOV, that the yearly adapting to the GPD necessarily results in delays as it takes 2 years to get the facts in a row. They advise adapting it to inflation instead (my idea).
The Jackson Tax Person's idea of cutting out people who have other income sources isn't well received at all. Jackson also advises an increase of 23% instead of 20%; how generous! It would still mean an AOV much below that of all the other Dutch Caribbean islands.
2025-09-27

Another One
At a traffic control, a driver was found to have a fake drivers' license. He's not the first one, and surely not the last one. How many?
Those things are in fact not much more expensive than a real license. Unless you count the driving lessons.
2025-09-26

It's He Who Said It
The idea to raise a statue for ex-PM PNP Maria-Liberia Pieters, which PNP MP Osepa seems to like, reminded me of the comment by my now deceased neighbor: "Mahos e ta!" [she's ugly!]. He certainly had a point. Makes you grope in vain for the attraction of having such a statue.
2025-09-26

Lock 'Em Up!
The electoral council has referred 30 candidates to the public prosecutor, as they stubbornly refuse filing legally required donation reports, risking fines of up to 10,000 guilders or prison sentences of up to three months.
I'm sure they have very good reasons not to comply.
10,000 guilders? Peanuts after all. For them. But those 3 months...
2025-09-26

God Made Wind More Expensive
That must be the reason for electricity tariffs going (slightly) up next month, after having gone down for several months.
Oh no, car fuel and gas are going up as well. So it must be the oil price after all.
Perish the thought: it may even be those newly installed backup batteries?
2025-09-26

Hypocrites
Curaçao wants a marine reservation for big mammals; like whales and dolphins.
This while we still have a Dolfinarium, where those mammals are held captive, against international agreements.
"Only marks on paper."
2025-09-26

#WeToo!
Just giving you a headline, 'coz that's all that needs to be said: "Legendary Economist Art Laffer Tells Nigel Farage Britain Needs a Tax Cut."
And here, finance minister Sylvania needs a hair cut—just kidding.
2025-09-25

Now That
One proposal now is to stop AOV for those who have an income of over 6000 guilders/month. Sounds reasonable?
No, only an excuse to save some money.
Fact is, those same people had and have to pay their premium anyway. Stopping their AOV now would only prove once again what was clear all the time: it's no more than a Ponzi scheme. If those premiums had been invested and AOV paid out from the returns, there would be no problem at all. In fact, payments would be much higher than they are now.
All Ponzi schemes eventually come to a fall.
The good news, as much as it is, Pias proposes 23% more AOV next year. Which still is far below what other Dutch Caribbean islands, "independent" or not, pay.
2025-09-25

So? Stop It.
If you can, that is. Legal prof at UoC Goudappel tells us that the blowing up of drug transporting boats by the USA is illegal and an act of war. Oops... exactly what Maduro says. In fact, a war crime, she says.
Too bad she adds some nonsense, like she doubts this happened in international waters (admitting in the same breath she doesn't know where) and that small boats can't make the crossing to the USA.
Which begs the question, "Where, then, are they going to?" Or rather, "were".
2025-09-25

Rolling Killers
On 2 roads, in the course of 3 hours, police stopped 63 trucks fining 52 of them, transporting sand, gravel, and bulky waste. "Offenses ranged from invalid paperwork and unpaid road taxes to missing license plates and failure to use proper tarpaulins to secure loads" reports Curaçao Chronicle, followed by the sinister statement "Two vehicles were in such poor condition that they were escorted by police to the Department of Public Works."
2025-09-25

You Don't Say!
Dutch Royal Navy commander warns that the islands are vulnerable to Venezuelan aggression. Thanks man, we hadn't noticed. Du merkst aber auch alles, to show off my German language skills. He wants Den Haag to react swiftly,by investing in additional patrol vessels, stronger air support, and modern equipment to strengthen deterrence. Plus diplomacy and making clear to Maduro that aggression against the ABC islands is not accepted.
Si vis pacem, para bellum, to show off my meager knowledge of Latin: If you want peace, prepare for war.
2025-09-25

Believe It or Don't!
An article in Amigoe on how the world's cacao production surplus next year is estimated to be 186,000 tons; twice more than this year's. After several years of disappointing harvests, stocks are back where they were before then.
And not a word about how invariably Global Warming was blamed for those disappointing years. Just maybe because the last two years, like almost all ten or twenty years (I lost count) before 'em, were said to be the hottest ever?
2025-09-24

That's Easy to Believe
PNP MP Osepa asks parliament head for better control of the vragenuurtje [questioning time]. His complaint is PM Hairy Prick takes up almost all time with his blabbering, so MPs don't get a chance to ask questions.
2025-09-24

Don't Scare the Tourists!
A female corpse was found in the water near the Mega Pier, where tourist ships are wont to moor. It was pretty far gone, so after the Fire Dept had removed it from the sea the police found she was dead.
2025-09-24

One Gone, Next, Please?
No Limit Soldiers' leader "Nuto" Wawoe got a life sentence after a heavily protected court session in Holland. For the murder of his GF and several more. He was found guilty because of PGP-messages, which after all turned out not to be that private. He also was co-guilty in smuggling 340 kilos of drugs. But there was no satisfactory proof for his involvement in the infamous 2014 shooting spray at Hato airport.
Still, good riddance to bad rubbish. Until he gets turned loose again. After 20 years or so.
Defence lawyer appealed.
2025-09-24

No Conscience
Two Curazoleños have been arrested for being involved in smuggling 22 migrants to Curaçao, when their boat capsized and 12 of them drowned; one died later ashore. None of them had life jackets. Earlier this year, two Venezuelans had been arrested already.
They have been charged with human smuggling and drugs, not manslaughter. More arrests may follow.
Starts looking like smuggling people is a business as well as smuggling drugs. Or gold. I'm sure it pays well, too. So they can't afford life jackets?
Those things do take up space in a cramped boat, that's true. And that means a smaller payload.
2025-09-23

That's Extremely Fine with Me
This is the Week of Sign Language, says the Foundation for Auditive Handicapped. Emphasis is on other ways to help them as well: lip reading, communication in writing (and reading is a good guess) and the use of supporting technologies. Like hearing aids, one presumes. All because September 28 is the World Day of the Deafs.
I'm all for it. If now the loud music all around us could be toned down a bit? We non-deafs can hear it anyway.
2025-09-22

Now We're Told
Told by Omayra Leeflang in curaçao.nu: Now retiring governor Lucille Wout prevented a 2017 coup d'état by refusing to sign a proposal by M*F*K PM Prick Pias, 3 days after his installment, to annul the 2017 elections.
Interestingly, Dutch kingdom relations minister Plaskerk characterized her not-signing at the time as a coup, while it was the other way 'round.
At any rate, it didn't help one bit: M*F*K has grabbed all power since then. Elections and all.
2025-09-22

But How?
As the Meteo predicts "extreme heat and humidity" (to which we've grown used by now) education minister warns all schools that they must take measures to guarantee safety and health of pupils. How, he doesn't explain. Not that he could.
Airco, by any chance?! Which has not been installed, yet; and may never will be.
2025-09-22

Let Us Pray
Minister Silly Vain knows better than the Fire Dept. He says that the just renovated tax office is "almost" completely fire-safe and meets the requirements on "almost" all points.
The fire dept's report is outdated as the problems mention in there have been tackled. He says.
2025-09-22

That's Plain Crazy Talk
Activist Sheedia Jansen, participating in a a Wintertuin Curaçao Festival (what winter? that's crazy already) project in Kurá Hulanda tells us that "the" houses in Otrabanda [and in Punda? at any rate, not all of them], even the governor's palace [true] and the bridges have all been built by slaves and we should remember that.
Fair enough, but no cigar. What bridges? Emmabrug dates from 1888, while all slaves were emancipated in 1863. Wilhelminabridge, 1928. Julianabridge, 1974. Amaliabridge, 2016. Come on, don't feed us stupid lies.
Possibly, the long since disappeared bridges over Rifwater called Korta orea [Papiamentu slang voor adultery] and Pasa kontrami ["come meet me"] were built by slaves; but I doubt even that.
2025-09-20

Not So
To be clear: Otium may have the right to produce electricity, but can't sell it. That remains Aqualectra's monopoly.
Nice huh?
2025-09-20

So Do It
Maybe, just maybe, then the medical specialists will stay. Soab accounting figures that raising their salaries is "reasonably necessary." Maximum salary would go up from 386,000 (what our nitwit PM makes) to 501,000 guilders/year.
If that's good enough? I have no idea.
2025-09-20

Spare Us. Go Away.
Curaçao Chronicle has gone out of its mind? It publishes an article by Chinese Consul Zhang Kaibin trying to sell us Communist dictator Xi Jinping's proposal to come to a Global Government.
He'd like that, in his megalomania. I would not.
2025-09-20

Aw Shut Up—Please?
M*F*K PM Prick Pias shows us once again how smart he is (we knew that already, though). He remarks on the recent USA attacks on Venezuelan smugglers, where two were just blown out of the water, and goes on about the FOL-base agreement. Which has absolutely nothing to do with it. "All parties should keep to the deal" he says (look who's talking). Then, he's absolutely impotent there (as well); it's an agreement between the Mighty Kingdom and the USA.
And finally, he says that the contract should be renewed. No worries, you Hairy Prick: it will be.
2025-09-19

Once Again
PAR starts talking about how necessary it is to raise AOV. They want to give refugees and other illegals temporary working permits so they'll pay taxes and premiums.
They should think of what happened in Europe after the same delusion was adopted there.
Then, PAR says AOV should be raised in 2026, as stipulated in the budget (don't make me laugh). This while it has been broadly confirmed that it should have been raised (or at least adapted to the GDP) every year since 2013.
2025-09-19

No Venezuelans
Kustwacht/coastguard has intercepted a boat with 230 kilos of cocaine on board. It was a local fishing boat on its way to Klein Curaçao, trying to make an extra if dishonest buck. Several extra bucks, I'm sure.
2025-09-19

What Reward?
Director Jeroen Leinders of the gigantic 2013 flop Tula: the Revolt has expired, so curaçao.nu lets us know. It adds it was an award-winning movie, without mentioning what reward(s) it won. Which, having received literally hundreds of no-good rewards myself, makes me curious.
2025-09-19

Must Be a Joke
Amigoe's headline: "Aqualectra must promote end product better." That's what M*F*K PM Prick Pias said. What end product? The repeating blackouts? Pias had no respect for ex-director Casperson's comments that the utility's explanation was unsatisfactory. As if that nitwit Pias knew more about it than Casperson, except for the lies Aqualectra told him.
Pias promised the report on the root cause will be published, and also said the battery backup system has been tested and will be switched on soon.
What a relief! /sarcasm
2025-09-18

Talk about Flaky
The Warmist/Greenies are now all over themselves because at last, after all, there may be an actual hurricane, Gabrielle, this season, which was predicted to be above average. But in fact it will not hit any coast: only Bermuda may be hit by some not even storm-strength winds.
What a disappointment for them. They were almost salivating at the prospect of death and destruction, caused by their favorite superstition: Global Warming Climate Change. What's wrong with these people?
Until now, with only 6 named storms we've had only 30-40% of the typical yearly average of 75-100 storms. [I make that even less, just 8% at the most; but the season ain't over yet.] Only Erin got to grow into a hurricane, and didn't touch land either.
Sure, more hurricanes may yet come this season. Don't look forward to it. Hell on Earth.
2025-09-18

What?
I surely hope I don't rightly understand the CBCS central bank's proposal to introduce an "e-wallet"; the way it's described it would enable high-risk enterprises, forced to work with lots of cash, to use bank services anyway via computer or smart phone. Specifically mentioned are riferos, sellers of lottery tickets, who now can't use a bank account. It's supposed to do away with money laundering problems.
Just wait for the surprise CBCS may get there.
2025-09-18

Wising Up
Even the government! According to an Antilliaans Dagblad analysis, the 2026 budget (for whatever that's worth) only mentions the word "refinery" twice: once to state that with Curoil we're dependent on international oil prices, and once to inform us that future refinery activities will be minimal.
Instead, there's a strong emphasis on our harbors. If that will succeed? Main possibilities mentioned are ships' maintenance, a small vessel terminal and (there comes the rub) more efficient harbor services.
No doubt the unions will protest that till their last breath.
2025-09-18

Best of Luck, Otium
Otium, at Coral Estate, wants to start a giant solar-panel installation and has just had the go-ahead from court to apply for a new permit. They want to deliver power there to their customers via Aqualectra utility's network. If the minister licenses them, Aqualectra is obliged to acccept that.
Which might mean there's more power produced in total than Aqualectra needs. For which a solution will have to be found. More batteries? Perish the thought.
Why Otium would opt for solar panels instead of nuclear is anybody's guess.
2025-09-18

We Knew
Consumers' Club has amazing news: post-service is deplorable for many businesses. They like to sell, but when there's a problem, you figure it out yourself. Spare parts? Just not in stock.
I know there are exceptions, where I'm a gratefully faithful returning customer. Otherwise, I prefer to order from the USA or other countries (and forget about service, so?) Often, all in all that turns out even cheaper.
2025-09-18

Good for Business
Colombia is producing more and more cocaine; 1/3rd more in 2023 than in 2022. In fact, maybe even half more. We relish our cut transporting it to Europe, a ready market.
Having that "idiot" Trump blowing those boats out of the water understandably makes narco-dictator king Maduro fume and foam at the mouth.
Impotently.
Really, I keep reading Trump described like that. The old TDS Trump Derangement Syndrome is still firing on all V8 cylinders.
2025-09-17

What's the Difference?
Vanishingly small: Gambling houses BC.Game's parent company, Small House B.V., and online casino group Rabidi N.V. licenses have been revoked, says CGA gambling authority, but the problems with their status are said to have been resolved. But on the Enforcement Register both are still listed as marked "Revoked".
I bet they still operate anyway.
2025-09-17

You May Well Ask
But as for answers, forget it! Because nobody knows what the unions want to know: how is the situation with Oryx oil, supposed to take over RdK activities?
Global Oil nor Vigor give out any information. Small wonder, is my feeling. They are tentatively moving around trying to get their shows on the road.
At least the unions are realistic (by now) and advise their members to look for jobs elsewhere. Which further diminishes the chances for Isla to get back on its feet.
2025-09-17

Look Who's Talking
The financial management of the ambulance service FKAK is no good, says finance minister Silly Vain."Budgets have not been accorded in time in all years," he says.
That's endemic, Silly. Just look at your own country budgets: they have never been accorded in any year, as far as I remember.
2025-09-17

Looks Easy
But it's not. It's hard! "The Island wants to become still cleaner" is the curaçao.nu headline. "Still" (huh?) cleaner looks like the easy part, as it's downright filthy now.
Four trash bins will be placed on divers locations, in the action Di bo, Pa bu, Ku bo [yours, for you and with you], from September 21 to December 7, in weekends from 08:00-17:00. Separate collection for recycling.
Now comes the hard part: get the people to throw all their trash in there.
2025-09-17

Dealings and Wheelings
M*F*K PM Prick Pias has had a palaver with the management of CGA Curaçao Gaming Authority, to discuss the latest development. "He stressed that effective regulation is essential to safeguarding the interests of both the community and the economy of Curaçao."
Sure. You really should have a look at the smug faces of the (I suppose) CGA members, as seen in Curaçao Chronicle.
2025-09-16

What a Mess!
The court got a headache looking at the conflict between Ballast Nedam, the builders of CMC hospital and HNO, as the hospital was then called. It started with moving the location to Otrabanda, which caused enormous delays and many millions of cost. Court now, after Dispute Adjucation Board was put off-site back in 2013, wants a real expert to try and find out what has been going on.
What I privately hope is that the politicians' role in the stinking affair will get in the limelight. Hope on...
2025-09-16

high time for a quote:
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it
ascribed to Voltaire, but actually by Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Just what are those who call themselves Antifa?
Nazi fascist Braunhemde!

Izzatso? Not here!
In Holland, 11% of AOV-recipients live in poverty. That is to say, of those over 90 years old.
Here, you don't have to be that old. Most live in poverty right away when they're on AOV.
And 30% live in poverty before they reach that age.
2025-09-15

It Needs Saying, But...
... those C***-Post Community boxes are not just a pest: they're still just illegal. The Post is still obliged to deliver mail at the addres of the adressee, notwithstanding an illegally adopted contradictory article of law, which is not valid.
But who cares? Not the government—which has all power.
2025-09-15

Let's Hope So
CMC hospital's new director de Graaf has confidence in its financial future. He says that minister Silly Vain has concrete plans to deal with the hospital's debts and overdue investments.
De Graaf in the past was Navy doctor here and has been in Curaçao now for five months, but his talk is much more optimistic than er... my way of thinking.
2025-09-15

Crooks. Scoundrels. Thieves.
Our government, in this case. RvA advisory council wonders why the sales receipts of bordello Campo Alegre and Landhuis Groot Santa Martha do not appear in the 2026 budget breakdown.
I really couldn't say, but suspect it went into other pockets than the country's.
The money was supposed to go into the Crime Control Fund. But wait: it gets better.
About $50 million out of illegal gambling profits transferred out of the country and confiscated by the USA are not mentioned. All that loot just made its way to the treasure in Ali Baba's Cave. And on from there...
2025-09-15

Do Tell
"Thanks to" tourism, the economy of Curaçao keep growing, but social cohesion keeps crumbling while corruption grows, and police and justice lack the structural capacity to maintain the rule of law. So warns the Think To Do Institute (T2DI) in its Fragile State Report 2025.
Just in: tourism grew another 4% compared to August 2024. Just saying.
2025-09-15

Oh those Norwegians
So it's a Norwegian insurance company that helps out those fraudulent fake-flag tankers transporting sanctioned oil to Russia under our flag. Is the insurance total fake as well? Will they pay out if anything happens? No idea...
Nor do I care. Except that Norway by now looks as totally lost to civilization as almost all of Europe.
2025-09-15

Welcome to the Club
St. Maarten is financially blacklisted, so people and businesses there can't use payment services like PayPal (there are more.
Well, we here can use them for payments, but it's impossible to receive money via PayPal. Because our finance minister requested PayPal to block them, and PayPal complied.
Do I need to tell you I resent this attitude? Here I'm sitting with lots of DVDs and books which I can only sell if the buyer pays by bank transfer; which is a very expensive hobby. Ergo, no business resulting.
Thanks, Silly Vain. Please go to hell.
2025-09-15

Of Course Not!
The government doesn't think that, because of the higher salaries for the soiled rats, private businesses have to raise salaries as well. But RvA advisory council thinks differently.
Not so, says the government: the spoiled brats earned less than on other islands, so they must get more as well. Right?
2025-09-13

We're Famous!
Curaçao is nr. 6 (from the top) in the world of abused flag states. All tankers (twenty of them) sailing under Curaçao flag do so fraudulently. Mostly, they transport sanctioned Iranian oil and it's no surprise that "some" have ties to terrorism.
Worst? We don't make an honest nickel out of them.
2025-09-13

Disgrace
So now that the Tax building has been renovated for millions of money after years ago somebody tried to burn it down, the fire chief advises not to use it because it "the building does not meet several essential fire safety standards."
Too late; it has been reopened on August 22. As for now, Fire Chief Tromp's report has not been published.
Next, now the government wants to fire Tromp. He's got it coming!
2025-09-13

Hear Me, Aqualectra?
A bill proposed in Ohio would enable the utilities to limit consumers' demand when power is scarce. There's your solution! Just cut us off and presto! no more blackouts. Just beurtkrag.
As long as this Ohio condition is skipped: "customers could override any changes." That's not fair!
2025-09-12

"Where Are the Storms?"
Is what the Washington Post asks us, and itself. Good question, because "it's the tip of the Atlantic hurricane season"—with hardly any storms. But now, after decades of telling us that warm oceans inevitably resulted in more hurricanes, they try to explain that it may be "the exact opposite."
2025-09-12

Don't Get Ill
Ambulance workers have gone on strike: they want better management and more ambulances. In talks with PM Prick Pias he at least said he understood their concerns.
If he cared is another question.
2025-09-12

Economic Support
CGA gaming authority is checking on the license system for the gambling mafia the idea is to have them support the local economy. This will be achieved by having them represented by 1 (one) person actually living on the island. After 5 years, that number will become 3, and also, the gang must own real estate in Curaçao including an office used exclusively for gambling-related activities.
How much tax they'll pay on their dealings is not mentioned, but not worth talking about anyway.
There are more regulations, sure. Mafiosi's opinions will be listened to.
2025-09-12

That's Good, Too
Some people didn't get any water supply for 17 hours. In a very well-off neighborhood too. Aqualectra said, they had to look for the broken spot in a pipe, but without damaging other things.
2025-09-12

Wait for It
In Berlin, a blackout left 42000 households and 3000 business without power. Caused by sabotage of two crucial high-voltage pylons, set to burn with the help of some gasoline.
With all those Venezuelan refugees, it could happen here as well. It would be extremely amateurish for Maduro not to try and smuggle in a few, er, sympathetic characters among the flood. Not to mention those already living here, even among the YdK Curazoleños.
You may well call Maduro an amateur; I come back with "Not in all respects."
2025-09-11

There Comes the Crunch
Cft financial supervision warns that the 2026 budget (pshaw! for what it's worth) shows a surplus of 5 million guilders, but that this may easily turn into a deficit.
You don't wanna bet me it won't? You're smarter than PM Prick Pias; not that it's hard.
Government costs will go up with 150 million; which makes a total of 300 million since 2023.
2025-09-11

Can't Be True
Plans to implement a tourist tax, with revenues going to environmental protection, tourism development, and an increase in pensions. Not just pensions, the AOV pensions!
If it will be enough is another question.
2025-09-11

What a Treat
The Hato airport metal airport bridges will be replaced by ones with glass walls, so the passengers "can enjoy Curaçao's natural beauty"; so we read. What they will get to see is the tarmac with other planes, plus a taxiway with behind it the runway, and far behind that a glimpse of the sea. Sure beats the Mona Lisa.
But the new bridges will get air conditioning, which certainly is a welcome improvement.
Oh, for the good old days when you deboarded on stairs and on leaving the plane, was hit by the hot humid Curaçao smell. Back home!
2025-09-10

"At this Moment"
There's little hope for (ex) workers of Isla refinery at this time, so says the central union's boss.
There was little hope all the time, only those responsible preferred not to say so.
2025-09-10

Investments, Huh
Yeah, in the country of Curaçao, says the 2026 budget explanation. Meant: structural improvements in government finance (translation: more is better); sustainable growth (more windmills and hydrogen); debt repayment (about time, when and especially if); and creating more budget space by higher tax income (so they can spend more).
2025-09-10

Dushi Hende
CMC hospital has stepped up security measures as those "sweet people" of ours get more and more aggressive against hospital staff. Not only verbally, but even death threats.
2025-09-10

"Local Concerns" - You Bet
Now Sweden has prohibited two Curaçao-based operators, Bitx Operations NV and Ryker BV, who target Swedish players without a license. It's endemic... a habit... "European regulators have increasingly questioned whether Curaçao's license holders comply with international standards on responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, and consumer protection" to quote Curaçao Chronicle; also saying [Curaçao's] "reputation as a trustworthy licensing jurisdiction is at stake."
What trustworthy reputation? It's just one case after the other.
2025-09-10

Out of Our Hands
Good. Who said, colonialism? The Dutch government will take action on the false-flag tankers transporting sanctioned oil to Russia, China, Iran and other nasty countries. So "we" here can go on bullying our own people, which is one thing the Fort Amsterdam robbers can.
2025-09-10

Everybody Knew All the Time
FpK consumers' union reports that there exists "enormous dissatisfaction" among the people, forced much against their will and without having been asked, to pick up their mail at the "community mail boxes".
For one thing, the mail gets wet because there's no roof; or the roof above them is leaking.
Not a word about what I seem to remember is the law which still obliges C***-Post to deliver the mail at your home. "Only marks on paper."
2025-09-10

Sounds Good
CHATA hotel/tourism club will not blindly follow the recommendations of CTB tourism bureau, that advises to count with not only roads (bad, over full and no solution in sight), but also airport (at max. capacity already), sewers and infrastructure (like, power supply?). They know better and will go on taking risks. Blindly.
As always, damn the torpedoes and icebergs! Block the safety valve!
2025-09-10

Don't Give Us that Sh*t. Please.
Aqualectra now says that the wind problem was not the cause of the last blackout. Even if it was the "direct trigger."
They're still working on what was the cause, then; and will tell us about it, later. As if it helps us.
After those batteries have been installed, end next month, we're all set. They say.
Reason why they put in more wind generators without backup batteries, power consumption was growing and growing. Oh.
2025-09-10

Some of Us Knew
The USA action to stop drug smugglers operating from narco-terrorist state Venezuela is, not only to stop deadly drugs reaching the USA-addicts, but for a very important part, meant to stop the drug money profits financing Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations.
How all this came to be is explained here. For what it's worth, ex-president Obama played an important if not vital role in setting up that network.
And "Trump is cleaning it up." No wonder Maduro has to try and stop it with all he has (not very much): it spells his end, no matter how.
2025-09-09

Soitainly Seems So
"Democracy isn't easy" says parliament head Brown. Who could deny it? And he's the living proof.
2025-09-09

Idea
curaçao.nu tells us that Trona ought to shut up and have his gang of nitwit crooks (my characterization) audited first before he starts firing back at OM and minister Silly Vain. Good point. If Trona will do so? He'll try to get out from under there with all his might.
2025-09-09

Who Needs them, Anyway
Half of the 16 "workers" at Curaçaohuis/Kas di Kòrsow in the Hague is at home, enjoying their salary without having to go to work. That at least is an improvement, used to be 10.
2025-09-09

How & What
The Association of Dutch Caribbean Economists worries about the welfare system. Something must be done to keep it working, they say. No doubt.
Too bad the media don't tell us their suggestions; if any, that is.
Our aging population is nr. 3 in the world after Monaco and Japan.
curaçao.nu thinks 58 points out 100 for our AOV "system" is not bad, "almost positive." That's in the eye of the beholder, I fear.
2025-09-09

Take Care
Aqualectra is starting to test its BESS battery backup system. A few blackouts are to be expected, says the company who declares Curaçao now is a "Regional leader in renewable energy."
Which they showed us several times.
2025-09-09

Priorities
MEO economic development is presenting AI tools meant to improve efficiency. Hope for the best... But first, private business gets the introduction; government will follow. As always, if it comes that far.
2025-09-08

Steigerung des Konflikts
As German dramatists say when they mean, "things are hotting up." The USA has now sent ten F35s to Puerto Rico, since Venezuela's Maduro was foolish enough to show off his meager biceps by having some of his jet fleet fly over an American man-of-war.
Next, there's talk of attacking narcotic centers inside Venezuela. But a very good guess is, not by an invasion.
Don't start hoarding yet, is what I advise.
2025-09-08

Trona's Mad
Angry. I mean. I'm no loony doctor, so can't judge about his psychological capabilities (even if, as in many other cases, I have my suspicions). OM public ministry has had to retract earlier communications, in which the Tax Dept. which Trona heads was accused of er... continuing malversations. But Trona hit back, quoting the law which says that OM is not permitted to publish statements on how the Ontvanger/receiver makes payment arrangements.
Whoever put that in law, you ask? Good question!
2025-09-08

Little Not a Chance
Amigoe slyly remarks for starters that since the 2020 independence not one single yearly country account has been accepted by ARC audit office. So it's nothing new that the 2026 one isn't accorded either.
Asks Amigoe, what's next? Just go on as we were. Don't Stop the Carnival!
2025-09-06

Discussions
We're good at that but never seem to arrive at results. Now it's Papiamentu versus Dutch at school. It's better to have the pupils learn to handle Papiamentu first before they start struggling with Dutch. Figures. On the other hand, there will never be enough Papiamentu teaching materials; and the Dutch ones don't make it either, for us here.
50% of each seems the best to some experts. Can't help it, but the best way to learn a language is "total immersion" as the Fraters and Soeurs used to practice. But I'm no expert, nor do I wish to be one in this booby-trap-filled subject.
I definitely get the impression that those subjected to the old-fashioned teaching handle both languages better.
2025-09-06

Things Keep a'Changing
Now it seems that in California there are plans to develop a new type of floating wind generators, for deep sea locations. They are original in that sense that they are not mounted on a football-field sized float, but rather on 3 cylinders anchored under water.
Good news for Ramon Chong? Not so fast... If there's something in it, we'll have to see. Things look bad for the California plans; unless governor Newsom gets his wish and Danish windmill Ørstedt will keep afloat.
Here's more (paywalled).
2025-09-06

Oops... Well, that's Better
Antilliaans Dagblad made a small mistake when they reported that tax abuses are still going on. Turns out, two paragraphs in OM public ministry's letter had fallen away, which caused their error.
But hold it, Trona may still be in the wrong. Time will tell?
2025-09-06

Watch It...
If Trump finds out, holó! 16 ships are still registered under the AUA flag, 17 under SXM's flag and 26 under CUR's. They run a serious risk of being blown to bits: they carry sanctioned oil for Russia.
We read that AUA nor SXM have a flag (blow me down) but CUR authorities don't know anything about it. Well, they don't know much anyway.
In fact, AUA and SXM don't have any shipping flag registry, while CUR does.
2025-09-06

Good Hunting!
HMS Amstel is on its way to fill the gap between Friesland's departure and Groningen's delayed arrival.
Feeling better protected now?
2025-09-06

Smart, Middelhof
The minister explores importing fruit and veggies from Santo Domingo. Like, pumpkins?
But anyway, much more realistic than relying on local supplies.
2025-09-06

It's Humane and It Pays
So that's why there's this sudden rush to act humanly and recognize that even refugees have rights! Finance minister Silly Vain explains that the island misses out on 126 million guilders per year on taxes and premiums.
2025-09-05

A Riddle
The Meteo Dept has presented Bolo Mudbelly with a report on the future risks Climate Change will bring to Curaçao. It predicts higher temps, stronger cyclones, more frequent and intensive rainfall and at the same time, more drought, longer heat waves and a raising sea level.
What all that is based on, except on long since debunked dire auguries by Al Gore, who got filthy rich in the process, is anybody's guess.
2025-09-05

We're Dying as Well
"'Naples Is Dead': How Overtourism Is Hollowing Out Italian Cities" is the headline. As an architect comments, "Those streets aren't neighborhoods anymore. There are no Neapolitans left, no real life left. They've become playgrounds, open-air shopping malls."
Let's join Napoli as fast as possible!
2025-09-04

Belongs Together
PAR warns that Scharloo and Fleur de Marie are becoming crime centers: drug trafficking, human trafficking, burglary, prostitution, and violence. All one package.
Small wonder the government still seems to consider reopening bordello Campo Alegre, to concentrate all those activities there. Just like in the past.
2025-09-04

'Splaining
Aqualectra explains what caused last week's black-out: a sudden drop in wind velocity which unbalanced the whole net, and there we went. (That's the same reason rank amateurs came up with in the first place.) They're now building a 40MW plant plus the announced battery station. How much that's gonna cost, we still don't know.
Aqualectra is investigating with international experts. Just like last time. At least, they apologize. They say September is one of the hottest months, adding to the problem because of high power consumption. Only, it was in August, just saying. But hot it was, yes.
135 damage claims were turned in, which is ridiculously little.
2025-09-04

Follows
CMC hospital has problems with a personnel shortage; small wonder. Surgeries are delayed, but that's only part of it. That is hoped to be solved in a month from now.
2025-09-04

Found His Place
An unnamed guy who's on the FBI-list for corruption where over $6m in bribes was paid to Nigeria, is now in action at the refinery. He may be associated with VIGOR; we shouldn't wonder.
2025-09-04

How Fine
The Tax office has saved 35 million guilders because the renovated building was ready much sooner than expected. Great. Certainly beats the idiotic plans to just tear the old building down and build anew, which were abandoned in an all too rare moment of horse sense.
2025-09-04

Yeah, Well...
Hundreds of workers at Bullenbaai oil terminal have been fired stante pede (as from tomorrow) by VIGOR. Because there's no oil coming in from Venezuela. As if there is any oil coming in from there; elsewhere than, illegally avoiding sanctions, in Iran and Communist China.
VIGOR assures us they're just fine, WOW! that's good to know. If only we could believe it.
A guy Tico Vos recently wrote to the Editor (not this one) that we have chased PdVSA away by our attitude, which is news to everybody else.
2025-09-04

Get Rid of that Clown
PlenPot minister in Holland Manuel, I mean. He isn't even funny by any meaning of the word. More problems: two personnel members have been fired, as far as we're told, "just like that." No wonder the others feel intimidated.
And PAR wants to know how Kas di Kòrsow spends its money. As if anybody would or could know.
Don't tell me: it looks like Manuel has the rest of M*F*K in an iron grip. Blackmail? Or they really don't care, there's that.
2025-09-04

Truth Spoken—But
MAN/PIN McWilliam tells finance minister Silly Vain in a letter that there is no reason to start committees and debates on the AOV question,. The pensioners have a right to a raise as stipulated by law and it is up to the government to just pay them. Without unnecessary delays.
With one remark, McWilliam: those debates might, just might, result in the oldies getting more than they now have a right to; which they sorely need.
2025-09-03

Made No Difference
Maybe it did, but still, according to Antilliaans Dagblad deals with the Lax Tax Person are still going on; a recent one is quoted where a pay-off term of 200 (two hundred!) years was agreed on.
Reference is made to Trona, head of the dept., who has declared in the past that nobody could touch him as "they all" had come to him for similar favors. Seems he was right.
2025-09-03

Don't Panic
Holland wants to send deurwaarders [sheriffs] to countries like Malta, Costa Rica and Curaçao to try and collect fines of illegal gambling sites. Since 2021, €56m was fined, but only 1.5m has been collected. "It's often not clear who's hiding behind those sites."
Just go on with you LOK pro anti gambling law, Silly Vain. You're doing fine, it looks like.
Holland feels those illegal sites must be blocked entirely, and we can only agree.
2025-09-03

Great Idea... Depends
If you are an illegal alien undocumented foreigner, it's great. For out-of-work Curazoleños, maybe not so much. PAR wants to give them all a 6 month period of grace in which they can register without fear of expulsion; and M*F*K wants the same (for once). Both think it will strengthen the social funds, which are in danger of getting exhausted.
Word of warning: looks like the same reason why German Merkel started to import people from Islam countries, and look what happened there and elsewhere in Europe. So many of those imports live off social payments, those funds have actually gotten weaker. Not to mention the social disruption.
2025-09-03

You Bet They Are
Child benefits are much higher in the BES islands than here. To be sure. Would be amazing if it was the other way around.
Fitting in with this, ex-minister Leeflang points out what in our Grondwet constitution: Children of poorer families have a right to get transport, food and clothing from the government. Hey Leeflang, do you realize those things cost money? That's why they don't get any, capisce?
Government is also obliged to present a yearly report on the state of education, which hasn't been done in years either.
2025-09-02



It Happened!
Out of 7+6 entrepreneurs who hadn't handed out the desired information to the Tax Person, 3 got a séjours in the calaboose. That'll teach 'em.
2025-09-02

Took Time
As always. APC pension fund is getting ready to open its own bank, by the end of the second quarter. As I remember it, this includes take-over of PSB post savings bank.
2025-09-02

It's their Negoshi
The taxi drivers have started actions to clean up the rubbish dumps you, we and their tourist clients, can easily see all over the island. It's bad for business.
One more proof that if you want something to happen here, you have to do it yourself. Don't wait for the government.
2025-09-02

Ho Hum
Venezuela's illegal president Maduro, leader of the narco-criminal state, said in a rare press meeting that "his" country will not bow to USA pressure. The Dutch have an expression "it's bowing or bursting"—so burst already, Maduro.
Elsewhere, we read that Venezuela doesn't even have enough jet A1 fuel to keep what there is of 1997 Soviet Su-30MK2s fighters in the air for longer than a few hours, plus there are some much older USA (!) F104 Starfighters; the Navy has been reduced to a symbolic flotilla; and as for their tanks, the same sorry story applies.
So let PM Prick Pias worry, it may keep his mind off thinking up more ways to fuck us up.
2025-09-02

Logic
RvA advisory council criticizes the proposed LNT on maximum salaries. They make the very good point, why limit the exception to medical specialists only? There are many more people who deserve making more than our PM.
My translation: get rid of that ridiculous limit once and for all.
2025-09-02

Bringing Down Prices
A thousand kilos of no, not cocaine, pampuna [pumpkins], have been confiscated to protect the local growers. Otherwise, they will remain stuck with their harvest. Because the Venezuelan import is much cheaper, get it? We're told this would be "unfair competition".
So much for the great idea to lower prices by stimulating our own food production.
2025-09-02

Will You Know Please Stop?
"95% of all suitable locations (how you define those I wouldn't know) have shown no statisticlly significant acceleration of the rate of sea-level rise" we read.
Will they now stop throwing away money on that? Don't count on it.
2025-09-02

Guess Who
The tax dept. has been hacked, a ransomware attack. Guess who'll pay if ransom must be paid?
Right! You got it the first time!
2025-09-02

Won't Help One Bit
RAC Regulatory Authority wants Aqualectra to come out and give complete info on causes for that last disruption.
Just like in former cases.
So? RAC claims they have closely observed the developments and reliability of power supply since the former problems. And see where that got us: exactly nowhere.
2025-09-01

Nasty People
Many just don't trust Aqualectra's promises to compensate losses caused by their disastrous black-out. They complain that in earlier cases only small parts of the damage were paid out, and worse: is Aqualectra the correct institute to judge on the damage? "It's like a butcher inspecting his own meat." That no damages resulting from spoiled food and lost working hours are paid for is another complaint.
In all honesty, let's face it: if that were the case, Aqualectra would be bankrupt. Now there's a thought...
2025-09-01

You Don't Want to Know More
Parliament has accorded more foreign trips; if you really want more details, check the media. I refuse to waste my time on spelling it out.
2025-08-30

No Criticism, Oh No!
But PNP MP Osepa does wonder why all statues of Curaçao women show grossly obese enormous bodies of dark-skinned women wearing curlers. (Which was a deplorable habit in public that meanwhile has mostly disappeared.) He doesn't want to criticize it, noooo; that would be too courageous; he only wonders if that is the image of THE Curaçao woman we really want.
Well, I'll come out and say it: NO, that's not my preferred image of Curaçao women.
Osepa would rather see a statue of ex-MP and ex-PM Maria-Liberia Pieters. He must have his reasons, I can only guess.
2025-08-30

Claims
After the black-out, you can now submit a claim with Aqualectra for damages. Don't think you can ask for money to pay for things like spoiled goods and working time lost, though. That would be too nice.
Only electronic equipment that has been damaged can be claimed. And, judging from our past experiences, good luck with that, too.
2025-08-30

They Found Out
CBCS central bank says that "the pension systems in Curaçao and Sint Maarten [...] face serious structural challenges that threaten long-term sustainability." No kidding. We knew it all the time, from our wallets. CBCS advises some measures to be taken.
Now, wait until the governments get to it and "ensure that Curaçao and Sint Maarten's pension systems align with international standards and provide long-term security for retirees."
Maybe after the next elections? Just maybe. It's a theoretical possibility.
2025-08-30

How? We'd All Like That
Chata hotel associations wants guarantees that the black-out disasters will not re-occur. We need "actions and guarantees", we read.
Fuggetit with these guys at the rudderless helm. Even if and when they take action, what can they guarantee?
2025-08-30

Feel Better Now?
The Dutch government is carefully monitoring the situation around Venezuela.
2025-08-30

Watch Dem Bugs
Another illness transmitted by the tiger mosquito/Aedes egypti. Next to yellow fever, dengue and chikungunya (or did I forget one?) we now may also get oropouche, starting in the Amazon area and coming nearer and nearer.
How to avoid it? Same as always: leave no standing water for them to breed in. Will we avoid it? Same as always: no.
2025-08-29

Never!
The driving schools are in an uproar, because there are plans to let people do their exams in an automatic transmission car. Which is realistic, right? But as it's easier as well, the instructors are afraid it will cost 'em clients.
2025-08-29

More Good News
Sorry, I'm not much interested in the stupidly named Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival, so I forgot to mention that it's about to break out, also attracting foreign visitors. Who were disagreeably surprised by the black-out.
Horeca is yelling at the top of its voice (won't help 'em). They're "worried and indignant": losing many thousands of income, and also having their food spoiled in the freezers. Exactly those zones with many hotels (Punda, Jan Thiel and Pietermaai) were the last where power came back; sometimes after 18 hours.
I do have to add here, the fridges and freezers I have in use say they are guaranteed to keep the stuff okay for 24 hours during a power failure. Hope I'll never have to test it.
2025-08-29

What a Botch-up
BC Gaming tries to undo its 2024 Curaçao bankruptcy, and so getting back its gaming license. Player claims are over $2.5 million, so it looks curious when they say cite "limited prospects for recovering the outstanding $2.5 million in player claims and the lack of funds to sustain the bankruptcy trust."
Maybe even better, or worse: Belize denies that licenser registrant TwoCent Technology even exists. If Curaçao allows BC Gaming back under the new LOK licensing system, that will be proof it's not worth much.
2025-08-29

That'll Teach Trump!
Venezuela has deployed several (how many is not said) warships to defend its sacrosanct coast against the USA invasion. Which looks rather imaginary anyway: "No boots on the ground." But it seems the USA is sending two more warships.
The Netherlands have declared it's neutral in the conflict; a cowardly statement as their navy keeps chasing and trying to catch drug transports from Venezuela, which is just what the USA ships are supposed to do as well. And all flights from Hato's CSL (formerly FOL) are done with unarmed aircraft.
2025-08-29

Looks Weak
KEM Martines has had another day in court. He says somebody on SKY used the name "Low the Antillian" just to get him. His lawyers say that information out of the SKY system has been obtained illegally, in an over 100 pages requisitory. (Which is true?)
To give it in a nutshell: Martines is accused of smuggling 20 kilos of cocaine from Panamá to Holland; 100 keys Panamá-Belgium; preparing and transporting drugs from Panamá to France, Belgium or (?) Spain, all via Santo Domingo; having pictures of drugs on his phone; laundering amounts of €1 million, 200,000, 135,000, 35,000 and 10,000 guilders.
2025-08-29

Blah-Blah Galore
Finance minister Silly Vain indicates starting a national-dialogue trajectory on the future of the AOV welfare pension. He hopes parliament will join the discussion. Cheapo: it has a solid majority of his M*F*K party's members.
Translation: still more delays before it's raised.
2025-08-28

What's the Use
Schools have been closed down for two days because of the power black-out. Good question: wouldn't they have been closed as well if they had air conditioning?
2025-08-28

Not Enough, Anyway
RvA Advisory Council has criticized the government's proposal to augment medical professionals' salaries with 30% over and above what our PM gets for clumsily fooling around. Thing is, they're leaving in droves. So RvA advises to think some more.
2025-08-28

You Betcha
Aqualectra's technical director Garmes explains that for now, all wind energy is integrated in their net, but that this, without batteries, entails "certain risks." Tell us about it.
So it was not, he says, too low a capacity but enormous wind fluctuations that caused the problem. Which you can find denied all over on the social media. But what do they know? No more than we, which is precious little.
PM Prick Pias finally had the chutzpah to declare that Curaçao has power and unity. He thanks us all for our cooperation, for patiently waiting in darkness and heat. (What else could we do?) No apologies. And unity? hmm. Power, only some of the time.
O yeah, and the internet (at least Flow) was out as well.
2025-08-28

Was that All?
HMS Friesland intercepted a Go-Fast and sicced two Friscs on it. The crew started throwing packages overboard upon which the chase was cut in an effort to salvage the packages. Hey! foist things foist. Loot was 318 keys of cocaine, transferred to the US Coast Guard.
No news of the crew's fate. Who cares about them drug smugglers, anyway?
2025-08-28

Enjoy Sunny Spain and Stay at Home
Just fancy that since 2023 we haven't had a general black-out. So it was about time: yesterday we were all left in the heat and out-of-business for all practical purposes. From 03:00 to 21:30.
Why and how? The lut-excuses will be coming, no doubt. Doesn't change the facts. But what are they? curaçao.nu writes that Aqualectra tells the Dokweg 1 and Dokweg 2 plants expired, which started the trouble. But Antilliaans Dagblad reports that great variations in wind speed caused the trouble, as the net couldn't handle them. Which comes over weird, as both Dokweg plants use diesel generators; I can't explain, sorry.
Which brings us to former Aqualectra director Casperson, who explains that the net should be robust enough to stand such problems. Also, he thinks, the promised BESS battery-backup system will not suffice to prevent them: needed is enough generating capacity to supply enough power at all times.
{Translation: wind generators don't make it.]
Not that there weren't any black-outs during Casperson's regime.
We, the users, are blamed because every time a residential area was switched back on, it fudzed out again right away as consumption was much higher than anticipated. What a stupid surprise.
Finally, we were treated to a message by PM Prick Pias who asked us to be careful and not use too much electricity. Not a word of apology for the umpteenth failure of SOE Aqualectra, for which he as "Commander in Chief" as he calls himself is responsible.
2025-08-28

That's Good
UN's ridiculous plans to limit plastics production, and end civilization in one fell swoop, are all off. The more advanced countries don't think. Critics remark this would "ignore what it has done not just for construction and vehicles, but also for textiles, consumer products, electrical wiring, electronic components and medicine (plastic surgery, syringes and tubes, packaging of pharmaceuticals). "
2025-08-28

France Joins the Fun
France is pepping up their anti-drug military operations in the Caribbean as well.
How about that, Maduro?
2025-08-28

Catch 'Em, Cops!
OM Public Ministry warns that several cases have been found where drivers' licenses were fake. Fraudulent. Falsified. One of them was purchased in 2019 for 150 guilders only—just 55 more than a regular license costs now.
So where did he get it? is not such a moot point at all.
2025-08-28

Action!
Two illegal trash dumps, at Ronde Klip and Rio Magdalena, have actually been cleaned up during the past two weeks, so the people living around will finally be free from the smoke coming out of there. How long that will last? Rocks will be placed in the access roads; which of course can be removed as well.
2025-08-26

Dirty Work
Dredging at Zaquitó may proceed for one year; permits have been granted. To nobody's surprise. In case you were worried, you were right: parts of the lagoon will be filled up. There's plenty of poison in the bottom, which will be taken to Malpais landfill, from where via the groundwater it can leak into the sea.
All clear now?
2025-08-26

Now We Feel Safe
PM Prik Pias announces that, because of possible troubles between Venezuela and the USA, several services are at "extra sharp". So we can all go back to sleep.
He also advises not to travel to Venezuela before Thursday, because one of those ships visits Curaçao that day, and if Maduro gets mad he may close the border and it may get difficult to come back.
Well, I wasn't planning to go there.
"We don't have to be afraid for a military attack as the ships aren't a heavy enough force," he adds. Maduro thinks different, maybe, as he has sent 15,000 soldiers to the Colombia border. A far cry from his 4.5 million.
2025-08-26

Important
On the Sédula ID plastic "gender neutral" persons will be able to get an X instead of M, W or O (in cases where gender isn't clear). But only if the judge has declared someone is an neuter; which is explained as: even if he/she jas male/female characteristics, it is of a different "gender". Not sex; the word sex is out, it seems.
This because the Dutch went for it so we have to follow according to the Statuut.
2025-08-25

That May Help?
Den Haag Curaçaohuis now has an acting director, Martha Semil, with the full daily leadership and thus responsibility for personnel and work.
If she'll be able to check PlemPotMin Manuel remains to be seen.
2025-08-25

Begging the Question
Amigoe analyzes CBS statistics on Curaçao's poverty. After a well-deserved crack at yet another commission which is supposed to look at the AOV-problem, thus delaying its solution for yet another year, the article comes to the bouillabaisse: Labor participation rate, which is 73% of the population in the Netherlands and 67-74% on the other islands, in Curaçao fluctuates around the 50%.
No wonder they have no money.
Some remarks which must be made, even if Amigoe doesn't: No mention is made of the intense black labor market. As we all (can) know, many people live by taking on temporary jobs without ever paying taxes, social security and all that. Those do not appear in the official figures (except often as receiving unemployment welfare).
Not even to mention the drug dealers. I admit, many of those seem to have official jobs enabling them to ply their much better-paying trade.
Anyway, it's our culture!
2025-08-24

PAR Joins the Squabble
Old hat by now. About those USA ships, of course. Girigorie asks the government if the Dutch Navy will be able to defend us when Venezuela attacks. Among 16 useless questions, if the ships will enter Curaçao territorial waters (read the papers, Girigorie: they will); if USA planes will use the airport (FOL does so already since years and years); what weapons will be used (ask the USA, Prik Pisas knows nothing, as always); how long it will take (until it's over); and if we were forewarned (what's the difference?).
Waste of time and breath.
2025-08-23

Poor Babies
It's not clear yet when the civil servants will get their promised vacation bonus paid out (up from 6 to 8%). The same goes for the revision of the pensions.
Poor oldies, too, then.
2025-08-22

Big Catch
HMS Friesland intercepted 5800 keys of the soft drug marihuana. Friesland's total now is 13,500, including cocaine.
If this goes on with the US Navy ships recently stationed around here is a question. We'll see..
2025-08-22

When and If
SVB social security is "bombarded" by requests to raise AOV welfare pension, and asks us to stop. "Alles sal reg kom" [it will all turn out fine], to quote South African leader Paul Kruger's famous last words during the Anglo-Boer war. Finance minister Silly Vain seems to have capitulated and announced (on Fakebooc of course) that all pensions will get a price indication, as it's called, and even AOV will get one.
When? Good question! "Too bad I don't know the answer."
2025-08-22

Headline Blather
It says "Tourists pay 1 €uro each to Carmabi for nature preservation" but in fact, it's only travel organization By June that does so.
Which is really nice of them.
2025-08-22

Too Bad for the Non-Subsidized
All subsidized classrooms will get air conditioning in the coming 2 years. Cost 2.8 million guilders, but once they're installed 1.2 million per month on electricity.
It doesn't say which schools are and which are not subsidized but surely the pupils will find out.
2025-08-22

From Badder to Worser
We'll "welcome" one million cruise passengers this year. It's historic!
Too bad if you don't like it.
2025-08-22

What Tanker Traffic?
Dutch parliament is worried about the islands, because of the growing USA-Venezuela tensions. They fret about the cruise ships (so let 'em go elsewhere) and the tankers. What tankers? Yes, there are some, but times have changed. As if the Dutch would notice.
Next week USS Gravely and USS Jason Dunham will pay a "logistic" visit to Willemstad. Look out for the missiles Maduro is sure to send! If he could. As it is, what he can do is spit venom.
2025-08-22

Important!
MAN-PIN parties are worried about the tensions in the area, since the USA sent out a forceful force to combat narco-state Venezuela's drug dealing. Camelia-Römer sent a letter with 16 questions to M*F*K PM Prik Pias. Among which: if we'll be informed further (answer, when it's too late), if a strategic plan has been developed (I know the answer to that too, NO) and how the people will be prepared if a military conflict ensues (stay at home and hope for the best).
As if he could possibly answer them. Even if he can count that far.
And as if whatever the Beirded Weardo replies would make any difference.
2025-08-21

We've Had Enough
A cop (female, not that it matters) shot a criminal of a duo busy on an atrako at an apartment complex. The guy died; as it turns out, regretted by almost no one. To the contrary, people are begging the Police Corps not to prosecute her. Which replies that it's up to the OM public ministry to judge if her shooting was not justified or out of proportion.
What happened to the other guy after he fled I couldn't tell you.
2025-08-21

As Long as They Pay
The USA fleet sent to the Caribbean is welcome in Curaçao to take in fuel and water, says the Dutch Navy. Of course! Money is money and Maduro doesn't pay us.
Not officially; only from what drugs pass us on their way to Europe.
2025-08-21

Eight Years of Slammer
That's what the PG asks for KEM party's Martines, accused of playing a prominent role in the international drug trade and laundering millions of €uros. This while he was an MP.
Martines denies all of it, what else? He calls it a political persecution that started when he announced supporting M*F*K.
Clown lawyer Peppi Sulvaran will need 6 hours for delivering his plea, next Wednesday.
2025-08-21

Doesn't Help Much, Does It?
Police held two traffic controls. Drivers with no tax papers (license plates), insurance or license were fined. Not taken off the road, as they should. More fines for no safety belts, dark windows and cell phone use while driving.
Half-measures.
2025-08-21

Cheap, Cijntje
PNP MP Cijntje wants the AOV welfare pension raised to 1050 guilders/month right now. There's money enough, he says, as tax receipts keep growing over expectations.
Only, Cijntje, where were you and your government party the past few years when according to law it should have been raised? Talk is cheap, Cijntje. And it's still less than what the law prescribes. As little as that is.
2025-08-21

Let 'em Eat Cake Other Bugs
Mosquitoes have an important function in the natural food chain, warns Carmabi. Lots of animals make a living on them and will croak if we kill the pests off. So we'd better keep 'em around? Makes you think a bit.
On the other hand, plenty more where they came from.
What makes Carmabi's claim doubtable is, they mention the tiger mosquito and Aedes egypti as two different species, while as far as I know they're the same. But really, of course those pests have a role in the food chain. You exist, you get eaten. Dios ta grandi!
It's only curaçao.nu that does so, agreed.
2025-08-21

To Whom; or, Whom To?
There are plans of shareholder CCR to sell CAP Hato Airport. To whom is draped in silence. That's nothing special, happens all the time says CAP. Nothing will really change.
2025-08-21

Scairt?
Narco-president Maduro has mobilized, or will do so, or says he will, 4.5 million militia. To beat off the dreaded USA invasion. That's 15% of the entire population! (Men, women, children and the rest of the Alphabet Soup.)
No matter that Trump has repeatedly declared "no more new wars—no boots on the ground."
2025-08-21

You Don't Say
ARC Rekenkamer accuses ministries of exceeding their budgets without prior approval. As if that's something new. The ministries say that there's no other way to spend more money as approval would come too late. That's certain as well.
2025-08-20

Getting Ready
A backlog of 580 Horeca catering permits has been eliminated. How great. All ready for a higher influx. Took only 5 weeks.
2025-08-20

So there
M*F*K is proud of the Caricom report that the election procedures were followed so nicely, but omits to mention the fact that only PAR and MAN delivered on the demand to show their financing figures.
Makes you think a bit. A bit more.
2025-08-20

No Stopping them
TUI announces 9000 extra seats on 30 flights AMS-CUR v.v. between December 2025 and March 2026.
2025-08-20

Making Maduro Mad
The USA is sending 3 destroyers, one submarine, a cruiser and several P-8 aircraft to the Southern Caribbean, all in an effort to stop president Maduro's narcotic-state operations.
As the action includes the Iwo Jima amphibious group, there may be more to it. At any rate, Maduro doesn't like it and has announced his 5 million troops are standing ready to repulse any invasion on "his" sacred desecrated ground. Which must be an at least slightly exaggerated number.
2025-08-20

Black Marias!
The police will be getting 2 of those beasts, meant to pick up and transport rioters and such. Wish we'd had them at some times in the past. Now, with our present government, they just may come in handy to suppress not-so-illegal actions.
2025-08-18

Maybe Some Other Year
ARC Rekenkamer announces that the 2023 yearly probe can't be finished within the legally required time because some crucial info hasn't been made available. By the government, yes.
2025-08-18

Wait More
After nine months, justice minister Hato finally responded to ex-MP Pauletta's questions about what he planned to do about illegal trash dumping and burning. First, he says every citizen is supposed to follow the law (DÛH!) and his ministry is talking it over with health ministry.
At their leisure.
2025-08-18

I'd Bet
Caricon still feels the last elections were fair, but that M*F*K obviously and clearly had much more money for an intensive propaganda campaign; and there we all are. The commission asks for "reforms that must make campaigns more transparent and more equal, including legal rules and mandatory disclosure of donors and expenditures."
If we'll ever get those is another question.
2025-08-18

Won't Help for Us
The Ennia process is moving again. There was a shortage of personnel, reason why crook Ansary who had been stealing from the insurance company to his heart's content couldn't be prosecuted. Now, we get help out of Holland (where else? Colonialism!) to go after him.
Won't help us a bit; we will keep coughing up hundreds of millions during the coming 30 years. That has all been arranged.
2025-08-18

Kids, You're on Your Own
And not even a "sorry about that." Jeugdtelefoon, meant to help children if they are in some sort of trouble, must discontinue if things go on like this. "Things" of course meaning, no money forthcoming from the government.
And that's not the only project in trouble,
2025-08-18

News for Van Marum
Dutch state secretary van Marum is worried about the food supply on the Caribbean islands and the high prices we pay. He's afraid that, it tourism fails, people will not be able to pay for food anymore.
You got it all backwards, van Marum. It's tourism that in large part is responsible for those high prices. And some other factors, true.
2025-08-16

What a Bore
Now a UK resident has started complaints against online casino WEBMOSAIC/WBMSC FreshBet and Curaçao's Public Prosecutors Office and the Gaming Control Board (SBGOK). The casino offers betting to UK in habitants but is not licensed to do so. As if they cared. As if SBGOK cared. "They warn that failure to comply will lead to formal complaints with the UK Gambling Commission, Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Ombudsman Service, and Action Fraud, as well as Visa and Mastercard. Legal proceedings in small claims court are also being considered," to quote Curaçao Chronicle.
2025-08-16

Gee...
Social affairs minister America-Francisca and finance minister Silly Bully got together a commission of experts that will advise as soon as possible on raising the AOV payments.
Gee, I wonder how much those commission members get paid.
2025-08-16

No Harm in Trying
As for results, that's another matter. Save Zakitó has now gone to parliament to find support for their protests. They have my support (which is worth very little). Not in this parliament which has an absolute majority of Cooper's M*F*K party.
2025-08-16

Then We're Worried, Even More
Next step in the downward always faster glide to tyranny? Caricom worries about "inconsistencies in counting election votes" which "can easily lead to irregularities."
Vote counters need better training. Ya bet. Hope that training will be right.
But as for the last elections, the results are OK, says Caricom.
As far as counting is concerned, at least.
2025-08-16

Didn't See It Coming
CBCS central bank advises two ways out of the health crisis, caused for a large part by the exorbitant costs of CMC hospital, in turn caused by the free-for-all moneygrab fest by our politicians.
Both ways involve that we are going to pay. Who else?
1 - A fixed health levy, possibly collected by the Tax Person (and hoping some of it won't get stuck there); 1% on gross income.
2 - Income-based co-payments that reflect both the users' ability to pay and their use of healthcare services.
2025-08-16

Hydrogen Is Us
A St. Maarten friend sent me some links that are, er, kind of interesting, if not so supportive of Chong's Monster Plans. You can follow 'em of course, but I give you the gist.
This item is much longer than I usually try keep 'em to. It's worth it (to me and I think, all of us).

Hydrogen is expensive, dangerous and unneeded (in Dutch): Dutch Climate Minister Hermans sent a desperate letter to parliament. The costs of hydrogen pipes and hydrogen factories are disappointing, (here it comes) more subsidies are needed.
Four factors: Heavy-duty cables to transport DC current to shore — Factories using that power for hydrolysing water to produce hydrogen — Stock that hydrogen in reservoirs — Transport it to customers.
For Curaçao, the building of floating platforms for the windmills, an unproven futuristic experiment, must be added, plus the cost of factories to build those floats.
Barbados Biggest: This one claims Barbados plans the largest hydrogen power plant in the Caribbean without mentioning capacity, but with an investment of USD350 million it's nothing compared to Chong's wild dreams.
The idea here is to produce hydrogen via electrolysis powered by solar panels (50MW) and transfer the product by fuel cells (as far as I know an already almost obsolete technology) to AC power for distribution. Also mentioned is another project in French Guyana.
Trinidad & Tobago: Bless my soul, they also plan to become a regional hub for producing and selling green hydrogen. It will become the cornerstone of their economy. You can download their Roadmap on how they plan to achieve this. If you care.
For T&T, the talk is about 57GW of offshore wind capacity, of which 25 is meant for hydrolysis. One advantage they have, they can produce "green" hydrogen from the "grey" hydrogen which comes from their crude oil reserves.
Chong is talking 10 GW here, last I heard.
France National Strategy: I include it for completeness's sake, but since the discovery of just-pump-it-up from beneath the Mosel river this sounds like it's past its expiration date.
Same goes for France Hydrogène, then.
And finally, Airbus Hydrogen which, since Airbus announced they no longer took any interest, is long past its prime as well. "The development of hydrogen-powered aircraft, which originally had been slated to be introduced by 2035, has been canceled."

But, as always, it will take a long time before the Leaders find out what the people they supposedly lead want, and what's really going on. Tolstoi wrote a thick fat novel on it(and more), but that's another matter. We can only wait for them to step on the brake and hopefully make a U-Turn on their Race to Doom.
2025-08-15

First Time
That a law proposal was translated to Papiamentu and made available to MPs. Great, as some of them maybe can actually read and now understand what it's about. Which is a Giant Step further, though.
And, if they care.
2025-08-15

30%
That's how many of all households live in poverty, according to CBS statistics. I'm sure they're right. Since 2011 this went up from 25%. While income went up with 24.6%, prices went up by 33%. The richest twenty percent of households earned 51% of all income.
No word about those who get AOV.
2025-08-15

"Upgrade"?
C***-Post proudly announces a major upgrade to operations and services. Just what we needed, we all think. But wait. First, we'll have even more of those blasted "Community Mailboxes", which can only be called a downgrade. But their "last-mile delivery productivity" goes up 5 times, while "improving customer convenience"; NOT.
Some outfit called Escher is blamed praised for the improvements.
But C***-Post's efficiency will be improved, which after all is not so hard to do.
2025-08-15

The Great Equalizer
There's an awful discrepancy between the results of the different high schools: MIL HAVO has a pass rate of 57%, which is 35% lower than Radulphus's 93%. PAR is worried about this, as they well may be.
2025-08-15

That, Too
July stay-over tourism went up as well, with 14% compared to 2024: 66,956 of 'em.
2025-08-15

And KEEP out!
Anthony Godett, former FOOL, later KEM, says he's definitely leaving politics now. If memory serves me, that's not the first time though. Let's hope it's true now. We really can't afford those characters.
Plenty more where he came from, you say? All too true.
2025-08-14

How Fine
Even before the high season (October-April) starts, cruise tourists are overwhelming the island. Yesterday, there were 8,400 in 2 ships. That's more than 1 for every 5 of us.
2025-08-14

Good!
ABC bus transport lets it be known that over a 1000 seniors have applied for a pass, enabling them to take a bus trip for 1 guilder only. Cards may be charged for the amount of 5 guilders minimum. Where and how to do this, I don't know.
As we have many more seniors, that's really not so many. Also, that low number may be influenced by, "how far do they have to walk to a bus stop, and back?"
2025-08-13

Agreed
The number of passengers flying between the ABC-islands has, since 2012, gone down by 50%. Arubian lawyer Gomez blames this on the "few and unreliable" supply.
Gomez thinks it's also bad for tourism.
And for business relations between the islands. Well, that's one consequence of wanting to becoming independent.
2025-08-13

Just what We Needed Now
No social workers. At least, not hardly enough.
Just when we need them so badly.
2025-08-13

Bah
Tax collections have grown so much, they're now (in July actually) 84 million higher than expected. The horeca catering section grew strongest. Wholesale and retail trade came next, followed by building sector.
Now go and waste it.
2025-08-13

You Think?
Incomes show enormous differences between separate residential areas, by a factor 5. Some surprise. What sounds better is, the higher the number of persons per household, the higher tends to be the collective income. Also, small wonder.
Doesn't mean they're better off, to be sure.
2025-08-13

You Said It
Stanley Bodok points out in Amigoe that on perusing ARC rekenkamer [~ acccounting] five steadily repeating themes are never touched upon. To wit, poverty and unemployment, care crisis, greying and demographic pressure, education detriment, and housing shortage.
So there.
2025-08-12

Let's Throw Parties
As from today, subsidies can be applied for to professionalize organisations working on remembering our slavery past. Only $10,000? but a welcome start: total is 63 million guilders.
2025-08-12

And Also, Possibly Not
We're warned that tropical storm Erin "may" grow into a "heavy hurricane". And it may not, as well. Even then, maximum expected wind is 70 knots which really isn't so heavy at all; and the outer Windward Islands touched may get 30 knots winds: it's well out in the Atlantic.
2025-08-12

It's their Tradition
Dutch PVV MP van Haasen complains that there's hardly any parliamentary parties' interest in the Caribbean islands. In fact, he uses the words "structural disinterest". What else is new? Holland was never much interested in the islands. Now, it's official. Doesn't change a thing.
2025-08-12

Now they Think about It
Some residents of Otrabanda have been complaining about the stench emanating from the fuel tanks by the harbor. They really got it coming over there. But now, after all these years, Curoil is considering to install filters on the vents to stop the nuisance. Huh.
These were built, if memory serves my right, during the if much too long still short reign of M*F*K PM Shorty; the question was at the time if anybody needed them except to make some quick bucks.
2025-08-12

That Was the Idea
When I first read about cryptocurrency in Kevin Kelly's Out of Control it came over as one of the (many) ways to end government tyranny; this time in the way inflation does away with the value of our money. No wonder then that the governments desperately try to get in on their own, or try to stop it.
Now Europe is trying that, but it turns out it will cost them billions and accomplish very little. Times really are a'changing.
2025-08-12

Not Yet
But just wait? Tyranny is growing while we watch. The following is happening in China, which has a wave of chikungunya; the same sickness we had (and still have in a lesser way) here a few years ago, carried by the striped dengue/yellow fever mosquito. While here, we had amiable GGD teams visiting us and checking on possible mosquito breeding places (and helping us to stop them with Abate), over there you may get fined the equivalent of $1400/2500 guilders when standing water is found in your garden. Mosquito larvae don't even need to enter into it, as far as I read. Not here. Not yet?
And you run a chance there of having your utilities shut down as well, easy enough here too with our state-owned Aqualectra.
2025-08-10

Guess We Can't
As they made the rules, our MPs may have thought to make sure that their sumptuous payments would go on even if they didn't come to meetings. So what the Texas governor plans to do, cut the salaries of DP senators who disappeared so there wouldn't be a voting quorum, won't work here.
Maybe... After all, our lawmakers aren't that smart at all.
2025-08-09

Will It Work? It Should
Dennis Evertsz is starting a court proceeding to raise the AOV-tariff for the first time since 2013, when it was stipulated that it should be adapted to the yearly economic growth measured in August. Even then, RvA advisory council indicated that this was impracticable because there were no data available.
Evertsz advises all AOV-collectors to request SVB social insurance in writing to raise the tariff according to law. He says the government admits AOV should lawfully be raised, but that there's no money available; which he thinks is a very doubtful position.
2025-08-09

Go Ahead! One More
The disputed apartments project at Jan Sofát may proceed, the court has judged "despite initial shortcomings in the decision-making process." By Bolo Mudbelly's department, to be sure.
2025-08-09

Well Meant; Now Results?
Jeff Sybesma wrotes an article explaining how, even if our laws don't cover it, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are often legally required. Big deal. We've said it before and fearlessly repeat: Only marks on paper.
Just think dolphins, but there's more. Much more.
2025-08-09

Plasa Market
Renovation will now be finished end April next year. No word if this is on schedule, as promised before, and as usual the media plum forget to ask.
Don't rock the boat!
It's quite a job. "Multiple" concrete columns carrying the roof have to be replaced which says something about some Italian construction company that got the job some 50 years ago, paid for by an €€₵ loan we may still be paying for. Wonder how much money changed hands back then. And whose hands.
It's our culture!
2025-08-09

Guinea Joins the Club
The good news is, the Curaçao Games of Chance (LOK) law has prompted global operators to explore alternative jurisdictions. Mistake, Silly Vain and Beirded Weardo! Watch it. At any rate, Equatorial Guinea sees a chance to grab some of that market. Hopefully for the people living there, they may grab a more substantial part of the loot than we do here.
Not so sure of that either, myself.
2025-08-09

Will It Work? For Once? Finally?
I fear, no, it won't. Movimentu Save Zakitó has addressed an enforcement request to Bolo Mudbelly, with a copy to parliament, based on a July 1 proces-verbaal [official report] requesting our esteemed minister to act "factually and integrally" against all parts of the project which don't comply with the valid permits, laws and rules.
This list includes Violation of the building height, Absence of a dredging permit, Inadequate compliance and transparency of permit conditions, Spatial impact and public interests, and Exclusion of citizens from objection procedures. Sounds like Bolo all right.
I'm sure we all look forward to his reaction. If and when—even though the complaint asks explicitly about "a day and hour" for action. If the Movimentu expects some real action, I'm afraid they will be very disappointed. #WeToo.
2025-08-09

We Need More of THAT
Journalist Erwin Raphaëla writes in Antilliaans Dagblad about the way Bolo Mudbelly, since M*F*K's crushing election win, is "promoting" (Mudbelly's word choice) tourism by giving all foreigners a free hand and attacking citizens who protest. Is Bolo using his freedom of expression, he asks, or is he starting a terror action against two innocent citizens? Meanwhile, Mudbelly spends enormous sums of money on promoting his road improvement projects (money better spent on the projects themselves, judging from the slow results).
This can only be meant as a rethorical question. Raphaëla also mentions Silly Vain who uses the same tactics. Raphaëla concludes with a call to the media not to disregard this shameless and disrespectful treatment of members of our community. Because they will be next.
Fascist state, anyone?
2025-08-09

Never Mind
No hurricanes yet, in spite of the dire predictions? Doesn't matter, the same predictions stand! You almost have to admire the stubborn steadfastness of the NOAA wizards.
Almost. And of course, they may still turn out to be right. Who knows?
I don't and they don't seem to, either. Only, I admit it.
2025-08-08

Sic Him!
USA Attorney General Pamela Bondi has announced a $50 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro. In case you forgot, that's the crook president of narco-criminal socialist paradise Venezuela.
Food for thought for the TDS Trump Derangement Syndrome patients, too.
You know what, I'd be happy to send such info free of charge.
2025-08-08

#TheyToo
The regular penshonados haven't had any indexation on their pensions since 2016 either. The government admits this is "not only a financial problem, but a social challenge as well."
That will help.
2025-08-08

Huh


Party PAR wants to raise the AOV welfare pensions to 1500 guilders/month, in January 2026. PAR thinks a structural reform is possible before 2027. As we were promised this year, we ask what's the difference; also because PAR must be well aware (like we) that they don't have much say in the matter. Only M*F*K does, so talk is cheap, PAR.
PAR figures since 2013 the real AOV income has gone done with 23.5%; I figure the real accumulated inflation through 2024 has been 29.4%. PAR figures since 2013 the real AOV income has gone down with 23.5%; I figure the real accumulated inflation through 2024 has been 29.4%. But PAR's proposal, for what it's worth in practice, is more generous than that. If still just more than half of the 2745 paid out in Bonaire.
2025-08-08

What Do We Know
ADC management denies several points in that negative report. Apart from other (to us) generalities, ADC says an important component has not been considered. We're not told which one that is.
Of course, nobody wants ADC to go bankrupt. But how serious are they themselves?
2025-08-08

Good Points
Timo Hilhorst writes a letter to the editor in which he congratulates Sonja Balentina for her courage shown in an article (haven't read it myself) on Toela, a very old-fashioned way of spelling 1795 slave revolution hero Tula. Hilhorst remarks that in the Landhuis Kenepa Tula-Museum you are treated to many fantasies about this almost mythical person, whom in fact nobody knows the first thing about. "He was such a good guy" which Hilhorst calls "fantasy. Fake."
He then remarks that the slaves on their march passed Santa Cruz, where they robbed the rum distillery and got drunk; which he compares to the happenings of May 30, 1969, where the rioting "revolution" was fueled by drink stolen from supermarkets Henderson and Central Madeirense, concluding sarcastically, "WAT EEN HELDEN" [some heroes].
2025-08-07

Pretty Bad
OM public ministry held a poll under the people to see how they were doing. Just better dan middle: they score an average 5.3 out of 10. Reliability scored highest with 5.7 and transparency lowest with 4.7.
They should clean up their act, right? They promise they will.
2025-08-07

Already...
Staten/parliament announces that, after 60 years, the meetings will not be transmitted over commercial radio stations any longer. We have to wait until its own station starts, and nobody can tell us when that's gonna happen.
Not good. The law nowhere states that these meetings must be transmitted, but it does stipulate that they must be accessible to the public. In fact, you can follow them over the internet via the parliament's website or its Fakebooc page, but there are still many more radios around than computers; not to mention people who can handle them. Ex-parliament head Lucia says it would have been better to wait until their own transmissions start. And who could disagree?
2025-08-07

Time to Travel
A parliament delegation of five reps. is in Panamá for a Parlatino meeting, yesterday and today. The first one this year. But on August 21 and 22 we'll have another one, this time with only two reps. of ours.
I guess more will follow.
2025-08-07

Note
ADC diagnostic center is in trouble. There has been building going on and expenses grow while income remains behind. Familiar story.
Except for during the Covid-years 2020/1. Glad to hear someone made money.
No, i don't forget the pharma companies who literally made out like bandits.
2025-08-07

Not that FBI
1000 free tickets for youngsters to the CNSJF jazz festival are arranged via the FBI. But don't worry, that's the Fundashon Bon Intenshon.
2025-08-07

Oh No
CFT financial supervision "Gives Conditional Green Light for Curaçao's 2025 Loan Request" is Curaçao Chronicle's headline.
Off we go to a new series of empty promises and well-filled throw-away money bags: 147.7 million guilders for "capital investments" this year.
2025-08-06

Right: Rubbish
Client Martinez does not agree with the Ombudsman's decision not to accept a claim against Aqualectra, as it's an autonomous company and thus outside his scope. What bloody nonsense: all Aqualectra shares are held by Integrated Utility Holding, fully owned by the government.
2025-08-06

More! & More!
We had 195 cruise ships with 474,572 passengers the past six months, and the expectation is this number will increase the rest of the year. Over 1 million, compared to 835,000 last year.
2025-08-06

Yippee!
All civil servants of Curaçao will shortly be subjected to an integrity scan. No fair guessing how many will or won't pass. Reason it hasn't been done before is lack of money. Where did it all go? Citizens may also approach the BI Integrity Bureau with problems about government corruption.
All of which begs the question, who guarantees the integrity of the bureau?
2025-08-05

No Such Luck
Amigoe's first page headline is (translated) "Fires illegal landfills in Ronde Klip and Soto tackled" which makes you think, really? Something's being done? Alas not—they will be tackled second half of August, says Silly Vain, wearing his Health minister's hat. He certainly gets around. You think he has a double salary?
And it's emphasized the illegal trash dumps will not be removed.
It seems my use of the — mark is a characteristic of AI writing and to be safe it's advised to use a ; instead. Well, I might like having some more intelligence but rest assured that what I have is pure human (even if it seems sub at times). Thank you.
2025-08-05

Take Your Pick
Antilliaans Dagblad says that the renovation of the €€₵-Central Market is proceeding on schedule, but according to curaçao.nu quotes Êxtra as saying it's delayed. Because Aqualectra wants all meters in a central locations, which the management claims it asks for extra investments.
No idea when this will be resolved.
2025-08-05

Stinking Ship
Even in Willemstad town you may not be free from stench. This time it's an "industrial" ship, Île de Molène moored at Matheywerf which has its generators turning all the time (quite usual for a ship in harbor) resulting in stench and noise. Harbor inspection had the ship close its ventilation gates which they say helped—a bit. For the noise, not the stench. People living around there wonder why the ship isn't moved to a place not right smack in living quarters, where it's been for more than a month already.
2025-08-05

A Decision!
Really. Staten/parliament will move to the old Aqualectra office next to Riffort on the other side. The move to Stadhuis is off, also because that would not leave enough room in there for the court of justice.
Presently, Staten is split over 4 locations.
2025-08-05

And Not Only there
Darius Plantijn of Sitek educators' trade union says that decisions "sometimes" take too long. What do you mean, "sometimes"? Besides, we are used to that anyway. And not only in education.
2025-08-04

From Our Sponsor?
People are getting tired of the Nantucket, Mass, USA off-shore Vineyard Wind farm and would rather it went away. I couldn't find how much was invested in it in 2021, but it was supposed to deliver 880 MW, enough for 400,000 homes, with 66 turbines.
"There's not an easy, legal way to stop those," said interior secretary Burgum. And you know? I'm only too afraid he's right there.
2025-08-04

Not a Word
RAC regulating authority is checking how much profit Curoil and the gas stations may nmake. One more possible step to fascism. In the (not always so good) capitalist system, when you're at a bad location, tough. Better move elsewhere. But reading between the lines, it smells like RAC may enable them to make more profit so they can stay in business. Not good.
And not a word about how much we are paying the government in taxes on fuel. I have no idea but am curious, yes.
2025-08-04

No Money, No Food
Food Bank Fundashon Yudansa pa Kòrsou [Foundation for Assistance to Curaçao] is out of money. Donations have dropped to an all-time low and as for government subsidies... Who's kidding whom? No government subsidies, so the amount of food packages has gone down from 6000 to 350/month. Which still cost a total of 30,000 guilders.
Can't help being reminded of the food packages disgraced M*F*K ex-PM Shorty distributed years ago.
Before the elections, right. After the elections, who cares?
2025-08-04

Hurray! Come and Pay!
The Tax Office is working again at full power, so don't be shy: get your 4$$ over there and pay.
2025-08-04

Expensive Hobby
Two years ago some pitbulls escaped somehow and attacked a walker-by, resulting in bites all over for which she was hospitalized. The case came to court now and the dogs' owner may have to cough up 200,000 guilders in criminal and civil proceedings. The victim had asked her neighbor repeatedly to repair a hole in her fence but she just didn't.
Breeding that type of aggressive dogs is prohibited, I understand, but little do especially that type of owners seem to care.
2025-08-04

Hits Too Close
In South Africa, electrical power is delivered (every once in a while) by Eskom, about which I read this joke: "I'd like to tell you about Eskom, but I miss the power."
Ouch.
2025-08-04

Great Idea
Many people detest Trump, which is called TDS Trump Derangement Syndrome, but nobody can deny that his (or his administration's) idea to stop charging taxes on social security payments is great.
Not that many of our AOV-receivers here pay any tax anyway, living far below the minimum.
2025-08-02

Oh How Fine
CBCS central bank announces a "historic" high profit of 46.6 million guilders. A year ago it was less than 150K.
If it does us any good I couldn't say.
2025-08-02

Logical
Road agression is increasing, says a professional bus driver with 40 years of experience. He blames the worsening socio-economic circumstances and you know what? He may be right.
One more thing to thank blame our government plus apparatus for.
2025-08-02

Makes Me Nauseous
MAN-PIN accuses entrepreneurs' club VBC that they don't take their social responsibilities seriously enough. They should have reacted more sharply to finance minister Silly Vain's remarks on yet another insurance company, like they used to do in the past.
"We all have the duty to cooperate on a sound democracy," says McWilliam. No comment, right?
2025-08-01

Pay Up, B*stids
It's endemic. Are there any honest online casinos at all? Now Entreterenemiento [really?] Rojo must pay a USA-gambler $30,000 which they refused to do because of some excuse about him using bonus conditions. License holder CIL Curaçao Interactive Licensing is held responsible as well.
2025-08-01

Seems Reasonable
Aqualectra utility cut off a user because his meter had been "manipulated" but it turned out that a former occupant of the house had done so. The judge ordered Aqualactra to turn the juice back on.
Admittedly, Aqualactra for years accepted an electricity use of 40kW/month? Very sloppy.
2025-08-01

Clumsy Fool
Entertainer Janino's chauffeur has been caught because he used his boss's plastic to pay for his own gas. Not only that; he even enabled friends to use the card; against payment of course. But Jandino's accountant noticed they were using an awful lot of gas; and even gasoline while Janino's car runs on diesel.
Now the chauffeur has to pay Jandino €9,000 back while the damage is said to be 16,000.
Gas and diesel are about twice as expensive in Holland than here.
2025-08-01

Just saying
Remarkable? Two months of (predicted) extra-heavy hurricane season passed but they all passed us by. In fact, there weren't any. We're waiting for the ad-hoc reasons explaining it. And for those storms that may still be coming.
2025-08-01

Not So Sure
It happens more and more often that USA customs arrest Filipino sailors working in (not only) cruise ships, in their actions to stop illegal immigration there. It seems 25% of the world's ship crews consist of Filipinos, and ISAC Int'l Seafarers Action Center protest the arrests. According to ISAC, those arrested have visa and working contracts and the arrests are illegal.
I really wouldn't know, but during a stay many years ago in the now defunct Stella Maris seamen's home, one thing I learned is that ship owners tend to be very sloppy in those legal arrangements. Which included Indonesian and yes, Filipino crews. And mentioning cruise ships, Holland-America Line (now owned by Carnival) had a very bad name among crew members.
If this still is so, I can't and won't say. Only that I'm cautious accepting any version of this news uncritically.
In fact, sailors' conditions came quite close to what we'd call "slavery". No trade unions were allowed on HAL ships.
2025-07-31

More (Or Rather Less) AOV
25.3% of the population is 65 years or older; 42% of those have only AOV as an income source. Those who also have a pension are called "not active in the economy", because the others are looking for extra income. One wonders why? Not really.
In Holland as well, where we inherited the welfare pension idea from, there are troubles to pay the graying population their share. Over there, more half of the money comes from tax money.
2025-07-31

Doesn't Help
The number of school pupils is going down but that doesn't help much, because it results in combining classes, so they still have over 30 pupils anyway. Because if the schools are too small, the government will not subsidize them.
Don't ask me to explain this "logic".
2025-07-31

Is what We Figured
The Tax Person warns that, cyber attack or not, we must keep paying our taxes. Big surprise.
2025-07-31

There, Too
In Rotterdam, Holland 13 persons have been arrested in connection with two shipments of total 600 keys of coke. Not from here, though: in containers with bananas from Perú and Ecuador.
There's just no stopping that flood.
2025-07-31

Wait for More
Now the judiciary system in all Dutch islands is down. "May be" hacked: Cyber attack. Who's next?
2025-07-31

Now We're Getting Somewhere?
Parliament has accorded lists of MPs representing us in several commissions of Parlatino. We have at least 2 members in every one.
If you want to know which ones, I'm sure you can find out elsewhere. Not my job. That is to point out that all of them will be obliged to make foreign trips every so often, at our expense of course.
2025-07-30

Here's My Sting
People have been attacked by bees the past weeks, with even one death resulting. That was a bulldozer driver disturbing a nest, which the bees resented. (For which I can't blame them.)
Beekeepers, who are called to get rid of swarms, explain that the drought is hard on bees. Also, the ongoing "cleaning" of terrains causes them to lose food and places to build nests. Just stay out of their way, is the advice.
Beekeeper Kai mentions that the government was supposed long since (stop me if you've heard this one before) to propose certain terrains as "green", but never did.
2025-07-30

That's Enough
"Experts" question the present relevance of the long-standing (70 years!) habit of granting hotels and such tax-free deals. With our present success in the market, these may have had their time and aren't necessary any longer.
In my paranoid mind, the possibility that those tax exemptions are bought from politicians with money under the table figures prominently. Not mentioning any names. Of course not! I may be crazy but hope, not stupid.
2025-07-30

Smell It with a Smile
The people of Santa Catharina are fed up with the smell of chicken manure, dumped there by Egg's Farm (their spelling) Moderno. A machine to process it should arrive by the end of August, which should abate the nuisance, but the people have had enough. They ask the authorities to take interim measures, also against the mosquito attacks.
Hard to figure what the authorities can do, it looks to me.
2025-07-30

Welcome to the Club; And, Good Luck!
One more joins the fray of airlines connecting the ABC-islands. It's Bestfly Aviation with 1 (one) Embraer Air 72-600 aircraft. If it will actually start doing that depends on licenses and thus, the authorities. For starters those in Aruba, but if they don't cooperate Bestfly may have a try with those of Bonaire or Curaçao.
Bestfly's idea is to lower ticket prices; which in my opinion should be easy to accomplish.
2025-07-30

Come On Already
Dutch VVD political party thinks Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten are independent and thus responsible for their own government and finances. Financial support from Holland must be coupled with reforms and clear deals on responsibilities.
Wouldn't that be great?
And the same goes for the BES-islands which in fact are not independent, VVD says. Good point. "The Hague/den Haag has a responsibility here." Yes, so take it. Please?
2025-07-29

Hospital's Dying
CMC hospital's future doesn't look good. Passing by the financial problems caused by the politicians' free-for-all during planning and building: more and more specialists have left already or will do shortly; and the only replacements found are elderly persons on temporary contracts.
It all has to do with the LNT-law where persons in government service aren't supposed to earn more than what that beirded weardo PM Prick Pias makes. No matter if they're much more useful to society (which is easy).
2025-07-29

Plenty of Time
Take some more. We're used to it. The government has been working on public transport for 70 years but now they have a bright idea: the large konvoi buses should drive along the main routes and the mini-busses through the barios, picking up passengers to deliver to the main hub.
We're told that even those mini-bus drivers are losing interest. There's hardly any money to be made for them these days, as people don't take the bus to town for shopping like they used to. "They all go to Mambo Beach and Jan Thiel." And I thinking those were tourist hang-outs.
2025-07-29

Robber Barons
Is what industrialists were called in the USA, when they developed railroads, power lines and all sorts of goodies, and got rich in the process. Well-deserved riches, I'd say.
Here, it's the gambling mafia that grows rich, without producing anything worthwhile. To the contrary, they steal even more than their fees. Now it's EM Group which doesn't even respond to inquiring emails after being accused of fraudulent behavior, about troubles involving, what else? payments to their clients.
2025-07-29

Sure
Cybersecurity firm Tozetta was not surprised: it warned the Tax Person last year "about critical digital vulnerabilities" and now it happened. And, they add, our government is liable to get hacked all over.
2025-07-29

Just Talk
PNP has nice talking, now that they don't have any say in the matter. AOV/AWW must be raised: "Where there's a will, there's a way" (which is a common Dutch expression).
Not that they ever showed that will themselves.
2025-07-29

There's a Plan
Now do it! The government has a plan to fight the continuing smoke nuisance at Ronde Klip. This has been going on since April; it's because of an underground fire at at a trash dumping site. Illegal, yes.
Oh sorry, on careful reading it only says a plan is "being developed".
2025-07-28

That's More Like It
"South Africa has emerged as a global leader in SMR development, particularly through its Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) and its successor, the HTMR-100. Initiated in the 1990s, the PBMR uses helium gas for cooling, eliminating the need for large water bodies—a critical advantage in arid regions. The HTMR-100, developed privately after the PBMR project stalled in 2010 due to financial constraints, is designed for rapid deployment and affordability, with off-the-shelf components reducing costs. A single unit can power a large town or mining complex, and its fuel can be safely stockpiled for years, ensuring reliability even in remote areas."
With outputs typically ranging from 10 to 300 MW, this sounds what we should be aiming for instead of well-meant empty words and throwing money away.
2025-07-27

Oops, Mistake—Sad!
Amigoe carries an article on what a shame it is, that AOV/AWW stagnating since 2013, while inflation went up by 20.6%. Rightly they remark that this is one reason why over 50,000 persons live in poverty.
But in fact it's even worse: I think one should figure accumulated inflation, just like with interest on a bank account. And then it turns out, AOV/AWW should be 29.4% higher than it is now: 1144 guilders/month instead of 862.
Even then it's not even half of the equivalent of 2745 guilders monthly paid in Bonaire.
Amigoe goes on to propose an OB (sales/purchase tax) rate of 9% on all online gambling actions. While in Holland now a normal BTW/VAT-tariff is already over 20%. Why so modest? Those crooks can afford it (their "clients" pay anyway).
Other proposals are, lowering public sector salaries to a level comparable to the private sector (NEVAH EVAH!); transfer the AOV/AWW business to the Kingdom, just like defense and foreign relations; and an Ennia-like fund of 1 billion guilders, which I think is as unacceptable as the Ennia-deal itself was. Raising the premiums and pensionable age, which Pias the Clown and Silly Bully say they won't, seems reasonable and even unavoidable.
Apart from all that, it still essentially is a Ponzi-scheme.
2025-07-27

Wise Words, Don't Apply to Us
Don't bother, from the past: Scottish historian Alexander Fraser Tyler (1747-1813) said it. "A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury."
You saw it at once; doesn't apply to us here. The crook politicians and soiled rats are way ahead of us and rob that treasury blind long before we get a chance to get near it. And Tytler adds:
"Loose fiscal policy [...] is always followed by a dictatorship." Holland's dictatorship, perchance? Oy oy oy!
2025-07-26

Just Like We Figured
The court case against 4 Kustwacht Coast Guard workers will serve in October; but the OM public ministry thinks it quite probable more arrests will follow. In fact, the case is connected with another one, Heelal [universe], in which 7 people have been accused.
"The suspect Coast Guard Employees used radar information or placed GPS devices on smugglers' boats to help drug traders." And there you are.
2025-07-26

Oh, So It's Okay
M*F*k MEO economic development minister Middelhof says it's true, that law preventing young girls from working in the catering sector is ten years behind the times, but no problem mon: it's not maintained anyway.
Sounds all too familiar.
2025-07-26

We Heard that One Before
CBCS central bank assures us that Guardian/Fatum group is entirely kosher. No cause to worry.
Sure brings back memories. Ennia, anyone? Girobank?
2025-07-26

Count Your Blessings Cents
Gas and diesel fuel will go up next month, 2.076 and 1.636/liter. But we're still lucky; in Holland it's €2.114 and 1.905. In XCG guilders, today 4.45 and 4.03.
Funny! That conversions site shows the Antillean flag for the XCG guilder. Times have changed, though.
2025-07-26

What a Joke
The Tax Office is closed today, because of an attack by Ransomware. Amateurs.
2025-07-25

Is there a Future, After All?
For Global, maybe there is. At least, Chevron is allowed to start importing oil from Venezuela into the USA again.
I wouldn't bet on it myself, though.
2025-07-25

Meanwhile, In the Real World
"Green hydrogen developers are cancelling projects and trimming investments around the world." But not here. Full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes and icebergs!
"High costs and a lack of demand for green hydrogen have rendered many plans unprofitable." You don't say: "a valley of disillusionment." And, interestingly, "The Dutch government last year made sharp cuts to funds it had originally reserved for green hydrogen projects."
And BP shut down a monster (36 billion dollars) Green Hydrogen project in Australia.
2025-07-25

Where this Belongs
Taped to the bottom of a drawer, so it can't be found until really needed. It's our tradition!
Meant is a study for smarter land use planning, conducted by Amsterdam Vrije Universiteit together with Carmabi. Not that we couldn't use it; only that it won't get any follow-up worth mentioning. So I'll spare you any details of the SEALINK project.
2025-07-25

Blah Blah
Curaçao's Trade Center has introduced a "groundbreaking proposal" at some ministerial conference in Johannesburg (if it's still called that), South Africa. I'm positive our representatives get along fine with their infamously corrupt SA counterparts. "Curaçao's proposal is more than just a policy vision—it is a call to action. It advocates for inclusive trade, the empowerment of local entrepreneurs, and the establishment of strong global alliances in pursuit of sustainable development" to quote Curaçao Chronicle.
All this in a country where the economy is falling apart even faster than here.
2025-07-25

Which One?
One of CMC hospital's department is closed down because of "poor working conditions and excessive workloads." We're not told which one.
Don't get sick, anyway.
Update: It's the Short Stay dept.
2025-07-25

Do It!
Dutch State Secretary Struycken wants Europe to combat illegal online gambling operations, many of which "licensed" here. He wants them to be classified as criminal organizations in all of Europe.
Dutch gambling authority KSA has fined many of the louche operators, but the fines are rarely collected. He doesn't say who's supposed to collect 'em. If it's our finance minister Silly Vain, it figures al right.
2025-07-25

It's Not Campo
No, all that wild prostitution went on long before our national pride, Campo Alegre, closed and in fact, had been getting out of hand before then as well. It's mainly Venezuelan women (often here illegally as escapees from their Socialist Paradise) but also Colombian and from Santo Domingo. If those are here illegally, I couldn't say but wouldn't and shouldn't wonder.
2025-07-25

Shameful & Dangerous
Many of the permits for professional drivers have lapsed or are about to. Meant are bus drivers, taxis and of course tourist buses. The drivers are advised to renew them, pronto.
One result is the drivers and therefore their passengers lack insurance. Let us wait for just one accident to happen and see where that will get us with the growing US market.
2025-07-25

We Were Waiting for It
The Richmond Gabriel University, just one out of a multitude (I've lost count) of medical schools which for some reason seem to thrive here and elsewhere in the Caribbean, is in the process of collapsing. Originating in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, it now is as good as bankrupt. "With allegations of financial mismanagement, deceptive leadership, and an elaborate international cover-up, students have been left stranded—without degrees, transcripts, or refunds" writes Curaçao Chronicle.
Please excuse my what almost amounts to paranoia, but what are these students supposed to learn on all those "universities"? Where do all the graduates go to work? It's worrisome.
2025-7-24

She Found Out
Just now? "Democracy is endangered" says (look who's talking) PIN's Römer. There are no press meetings at all any more: decisions are just published in the social media, and the press hardly has no influence at all. VBC entrepreneurs' club is silent as well. And parliament doesn't function as it should either.
All too true. Römer warns that the Kingdom will intervene, things keep going on like this. How we wish. When fish grow wings...
2025-7-24

May Inflation
In May, prices and inflation have gone up, says CBS statistics. Prices with 0.2%, inflation with 2.3%. Price index went up from 101.3 to 103.6, May 2024-2025.
2025-07-23

Tiresome? Dangerous!
Our MOE economic development minister Middelhoff, who like many of his colleagues looks like a diet would do him no harm (must be those proverbial fleshpots), has visited Huisman Engineering Services in Schiedam, Holland. For a strategic visit. The Amigoe article is a bit confusing; there's talk of starting an offshore "park" with 5 to 7 windmills, to become 500 to 700 later on. No info on whether they will be floating, as we were told before. Also, this is supposed to stabilize our electricity supply, while elsewhere the production of hydrogen (for export) is mentioned.
Huisman is described as being known for their innovative solutions in the maritime and energy sector. Which they will need, to be sure.
Finally, we read that this project will grow our economy three times and become our "second" economic pillar; tourism being the first of course. Which sounds like self-contradictory rubbish as tripling the economy this way is certain to surpass tourism.
In short, somebody doesn't know what they're talking about. We're used to that.
It's gonna cost us.
2025-07-23

Did You Notice?
In spite of the predictions (which we are used to anyway) we haven't had a single Atlantic hurricane until now, almost two months into the season.
Sure, some may and in all probability will come anyway. Still, it just needs saying.
"The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season may fail to produce its first storm through the rest of June for the first time in 11 years." The Weather Station
2025-07-24

What's the use?
We keep reading about inspections where snacks and bars are closed for a variety of reasons; and now, in curaçao.nu, that the catering industry's permit system has a backlog of seven years.
Now, that must be got rid of in 30 days. As if it could; would be the surprise of the decade.
And doesn't even touch upon the prostitution problem.
2025-07-23

Plenty More
... where they came from. Since December 2024, 672 car wrecks have been removed from the public roads. The action will continue: if you get a red sticker on your wreck, it will be removed.
We don't get to know who pays for that, all of us or the owners; and I have no idea where the wrecks are taken to. Maybe dumped in sea to to attract fish and divers?
2025-07-23

Another Good One
The "energy chain" now falls under the responsibility of M*F*K PM Pias, and it's a total mess before it even starts. Under the companies listed as part of the package, we have (so far so good) 2Bays, Kompania die Petroli & Gas Kòrsow (a stillborn child in my opinion) and Aqualectra. But many others on the list have been out of business or even bankrupt for years already: like ALM, out of business since 2005.
2025-07-23

Oho!
So that's why that Ship Registry needs working on: there are at least 90 tankers under CAS-flag (mentioned in fact is mainly St. Maarten) thus evading sanctions on oil transports from Russia and Iran. Ain't that great.
The Beverly Hill company MSTA, which actually works from India, offers false registrations and crew certificates. No doubt for a price. These illegal oil transports help finance the Iran revolutionary guard, Hezbollah and the Russian army. Fine company to be caught up in.
God forbid our government takes this in its own hands; just asking for more corruption (like the "anti"-gambling LOK law). After all, why pay India when we can collect that sweet money ourselves?
2025-07-23

Just Talk
MAN/PIN parties are asking the government to do something about the high cost of living. Like raising the welfare for unemployed people.
Methinks, lowering taxes would help the rest of us more. Let me dream.
Eggs may not cost more than 53 cents each, we're told.
2025-07-23

Oh those Insurances
Now, after the Ennia disaster, finance minister Silly Bully is directing his beady eye to the Guardian/Fatum group. Silly Bully says it's upon request, without telling by whom.
Seems it has to do with Jamaican-Canadese investor Michael Chee-Lin whose group NCBFG can't pay its obligations. Must have taken Ennia Ansary's correspondence course?
2025-07-23

It's Like Pornography
"I know it is when I see it" as the expression goes; for terrorism as well. There seems to be a law in the making on the prevention of terrorism. Some MPs object that we haven't had any before, so why bother? To which the obvious reply is "just wait and see." Others are afraid that 'peaceful' manifestations (like we've seen in the USA the last couple of years?) may be mistaken for terrorism. Better than the other way around, in my thinking.
2025-07-23

Another Mess
The International Shipping Register, a way for the country to make money, is in an awful state and it must be reviewed. It's so bad, Holland threatened to shut it down completely. Now we get talk from those responsible that the new Register will serve to strengthen Curaçao's position as a leading maritime center in the Caribbean.
Pshaw.
2025-07-22

Come On, Willya?
92 out of 203 candidates for the last elections still haven't bothered to show their gifts/donations to the ER electoral council, as they should have done by April 21st. That's almost half of 'em.
So they get a third deadline, August 21, because none of them reacted before the second deadline (don't know the date). If they still don't react, OM public ministry will get their names and will decide if they will be prosecuted.
Don't count on that happening.
2025-07-22

Cheap at the Price
In more than one sense. Fundashon Famia Plania warns about the fact that the use of condoms is not very popular with Curaçao male chauvinist pigs. So a "sex worker" which is the present name for prostitute, which itself is the correct name for whore, who normally charges 75 guilders for 15 minutes of protected sex, may be open to getting 300 for unprotected sex.
After all, these women are aiming to collect here a total of 1500 guilders only. Depressing: it shows how we're still relatively speaking very rich here, compared to countries around us.
And explains why so many people walk around with AIDS or other STDs. Poor exploited women, yes, that too.
2025-07-22

Progress?
Hopefully. Yet another company, Falcon International bv, wants to start using Buskabaai, the location of the infamous asphalt lake, for processing and recycling waste oil, sludge and slops. The product will be used as fuel for industrial engines.
Falcon, which calls itself "ores wholesaler" seems associated with Asphalt Recovery NV, and is supposed to clear the asphalt lake within four years.
About time, too. Shell promised (don't forget—it stinks!) to clean up the lake, but our government declined and preferred to collect USD400m. Where that was made to disappear to we will never really find out, even if we have our suspicions.
Especially Hueck and Maria come to mind, but by no means only those.
2025-07-22

Worse and Worse
Now it's Dutch KSA gambling authority complaining that fines for online casinos in Malta and Curaçao are very hard to collect. Because of local (!) laws and limited international jurisdiction. In Malta it's so-called Bill 55 which protects licensees from foreign claims; here, it's CGA gaming authority and the new LOK law which just continues old license systems.
All in all, outstanding fines are €55million.
2025-07-22

Not So Sure
Sybesma may think he has a good point protesting against the regulation that horecaf-catering businesses need special permits to hire female servants.
But as is obvious to Sybesma as well, that rule is meant to prevent females landing in prostitution, a risk inherent to many catering industry jobs. Like serving in bars. Especially these days with free-lance illegal immigrant prostitutes running amok all over the place it pay to be very careful relinquishing that regulation.
2025-07-21

Another Rotten Law
This one is meant to help youngsters to jobs, by relieving their bosses of the duty to pay them social fees and income tax, so they're cheaper to hire, or maybe they get more in their pockets.
And which of course means the non-youngsters are more expensive and liable to get kicked out, or get less money while they probably have families to support.
2025-07-21

Pias Don't Care
And as his PM position in rock-solid with an absolute majority, who else does? PNP MP Cijntje may, in fact does, ask good questions, but so what? Like deafening, as the expression is, silence on the Kas di Kòrsow troubles. "Nothing of the promises on Isla refinery has been fulfilled." 2Bays' steam turbines have been transferred to Global Oil, just like that, while they were supposed to deliver power and water for the people. Whatever's going on with that asphalt project? Why is Bullenbaai oil terminal still empty, and not in use by Curoil? And all those industries which were coming to settle there? Why did Oryx all of a sudden change its name to Vigor? Another CPR-like fraud by chance?
And finally of course the shame of the AOV tarifs. Cijntje reproaches Silly Vain of merely blaming former governments. Where Silly Vain is at least partly right, Cijntje.
2025-07-21

Rotten Idea
Dutch minister Sophie Hermans gives away €700m in subsidies to companies producing "green" hydrogen, so it becomes "as expensive" or rather "as cheap" as hydrogen produced from fossil fuels. Meant is "the same price" as it's much cheaper to use fossil fuels.
If you think this is crazy, who can deny it? 31 companies had applied for €3.2b out of a total €1b she's made available. It remains to be seen what will happen with the remaining €300m.
2025-07-19

Makes Me Curious
People who have been renting apartments etc. and "forgot" to tell the Tax Person, get one more chance until September 30 to do so. Fine-free, too. If they don't, the tax service will start being nastier with possible fines over maximum ten years back.
What makes me curious is, how many will still figure they'll get away with it.
2025-07-19

Let's Be Serious: No Way!
Advisory Council RvA asks the government as well as parliament to take their and other instances' (like SER social-economic council) advices seriously. That's the only way to guarantee the quality of laws and rules, RvA says.
Who's kidding who here? As if. These guys just are not serious. Except as how to make money flow in the direction they want it to.
2025-07-19

Who Would Put It past them?
Staten/parliament denies there have been any irregularities with the payout of travel expenses to MPs. Whatever made us think that, as expressed in the a-social media?
Maybe the fact that it all started with documents sumbmitted by Kas di Kòrsow. Makes you think a bit.
2025-07-19

Good Point. But.
MAN-PIN accused finance minister Silly Bully of "politically motivated disrespect towards AOV pensioners." Certainly. Too bad we didn't get a peep out of them when they were in a position to do something about it.
2025-07-19

Far Ahead of Us
Which doesn't mean much, no. St. Eustatius has its first accountant-approved audit since 2010. Over 2024. Took 'em "two years of hard work."
No wonder we haven't achieved it here. Hard work? Give us a break.
2025-07-19

Too Many Loonies
What we used to call the loony bin (but that's politically incorrect now) or Monte Cristo, now Capriles Clinic, is reaching its capacity fast. Just like Hato airport.
Is this a coincidence? Not for me to judge.
Only they are allowed to call themselves that. Like only (may I?) "blacks" may call themselves Negro ("the N-word") or worse; almost like a badge of honor. Go figure.
2025-07-19

Stinking Sea
Researchers are raising alarms about the deteriorating seawater quality. Especially around Willemstad and Aurba's Oranjestad. In a Marine Pollution Bulletin report they point to "elevated concentrations of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, along with increased levels of sediment, including clay and sand." Caused by human activity, what else? (So don't forget poop, always a popular Yahoo by-product.)
No worries, we're busy exporting those problems to outside Willemstad. Which will only make them worse.
2025-7-18

Fearless
MAN-PIN and PAR parties are asking the Pias M*F*K government, how about the Curaçaohuis? Huh? They want an independent investigation. (By whom?) "Allegations of mismanagement within the institution could have far-reaching implications for its credibility and function" comments Curaçao Chronicle. As if the Kas di Kòrsow had any. It all started at least with PS™'s Fräudlein Wiels, more than ten years ago already.
2025-7-18

Clumsy Amateurs
That, warns us Dutch defense, is the main danger with the Socialist Communist Paradise of Venezuela's president Maduro. Their armed forces, including what passes for their navy, are so badly trained that stupid mistakes may lead to serious confrontations.
Other considerations are the influx of immigrants here leading to pressure on local services, overwhelming our small-scale medical services, law enforcement, and judicial system.
Not to mention cross-border criminal activity.
2025-7-18

So Fast?!
It's not that easy, so it will take 8 months before we have a concept-law about the AOV welfare pension. We get a stuurgroep [steering group] and a multidisciplinary work group, so results can only turn out to be solid.
That the concept-law won't be ready before March next year so the actual law will only come later, while the politicians promised the AOV would be adapted this year... don't be so negative! We're now promised the minimum age won't be changed. Right, it's only a promise. A politicians' promise.
Gee, I wonder how much those group members get paid.
2025-7-18

Multiply by Ten
HMS Dutch Navy ship Friesland has now in total intercepted 4200 kilos of drugs in 3 catches. So the rule of thumb says 42,000 slipped through? 42 tons!
If that rule holds.
2025-7-17

Oh Joy
We'll get new car license plates next year. Ain't that great, after all those years?
Now wait to see if they get 'em ready in time.
2025-7-17

Who Needs TV?
The Curaçaohuis soap gets better and better. If not entertaining, the drama intensifies. The latest story is, it has sent fraudulent bills to our government; according to Antilliaans Dagblad possibly at least 90,000 guilders' worth.
Inquests are proceeding. Will we ever hear more details?
Plenpot Manuel denies all allegations, quelle surprise.
2025-7-17

It's Them Themselves
This time. Too bad. KKC Knipselkrant Curaçao gave only links to other news sources for a long time now, but the last couple of days I get the error message "Gateway error". So I guess that's that? Sorry to see them go. We needed them, sorely.
2025-7-17

Not Good
The proposal to change the present OB Sales/purchase tax might have meant a welcome relief, but SER social-economic council doesn't think so: "Policy-wise undeveloped, technically incomplete and financially risky." SER misses a relation with the also proposed BTW/VAT system, tourist tax and subsidy reforms.
The proposal was introduced just before last elections, by MAN. Looks like they needn't have bothered.
2025-7-16

Oh, then It's OK
Less and less Curazoleños are coming back after leaving. For now, they prefer Holland; as long as that lasts. But don't worry, for Venezolanos it looks like heaven of earth here in comparison so we have ready replacements.
2025-7-16

"If they Pay You, It's a Wonder!"
A gambling client has allegations of fraud against Wonder Casino and its affiliate EM Group, for knowingly submitting false bank reports stating that his money had been transferred. It wasn't. EM only has a provisional license. Maybe they'll lose it now?
Don't be so naïve to count on it.
2025-7-16

Just
Horecaf catering section calls for a "just" alien policy. Which translates as, let 'em all in so they don't have to rely on our own people. But as you'd expect, that request is supported by all sorts of comments that our home-grown must get a chance to get those jobs as well.
Sure.
2025-7-15

Help!
15% more overnight tourists compared to last year in June, total 57,412 = 1 in every 3 inhabitants. On average, they all staid for over a week, so it really is "only" about 1 in 10.
The media calls it impressive, which it certainly is. It's oppressive as well.
2025-7-15

How I Wish
In Aruba, plans have been announced to plant 100,000 trees in the next 4 years. Good, there hardly are any trees there now. It's started with planting 65 trees on a roundabout; not very large ones but they'll grow. Not very many either; we'll see if that total number is reached in that time.
Here? After the enthusiastic 1960s plans for reforestation, nothing much has been accomplished. Ironically enough the island did grow much greener because of urbanization; in fact, it's almost unrecognizable because it resulted in disappearance of the hungry hordes of goats, with planting in residential areas.
2025-7-15

Wild Building
In Seru Fortuna, already a center of crime and anarchy (sorry folks) now illegal building has really started. Police has stopped it and in the process found 7 illegal residents as well, working on their future. "Unauthorized construction remains a frequent issue on the island" comments VVRP ministry. Like many other things.
2025-7-15

Beginning of the End
Finally, after (I'm not checking how many years) since the arson of the Sentro pro Arte theater, the government is starting preparations for constructing a new building at the same location. Which means proposals to use the flopped Public Library and the Punda Post Office are out.
Not that the old location is ideal. It did have a cellar below the stage, but I've never seen it when it was not filled with groundwater. At least there you have parking space.
2025-7-15

And Stay there!
Please?
Bandariba, the island's Eastern part, is the new hotspot for tourism and residential building. As long as they don't even further choke up our roads by moving to the beaches in the West, that's fine with me.
Not much chance to move from there, anyway: the roads already have not been able to handle the traffic flow for a long time and there's no easy way to improve that.
2025-7-15

Sure?
Director Keli of FKAK ambulance foundation resents Silly Vain's comments on his management. The criticism of the ambulances' quality is unjustified: the vehicles have passed tests in Curaçao and China.
Oh, so they're from China? Sorry, judging from much other stuff originating there that makes us a priori doubtful. That doesn't mean they must be inferior, no. But other reports make us... er... careful.
2025-07-14

You Bet
Global problems. The oil company, not the more general well-known world problems. Repairs turn out to more expensive than expected. But Global will proceed. Vigor (formerly Oryx) has paying all leases up to now. Does this mean that Global has not?
2025-07-14

You Bet - Too
Reform of the tax "service" will take several years. But relax, the foundation is there and it's solid.
We'll get VAT/BTW instead of the present OB purchase tax. All in all, we're promised a fairer, simpler and easier to execute system.
2025-07-14

That Changes It a Bit
I used to think that the rather strong East-West current to the South of the island might be exploitable for producing electricity. Certainly much more feasible than those windmills. But I'm growing less and less confident there's something in it. Now an analysis of the planned tide operations in Scotland makes my doubt even stronger. Price per kWh generated would run to $1.78 there, while a gas-generated KwH in the USA comes to give-or-take 5 cents.
Fuggetit.
Of course and agreed, a tide generator would have to run forwards and backwards which makes it a much more expensive operation.
Saddest part of the story is, the Scots refuse to exploit their own gas resources but insist on importing it instead. What to say?
2025-7-12

Fly? No Way!
A Fokker F70 operated by Surinamese company Fly Allways has been stopped in Bonaire on its way from Havana de Cuba to Paramaribo. This because Bonaire after all is a European island these days and the €U has stopped all flights with Suriname registered aircraft.
The plane may be flown back to Cuba, empty; passengers are stuck in Bonaire until Fly Allways comes pick them up in a non-Suriname registered aircraft.
2025-7-12

Tough, But Good
Hotel and room occupancy on Aruba has gone down from 81% tot 75.8%. But no problem, so the price has gone up. Leave it to the exploiters to complain.
Hopefully for some people, that may result in still less visitors? A vicious circle! Can't wait.
2025-7-12

As Long as They Stay Away from Here
Jeff Sybesma has published a book which makes the impression of being based on the long since outdated warnings of the Club of Rome. My, that's half a century ago! Meanwhile, things have changed. Instead of the growing world population, it looks like it's starting to shrink; which we can see happening here already.
Now, what else? people are starting to get worried about that shrink, while all the time we've been told what horrors we can expect because of that growth.
Give us all a break.
And sure, Sybesma also warns for the bad effects that growth will have on the dreaded global warming climate change.
2025-7-12

Tell Us All about It
RvA advisory council warns that "freedom and independence of the press are under increasing pressure." The government has developed the habit of publishing news on the a-social media (are you there, Silly Vain and Mudbelly?) instead of using presss releases. Understandably; nasty reactions can be blocked that way but those media just can't be stopped.
2025-7-12

You Fooling Me?
The soiled rats' pensions have gone up with 1.54% to cover higher living costs.
For the old farts getting AOV, no such luck. Did you expect so?
Minister Silly Vain accuses MAN-PIN of playing political games with the real needs of old people. Look who's talking.
Amigoe wonders why several laws on this have not been executed, listing a total of 28.9% inflation since 2013, the last year when AOV was adapted. Don't be silly, Amigoe: how else to pay the soiled rats?
2025-7-11

Some Business
The commander of the US Cooperative Security Location is saying goodbye, and mentions during his command 36 drug transports have been intercepted, resulting in 98 arrests and confiscation of over 26,000 kilos of drugs with a street value of over a billion dollars. How long he had that function we don't know.
Anyway, the rule of thumb says that means 10 billion dollars' worth got through.
2025-7-11

New Laws Needed
RvA advisory council warns that we need renewed laws to fight internationalizing ("globalizing" per chance?) crime trends.
Just leave it to our government and we won't get them. Crimen Si, Laws No.
But right, doesn't matter as they wouldn't be maintained anyway.
2025-7-11

Hollow-Sounding Words
There's hardly any real progress with the supposed reforms called for in the Landspakket, concludes Dick Drayer in curaçao.nu. Lots of blah-blah but no results.
You know what? He's right. What did we expect anyway?
2025-7-11

Not for Us
In South Africa, there are serious looks at buying reactors-on-a-ship as in use in Russian Siberia, where it's the only affordable way to deliver power to isolated communities. Those FPUs floating power units carry two 35MW reactors, same as in use on Russian nuclear ice-breakers, have a minimum 40-year life expectation and only need a fuel renewal every 3 to 5 years.
Sounds good huh? Just try and convince our Bleaders.
2025-7-10

Oh Yeah?
The AOV welfare pension is supposed to be adapted every year, following the price indexing and all that. As we have had a growing economy for the past 4 years, MAN-PIN parties are asking minister Silly Vain, how about it?
Silly Vain hits back that his M*F*K party arranged for that stipulation, why MAN-PIN while they were in power just left it as it was (on 2013 levels).
Which doesn't take away from the burning question, What's the use of a stipulation if you don't keep to it? Huh, Silly?
2025-7-10

Last Chance
The ambulance foundation FKAK has received a letter from Silly Vain to clean up its act before August 1. They obviously can't, not with that set of managers. We can only wait for what happens now.
2025-7-10

Go Look Now
While there still is something to look at: Santa Marthabaai, with San Nicolas, has fallen into the clutches of CINEX and John Broek to be developed. Sustainably, of course. With Ecotourism. Naturally!
In that Bay, you can still find the foundation ruins of an decades old enterprise to start a hotel there. Never worked out.
2025-7-10

That's a Good Reason?
The road at Juan Luis is (stop me if you heard this one before) is used for dumping trash, among which dead and hardly still alive animals. People living around there tell us how terrible it all is, as tourists find those animals, can't stand it "and want to leave immediately."
Do something about it, quick! Bad for tourism.
2025-7-10

Good Idea? But...
The plans to put more cops in the streets, walking their beat on foot instead of driving around, is being questioned by M*F*K MP Monte. Cutting to the chase, he doesn't think there are enough cops around to accomplish this.
2025-7-09

Soap Gets in Your Eyes
Again, the The Hague Curaçaohuis. After the managing director resigned, civil servants union ABVO has requested a meeting with plenpot Manuel, remarking that there's "much fright and tension among the employees."
Maybe we'll hear more later. Just maybe.
2025-7-09

Pay Up. Now to the Tax Person
The liquidation of 4 former gambling operations running Oranje Casino and Kroon Casino has been reopened by court. Dutch tax authorities claim Euro Gaming N.V., Swissgame N.V., Uitgeverij Content N.V. and Kroon Affiliates N.V. still owe taxes after the €130 million sale of the two casinos to Swedish Betsson AB. Owners Malone Ltd., Nijlandia Holding N.V., and Mitasco Corporation N.V. claimed there were no assets left.
2025-7-09

How Original. They Steal What They Can
An online casino is called Pari-Match, very similar to a popular French magazine Paris Match. You think it's a coincidence? Then you're fit to start gambling with 'em. It's popular in India, where the law that prohibits visiting casinos and such "forgot" to include online gambling.
Naturally, what else? it operates from Curaçao.
2025-7-09

Pea... Nuts
The public prosecutor has made a deal with 12 operators of one or more online casinos who didn't comply with the regulations. They all refused to admit they were wrong but accepted the deal. Small wonder: the total fines are 360,000 guilders. Only.
2025-7-09

Silly Vain's Worried
Because ex-finance minister Jardim is moving from Central Bank to Banco di Caribe. Is this kosher? present minister Silly not so sillily asks (but quite possibly in vain). There's supposed to be a cooling period between two such functions, only, Jardim was still in function at CBCS during that period; which makes it not so cool.
2025-7-08

"Improvement" Huh?
The Amsterdam Schiphol airport customs people want to improve the 100% control on passengers coming in from the islands and Suriname. What that will result in, they can't, or won't, say yet. So those hassles may get even worse, not less.
2025-7-08

Only Temporary
There's a moratorium on stands permits on public beaches. Only for half a year, while the ministry looks at how to arrive at a Sustainable Framework.
Reading between the lines, not only are the tourists a pest, but they're pestered in turn by characters trying to make a living.
2025-7-08

Birthright
People born in Holland have the highest incomes over here, 6431 guilders/month. That's twice the national average, according to CBS statistics.
I'm still glad I was born here. Even if we as a group don't even make the average, only 3091 of 3218.
2025-7-08

Wrong, Tico Vos
At least in my opinion. In a letter to the editor he starts out by quoting article 7 of the Statute of Rome of the International Criminal Court ICC, which article states that acts of (among others) slavery, deportation or forced transposal are crimes against humanity. And he then refers to Dutch parliament that refused to accept the State of the Netherlands as guilty of these crimes, even though they were committed—in the past.
There's the rub. In the past, Tico, when there was not even an inkling of a thought of the Statute of Rome and these things were not considered crimes. Regrettably, sure, like so many other things in the past. And like just as surely many things that go on these days will be disapproved of in the future.
That's how it works, Tico. Progress can't be applied to the past.
2025-7-07

See? There You Have It
Even IMF noticed. Tourism has doubled in the last 5 years, with as one result that salaries in general went down. And the government is aware that the market may get saturated (they got that straight) so they take measures to avoid that. One of them is, improve roads and transport so the tourists can move around better; and we also need more investments in the maritime sector to attract more tourists.
In short, more! more! of the same.
2025-7-07

Forget It
Dutch parliament is not really enthusiastic about ten more ways to fight racism and raise consciousness about the slavery past. Of ten proposals, eight bounced. Among those last the idea of from now on celebrating the 1st of July as the day slavery was abolished.
Another one asked for free youngsters' tickets to the National Slavery Museum, which will take years before it's even built. Not yet, okay?
2025-7-05

Dumb
And clumsy as well. Those counterfeit 20 guilder bills? They're real after all. Sorry story is, the first batch turned out a bit too small... but they let it pass.
2025-7-05

Fast Work!
The ink on the new guilder notes is hardly dry, and new counterfeit 20 guilder notes seem to be circulating already. My compliments on a fast job. Must be some sort of record. So watch it!
2025-7-05

Won't Help, I Betcha
PNP's Elvin Gerard wants the Pias government to stop Aqualectra's plans to become another internet provider, Qonèkt. "It's a stillborn child," he says, "and public resources will be wasted." Aqualectra claims they have glass fibre cables all over the islands, but in fact they just started putting them in instead of going for a much more lucrative market, WiFi. Which will cost us dearly: if it turns out to be a loss, we will pay via our electricity/water bills.
Gerard also says that the people working on Aqualectra's plans are the same who were involved in killing off and selling UTS to Flow.
Gerard used to work for UTS-predecessor Setel.
2025-7-05

Oh Jeez
Many climate research problems that look promising to make us pay still more remain unfunded because they're too preposterous innovative. But no worries, "international scientists" are working on ways to get those funded as well. Because climate change is getting more and more dangerous, or hadn't you noticed?
2025-7-05

Hurrah!
In April, consumer prices have dropped. Slightly: from 104.5 to 104.4. From the list, only "Recreation and leisure" and "Home furnishings and household goods" dropped; all the rest went up. Resulting in a 2.4% inflation; still too high.
2025-7-05

Oh, It's Like That
Court has decided that the construction of the movable bridge at Zakitó may proceed. And the way I read it, it's not clear what exactly is meant by "it may be used occasionally by emergency vehicles"—does that mean normal traffic can pass it all the time, or not? Otherwise, you ask, what's the use of putting in that bridge?
"Good question! Too bad I don't know the answer."
In fact, I fear I do know the answer: to make some money out of the spills.
2025-7-05

How Much Is It?
Selikor pulls the alarm: they need 41.1 million this year, and the reserved amount in the country's budget is not sufficient.
Too bad Antilliaans Dagblad never mentions how high is that reserved amount. Ah well. Maybe it does and I just can't find it.
Most interestingly, Paul Driessen enters into the trash burning proposals, only in USA Virginia. We've all known since long that the trash-holding capacity of the landfills is far from unlimited, and it's now rapidly approaching its denouement. In short, there's money in the form of heaps of energy in trash burning, so what are we waiting for?
For when the windmills and the solar panels are worthless (both after 20 years, max.) and Aqualectra and our Gang of Forti Amsterdam fools come to their senses. If any.
2025-7-04

Health Care Lagging Behind
Oh, but it's very complex, says the first 2025 implementation record. That would explain why it's ALL behind schedule: restructuring mental health care, organizing hospital care and developing a long-term vision. That last one does seem obvious.
In a nutshell, the report concludes it's all just stumbling along.
Hey, maybe we should hand it to a committee?
2025-7-04

Denial
2Bays, successor of Isla refineries, denies it's in financial trouble. Whatever makes you think that? Perhaps because they can't haven't made much money since the refinery was abandoned by PdVSA, when was it? 2019?
2Bays now wants to "to phase out unprofitable operations and shift its focus toward generating alternative revenue streams beyond the refinery and terminal sectors." Which will require considerable investments. You betcha.
2025-7-04

You Don't Say
There's "a sprawling, high-risk global iGaming network deeply rooted in Curaçao" with platform provider SOFTSWISS. Noy only that, Softswiss is both architect and command center of the setup including Dama N.V., Orakum N.V., TechSolutions N.V., and Hollycorn N.V. Dama runs over 80 online casinos on its own, already. There's much more in Curaçao Chronicle. where it's also mentioned (not in these words) that the mafia-gambling-enabling LOK laws aren't worth a nickel without "real oversight".
2025-7-04

Won't Help Much, Will It?
Court has ordered Mudbelly to show up with Zakitó documents like building designs, permits and advices. Mainly, of the moveable bridge and the location of the towers. He was asked to show them before, but just didn't react.
So what? Building can proceed anyway.
2025-7-04

Lagún Lost
Promo, Fundashon pro Monumentu, has lost in court against Mudbelly: the building of a fisherpersons' house there may proceed.
This is not the first time Promo lost because they weren't alert enough to follow the procedure, and were too late with their complaint.
2025-7-03

Now That It's Almost Over Anywhere Else
Here the court thinks that somebody who thinks it has changed hir gender may change it on hes birth certificate, even though there has been no physical change.
2025-7-03

And Now What?
It's official: the building permits for the Zakitó monsters were for 7 to 9 floors, but 13 are being built. Court wants the minister (who else but Mudbelly) to come across with missing info in less than 6 weeks.
He can't possibly; only my opinion.
Also the Maritime Authority's advice on the yacht harbor and the movable bridge must be shown. And the Save Zakitó foundation would like to know where those removed mangroves will be planted, as promised by the contractor.
2025-7-03

Don't Panic
If the Dutch flight tax goes up, the Caribbean part of the kingdom will lose "millions of €uros." Figures mentioned are an average of €17-45. Is that an average? My my.
Reason for Dutch parliament to request that it won't. Reason is or may well be, that will pay the Dutch government €257 million extra. They win, we lose. Another reason is, all those flights cause more pollution.
Here too!
2025-7-03

Goody-Oh, One More
MAN-PIN want to install a committee for Dekolonisatie, Reparatie en Genezing van de gevolgen van kolonialisme en slavernij [Decolonization, Reparation and Healing of the Effects of Colonialism and Slavery].
Gee, I wonder how much them committee members will be paid.
For some reason, that item is marked as coming from Oranjestad.
2025-7-03

511 Keys
Of coke. Intercepted by Koninklijke Marine, Dutch navy, last month.
Plenty more where that came from.
2025-7-03

2027
That's gonna be some year! Isla refinery will be completely taken over by Vigor. The first Chong boondoggle will be operative. We'll have 4000 foreigners working in the tourist trade, 2/3rds of the unemployed population. Tourism will reach 880,000/year; that's 6 for every 1 of us. And the electricity supply will be 70% "green". All sustainable, sure.
2025-7-03

Yes, After All
The Dutch government has decided to refinance the loans to Curaçao and St. Maarten. For Curaçao only partly; For St. Maarten totally.
Why, is not so easy to understand.
2025-7-03

We Know Who's Talking
M*F*K PM Pias declares that Vigor is reliable. Well, compared to politicians, that's not saying much.
2025-7-03

That's Politics, Folks!
Rennox Calmes, former Trabow pa Kòrsow MP, is accused of forging salary slips to inflate staff his benefits. Calmes asked for the case to be postponed so he could shop for a lawyer; it will now serve come September.
2025-7-03

Sigh. Yes, We Know.
I'll give you the quote integrally:
"The General Audit Chamber of Curaçao has delivered a damning assessment of the government's performance in 2024. In its annual report, the Chamber highlights persistent failures in financial management, police expenditures, and road maintenance. The report also reveals that the government's 2022 financial statement does not comply with legal standards, fails to accurately reflect the state of public finances, and does not provide Parliament with reliable insights."
Well, what else is new? This is not.
It's not all bad news: "Curaçao also scored poorly in an international climate scan conducted in 2024. The island achieved just 6 percent in the category of climate financing—placing it far behind other nations. Scores in climate policy and governance were also low, at just 44 and 43 percent respectively." If only that saved money had been spent on something reasonable instead.
2025-7-02

Don't Hurry
Tax reforms, part of the Landspakket, are "structurally" underway, but that doesn't mean a thing as the government is not taking the necessary implementation actions.
Rather strange, as the complaint is the present tax and customs systems do not generate sufficient revenue.
2025-7-02

Welcome
Flow, still the largest Curaçao ISP, will be facing growing competition. There's TRES (now Digicel), Teramobil (should be operating December 2025) and soon Aquatel's Qonèkt. Mudbelly promises more concessions may be granted. In fact, we found a list of 20, not all of which are accessible to the public, though.
2025-7-02

Only Savings
Those accounts' deposits are guaranteed now; checking accounts', not so much.
2025-7-02

Hope It Works
It's official: Vigor, formerly Oryx, has finally taken over the Isla refinery installations, complete with Bullenbaai oil terminal. The refinery as per July 1st, while Bullenbaai as been in use since December 2024 already (with even 1 [one!] tanker having been received). 40 of the 100 Emmastad tanks are fit for use; the rest need some work.
Vigor started training mainly local personnel and procurement procedures with local contractors. The government says they've paid all lease sums.
Vigor is now called "American" while Oryx was Qatar based. So don't ask.
2025-7-02

Not My Worry
Amigoe asks itself if tomorrow is the Dia di Bandera or Dia di Himno i Bandera (flag or national hymn and flag). But then the paper goes on to mention that the flag was designed by one Martin den Dulk, a real Dutch Scheveningen name. And we here thinking it was ka'i orgel builder Serapio?
But officially, the paper concludes, it's Dia de Bandera. Thank goodness that's settled. Now we can all go back to sleep.
2025-7-01

That's Better
As from today, the deposit guarantee in financial institutions is alive and kicking. Your savings accounts are protected up to 50,000 guilders per bank per account holder; as for credit unions, it's up to 25,000. You don't have to do a thing, it works automatically.
Later, as mostly, St. Maarten will follow.
If that guarantee works per account at a bank where you have a checking and a savings account is not clear to me yet.
2025-7-01

A Tiny Bit Less
Got the last Flow bill. They subtracted not 15%, but only 1.5%. A fat lot of good that is. But who knows? May have been the newspaper that got it wrong. I shouldn't wonder.
Or even I, perish the thought.
2025-7-01

Delays, Delays
New ones? No, just business as usual. Because parliament has been flooded with work, poor babies, the financial management Landspakket reforms will only get their turn in this year's second half. (Which begins today.)
Which means that the packet which was supposed to get going in the first quarter, which timeline has been abandoned (you don't say) has been delayed to end this year. Operational status of monitoring and accountability within government has been pushed to late 2026.
2025-7-01

Justice
Eric Garcia, ex-director of the failed Girobank, has not paid his debt of 19 million which he made to disappear in that debacle. So he has to go to prison, "as per now" says public ministry spox.
And he will still have to pay; and has other sentences for 4 years awaiting.
2025-7-01

Next Governor
Maurits de Kort, age 51, will take over in November from present Lucille Wout after her 2x5 years terms. His name is Dutch, but he may still have been born here. I just don't know yet. De Kort has a lawyer/judge background.
Oh, it's Mauritsz. And it may have been 2x6 years.
2025-6-30

Back to Basics
There are far too many visitors arriving on Hato airport, which can't handle the deluge. Four wide-body jets arrive daily from Holland alone, but weirdly, it's the passengers from Bogotá that have most complaints. (You should try Bogotá airport to get a real taste of crowdedness.)
So after having put up tents to shield the stream from the sun, there's now talk of putting the old airport building back into service. What, then, did we build a new one for?
2025-6-30

Experiential Tourism
Talk about attracting tourists who want to really experience local culture. They seem to want that themselves, which explains why they drive around in long columns of jeeps and scooters, not to mention touring charabancs. When they're not tasting coke, much cheaper here than where they come from. It's our culture!
Maybe give them even a better taste by forbidding all emergency generators when the power fails, once again. They'll like that.
2025-6-30

Maybe That Helps
Rekenkamer auditing will change direction and wil focus more on (another of those Dutch words) doeltreffendheidsonderzoeken: effectiveness studies mentioning Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness. For which ARC needs substantially more personnel. Very economic! But honestly, last year ARC didn't even spend half of its personnel budget; so let 'em.
2025-6-30

Here, It Wouldn't Matter Much
Public servants in Holland declare that they won't follow the directions of the "ultra-right" government. Which was elected by the public, which they then don't serve much, do they?
At any rate, here it won't make a difference; they don't do much anyway. Maybe they do in Holland?
2025-6-30

What Can You Say?
The Guardian reports that "Jamaica's culture minister, Olivia Grange, said her government was asking the council to consider whether the forced transport of enslaved Africans to Jamaica and their subsequent enslavement was lawful." My guess is, in those days it was perfectly lawful. Times have changed.
If they were enslaved already, how can they be 'subsequently' enslaved?
And who enslaved them in Africa? Story is, other Africans did to sell them to Whitie, I dare say for the infamous mirrors and beads; or maybe trade gin?
"The Council" meant is Privy Council, the final court of appeal for UK overseas territories and some Commonwealth nations.
2025-06-29

We're in Curaçao Here
Last night from ~18:00-21:00, no electricity. These are the folks that promise us superior internet, next year or so.
Not that Flow, our present ISP is much better. They gave up the ghost in the night, not to come back before noon. Again...
You never really get used to it, let alone like it.
2025-06-29

Battery Builder Bites Dust
This time it's Northvolt battery manufacturer, a German flagship company, at least in the opinion of the €U which invested over €1 milliard in subsidies and loans, which have just vanished. The factory in Sweden with 2800 workers will be closed.
The next good news is, at least it hasn't caught fire.
2025-06-28

We've Seen that Movie Already
Education renewal proposals are all stuck in the preparatory phase; nothing is really accomplished. This is because there is no distinct way indicated: the government has not developed a clear-cut vision yet. A report mentions lots of points, on which the same remarks are valid.
Say, this is Curaçao; what else did you expect?
2025-06-28

Same All Over
Not only education: a large part of the planned actions is delayed or remains dependent on administrative decision-making. By the government; so forget it right away. But several SOEs [state-owned enterprises] have been reorganized. I wouldn't dare to judge on the value of that, for us voters. Many reforms are being worked on separately with no collective vision. Sounds quite familiar.
That report, covering the period including September 2025, has been written by the Pias government together with Holland.
But Rijksministerraad [kingdom ministerial council] has not received any messages that our financial management would be irresponsible. Somebody ought to send them one.
2025-06-28

True Enough
Selikor garbage remarks that expanding the present Malpais landfill is not an option, and everybody can only agree. Enough is too much, already. If their plans to avoid that will work is another matter. Containers to separate trash into different categories are being placed already, and more will follow.
Downright risible is director Kook's remark that the monthly trash collection fee must be raised by 10%, from 20 to 22 guilders. (He doesn't explain why we here pay 35, and why should he? Pay up and shut up.) But his explanation is, the number of households has grown, so more money has to come in. Which, the way I figure, comes with more paying the same automatically.
Kook can't understand why wild dumping goes on, as there are bulky waste collections regularly. Because many people are worse than pigs, Kook.
2025-06-28

Good News
That's how CBS statistics characterizes the growth of utilities in 2024: from 4.3% to 6.6%. As this is electricity and water, in short, Aqualectra, we're not sure if we agree. Especially as CBS follows up with the news that it is caused by new connections in residential and commercial building projects. In other words, can only mainly be tourism plus.
If that's really so good depends on who reads it.
2025-06-28

Stop It
Curoil installed solar panels on their plot in Scharloo. Only, they "forgot" to apply for building permits and all that nonsense, just went ahead and did it. Now Monumentenplatform, in which many instances are united, has protested: "The historical cityscape is damaged and the construction doesn't conform to the EOP development plan." As the letter was sent to Mudbelly Cooper, whose ministry is ultimately responsible, we can only wish Monumentenplatform success.
To be honest, both Curoil's building and its neighbor's, the abandoned public library, are quite new compared with their historical surroundings.
2025-06-28

Let Us Be Proud
In this Pride Month there's a special day today: that of the Civil Servant. AKA by some detestful characters as Spoiled Brats or even worse, Soiled Rats.
We are special: in Holland it's June 4th and the United Nations celebrate this joyful occasion on June 223rd. We follow the Latin countries.
But there are no special celebrations announced, so relax, already. That's all for today, Folks!
2025-06-27

Prognosis
The Curaçao and St. Maarten economies will keep growing, says Central Bank director Doornbosch. Only, he warns about the dangers of them turning into mono-economies with only tourism supporting it. Even here tourism accounts for over one quarter, and surely St. Maarten is far ahead of us on the road. And Doornbosch warns about the growing discrepancy between higher and lower incomes and the accompanying problems in housing. Tell us about it.
And finally, he thinks it a good thing that the moratorium on imported workers has, for now? been canceled. While this is one more factor to make that discrepancy even larger.
2025-06-27

The Hard Way Out
For several reasons, among which the most important is cost, utility cables will not be buried for as long as we can foresee. This may mean problems in cases where the above-ground networks are damaged, which probably will happen when there are other disasters going on already. Like hurricanes. Mudbelly offers a solution: use two separate telephone providers.
Sure, that will help. And is twice as expensive, at least.
2025-06-27

Still Going On
A man died on Hato airport just before boarding a TUI-flight CUR-AMS. Cause of death of "large quantity" of bolitas, cocaine pellets, in his stomach. This keeps going on, in spite of all those having succumbed to the danger already.
2025-06-27

Who Else
Ombudsman reports that of all complaints about companies, by far most were about Aqualectra. Next came government's Infrastructure and Spatial Planning (Mudbelly's, I guess) and, really remarkable, Public Complaints.
2025-06-27

Indeed?
Since March, prices for vegetables and meat have gone down, in several supermarkets. Fancy that. Not in all of them, though. Also, that doesn't compare quality.
2025-06-27

Just a Quote
From quite new GatheredLightMagazine, specializing in photography:
"A 1% increase in Airbnb listings correlates with a 0.018% increase in rent and a 0.026% increase in home prices, a ripple that scales quickly with volume. In cities like Boston, a 12% increase in Airbnb listings has been associated with a 0.4% increase in rent."
Tell us about it. Here, it's much worse by now. But we can go to a much hotter place than it is these days, already.
2025-06-26

Not for Us
Central bank director Doornbosch joins the club clamoring to import more foreign workers, for that blasted tourist market to keep expanding.
So, nothing for us there. Our own people can got to hell. Sadly, we knew it all the time.
2025-06-26

Same All Over
Now a government work group is busy with the slavery past. E kos ta kansa hende—that stuff makes people tired. They complain that "we still live in a colonial situation," emphasizing that it's not a lack of autonomy, but because many social systems like education, care, management and heritage still function following old colonial structures.
So what else is new? That's how progress works and has nothing to do with slavery as such.
2025-06-26

Block Them
Japan now wants to block Curaçaoan online gambling websites, and even prohibit advertising for them. Out of 40 casinos active online in Japan, two thirds had a Curaçao "license"; if only after a fashion. Other countries mentioned are Canada, Costa Rica, Georgia, Malta, Anjouan, the isle of Man and Gibraltar.
2025-06-25

Gets Better and Better
Who needs television to watch soap operas? We have plenty of our own, plenty! Now it turns out, only 4 out of 9 ambulances are serviceable. Too bad if you need one to come get you in a hurry.
Also, there's much more wrong with those two lemons we're saddled with than we were told about. And FKAK's management is a total mess as well, says SOAB accounting.
2025-06-25

It Was FRAUD, Get It?
Or maybe not? MAN/PIN combi-party is now protesting against the Dutch trying to get back millions of €uros which were paid out to couples who committed fraud in their applications. Those families are now supposed to pay back tens of thousands of €uros, which often boils down to the fact that it's their children, by now adults, who have to pay up.
MAN/PIN jumps to the conclusion that those people originating here couldn't possibly have committed fraud. I'm not so sure at all. Admittedly, those children didn't commit fraud themselves; still, they profited from it.
2025-06-25

Way to Go
Florida wants to get rid of all property tax. Makes you think of moving there. Because here, forget it: it's getting screwed up all the time and we're getting screwed with it.
And also in the USA, a movement has started to preserve the Alaska public lands. It's our heritage, they say there. Not here, though. Our heritage serves to get cut up and sold to developers.
2025-06-25

Try, Try Again
Godett now has an "adapted" proposal for that law meant to safeguard politicians from nasty court cases. He says it has nothing to do with his KEM party leader Martines. Must be a coincidence, right.
I couldn't tell you if he has now paid the lawyer.
2025-06-24

No, They Can't
An incident where a woman started quarreling with the cops when asked for her drivers' license, resulted in a press communication that's now being criticized by Max Marina, a "police watcher" as he's called. Don't they need watching!
No surprise at all. Even a official report to be filed often is beyond their powers.
2025-06-24

Not We
Eight Dutch islands have decided they will start coöperating more closely. That includes the Waddeneilanden and the BES islands over here.
For some reason, the Zeeland islands do not play along.
2025-06-24

Banking News
APC pension fund has bundled all banking activities in one group: PSB postspaarbank savings, CHB hypotheekbank mortgages, and APV together will become APC Bank. We read there's a website claiming "Banking Personalized: We are preparing something amazing and exciting for you."
Paper will disappear, but as for now internet banking isn't working yet.
I can't wait.
2025-06-24

No Stopping It
Rif-St. Marie, which has been saved until now, will be definitely cut up for buildings that most of us couldn't possibly afford to buy or rent. But have no fear, we're reassured by the developers that it will become a thing of beauty. It's an allotment plan, they say, not a resort development as in earlier propositions. Instead of 450 plots, there will be 340.
2025-06-24

Quick! Before It Melts
We're warned that there's a significant increase in counterfeit 100 guilders notes. ANGs, that is, not the new-fangled XCGs. Those counterfeiters must get rid of their old stock before it expires, I guess.
2025-06-24

They Noticed!
Consumers' Union FPK warns about the prices for house-building going up "explosively"; in the past 3 years they've often tripled. Many people cannot afford them, nor the resulting rent prices. Which is blamed on the foreign investments. Also, many residences have become B&Bs for tourists and no longer available for locals.
You don't say. FPK wants to talk to the minister of economic development to find a solution. Good luck! they will need it.
Ain't tourism great?
Not to mention those forced to leave their inherited homes as they just can't afford the higher taxes.
2025-6-23

Bad? Yes!
Those parking meters, working again for half a year now, have not paid enough to start with embellishing the city. How tough! Where did it all go?
But it's not all bad news. We have no reason for much confidence in what those guys mean with "embellishment".
The solutions offered are, putting in 100 more meters (which regretfully will cost money) and (you guessed it) raising the present 1 guilder/hour tariff. Plus higher wheel-clamp fines.
2025-6-23

Better Beware
Mudbelly Cooper announces the government will start to fight "disinformation" in the media. Which can only mean, news that they don't like will be stopped. But freedom of press remains guaranteed (wow, good to know). If only.
This, combined with the state-owned TeleCuraçao television station, the plans to start reporting parliament sessions by the government, and the soon-to-come Aqualectra = state-owned Qonèkt ISP tends to make my alarm bells go off.
And remember, it's not only the press that's free: everybody is entitled to their opinion, however wrong they are.
2025-6-23

BYD Slavery
Just what we need. In Brazil, the public prosecutor files charges against Chinese electric carmaker BYD because "allegedly" BYD subjected "220 Chinese nationals to conditions analogous to slavery and international human trafficking."
BYD of course is where Minister Mudbelly plans to get his darned electric buses from. If we ever get the that is. At any rate, by now it's our cultural tradition, anyway, to use slave work. First WIC with Africans, then CDM/Dok with Cuban slaves, and also Aqualectra with Filipinos. BYD fits right in.
No, I'm not forgetting the Cuban MDs sent over on what resembles slave conditions, as well.
2025-6-22

Cut Us Off a Piece of That
In the Netherlands government measures are announced to fight corruption. There needed as well, if not quite as intense as here. Even though the Dutch government fell and is interim awaiting new elections, this is going through.
Here, not so much.
2025-6-21

What Else Did They Expect?
Dutch parliament is wetting its pants because they found out that our government spent a lot of money right before the elections, to (what else?) please the public and thusly collect more votes. Worked well.
But the Dutch are pissed off because they'd rather have seen our government pay back the loans which they now want refinanced. And who shall blame them?
2025-6-21

Serves 'em Right
In a demonstration for parliament of the "two new ambulances" (I don't know which ones) turned into comic relief. Mudbelly Cooper invited MP Tael Plet to lie down on a stretcher (wisely, as Plet is much skinnier) which promptly collapsed, leading to "widespread attention and concern."
And hearty belly laughs as well, I guess. At least one.
2025-6-21

"Eco-Friendly"
By now, reading the term "eco" is enough to start anti-peristaltic motions in my esophagus. This time it's Coral Estate, to be expanded with a high-end tourism development including construction of 29 hotel units, 7 luxury oceanfront villas, and 4 care villas with medical suites and staff accommodations. But 15 meters of the coastline will be preserved, and use will be made of local plants to promote biodiversity.
And me here thinking perhaps importing foreign plants would lead to more diversity. As it has done already.
2025-6-21

Drat! Missed It
It seems minister Silly Vain proposed to name the Totolika housing project after F*OL/M*F*K politican Americo Thodé. This led to a petition to scratch that and name it after one of Totolika's main forces, co-founder Aminta Sprockel.
I can't find where to sign; I'd do so myself in a jiffy. But there have been well over 10,000 signatures collected already.
Amigoe says, 1000 signatures—again, without a link.
2025-6-21

Better?
After all, Aqualectra has decided on another name for their ridiculous Aquatel idea. But it's not much better nor much less risible: Qonèkt. Their new internet will be based on innovation and fair pricing, we're told. As if they were able of those both. Like the "proactive maintenance to ensure maximum reliability"; that would be a miracle for sure.
Somehow, excuse my suspicious mind, reading that name I get thought associations with "con-game".
2025-6-21

Good Sign
Yet another "green" hydrogen project has been canceled. It's a £2 billion UK boondoggle, that the Labour party refuses to back. And without government backing subsidies, green projects are a flopping failure all over the world. The project was promised to make the UK a "global leader in low-carbon hydrogen"—which sounds all to familiar to our ears.
The plan was to "make hydrogen from natural gas, emitting lots of CO2, then combine it with nitrogen in another energy intensive process to make ammonia. This is then shipped half way around the world, where in another energy intensive process the hydrogen is then split out again, so we can burn it in exactly the same way as would the natural gas in the first place!"
"Our" plans here of course entail a several times more expensive process.
2025-6-20

Still More Expensive Government
It's easy! Just raise prices of fees, precarious rights and retributions. In some cases, almost double 'em. We have to pay anyway, there's no competition we can turn to. Not only pricate persons will be hit, but businesses as well. Which of course the private persons have to pay for as well.
SER advises government to phase the raises, but what good does that really do?
2025-6-20

Welcome Change
OM Public Ministry announces that, finally and hopefully not for once, donations to politicians will be investigated, if election candidates refuse to give information.
A mere suggestion: maybe it's worth checking as well on candidates who did supply such info. Some politicians, very rarely, have been known to lie, you know.
2025-6-20

Happy?
Curaçao Tourist Board is happy "to welcome more tourists" with the announcement of LATAM Colombia airlines starting 3 weekly flights as per December. Judge for yourself if you're happy as well.
2025-6-20

Hurry, Musk
Starlink has not applied for an operating license here. Yet. We may be small-fry, but would welcome it with open arms.
2025-6-20

In-Joke
Sounds fishy to me. Minister Silly Vain requests permission to sell old customs vehicles to the Staff. Such things make me paranoid. Why not a public auction, par example?
2025-6-20

Illegal Bus Drivers
The STO union complains that retired minibus drivers keep on driving their old buses, illegally. They don't care about rules or regulations. The union has given the controlling instance a list with their numbers, but nothing has been done.
Course not.
Ironically, drivers with an expired license have had the police visiting them and confiscating their license plates. Now STO will take action "elsewhere". Makes me curious.
You can't avoid the impression that the licensed bus drivers don't much care about regulations, either. STO complains those illegals pick up passengers at regular bus stops; don't we all wish the legals did the same instead stopping wherever; like in Breedestraat, obstructing all traffic.
2025-6-19

Tradition Kept
The Curaçaohuis in The Hague is a godawful mess which is nothing new; ever since Fräudlein Wiels as plenpot was stealing us blind. Now it's M*F*K's Manuel, who is accused of being a ladron [thief] by his own brother, also working there. Director Prens has been sitting at home since half 2023; I hope but don't doubt his salary is being paid anyway. (By us, who else?)
2025-6-19

More! More!
Chata and Casha tourism exploiting clubs join the chorus asking for more workers, or that wonderfully unbridled tourism expansion can't go on. Right now, 600 to 900 more workers are needed, but even though they say locals are preferred, they also doubt these have the needed skills. So the government must facilitate imported workers.
Which, things go on like that, they may get from Barcelona. Barcelona has 1.6 million inhabitants and "welcomed" 15 million tourists last year. Here it's even worse already; with 150,000 people we had 1.57 million tourists last year, which is still growing. Till we've had more than enough as well.
2025-6-19

What Else
Silly Vain blames the former [Bhillenaath] government for irregularities in the 2019 financial report. He's probably right. Only, the years after that, he doesn't mention.
2025-6-19

How Could He
Finance minister Silly Vain can't explain why the bashí premium for the soiled rats didn't pass parliament, as it should have. Course not! Even he must have known damn well all the time it should and possibly would not pass.
2025-6-18

More Welfare
For oldies. 1000 have been added to the graying gang last year; that's because of the aging of the population. Thanks for splainin'! That's almost 3% more. Almost makes you understand why the AOW payments don't go up.
2025-6-18

So Tell Us
Is what RAC Regulatory Authority of Curaçao asks Flow. They don't think the info received on causes of the recent disruption is satisfactory. In fact, they (and we) don't know a thing.
Maybe Flow does? Don't count on it.
RAC will investigate further. While they're at it, maybe perhaps they can turn an eye on Aqualectra as well? After disruptions they don't even offer a discount, meager as Flow's is.
2025-6-18

But Which Ones?
"Several roads will be closed" tomorrow, June 17th. "Related to traffic safety" which is understandable. No traffic, no accidents, am I right?
Too bad we're not told which roads will be closed.
2025-6-18

Hope He's Wrong
Beaujon, spox of VIPP pharmaceutical importers' club, mentions, and not as an aside between the lines, that there is no inspection at all any more since generic medicines have been admitted on our market. Beaujon worries that this may result in health problems caused by inferior products.
2025-6-17

Now that You Mention It
PAR MP Girigorie has a lot of hard questions for finance minister Silly Vain. Like, how can in 2019 tax receipts have gone up while the economy went down the drain? How in hell's name could expenditures in 2022 exceed the budget by 1.4 billion?
There's more, see Amigoe. Girigorie also asks what has been done to improve the economy. We all know the answer to that; it's very short.
Girigorie nastily tips Silly Vain off that he can find all the answers in ARC's accounting reports. Maybe Silly will take a look at those now? Don't count on it.
The good news is, meanwhile Campo Alegre seems to have (been?) burned down. Goodbye to all that?
2025-6-17

Will It Happen?
Crazy man! Finance minister Silly Vain proposes a law that will prevent exceeding the budget. Starting in 2026 (hey, let's remain practical).
If it will make any difference you shouldn't ask me. I'm prejudiced.
2025-6-17

You Never Know. Still...
Now that in Haifa, Israel the Bazan oil refinery has been bombed by an Iran missile, leading to damage and even more pollution, there are plans to get rid of the thing once and for all and replace it with oil storage facilities. Which Curoil in fact plans to already.
Bazan is blamed for high incidences of cancer and asthma in the area.
2025-6-17

Japan Joins
One really has to wonder by now what countries do not have any trouble with our illegally licensed gambling mafia. Now it's Japan "where authorities are moving to tighten restrictions on illegal gambling by blocking access to foreign-licensed online casinos." 70% of 40 sites turn out to be licensed here.
Aren't you proud? Such a small place with such long tentacles.
2025-06-17

Shortage
Now it's workers. Because of the fabulously growing tourism, the hotels and all need 2-3000 more workers in the coming two years. "We prefer locals" says Chata organization, sure. Sure. But the training is far behind what's needed for over 1000 rooms to be added.
Maybe we can import them from other places, cheap.
Interestingly, Chata claims 48% of the island's GDP income now comes from tourism.
2025-06-17

Who Cares
The police warns that all confiscated vehicles must be collected before June 30, showing all valid documentation. Which includes tax receipts, valid tests and insurance papers.
Question: how can you pay tax without a valid test, which you can't get as long as the car is impounded?
Those not picked up will be "processed" (into jam or other mash?)
2025-06-17

Let's See if they Do
After last weekend's internet disaster, Flow promises that the subscribers who were troubled (which as far as we can judge, means all of them) will get a 15% discount on their next bill. Equals 5 days of internet, Flow says.
I can't help asking myself if some haven't had much higher damages. Very possibly.
Say, how about Aqualectra doing the same?
2025-06-17

Fines Reduced
Those supermarkets which got heavy fines a while ago had them reduced after they showed their accounting to the Tax Persons. Except for one, which still is supposed to pay 450K guilders. I can only hope it's not my friendly neighborhood one, even if there are 2 others (Chinese, of c[o]urse) at a stone's throw distance.
2025-06-17

That's Alarming for Sure
Already 40 gun-related incidents this year: shootings, armed robberies, fatal encounters. This over ten years after the action Ta basta awor [enough now] which, after some guns were confiscated, never got any follow-up. But no worries, justice minister Hato takes it seriously (so do we all) and is working on a solution.
2025-06-17

Put It Another Way
So an ambulance costs about 460K guilders. I couldn't possible tell how much of that is bribes.
2025-06-16

Wait; But See?
MAN-PIN parliament fractions (le mot juste) have introduced a law proposal to adapt to the AOV and AWW (oldies and widows) welfare programs to the price index figures. Hopefully from 2013 when the last tariffs were frozen; but it doesn't say so. Maybe from now on?
Anyway, it's no law yet, by a long way to go.
2025-06-16

No, Not that One
More generic medicines, which means, "cheaper" will be allowed on the island because of the adapted climate norm. Have no fear, for once that has nothing to do with Climate Change. It's just that it has been discovered that we have a tropical climate here so the rules can be changed. Gee, who'd have guessed.
On their toes, aren't they?
2025-06-16

Barcelona Has Had It
Protests against tourism have started there as well, now. "Your holidays, my misery" chant the protesters, holding up banners with slogans "mass tourism kills the city" and "their greed brings us ruin".
Whose greed? Our Great Leaders' greed! Also good for chanting.
It's the SET alliance — Sud d'Europa contra la Turistització, [Catalan for 'Southern Europe against Overtourism'] also active in Portugal and elsewhere in Spain, including Ibiza, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, San Sebastián and Granada. Protests in Italy took place in cities including Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Milan and Venice, where locals oppose the construction of two hotels that will add around 1,500 new beds to the city, the organizers told Reuters.
2025-06-16

Flow Out and Down
For almost 24 hours last weekend, we and everybody with an internet connection via Flow didn't have any. People who called them to ask what was going on (suckers!) hardly got through. Flow says they reacted on FakeBooc; which of course no Flow user could reach.
Apologies won't be forthcoming, except maybe some measly press communication. I bet.
2025-06-16

You Don't Say
Dutch PVV MP van Haasen has sharp things to say about all those people kicking up muddy dust to convince us that the Dutch slavery past is such a shame and something ought to be done about it to recompense us. Fact is, as he rightly observes, there are cats and pussies waxing fat on the money flowing out from the Dutch who, even if they're not guilty themselves, are made to feel so. He uses the typically Dutch expression verdienmodel [earning model] to describe what's going on. He specifically mentions by name John Leerdam, who has caught my eye before: Leerdam has become director of a slavery-museum that will only open in 2030 when Leerdam is pensioned off, but meanwhile "bins of money" are being spent on it already. Of which Leerdam plucks his share.
Leerdam is not the only one, by any means. Most of them live in Holland, close to the source—not here. Other Dutch MPs are angry at van Haasen for saying all this.
2025-06-16

Not a Hard One
Amigoe has an article asking why the Curaçao youth is moving to Holland (and the rest of €urope). Ask me another one. How else to escape that crooked government aided and abetted by the army of soiled rats?
By a coincidence (?), in the same issue an article on how since 10-10-10 the number of people below the poverty line has grown, while the top 20% have grown more affluent. In spite of all governments since then having a program to do something about that.
2025-06-16

Good Intentions
Cft financial supervision says that the bashí-premium should have been passed in parliament, but never was. Doesn't matter; it was a premium for the soiled rats who of course got it, deservedly or not. And the problem is passé anyway; now, it would roll through parliament with its absolute M*F*K majority just like that.
2025-06-16

To the Dump
Those two new ambulances? Minister Silly Vain advises to discard them, and adds that he's competent to do so. (Glad to see he's competent somewhere.) He also says that the sum of 1.36 million spent on 3 other ambulances, which operate satisfactorily, does not include the cost for these 2 lemons. Good to know. What the lemons have cost, he doesn't say.
Where to put those vehicles? Oh, dump 'em in the mondi; it's our culture.
Or maybe in the sea to attract fish and tourist divers; like those Fokker F27 Friendships.
2025-06-16

Blow Me Over
PNP has not accepted the invitation of the "minister" in the Hague to come over and celebrate the Dia di Bandera, AKA Vlaggetjesdag over there. She says it's an expensive and superfluous enterprise, and it should be celebrated right here. Other political parties have to know for themselves if they go over there, she adds.
2025-06-14

God Spare Us
In May, the number of tourists went up by 9% compared to 2024.
2025-06-14

"Explanation"
Minister Silly Vain explains about the ambulance debacle, how financing and all works. What it boils down to is, he can't help it. He can't even say if anybody looked at the vehicles' compatibility with local infrastructure. We can: nobody with more than a hair's weight of brains did for longer than a nanosecond.
2025-06-14

Cft Warning
Financial supervision warns that investments are lagging, despite positive budget surplus. Don't be so naïve, CFT. We all agree that what you invest, you can't spend.
2025-06-14

Crime Going Up
PAR's Girigorie has some nasty questions for the minister of justice. Howcum last year crime went up in three out of six national priority areas for justice policy? Domestic break-ins, 37%; business break-ins, 20%; domestice violence "rose sharply"; and this year atrakos surge again.
Girigorie asks the minister for hard figures, and also for "an explanation of the factors leading to the spike." As if he could. The same for "concrete steps" taken.
2025-06-14

NOT HereToo
In South Africa, where the troubles with power distribution result in beurtkrag load shedding every so often, just like here, voices are going up to privatize the whole goddarn Eskom mess. Advice by OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. In places where it's been done, like in Portugal, power got cheaper and more reliable.
2025-06-14

Join the Club!
This time it's the EM Group, accused in Europe of illegal gambling online. Of course they deny it, what else?
EM Group is licensed in Curaçao (amazing, NOT) via Antillephone, and mentioned as sub-licensees are 1Bet, Weltbet, ZodiacBet, EmirBet, Dachbet, Pribet, Slotimo, and Hot.bet.
A German whistleblower complains he was robbed for over €60,000.
2025-06-13

SEHOS Bankrupt
That's the end. As the government refuses to pay what they were obliged to, the old hospital is now definitely bankrupt. In fact, the total amount is even higher than mentioned before: 69.7 million guilders.
What happens to the buildings now remains to be seen.
2025-06-13

Weaklings
We've now seen M*F*Ks party or rather, government program. As they have an absolute majority, those two should be virtually the same; only, they're not. All militant expressions from the pre-election propaganda have been replaced by administrative prudence. Which shouldn't surprise anybody, that's politics, folks!
2025-06-13

Keep Him Locked Up
Despite of all efforts to get him out, KEM's Martines must remain in jail until at least August 20, when his case finally comes to court.
Martines is accused of being involved in smuggling 120 kilos of coke to Europe and laundering money; "amounts" of between 100,000 and 200,000 guilders have been found at his home.
2025-06-13

Fine, But?
Curaçao's economy grew by 5% last year. Which is better than other countries around us, 2.5%. Too bad it's omitted if we are now back to the pre-COVID level or not.
Confusing as well is that IMF "predicts" a world economy growth of 3.3%—over the past year.
2025-06-12

Wait for It? No, You'll Go Ape Long Before
Quote: "After a 12-year legal battle, a Dublin judge orders a wind company to shutter three [out of six] turbines and pay nearby property owners $411,000 in damages."
One of the complainants lived at 1000 meters from a turbine. Here at Tera Corá, houses are built much closer than that: less than 650ms.
2025-06-12

I Can Hear the Bell Tolling
Just one quote suffices: "Before you can build a floating wind power generation facility, you first have to build the factory that makes the floaters, which has to be nearby on shore."
Scratch your heads, Chong et al.: where to put that monster?
2025-06-12

Impressive
Sunday June 16 Kòrsou pa Palestina organizes a demonstration Niet in onze naam [Not in our name], protesting the genocide Israel is accused of in Gaza. Numbers of victims quoted seem to come straight from the Hamas information propaganda office.
An accompanying photo from I guess a past occasion shows 11 participators, among which 3 small kids. Better luck next Sunday, folks!
2025-06-12

Tough
After several court cases, CMC hospital is forced to adapt lower salaries for specialists, so they conform to the LNT standard: they may make no more than that Bearded Weirdo PM Pias.
Advise for the specialists: go to work for Aqualectra instead.
2025-06-12

Higher Premium-free Foot
For lower incomes, with their income tax scratched, as well. Periodical indexing will be introduced for people living on AOW old-age welfare—and for civil servants. The idea is as well to make tax collecting more efficient, as well as streamlining customs so a change can be made from direct to indirect taxes.
Also, this year we may get an approved accountancy declaration for the yearly account. That I wanna see happen!
Now raise that AOW! Please?
2025-06-12

Too Much of Too Many
Aruba's infrastructure can't handle the number of visiting tourists. Which is seen as a luxury problem, to be solved by more investments and "sustainable solutions." When I read those words I've had it already.
2025-06-12

May Work Well
Police is working on uniformed polis di bario community officers, permanently assigned to their neighborhoods. This certainly sounds better than have cars cruising every so often through the streets.
2025-06-12

"Feelin'Hot"
This project is not about Carnaval but about Heat Stress. There are places in Curaçao where temperatures have reached 49°C but we're not told exactly where, when and how often. Pretty heavy, that, and of course, "climate change" gets the blame.
Not so fast, please. Almost as an aside we read, "hottest neighborhoods tend to lack shade, contain large amounts of concrete, and have little to no tree cover or vegetation." Like, the Hato airport runway?
Somehow, this explanation looks good enough to me.
2025-06-12

Don't
Holland is still deliberating on renewing the old, old loans to Curaçao and St. Maarten, while down here as well doubts are growing stronger if the island governments ever planned to pay them back at all.
In my opinion, the Dutch would be crazy to refinance those loans. Make 'em pay. Too bad it's us who'll have to pay, yes.
2025-06-11

Aw, Come On
Governor Wout emphasizes that the screening law must be maintained for new ministers. She must be kidding? I'm afraid not. It still does mean that suspicious chraracters can be stopped from becoming ministers.
Theoretically, that is.
2025-06-11

Nr. III Already! Count Your Blessings
The new Pisas government is the 3rd. That goof was PM twice before, from 2017 and 2021. Excuse our miscounting.
2025-06-11

No Simba for Sweden
Another complaint: " The Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) has issued an immediate ban on Simba NV, a gambling operator licensed in Curaçao, for offering gambling services to Swedish consumers without the necessary Swedish license."
Looks like that Gaming Authority and that new law are totally worthless; just as we expected.
2025-06-11

Impotence
The government seems to give up on collecting 7% taxes from all those private rentals for tourists. They plan to replace it with a fixed entrance fee. Which naturally means that if you plan to stay for a month, you pay as much as an overnight visitor.
The money will be used to upgrade roads and other infrastructure. They say.
2025-06-11

Figures
2Bays isla refinery sees the bottom of the money chest getting in sight, and bare too. As all those deals with Global and Oryx Vigor keep falling through getting delayed.
They must have built up plenty reserves to keep it up that long; we may well wonder how.
2025-06-11

Oh, that Way
Government is prepared to start negotiating with Sehos, instead of just paying up. Their offer is a typical High and Mighty one: they will pay 4 million (out of 22) but then the buildings' ownership must be transferred to the government.
I call this blackmail.
So they can start a new bordello-drugs/gun trade-laundering operation in there? Knowing them, it's a thought.
2025-06-11

2.4%
Inflation over the past year. Last month, index rose with 0.6%.
Have a drink and a smoke, the only things that didn't go up.
2025-06-11

One More!
Illegal dumping site at Ronde Klip. And it's burning as well, so people in the smoke fall ill, even with windows closed. In these hot-hot days... hope they can afford airco.
Reps have been meeting with government officials to see what to do about it.
2025-06-11

Sorry!
We've been down for a while, computer hassles. Dontcha know it... But out? Never!
Now scrambling to pick up.

So?
Antilliaans Dagblad analyzes the parliament numbers, and concludes that its majority doesn't even represent 30% of the voters.
As if they did what the voters wished for if that was different.
2025-06-10

Stay Positive
The higher Amsterdam Schiphol airport tariffs may, after all, also have a negative influence on the number of Dutch tourists coming over here.
That's not all bad.
2025-06-10

Don't Bother
Cabinet Pisas II has presented its governing program 2025-2029. I won't go into details because it's of no use.
Nor is the program.
The plan is to create 3 or 4 more economic pillars, next to tourism. Would make me curious if I believed they would. Or could.
2025-06-10

Hurry, Cane!
No, I admit, not my pun. But it's applicable. In the start of the, as always, heavier than usual hurricane season we're normally treated on several pre-storms. Which serve well to scare the crap out of us.
This year there were none. Instead, "a conspicuous lull in storm activity".
Check your roof.
2025-06-09

Erase It to Its Foundations
Basila snack has been closed down after an inspection. No Horeca permit, and it had not even been applied for by the owner. Why should he? Now he knows. For now.
Also lacked a proper cash register (for tax purposes, hey! can't tolerate that).
2025-06-09

Oh Yeah? Really?
The headline in Curaçao Chronicle is "Curaçao Tightens Oversight of Online Gambling Sector with New Legislation." While we can all agree it needs tightening badly, many of us wonder if that will actually happen. Al contrali.
2025-0-08

Money Is Us
The old Sehos hospital is still supposed to get 22 million guilders from the government. You know already: they don't get it, even though the judge has already said they should. Actually, that's only half of what Sehos thinks is due.
2025-06-07

Huh? Wot?
The tour operators are surprised about the announced Klein Curaçao plans. They were never consulted, while, at least that's what they say, have been taking such great care for the islet all these years. And they think the number of visitors tolerated is based on nothing. Which is probably right. At any rate, they mention 400 visitors per day will be allowed which they think may well be doubled. Of course, wot you teenk? Twice as many is twice as much mun and double the fun. For them.
I figure 175, not 400 but maybe I am prejudiced. As well.
2025-06-06

Not So Fast, Godett
A good thing he never paid the advising lawyer (except for the lawyer. Into each life some rain &c.) He'd like to have special rules for politicians to be prosecuted. But RvA advisory council says no way, politicians must be prosecuted the same way as us hoi polloi, voter cattle.
It all started with his party boss Martines, sighing in jail for his court appearance tomorrow (?) for alleged (yes, that word) drugs dealing and money laundering.
2025-06-06

Not His Problem
Finance minister Silly Vain lets it be known he has nothing to do with the ambulance debacle. He just took care that they could be paid for.
2025-06-04

Fancy That! Imaginabo!
A real tanker, like in the old days, arrived at Bullenbaai Oil Terminal with a cargo of "petroleum products". We're not even told if it's crude of something more refined. It's from Colombia.
2025-06-04

That's Good. If Only
The idea is not for the banks to charge their clients for the costs of maintaining an account balance guarantee. How then will they pay for it? Seems our Genius Leaders are thinking that one over. At their leisure, sure.
2025-06-03

Think It Helps?
Go have your head checked, then. The idea is to have tourists pay a tax for the privilege to visit the in-process-of-ruination Klein Curaçao island. Starting with $10/day, later 15. As if that will stop the well-recorded deterioration that's going on. It should limit the number of visitors to 100,000/year.
2/3rds of Curaçao's population (which presumably still is free to go there); almost 2000/week or 175/day.
We must face it, the island's ecology was ruined long since when the phosphate containing guano deposits were removed, for fertilizer. That was another generation, to be sure.
Just like slavery.
And the lighthouse will be restored. If it will be put to work they don't say. I mean, what for?
2025-06-02

Not So Bizarre
Just what we've come to expect. This time it's Bizzo Casino ripping off Portuguese gambling addicts. They complain about "predatory tactics"; well well well.
2025-0-02

Windfall
The Dutch are complaining that the Belgians are putting up windmills, in the North Sea of course (watch your rudder when sailing over there) that take away the wind they themselves want to use to generate power.
An unlimited source of free power, we're always told. Seems, not so.
Also, the materials used to make those blasted monsters are not so innocent.
2025-06-02

No Kidding
Curaçao's financial management is "unrealistic" says Cft financial supervision in Dutch parliament. Ain't that so. Main worries are CMC hospital, "structural Tax Bureau problems" and the ambitious efforts to arrive at an approvable 2026 accountants' statement.
2025-06-01

Is this True?
The story is, Frank Martinus Arion didn't send his own daughter to the hopelessly misnamed Erasmus school, which he set up to have pupils taught in their own language, Papiamento. Supposedly to give much better results; or maybe not.
Go figure. But as I said, it's just what I'm told. Could easily be confirmed, though... or not, right.
Erasmus was a humanist and reasoning philosopher. Dutch.
2025-05-31

It's a Secret
Dutch finance ministry have blocked publication of the large majority of Ennia documents: 165 out of 170. Must be real stinking shit: "disclosure could damage trust with other nations and interfere with negotiations or active legal cases." Ya bet.
2025-05-31

Free But Still Suspects
Three persons, arrested because of the "alleged" fraud and corruption in DOW pubic works, have been released. But they're not home free, yet.
2025-05-31

No Such Luck
Advent hospital wanted to raise their tariffs. But the judge stopped them;should have taken it up with Fatum insurance first.
2025-05-31

Great Planning
We got the news that Aqualectra would cut off power on last Wednesday. However, the day it took place was Tuesday.
I couldn't say who was at fault here, Aqualectra, the source? Or we could have misunderstood, I admit.
2025-05-30

Different Approach
While the Dutch may fly to (only) the Caribbean islands without paying carbon tax fines, in Hawai'i there's a radically different approach. There, the tourists have to pay a carbon tax, 0.75% on hotels and rentals to Hawai'i.
If that is of any help? Don't ask me!
2025-05-30

Try, Just Try
Sargassum seaweed is a real problem, and keeps getting worse. Nobody really knows why; which in turn means it may disappear tomorrow. Several islands have put up in-sea barriers to keep the stuff way from beaches.
In a Carmabi conference the conclusion was clear: we need a concrete solution and international cooperation. To do exactly what is not so clear.
2025-05-30

Here's Why
Stanley Bodok analyzes the kingdom's "democratic deficit." The small islands' citizens make hardly any difference in the kingdom's politics, but do feel the effects. Bodok wonders why the Curaçao government not only has not reacted to proposals to change that (which in my opinion wouldn't have much effect anyway), but also why that government doesn't seem to be interested in what their own citizens think about it.
That's an easy one, Bodok. They couldn't care less.
2025-05-30

Well, Some Can
Amigoe warns there is a FakeBooc con-game going on, where you are offered the winning ticket in the Wega di Number of Curaçao or Bonaire. Guaranteed! When you buy it, the next letter asks for more money. (The letters are in Spanish, not in Nigerian.) Warns Amigoe that nobody can guarantee you'll win, "certainly not via FakeBooc." A lot you know, Amigoe: depends on the lottery.
Police say, at least ten suckers have fallen for this trap already, this year. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised at all if those Wega di Number games are totally corrupt. Sorry! It would fit right in.
2025-05-30

Pick Your Favs
CBS statistics has to tell that the labor market shows strong growth.
On the other hand, the number of families below the poverty line has gone up as well, from 2011 - 25% to 2023 - 30%.
And 70 workers on Isla refinery have been kicked out as from next day. Seems to have to do with Global versus/and 2Bays; but what do I know?
I can't even find rhyme in all those items.
2025-05-30

Throw the Key Away, Please?
More people have been arrested in connection with VVRP ministry fraud and corruption. I can't find how many; justice is scarce with their info, as they are now checking how extensive the corruption network is.
"More arrests may follow."
2025-05-29

Good, But Not So Jolly
The new ambulances will not fit through the CMC hospital emergency entrance. Too high.
Because they're higher than the standard models, in case of floods, get it? Which we do have one of every fifty years or so. If that.
"It's unclear how this will be resolved." Ya betcha.
2025-05-29

Now They Tell Us
Meteo warns us that the Sahara dust is sure to be a pest in May. Thanks so much.
In June too. Not that anybody knows how to protect themselves.
Wear a surgical mask, you say? Oh go away.
2025-05-29

Why Not Kick Them Out Completely?
Two accountants have been scratched from the Register; alas for only 4 months. Reason, they overestimated the value of St. Maarten's Mullet Bay which resulted in Ennia bosses being able to withdraw much larger sums than they should have been able to. For which we all will pay 30 million per year, for 30 years.
2025-05-28

Realistically
Holland allocates €150 million for energy transition in the CAS islands. But it's not meant for more wind and solar, rather for professionalizing the energy supply.
And Amigoe carries an article by Ronald Lieuw, pointing out that the Aqualectra-quoted 50% "green" of our energy supply in reality is less than 30%.
2025-05-28

Not Decent
That's how Ombudsman describes the way complaints at VVRP of public terrains issues for residential building are handled.
As that's Mudbelly's ministry, we shouldn't wonder.
2025-05-28

#They Too!
In Atlanta, just like in Spain and Portugal a few weeks ago, lights went out in several districts. The region's grid operator cut off power to reduce usage, a "last resort" measure to prevent a large-scale blackout.
The USA Secretary of Energy wants to ensure the coal-fired power plant remains operating, as the MISO grid is opting instead to pursue solar and wind resources.
2025-05-27

For Them, Yes?
The medical specialists have been fighting for well-deserved higher salaries, but while they may save your life the worthless board supervisors of Aqualectra, who can't even keep the lights on, have asked for an almost quadruple raise of their salaries.
Without a formal request, to be sure.
2025-05-27

Goodbye, Already!
And don't let the door hit you on your way out. Pinnacle, a large gambling mafia club exploiter of Curaçao, seems to be leaving. Their rented space is empty and Antilliaans Dagblad hasn't been able to contact them for a week.
Pinnacle in "better" days had over a hundred people working for them but the story is, Curaçao is too expensive for them. Salaries are too high. Their sub-license expired on June 25.
Good riddance.
2025-05-27

Poor Babies
Cft financial supervision says, too much is asked from the Caribbean countries of the Mighty Kingdom. They themselves can't handle their problems, and Holland asks too much as well.
Didn't those three proud countries ask for it themselves? "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time."
2025-05-27

As Per Expectations
Since 2010 (the year does strike a familiar note) there has not been a transparent and objective for SOE (government-owned companies) managers. Are you kidding? Of course not! even if the Corporate Governance Code prescribes the establishment of an independent entity to advise the government on appointments of directors and boards.
Fifteen years of sliding downhill. Let's throw a party!
2025-05-26

Damn the Torpedoes Icebergs!
BP may be canceling the H2Teesside scheme, announced in 2021, designed to capture "blue" hydrogen from natural gas, "as it struggles to secure enough customers to make the investment worthwhile."
But we here step on the gas.
Keep in mind that "blue" hydrogen may be 5 times cheaper than the "green" stuff, planned for us in a mad maniac project, when you read this: "nobody wants to replace fossil fuels with something much more expensive."
Investments in BP's SAF Sustainable Airline Fuel project in Spain have been paused as well, because of weaker than anticipated growth in the market.
Much weaker.
2025-05-26

That Was the Word
... that Nardy Cramm used and which the gambling mafia thought they'd sue her for. An illegal "Gambling Walhalla" [witwaswalhalla] was how she characterized the sub-licensee constructions. For which former master license holder Cyberluck Curaçao, Global Related Services and G-Force Corporate Services wanted her to pay 1.3 million guilders. Oh no, €uros.
Like the judge, methinks she had a good point.
2025-05-26

Why Even Mention It
The governments of our proud nations Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten have reacted too late on the 70-Year Statuut proposal. After an October meeting was delayed until June, in February the countries agreed they would react in May.
They didn't.
It's our culture!
2025-05-26

I Hope So
As far as I can find out, that deposit guarantee counts for not only savings account deposits. The term used is kredietinstellingen, which includes all accounts.
2025-05-26

Which Reminds Me
"Palestinian politics are irrevocably dysfunctional. A 'State of Palestine' would be a failure from the outset."
Now what does that remind me of?
Elder of Zion
2025-05-25

Hold It
Oh wait, that deposit guarantee? Maybe it's only for savings accounts. I'm not sure, though.
And in St. Maarten it will follow later.
2025-05-24

How Nice for Them
Six PMs will go to Uruguay on Monday for a meeting of ParlAmericas. Whatever that is, but I'm sure it's mighty important. Just like Parlatino; of which Curaçao at least is a member. Of ParlAmericas, not. Yet.
2025-05-24

Break Out the Beer
It's weekend, anyway. And from July 1, everybody has the right to their own wee bank account.
Meanwhile, the Nederlandse Bank advises everybody to carry enough cash money to get along for 3 days in case of disruptions, and some stores have stopped accepting payments by plastic anyway. It was a choice between that or raising their prices.
If you have to fill your tank in those 3 days, you're out of luck, and money.
2025-05-24

No Surprise
PNP MP Osepa also has questions for Mudbelly Cooper about the recent arrests in DOW public works. He says, to him, they were hardly a surprise. But in fact, for us, they were as we never dared figure that the fight against corruption will get us anywhere.
And we still doubt if it really will.
One thing's for sure, if the mighty fall it will be quite a whomp. If you know what whom I mean.
2025-05-24

Yes, So?
Psychiatrist Glenn Hellberg got the opportunity to address Dutch parliament on the slavery past. He came with the not-so-original remark that the slavery was in fact a state enterprise. Yes, to be sure. Only, that state has long since been gone and replaced by a succession of others, so the present one can hardly be judged guilty.
Same applies to the citizens, we must add.
He uses the Swahili word Mafa or "Black Holocaust". If I may correct, which I'll do anyway: that's just wrong. Slavery did not try to eradicate all Africans, but the Holocaust did mean to eradicate all Jews.
2025-05-24

Nasty Bastards
Dutch parliament is not very happy with Curaçao's request to refinance that 140 million guilders loan. They put nasty questions, like "Why have Curaçao and Sint Maarten not included the loan repayments in their budgets? What oversight was in place?" Answer: no-good Cft financial supervision. And "When will a final decision be made on the repayment or refinancing of the loans for Curaçao and Sint Maarten?" The Raven has the answer: "Nevermore."
A formal response from the ministry is expected in the coming weekis.
You decide who are the nasty bastards meant.
2025-05-24

Setback
At a construction site control near Habitat at Coral Cliff ten workers turned out to be illegal and were removed. The two who were legal were allowed to work on.
2025-05-24

Now There's Money
Brasami will get a new building on the Capriles-clinic's grounds., after they had to leave their last location in a hurry. When they will in fact move in? No hard questions, please.
This means that the totally neglected old Sanatorium will be demolished, we have to fear. Another architectural landmark gone and lost.
Aha, end 2028 Brasami can move in there.
2025-05-24

WOW! Really?
We get the, very welcome, news that per account holder and per bank and all accounts are protected to the value of XCG50,000. Not per account! take note. If you have 2 accounts with the same bank, like checking and saving, they're protected to a total of 50,000.
Account holders will get their money in less than 3 weeks from the Depositogarantiefonds DGF.
Now if only the interest was higher than inflation...
2025-05-24

Not That Bad; Still Much Too Bad
46.5% of the cars controlled by police lack proper documentation. Scary.
However, take into account that mostly only those cars that obviously need controlling are stopped. If you wear your safety belt, are not on the phone and have transparent windows, you probably may just drive on and never need to show papers. Good tip, huh?
Checks will continue, says minister of justice.
2025-05-23

Never Pay! Just Delay
Cft financial supervision claims that the government has long been in a position to pay back the 140 million guilders loan back to the kingdom, but preferred to hang on to that dough and opt for refinancing instead.
How like them.
Holland, the kingdom, must still endorse the refinancing.
2025-05-23

With Bated Breath
Minister Cooper is awaiting the results of the public works corruption investigation. I'm sure it's of interest to him; he says he "awaits calmly and refuses to speculate." But PAR's MP Pauletta who presented two letters to Parliament, after Cooper denied their existence, says he "appeared visibly nervous." I shouldn't wonder.
2025-05-23

Just Fine to Read
The Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the BES-islands has ruled in favor of KKN's Nardy Cramm in a case where several gambling institutes asked for a rectification, claiming Cramm harmed their reputations (which after all can't stand much harm).
Good.
2025-05-23

For Joker
We'll get 50 more cameras to check on traffic problems!
Only, it's more waste of money as we still don't have a law enabling fining of transgressing cars.
2025-05-22

Is What They Say
ACRW road contractor denies having anything to do with the corruption in DOW public works. Of course! Just imagine they would confirm it.
ARCW also says they have confidence in the authorities working on the investigation.
2025-05-22

Now It's Smuggling Monkeys
Coast Guard intercepted a boat with 8 men, 2 women and 1 monkey; all from Venezuela. None of them had proper documents.
No drugs, nor weapons were found.
2025-05-22

Oho
Two contractors got contracts for large road repairs, even though they didn't comply with the prescribed criteria. "According to your wish" is a sentence in the letter of DOW-head Mercilia to our fav, minister Cooper. In a later version that sentence is replaced by the word gunningsadvies [say, endowment advice] which still means that the two companies got the job while not being eligible, because Cooper wanted them to. (No doubt for very good reasons—very good for him?)
"Millions are involved" Antilliaans Dagblad says. You bet. In fact, many millions.
2025-05-22

Four
That's the number of arrests in the DOW public works corruption affair. Only, one of them is a private person: an asphalt road contractor.
2025-05-22

We're Saved!? Carbon, Not So Much
Dutch parliament has agreed not to carbon-tax the flights to the Caribbean. So we may expect to get even more tourists, as they will have to pay more for flights elsewhere.
2025-05-21

Think It Over, First
SER social-economic council cautions finance minister Silly Vain against moving to fast with his proposal on profit tax reform, which "must not only aim for efficiency, but also be socially responsible and effective."
SER thinks, instead, the income tax system for deductions related to health care and social welfare should be looked at.
2025-05-21

Let's See
M*F*K PM Prick Pias gets till June 1 to come up with a plan for partly refinancing of that 141 million guilders loan from Holland. He is advised to collect advice from Cft financial supervision. Also, details on the so-called 10-10-10 loan repayments would be welcome. These will expire in 2030, 2035 and 2040.
2025-05-20

Part Collapsed
Now part of Brasami had to be cleared in an awful hurry, right before it gave up the ghost and collapsed. Truth be told, it didn't; not just yet. Everybody got out unhurt.
2025-05-20

It Actually Happened!
"Several" (we're not told now many) soiled rats at DROV public works have been arrested for alleged corruption, after a long investigation.
Still more arrests are possible. You bet.
It sure took some time.
2025-05-20

Another One
This one at Cas Abao. On two terrains, together 33 hectares (82 acres) a 120-rooms hotel will be built and 50 "luxury villas". (Not for us.) The project carries the name Tera Adora [Adored Land}; good to make you vomit. An "ambitious eco-resort" marking "a significant step in the island's commitment to sustainable tourism."
I'll spare you the B.S. remarks of Mudbelly Cooper on the project's "harmony with nature, cultural values, innovation, and economic contribution to our community."
2025-05-20

Dream On
Dutch parliament, and government, keeps insisting on more agriculture here. While that in itself undeniably is a good thing, they keep saying it guarantees voedselzekerheid [food security]. This is a certain impossibility, as I have tried to explain elsewhere.
And besides, we hear that it is sure to damage our landscape. Even further. Good for tourism! the other way to stimulate the economy they're fond about.
2025-05-20

That's Better
But damage has been done. After private person Lusette Verboom wrote a alarming letter about it in Amigoe, the destroying activities at Kabrietenbaai have been stopped by minister Cooper,
As long as that lasts.
2025-05-20

We're Getting Nowhere, Fast
Our new parliament has started work! with installment of three committees. Then, they were so tired the rest has been postponed until end of June.
Yes, my pessimism is showing.
2025-05-19

Other Spots, Same Leopard
Oryx Group's name has been changed to Vigor. The company says it symbolizes power, energy and determination.
Sounds great. As from when? They missed their starting date and that's the last we heard.
2025-05-19

Why Think?
That should be the motto in Curaçao's logo. Let us look at those windmills and solar panels again. Nobody has thought about what to do with all that rubbish resulting after their useful life of 10-20 years. Nobody here and almost nobody anywhere else.
But why worry? By then, Malpais landfill is of no more use anyway.
And don't forget those batteries...
2025-05-19

Oh, We Have a Choice!
In actual fact, of course, we don't have one—our Bleeders do. It's between more tourism or more agriculture. Well, they already chosen for more tourism. But we're warned that both choices will result in landscape damages.
You don't say.
Meanwhile, all over the world tourism's unbridled growth gets more and more askance looks. Just now, thousands of people hit the streets in Tenerife in protest, which got so heavy that tourists didn't dare leave their apartments. One complaint of the people living there is, there are far too many AirBNB-rentals while they themselves don't have places to live.
Sounds all too familiar.
2025-05-19

Hope that Works
The government has taken over the CMC-hospital debts, 467 million guilders worth by now, and converted them into capital. Which means at least CMC does not have to worry about paying it. What it doesn't mean is, it got changed from a debt into hard money—it's merely added to the debts owed to Holland/the Kingdom.
2025-05-19

Agreed! Enough Already
The restaurant owners want a stop on new restaurants. New ones keep opening while others close down. New ones should get a pause of one to two years before getting a license.
Only temporarily, alas.
The owners' club says that while tourism may grow, most of those stay-overs rent apartments, or from AirBNB, which means they take care of their own meals.
2025-05-19

Fines, Fine
During traffic controls past week at 3 locations, 215 vehicles were stopped of which 92 were fined. No valid papers, dark windows, no safety belts, no license plates. Police announces controls will continue.
No cars were confiscated, of course.
2025-05-17

Wherever They Go
More inspections of six garages and car work shops resulted in closure of one, a warning for another one, and a major discovery of electricity theft. Which resulted in a 15,000 guilders Aqualectra fine.
2025-05-16

What Else
We're almost halfway the year and there still is no amended 2025 budget. Because negotiations with Holland/the Kingdom are still going on, about refinancing ofthe 140 million debt—stemming from 2010.
One good thing is, the investment of 25 million in a windfarm is postponed. About the decision not to take over the CMC hospital building, I'm not so sure. More info is needed.
2025-05-16

Oh, Great!
Compared with last year, tourism went up by 18%.
And Holland may not charge extra tax on AMS-CUR flights. After all, who cares about pollution? Money is what we need! brought in by tourists.
2025-05-16

Oh, fer Chrissakes
The experts, this time from Amsterdam and Switzerland, pointed out a new future for Curaçao. One is more tourism! even explosively; and the other one is, more agriculture. The second one does not seem very realistic, unless you cover what's left of the country with greenhouses. But both are admitted to damage our landscape severely.
2025-05-16

New Oil Terminal
This time in Schottegat, at Blenheim. Curoil plans to have one, as their activities keep growing and they dream of becoming an energy hub for the Caribbean. As long as it's not hot-air wind and solar, they may succeed.
Remember, Curoil is a state-owned company.
2025-05-15

No Problem
The police have stopped confiscating cars. The holding terrain is full. It's not known when actions will resume.
Don't make no difference, mon.
2025-05-15

Who Cares
Negotiations between Global Oil and 2Bays refinery on an amendment have been going on for 8 months already, without business resulting. Problem is, certain refinery assets have been promised to Global but have in fact been assigned to Oryx.
But does it matter? Because of USA sanctions Global may come to a complete standstill end of this month.
2025-05-14

So What
The (many) medical universities on the islands may be in trouble. The fact is, by a change in the US accreditation system, MDs do not have to present diplomas from accredited foreign schooling.
Honestly, I don't get their problem as the Curaçao and Aruba "universities" are not government accredited at all. So how they can afford the hypocrisy to complain about possible proliferation of universities? Methinks many are fine examples themselves.
2025-05-13

Hopefully
CMC hospital may look forward to getting a financial injection by the government, and the LNT-limit of medical specialist salaries may be raised as well. So they may earn more than our worthless PM.
2025-05-13

Now It's Fraud
Online betting operator 1Bet, managed by Bellona N.V., is accused by Italian gamblers of systematic fraud, refusal to process withdrawals, and disregard for user protections. They call for legal action against 1Bet and GCB Curaçao Gaming Control Board. The latter states it does not mediate disputes between players and operators and only acts in the case of proven license violations.
Sic 'em!
2025-05-13

Brasami
"Embrace Me" care institution runs a detox center for addicts. Judging from what the Council for Law Enforcement has to say, they may be as well of in a choller-house or in the streets. "The facilities are neglected, adequate medical care is lacking, and there is no professional security in place" writes Curaçao Chronicle.
2025-05-13

As Always
The Kita Tur action has not resulted in safer traffic. While the number of fines has gone down by 23%, the Council for Law Enforcement opines that it's less the result of improved driver behavior than of reduced enforcement.
We're used to that.
2025-05-13

What's Not to Like?
Venezuela's opposition leader Machado comes out with a proposal to have USA president Trump help them get rid of president Maduro, which will open a 1.7 trillion market for the USA. And 90% of the Venezuelan people want Maduro gone, anyway. And take Iran, Hezbollah, China and Russia along. One fell swoop.
Minimum wage in Venezuela now is $1.5/month. No wonder they're sick of their socialist paradise government.
But what we know about Trump, he won't start a war to achieve that. Even though he did get out five hostages, held in the Argentina embassy in Caracas.
2025-05-12

Pay, Now
The old story: Curaçao asks for re-financing of a 2010 Dutch 240 million guilders loan, because the island lacks the money to pay.
But Cft financial supervision doesn't agree and tells the government to take it out of the planned investment amounts. Best way is to pay 60 million now and refinance the rest, to maintain the minimum financial buffer advised by IMF.
The rest of the 204 million planned 2025 investments should be borrowed instead of being paid out of the government's own means. Which I don't see how it really helps. Only marks on paper.
You can only ask, didn't anybody see this coming? Of course they did, and did not care.
240-60=180, so what's with 204 million? 2025-05-12

Will this End Well?
Not promising. MSB medical staff of CMC hospital has rejected the RvB management's proposal for a mediation traject. For one thing, MSB insists on having an observer present in all meetings between medical specialists and management, which is the so-called "four-eyes principle".
No matter how I count, I arrive at 6 eyes.
2025-05-12

She May Well Say So
Governor Wout, after a meeting in which the 21 parliament members swore their oaths, emphasized in a speech that it was of the utmost importance to watch the budget right.
If it will help is another matter.
2025-05-12

The Answer Is "No"
Amigoe carries a pretty frightening article, first considering how in the past 5 years tourism has grown 3 to 4 times as large (depending how you look at it) and then asking what good that will do the population. No so much; don't you know it. And finally, it points out we need a reserve fund in case of future calamities (remember Covid) to arrive at the conclusion, as we all expected, there ain't no such thing. Now with our live-today-and-spend-it-all style governments.
Interestingly, Amigoe also mentions Cuba where because of power failures last year tourism collapsed with one third.
2025-05-11

Good for Business
Only, they pay no taxes. Last year, 231 vessels were inspected by the Coast Guard resulting in 88 arrests and confiscation of 11,169 kilos of cocaine and 4,470 kilos of marihuana. (Figures, there's hardly as much money to be made on weed.) Most came from Venezuela, what a surprise.
Remember, only 1 in 10 may get caught.
2025-05-10

"No Panic" He Says
Dutch PM Schoof warns the Russians are building military capacity on the Finnish border. EEEK! they may be preparing for another war.
Or maybe not.
Holland may increase spending on defense as a result. Exactly what Trump has been saying for years that must must be done.
2025-05-10

No Planning—Yawn
What else is new? There are (still) not enough cells for police detainees, there are significant delays in the establishment of a seizure house and a forensic care facility, and the housing of shelter Brasami is in a troubling state.
All business as usual.
2025-05-10

Sounds Just Fine
St. Maarten News carries an article on the future of cruise ships. These are getting larger and larger, with up to 8,000 suckers trapped aboard, and the expectation is they couldn't care less about where they're going. They just stay aboard and enjoy their stay there, such as it is.
Have to tell you, I can't wait. Let them. Please stay away.
Wait until yet another turista wave hits 'em? Won't help.
2025-05-09

That's a Relief
Aqualectra assures us that the power supply is under control, don't mind increased demand and higher-than-normal temperatures. Too bad that, as a result, yesterday we were cut off for about ten hours. Good for business too!
There was very little wind (in fact, not so bad but any excuse will serve) so the generators didn't deliver. But no worries, soon we'll have back-up back-up batteries. (Like in Spain?)
My question: how will these batteries be charged in November, when there's even less wind? But I don't expect an answer; can't be given.
2025-05-09

Aiaiai...
Venezuela and Russia have come to an agreement which is certain to result in still more bad news for us (and all other islands, except possibly Cuba and Nicaragua). Maybe the USA and €U will take countermeasures. Maybe.
2025-05-09

No Such Luck
Dutch minister Szabó tells Dutch GroenLinks-PvdA that the Dutch government will not intervene and give Curaçao money to compensate for the loss of USAID subsidies, effectively stopped by Trump and Doge's Musk.
"The political message from the Netherlands is clear: autonomy means ownership, including in times of financial adversity" is the bottom line in Curaçao Chronicle. Hear here.
Doge claims that at the most 15% of that USAID money arrived here, anyway; the rest was kept in the USA.
2025-05-09

Habemus Edificium
White smoke rose out of the parliament meeting: it's gonna be the Aqualectra building they will move into Later. after no doubt extensive rebuilding.
Only PNP's Osepa worried about the costs, mentioning in passing past disasters like CMC hospital, UTS (now Flow), compensation to van der Valk for a beach in Annabaai(?!), the BOO power plant and the new airport. But MP Braam told him not to be a spoilsport, everything was under control.
By whom, he didn't say.
2025-05-09

Less Turns out to Be, More
The police politics which we have been assured resulted in less atrakos don't look so good after all. Last year, the number of car thefts and burglaries went up by over 30%; burglaries, 38% and in commercial enterprises, 20%..
2025-05-09

A Too Familiar Chord
"... decades-long corruption, conflict of interest and the tacit disappearance of community property" have caused the government ownership of grounds having been reduced from 70% to 30% in the past "few years."
After their retirement, former government leaders suddenly turn out to have acquired large terrains, especially on the coast. Especially ministers of VVRP are mentioned, if not by name. (Are you there, Mudbelly? Auntie Sushi?)
As a result, private builders can hardly or not afford a terrain for house building or starting an enterprise.
As for those "few years", that's been going on since 1954. Hey! that was the year of the Statuut, start of our great autonomy. Must be a coincidence.
"A complete list of names of people who have large pieces of grounds" should be published. Dream on. And even then, just try to get it back.
An article in Curaçao.nu on the "silent return of colonialism" by Erwin Raphaëla.
2025-05-09

Cop Trouble
Difficulties turned up with the idea of having a police cadre training. Of 100 candidates, 20 have been selected and there it stops. Also, from the police corps itself objections have been raised against the present leadership.
What can we do? Wait until it gets better—or not.
2025-05-08

Forget it?
Looks like it. We're not told much, but it seems that the plans of Global Oil will become much smaller than you'd expect from the results of the US sanctions. Very much smaller. Personnel is working part-time and specialists have been called back to the USA. Announced revision of installations has hardly started yet.
Uh oh.
2025-05-08

Caught 'Em
A boat got stuck in the mangroves of St. Jorisbaai. The 2-men crew fled, leaving behind a cache of 770 kilos of drugs (what kind isn't mentioned) and several weapons plus ammunition.
2025-05-08

Maybe Prayer Will Help
Aruba is moving on to offshore oil; and gas exploitation. At least, more test drilling will take place next year. Who's paying for that, I couldn't say.
2025-05-08

It Worked!
After many complaints CPS curaçao Port Services is finally looking at lowering the high costs for its services, especially container handling. The discussions have led to "adoption of more efficient work processes, digital handling of administrative procedures, and improved oversight by the Curaçao Ports Authority (CPA)."
Now let's see if those lower prices will be passed on to us. Don't count on it.
2025-05-08

Small Wonder
The number of court cases fighting the Tax Person has jumped up from 400 a year to 1200 last year. As far as I understand, this doesn't include cases in the Hof van Beroep voor Belastingzaken [Court of Appeal for Tax Affairs], so it's just about matters where the tax dept. didn't do as it's supposed to do.
Small wonder.
2025-05-07

Let's Hope Cramm Wins
Appeals court is looking at a judge Koenraad conviction of Nardy Cramm, which she appealed because of freedom of the press and the right to a fair trial. Her KKN published articles critical of certain public figures and institutions in Curaçao. Of which we definitely need more. The news doesn't inform us what articles exactly, but we feel sure she's right, anyway. Alas. So sue me, too!
Ruling later this year.
2025-05-07

Later
When I can reach the site again, I may have to correct this story about FOL/KEM Godett, now retired from politics. He wants the bill from a legal adviser paid by the government; the advice was given on a proposed new law which, if my memory serves me, was meant to immunize government members from their evil deeds.
Upon checking I find it's close enough as it stands. Staten won't pay the lawyer as it was never agreed on, and Godett says he will not pay him either.
2025-05-06

Later
When I can reach the site again, I may have to correct this story about FOL/KEM Godett, now retired from politics. He wants the bill from a legal adviser paid by the government; the advice was given on a proposed new law which, if my memory serves me, was meant to immunize government members from their evil deeds.
2025-05-06

Pizen!
There after all is poison in the mud of the Boca Samí saliña. Not oil, as first thought, but TBP tributylfosfaat. In what quantities we're not told. Between you and me, I don't know the first thing about that stuff.
Another substance is couramine which looks very innocent and hardly a poison.
That's how Carl Barks, "the [Donald] Duck Man" would spell it.
2025-05-06

Same Here
There's discontent about the police management, but with a twist. It's not coming from the people, but from the cops working in the district offices. Maybe it helps. For us.
2025-05-06

Good or Bad?
The Curaçao people paid almost 2 billion in taxes last year, says the headline. Thank the lord, that's not really the case. It's the government's total income, which is not only paid by us suckers. And it's 34 million more than the 2024 budget figured.
Better news is, OPEC has augmented production and as a result, crude oil (and the refined products) will become cheaper. And so will electricity, windmills or not.
2025-05-05

Here's an Idea!
Holland, in actual fact the kingdom, wanted Curaçao to pay back a 140 million guilders bond loan all at once. But as there is leeway built into it, of course our government wants a refinancement. Cft financial supervision, being what it is, agrees that complete repayment is not "justified" at the moment. But when it will be, they don't say.
As recently Aruba, much to its chagrin, got refinancing against a more realistic interest, maybe we'll get that as well. Guess who'll pay for it: you and me. If we won't, the Dutch will pay for it, right.
Never ever will our government be able to pay as they agreed to do. As if they planned to.
Change your act, grow up and pay! Or stop your independence nonsense.
2025-05-05

No Need to Say More
The writing is on the wall. Better read and heed it. "More and more companies are abandoning costly hydrogen technology.
Hydrogen is expensive, hazardous and a real technical challenge that doesnⴠpromise to be economically feasible. The gas is metallurgically aggressive, highly flammable, explosive. Its chemical properties make a comprehensive infrastructure difficult to manage. Moreover, producing green hydrogen is 'barely affordable' and industries are reluctant to use the volatile gas because it risks being unprofitable."
Of course, our smart unwise guys know better.
That link is in German, but translating is hardly a problem these days.
2025-05-03

Oh, Really
Social affairs minister Chin-A-Lien Roozendal declares that "worthy work and fair employment conditions" are not a favor, but a right.
Makes you wonder where she's been the last millennia. Not in this world... Yes, times have changed; but not enough.
2025-05-03

Promising
Another hotel! Seventy rooms with 210 beds, in Penstraat on the shore. The owner of the premises is Ondine, owner of restaurant Nulwintig which was declared bankrupt in September 2024 because of tens of thousands of guilders in tax debts.
2025-05-03

A Riddle
A Mystery! During the last week or so, three people had to be evacuated from Klein Curaçao; by helicopter. (Let's hope they had good insurance so we don't have to pay for the joke.) The mystery is, one of them had a head wound. A head wound? How in hell do you get a head wound on an island where there's nothing growing higher than a foot or so?
2025-05-03

Some Solution...
A word of wisdom from Reuters: don't blame renewables for the giant blackout that struck Spain and more European countries last week. Instead, blame the management of renewables (which for me, amounts to the same thing), and invest heavily in batteries. Just like Aqualectra plans.
Which no doubt will bring electricity price down even more. Oops, got that wrong, I guess.
2025-05-02

Great Planning
Measures are taken to lower CPS's (or CPA's, no real difference) container costs (and thus consumer prices). I won't bore you with what they are, but what's more interesting is the reason they're necessary: the container terminal has not enough space to handle the traffic.
Great! That thing was built not even 50 years ago, as far as my memory goes.
2025-05-02

New Parliament Building
The old Bestuurscollege building is out and will presumably continue rotting away, like so many government-owned buildings. Instead, we hear that the preferred choice now is the old Aqualectra building next to Riffort; the public library and Punda post office were next in line.
What will happens with those two is anybody's guess. The plans to put them to use as a theater look hardly practical; and there are two of them anyway.
2025-05-02

All "Good" Things Come to an End
China has been in deep trouble for quite some time now, thanks to the authoritarian Communist Party dictatorial economic policies. Now, with the USA sanctions and tariffs, it's really hitting home. The death-knell! And interestingly, many things now become well-known that we had no idea of. We knew, or could know, that the real estate market was in deep trouble, but now we read that the BYD electric car engine hasn't been paying its workers for weeks or months, and they finally got so far that they're on a massive strike now.
To refresh your memory, that's the company that's supposed to open a battery factory here, and that may supply Mudbelly's electric buses.
Let's all hope that this will finally result in freedom for the Chinese people, after many centuries of repression.
2025-05-01

They Got What's Coming
The European blackout to beat even ours in several European countries was caused by the failure of not one, but two solar plants at the same time. Green is good for you! Imagine being caught in an underground train and having to feel your way out by the light of your cell-phone.
'Spain celebrated the destruction of their nuclear plants. Now they're seeing the result of this decision' says the understandably gloating headline.
2025-05-01

Don't Take It Literally
"Oil tankers are getting stacked up near Venezuela" says the headline in Antilliaans Dagblad. It's just a figure of speech, so to say. It's because of the USA-sanctions: they try to get full up and deliver their cargoes before the sanctions really hit. Which is not so easy, as the piers are outnmioded, leak and just don't work very well.
2025-05-012025-05-01

Say It Ain't So
That won't help: we all noticed it's a fact: food prices went up by 4% last year. That's more than double the 1.7% in 2023 and also higher than general inflation of 2.6%.
2025-05-01

It's a Start
Between December 19, 2024 and April 24 this year, 725 vehicles have been confiscated. The minister of justice says it's irresponsible to drive around without proper documentation, "such as valid insurance."
Me thinks it's much heavier: a criminal act, if not in the legal sense.
2025-05-01

Let's Get Serious
Research (not really, another "model") has shown that a mangrove strip along the coast can seriously reduce the impact of storm waves. It's by NIOZ in Texel, the Netherlands and some what-do-I-know Chinese university.
Good huh? Too bad a strip of 100 meters wide is mentioned. Which we don't have and will never get. Even the mangrove park is just over 150 meters deep (and wide) and the Corendon Hotel is built right smack in the middle, leaving no park at all.
Also, the old tired arguments of "rising sea levels and intensifying storms due to climate change" pop up. Both debunked long since. Sea level is indeed rising but it has been doing that at this rate for centuries.
2025-05-01

I'm Telling You So—Right NOW:
Goodbye to All That
That's the rabbit punch. Screw that pipe-dream nightmare of hydrogen-producing floating windmills. In France an underground reservoir of 46 million tonnes of hydrogen has been discovered, under the Mosel river; enough for 30 years of power for 3.5 million households.
Even though there are doubts on the feasibility of using that source (and it's only for 30 years anyway) you can be damn sure "our" green hydrogen is no match for this cheapo "white" hydrogen with a quoted price of €1.50 per kilogram.
Just in time to, for a change, make the experts think a bit next month. And save us many billions.
2025-04-30

The Danes Have Had It
They wised up, after decades of paying more and more for their electricity. It was supposed to be all-green, which, as we all have been brainwashingly told is free. But as it turned out, they must import power from Norway, Sweden, France and even Germany, and pay through their noses. So they are waking up.
And nuclear power, which was forbidden by law forty years ago, will be reconsidered to get out of the green death-trap.
2025-04-30

You Know What?
Get rid of it altogether! There's your solution.
Car importers are protesting the arbitrary application of the so-called free import tariffs for electric cars. Example: a gas-powered pickup truck is counted as a passenger vehicle, but an electric one is a freight-carrying truck for which the free tariff doesn't apply—and a good thing, too.
Come on minister Silly Vain, just stop that nonsense. It's all passé by now. Or will be, soon.
Besides, you're missing out on a lot of extra government income! Consider.
2025-04-30

More to Come
Spain and Curaçao are discussing yet another hotel chain over here! Just what we all needed. In an aside, the growing resentment and worries of our own people are mentioned: not everybody likes the idea.
And Selikor wants a tourist tax to help pay the growing cost of getting rid of the trash they all leave behind.
2025-04-30

More Money Down the Drain
A decision must be taken soon by our Big Leaders about a new Staten/parliament building. The choice is between a completely new one; renovation of the buildings now in use; or renovation of other available buildings. Doesn't matter much, it will cost 22.5 million guilders anyway, not figuring purchase or transfer costs of buildings and grounds.
Will they be so wise as to go for the old Bestuurscollege building, still sitting there unused after some 13 years? Don't count on it.
2025-04-30

Floor that Pedal!
"Since 2018, Curaçao has failed to produce an approved financial statement" we read in Curaçao Chronicle. That's the first line of an article concluding with: the country "is speeding into darkness with no way to navigate."
Tax receipts last year went up with over 12%, so why worry?
2025-04-29

That's a Lot
In 2024, the Coast Guard intercepted 16,000 kilos of drugs: 11,000 cocaine and the rest marihuana.
Applying the old rule-of-thumb, that would mean 160,000 keys slipped through and made it to their destination. If that's correct? Nobody knows and I don't either.
2025-04-29

Can't Be True
But it is. Two security guards have been arrested for embezzling at Blue Bay Resort.
2025-04-29

Anarchy Reigns—on King's Day
Of the 193 businesses inspected at the celebrations, 173 got a warning for various violations. Playing "loud music without authorization, displaying and selling goods without the necessary permits, and failing to correctly display prices and currency."
2025-04-29

There We Go
The plans for producing hydrogen (which nobody wants anymore) by floating wind generators (which nobody ever built before) will be taking their next steps on April 14-16. The idea is to realize a showcase project; which just goes to show you.
2025-04-29

There We Are
Global Oil has announced what we all saw coming. Well, almost all. Their grandiose plans for an asphalt factory are "temporarily" halted.
But no worries, they will remain "committed to fulfilling their contractual obligations and will continue to provide a reliable supply of utilities." How fine.
2025-04-29

What to Think
The GPs [huisartsen] started an action for the people in Gaza, who, no doubt, have it difficult these days. I can only hope they thought this through. After all, the Gazans were pretty well off before they started the last attack of maiming, raping and killing Jews to which Israel reacted. We haven't read the GPs' protests to that incident, by the way.
Also, if the Gaza medics can't handle the problems, let's not forget that the hospitals there tend to be used by terrorist to hide in. If a Gaza doctor protests this, much the worse for him.
2025-04-28

Powerless
A power failure caused problems at Hato airport. Checking in and all that hade to be done by hand, as the computers were down. The emergency generator was being serviced, so that was out as well. Even when the airco came back on, the check-in desks still were U/S as they are hooked up to another system.
2025-04-28

Blast them Mosquitos
Here, we had 5mms of rain (1/5th") a few days ago, but already in some vicinities people are complaining about a Black Mosquito plague. Can't be the yellow fever/dengue etc. type, that's the Tiger Mosquito. The government must do something!
That will help.
2025-04-26

Comic Relief
Curaçao reports a 2024 budget surplus of 120 million guilders. They say it's been accorded by Cft financial supervision; but a few lines later we read that the surplus may well turn out to be a deficit of 120 million.
2025-04-26

Stay at Home, Please
Greenpeace demonstrated in Holland in front of Catshuis, residence of the PM, with a banner "See You in Court" (with one in Papiamento as well so he'd surely get the message) They're really getting tiresome. I counted 12 of them posing with it. Not even a baker's dozen. Very impressive.
Last time in court, it didn't finish so well for 'em: that $660 million fine may spell the end of Greenpeace. Long after we were ready for it.
This time, they're shouting about Bonaire, where the government ought to take measures (they think) to prevent it being flooded; a remote contingency.
2025-04-26

Not for Me
Once again, I wasn't listed as a recipient of a coveted knighthood at the King's Day occasion. 47 of them! I guess it's me...
And don't be fooled, the flags fly at half-mast, not because of the King's Day, but because the pope died.
2025-04-26

First, the Good News
That bus that was bombarded with stones is running again. Till it happens once more, I guess.
2025-04-25

Tax Treaty
Finance minister Silly Vain has signed one with Cyprus. No more comment is needed than, "another center of gambling mafiosi."
2025-04-25

Catch 'Em
Last week, 3 drug transports with totally 1653 kgs of drugs have been intercepted, which brings the year's total to 16000 keys. Shooting at the Go-Fasts is a regular thing by now.
2025-04-25

Atrako!
An fire-armed robbery, not the first one, in Kenny's minimarket. The robbers fled in a "glossy" Chevrolet, taking away the cashbox and several bottles of alcohol.
No doubt to celebrate with.
2025-04-25

That's 2000/Year
The guy now in court also did have 2 firearms, 900 grams of pitu/weed, a sealer and scales in his car (I own those last items myself as well, so I'd better watch it?) besides 138 fake 100 guilder notes.
He should have exchanged them! Good luck with that, too.
2025-04-25

Over the Target
Is what reactions on de Goede's article show: he hit the bull's eye. The Chinese consulate protests and wants a public apology.
Dûh.
The consulate protests that the Chinese communist party is working on worldwide "peace and cooperation". Which explains why they're building the largest navy ever in the world, plus stealing all those islands in the Chinese Sea.
Next, they'll want me to apologize too? Just try.
2025-04-25

Clumsy But Typical
Ombudsperson warns there are problems with the new guilders. Some people who try to exchange the old ones for new get to hear they must first open a bank account. Other must pay the bank for the exchange; this while the old guilder is still valid. The government is asked to publish guidelines soon. Which they should have done before the change took place. Leave it to our popular Silly Vain!
2025-04-25

But... But...
There are now plans to meddle with the sun's input. By throwing up artificial clouds or sump'n, a mad scheme like that. Please don't... You just don't know enough to predict the effects. All to stop the dreaded global warming sorreee! climate change.
Meanwhile, they're building solar panels all over as well. So what happens to all that power these are supposed to produce?
(Oops... never thought of that.)
2025-04-24

Another Development
This one is behind Landhuis Daniel. Was presented yesterday. Nobody (at least, not in the government) seems to worry about the resulting unavoidable traffic problems. The road to Westpunt will soon be just as chock-full as that to Caracasbaai, with no solution in sight for either.
It's almost funny to hear the responsible people's arguments that they follow international benchmarks, where hours of commuting times are quite normal—and therefore acceptable. Here too? That's not why we choose to live here and not in Holland, to name one place.
Also, the government can't help it that foreigners come over and buy second or third homes here, they say. So change the law already instead of welcoming penshonados with open arms; as long as Ali Baba's coffer are replenished.
2025-04-24

Suckers Beware
A deep-fake video is circulating on social media, where CBCS central bank director Doornbosch is "allegedly" promoting an investment that will pay 10,500 guilders for an investment of 450.
You must admit, that extra 500 is a nice touch.
2025-04-24

What a Relief! Oh, Wait...
Parliament has approved its own 2026 budget. I couldn't tell you about the amount reserved for foreign trips, as that part hasn't been treated.
But Cft financial supervision still thinks the 2025 budget is rotten, and so were those for 2023 and 2024. Not that the government cares about what Cft says; nor, it looks like, does anybody else.
2025-04-24

Idée Fixe
TPK MP(?) Calmes once again starts nagging about adapting Curaçao law so homosexual marriages are forbidden. The text, or so he thinks, must include "A marriage is entered into between a man and a woman of marriage age." However. Whatever. But we're still waiting parliament sending a proposal to RMR kingdom ministerial council, so why start this now?
Anyway, what is marriage age? That adults may not marry children, as they may in Islam, is a good thought, to be sure; but if an old billionaire wants to marry his secretary in her twenties, is that allowable? I think so, yes; but not everybody will agree. Talk about "two consenting adults..."
And yes, if two consulting adults of the same sex want to marry, let 'em. Stop your meddling.
Soon, he won't still be an MP at all? His party got 2.1% of the votes in the last elections. Go home and shut up. Please?
2025-04-24

Words of Wisdom
At least a thought-out voice of reason. Juana Kibbelaar held a plea in Holland for a larger role of Dutch in Curaçao education. "The availability of educational resources in Papiamento is very limited compared to those in Dutch, Spanish or English" which has a negative influence on further development of pupils." And it will remain that way, too: the market is just too small (or those resources will become prohibitively expensive).
And as we have opted for remaining part of the kingdom, Dutch is more practical than English.
We will have to wait if this will be listened to.
2025-04-24

Forget It
The proposal to start a trash burning facility and produce electricity while replacing the Malpais landfill is much too expensive. The produced power would be almost 4 times as expensive as that from wind generators, says Selikor. Also, recycling is much too expensive since all trash is dumped together; especially construction waste, like concrete from right now the Plaza Hotel demolition, should be kept separate.
Best of all is, the landfill will probably be filled full long before the estimated 10 years.
So go on dumping? Better spend some money to get rid of it, would be my idea.
2025-04-23

So Relax
For now, Venezuela is still far from having a decent army and navy, thinks that Dutch MIVD information service, for what that's worth. But they're working on it, with Russian, Chinese and Iranian support. (Say, how about N. Korea?) So maybe in the near future the country may become a real threat. What with Hezbollah-remains and more jihadi scum flowing down there.
2025-04-23

That's Why?
Last year there were 133 atrakos, of which 13 were at Chinese businesses and 4 in Chinese homes. Means, 10% and much less. Now the Chinese consul is worried. Well, with all those super- and minimarkets around it's small wonder they're attacked.
Police says there's a superstition belief that Chinese don't take their money to the bank, so that's where to go if you want to rob somebody.
2025-04-23

Good or Bad?
Dutch PVV MP Van Haasen wants to stop the hundreds of millions of €s flowing out to the islands. If you want to be independent, so be independent, he figures. What can you say but, good point. And then, he wants to make the flights to the islands from Amsterdam free of the planned CO₂ tax. Which makes you think about the sincerity of the thoughts behind that plan. Either we'll all boil to death or only we down here starve, is that it?
2025-04-23

Ouch
Police got the great idea of controlling cars parked on Sunday near beaches. Resulted in 8+33+19=60 fines and 6 vehicles towed to Mahuma.
It really doesn't need saying: no insurance, no valid test result, no tax, no safety belts. Locations were around Barber, Santa Cruz and Krakeel.
These days, you're safe nowhere and never unless you're safe.
Driving through red lights isn't included as there are precious few traffic lights in Bandabao.
2025-04-22

Fire!
Around Ronde Klip an enormous mondi [wood or actually more like, brush] fire started, and residences had to be protected from it reaching them by the Fire Dept. It's nowhere as serious as what we've seen in Hawai'i or California, but still.
Cause unknown as yet but what must have helped is all the trash dumped in there.
2025-04-22

Not Good at All
In site of all somber messages about this, in the past century poverty all over the world (largely thanks to fossil fuels) has dropped to 1 in 10 people or 10%.
Here, it's now 30% of the people. In 2011, right before the independence effects started their work, it still was "only" 25%.
2025-04-22

It Just Goes On
Controls by an inspection team of MEO ministry of economic development again found businesses and more businesses not keeping to the rules. They still try to sell on beaches (great for tourism!) without proper licenses, and not showing prices.
This is what you get with tourism. Long ago I met a guy whose parents had a café-restaurant in the Dutch tourist center of Volendam, where they hastily removed the obligatory price-lists from the windows when a touring bus filled with suckers came rolling in.
2025-04-22

Prison Trouble
In St. Maarten. Not only do the prisoners complain that their Easter meals were not festive enough, maybe even worse is that the guards complain they got the same food as the prisoners! Big shame.
Where are the days we joked that in prison you got to eat bread and liquid green soap for jam?
2025-04-22

Variant on a Quote
"Who needs enemies with friends like that?" is what I was reminded of by an article by Miguel Goede in Curaçao.nu on the "silent return of colonialism." Who needs colonialism with a government like ours? is my real question.
2025-04-22

Trouble A'brewing
Not only the papers are in a panic. Because of the USA-tariffs, it looks like the foreign exchange reserves, now at 4 months, will be reduced to 3. Which is the absolute minimum. This in an economy that imports virtually everything.
The vaunted tourist industry will start shrinking, for a change, as tourists just can't afford our prices.
Meanwhile, don't think "our" government will reduce its import tariffs and so evade the problem. No way sir, they need the money and that's all that matters.
As far as that's concerned, where was Rosaria's PIAS government when it had at least some power? The guy may be fulminating now, but reducing the extremely high (40%) duties on pillows, mattresses, furniture (I'm sure there's more) so-called to protect our own industries never seems to have occurred to him.
2025-04-22

Beach Soap
Lagun, and who's next? After announcing vague new plans, no more details have been given, even though several trees meanwhile have been made to disappear "with extreme prejudice." Large ones. And though no building nor horeca/catering permits were supposed to have been given out, in fact they were. Nobody knows what's going on. Well, some may—but they're not talkin'.
It all boils down to the same old, same old: or politicians just don't know how to behave democratically.
2025-04-22

Couldn't Say
Nor could anybody else how much waste-water is recycled here, I guess. But I just read that in the USA, Arizona recycles 52%, and Nevada 85%. In Israel it's almost 90%. In California it's 22%, while we have a higher 28.7% leak loss.
Take note: in Israel every toilet flush tank must have two separate flush versions to cut down on waste. Here? You have to shop around very carefully to get even a water-saving flush tank with toilet.
2025-04-21

Pay Up, Bastids
Online casino Pledoo-com, exploited by Momus 20006 NV must pay out €51,000 to SBGOK. Antillephone NV is involved as well. They thought they'd get away with it by claiming they were following the law in Cyprus and Canada, but the judge didn't agree. We're in Curaçao here, after all.
2025-04-20

"Dushi Hende"?
Such sweet people we have. The second time that stones were thrown at an ABC-bus; after the first time the service Punda-Bonam-Brievengat was stopped but later resumed. This time it was so heavy that a pregnant passenger became sick and had to get medical assistance.
What's wrong with these people? It's like those sweet trampled-upon Palestinians used to do at Israeli cars in the West Bank—soon Samaria and Judea again.
Yes, it was a woman passenger. No woke nonsense in this circus!
2025-04-20

Here's Your Chance!
Get rich quick. Apply for the job to research and fight Curaçao corruption and watch the money stream in. It's no joke, mon. You don't have to go around and ask for it—the "alleged" corruptioners will find you out.
First, make sure you have a bank account in the Cayman islands, or Switzerland, the Channel Islands, Lichtenstein or... there's plenty more.
2025-04-19

Never Trusted that Guy
Dutch MP Baudet. The way it's told in Curaçao.nu, he wants to "re-colonize" the Caribbean islands by sending over hundreds of thousands of Dutch to "make the islands completely ours." He adds that "We used to be boss of the world"—not really, Baudet, and besides, times have changed.
Why not try to send them over to Indonesia, which the Dutch always liked much better than what they considered these "rocks where nothing will grow"?
Half a million Dutchies to St. Maarten! Where the population now is 58,477. What a comedian: he even wants to go back to Suriname which the Dutch were glad to get rid of.
2025-04-18

Oh... No!
Dutch parliament thinks that Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten themselves are responsible for their economic management. They don't take kindly at all to the opposition's proposal to start a Caribbean investment fund. Reading between the lines, "Not Again!" and who can blame them. Besides, what price the independence that our BLeaders so dearly desired?
2025-04-17

What's Next
Don't ask me. I can only tell that the appeals judge has decided that the country has no obligation to take over old SEHOSpital's debts. Which amount to at least 75 million guilders. To add insult to injury, Sehos must pay for the process costs.
It was a vaguish MoU memory of understanding that caused the problems.
2025-04-17

Four More
Australia has blocked several more gambling institutes working online from Curaçao. That's a total of 1219; not all from here.
2025-04-17

Welcome Back, Crook
Quackie Constancia returned to politics as a parliamentary staffer.
For M*F*K, you guessed it.
2025-04-17

Finally
Venezuela has declared a state of emergency because of the dire economic situation of the country. It's the declining oil revenues that handed out the rabbit punch. An economist, but what do they know? has predicted a resulting 180-200% annual inflation rate.
Watch 'em come over!
2025-04-17

Problem. Seriously?
Now ex-MP Mercelina in the 4 years he wasn't ex yet has collected 8738 (but who's counting?) plastic bottles. He must have been busy, if not on things that matter. Now he's stuck with them as he isn't a parliamentary any longer. (I don't and can't follow.) Pauletta seems to have the same problem.
Both can relax, Staten will not buy so much bottled water in the future but make use of water coolers instead. But those consume electricity! EEK! You just can't win in this game.
2025-04-17

Told You So
There will be used no electric planes for inter-island connections, says Dutch minister Szabó. Temporarily, he adds. I predict, it's definitely. The things are flying idiocy.
If only he woke up on the hydrogen nonsense, as well.
2025-04-17

Sin or Pay
In Lent many people opt to eat fish instead of meat. It's a catholic tradition. So no wonder that the consumers' union has found that those products are almost unaffordable: prices have gone up through the sky.
Also nice that this has been published now that Lent is almost over. Happy Easter!
2025-04-16

Always that Risk
Aruba is afraid that the new tariffs will result in 5-10% less tourists from the USA, which now make up 81% of an 86% saturated market. So there's an emergency plan in the works, looking for other markets.
Hotel prices have gone up with 10% after last year's record.
2025-04-16

Can't Be True?
I'm afraid it is: Ramon Chong tells us all that the first hydrogen plant will be operational in 2027. It's a 75 megaWatt floating windmill monstrosity, that will be expanded in 2032 to 1200 mW and in 2037 (I may be wrong here, might be 2047) to almost 10,000 mW. That's 10 GigaWatts! From 2030 export will start, "if the project succeeds."
This will cost us dearly. Mark my words.
The other suckers cooperating are Aqualectra, 2Bays, CPA and several Dutch ministries.
2025-04-15

Now Watch Them Go
The medical specialists' salaries may not exceed the LNT-norm, including all indexes and other variations. They must instead be reduced to 386,000/year.
IMHO, they're all worth much more than that norm, what our worthless PM gets paid.
2025-04-15

Give It to Them So They'll Shut Up
Aqualectra needs over 600 million guilders to invest in their electricity and water service. The company expects that will result in 150 more jobs and lower prices because of 100m/year less imports.
If it works out that way remains to be seen.
So they'll make it back in 6 years? Hah!
2025-04-15

Impotent Rage
Venezuela has forbidden Chevron to export oil to the USA. This is only an empty gesture, as the USA has forbidden Chevron to import Venezuelan oil into the USA in February.
2025-04-15

Bad Luck
Customs have confiscated a large shipment of alcoholic and soda drinks, hidden in boxes looking different. They were found anyway. No import duties had been paid, of course.
Surprisingly, we read that recently in several shipments from Holland other drugs have been found.
The importers should have made a deal, of course. This has been done before, after all.
2025-04-14

"Roversnest"
PNP Mercelina is mad (I mean angry, not being a loony-doctor) because some journalist in a Dutch TV program had the temerity, the chutzpah, the gall to call Curaçao a "robbers' nest." Well, it's been done before, if my memory serves me right by a Dutch parliamentarian. And he got a point. So sue me already, Mercelina. "See ya in court."
Mercelina got one thing straight when he suggests that, if so, we have learned it from very good teachers—the Dutch.
2025-04-14

Amazing
No other word. Maybe not strong enough, right: many if not most people are not even aware that after 50 years of running nuclear power-providing reactors, all waste produced in France can be contained in what amounts to a gym-sized room. This is the country many other European countries depend on to keep the lights burning when, not if, their precious green energy sources fail.
Now both France and the USA (and others) have micro-nuclear reactors which can deliver enough for 300,000 homes. Plenty for us here! What are we waiting for?
That waste, by the way, the USA is stuck with is one more thing we can thank ex-president Jimmy Carter for. Nuclear waste can be recycled and la douce France proved it.
2025-04-12

Oh Please Wake Up
Aqualectra announces great plans for an "energy cloud" where all sources and users will be combined and integrated. At the occasion, Ramon Chong has held a speech about his hobby-horse, the floating windmills. If the rest of the plan is just as solid, we can confidently look forward to still more future black-outs.
Take heart: it will never happen. It's becoming clearer by the day that it's a delusional crack-pipe dream. That the politicians are not yet aware of this, figures. That's what film makers call "continuous."
2025-04-12

Whitewashed Laundering
The gaming mafia will have to comply with anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) legislation, and CGA gaming authority will start enforcing the verification process.
Fair's fair, though: the mafia businesses have had 6 weeks of warning to obfuscate their tracks.
And Sweden has banned Curaçao's-Satoshi Gaming Group NV from operating in Sweden because the company was offering online gambling services without a Swedish license. Via website trustdice.com (What a name!)
2025-04-12

Follow the Rules
CPS claims they do just that (and nothing more) and so it's not their fault those delays occur.
That's burocrazy for you!
2025-04-12

Fatsos Galore
Just look around you and you'll agree with what's now official: in CN Caribbean Nederland 26% of men and 36% of women (don't know about transies) is obese. In EP European Nederland it's "only" 16%. Still pretty heavy (it's a pun, yuck yuck).
Now how to do something about it? I couldn't say—nor, it seems, does anybody else.
Like corruption, they have to correct it themselves.
2025-04-12

Some Job
Visiting Dutch minister Szabó announces that he wants to measure corruption. Now that's a full time job that will take years. If it ever succeeds.
It will be done in cooperation with Transparency International, who up to now in the kingdom have only been measuring corruption in Holland. I kid you not.
If we fail, it's up to ourselves to correct it. And there you go.
Not that there isn't plenty of that stuff going on in Holland.
2025-04-12

That Will Help
The police is starting a severe control on firearms. In traffic, where we still see cars with blacked-out windows all over. Just saying. So better leave your gun at home to settle your quarrels there.
2025-04-12

Oh, What Does It Matter Now
Chester Peterson, one of the notorious comic duo Peppi and Kokki, has been asked to form a new cabinet. He did such a fine job last time, too. We'll be ruled by M*F*K anyway, so who cares?
2025-04-12

What to Think
A Curaçao Climate map has been developed and will be made available to policy makers, whoever they may be. The idea is to show, based on satellite photos, how the climate has been changing between 2013-2024 (in my opinion a much too short period to speak of "climate" change) and what parts of the population are most bothered by it. I can tell you that straight away, no research needed: the poor part.
I might be less skeptical if this wasn't a UNESCO project.
2025-04-11

Anarchy Island
A large-scale control in car workshops and scrapyards found many violations: not registered with KKN chamber of commerce, illegal workers and power stealing. Also, but of course! unpaid back taxes and debts.
Just following the government's example.
2025-04-11

Congratulations?
Aqualectra claims electricity here is now cheaper than it is in Holland. Which is a welcome reversal of positions.
That electricity in Holland is so expensive is caused by their depending on green energy, (among other factors), a fact which conveniently is not mentioned.
Power leaks here still account for 16.5% of production, and water leaks for a really exorbitant 28.7%.
2025-04-11

Original Thought
Holland thinks loans must be paid back, says visiting minister Szab´o Shows up the Dutch once more for the misers they are. And this while we need much more!
2025-04-11

Up and Up
CTB tourist board jubilates that tourism is experiencing a "strong crescendo"; keeps going up. 14% more than last year's March.
No comment.
2025-04-11

Maintenance Is the Trick
Or, as we have long since gotten used to, lack of it. Now CMC hospital warns that "essential systems—including elevators, escalators, ventilation systems, and backup power supplies—are not receiving adequate maintenance due to liquidity problems." With the result that daily healthcare services are put at risk; with a "high impact" and possible "serious disruption."
2025-04-11

So Spend It!
There's a 2025 budget increase of 8 million guilders, of which 7.5m is for a new parliament building.
Meaning, the old Bestuurscollege building will continue rotting away.
True, must still be approved by parliament. Fat chance it won't be with M*F*K's absolute majority.
2025-04-11

Say...
So Rosaria agrees with Communist China's dictator that the USA's latest tariff increase is a "hegemonic and bullying move." Makes you think a bit. Not about the tariffs, but about Rosaria.
I've been told (but it must be a lie) that when he flies to Amsterdam, he insists on taking an Airbus, not a Boeing. Trouble is, when he buys not an American car, but a Korean or Japanese one, it may be made in the USA these days.
Also, he protests because all tariffs should go. Fine. Too bad then, he only protests against those of the USA; doesn't occur to him to blame China (or our government). All in all, one more advanced case of TDS, Trump Derangement Syndrome.
But you have to admit, his cutting back on fast food is probably all to the good.
2025-04-10

Let's Go Formal, then
The Fair Trade Authority cannot start investigating CPS without somebody first lodging a formal complaint.
So what are they waiting for?
Between you and me, they may expect a backlash from CPS bringing even more trouble.
2025-04-10

Free!
Pastor MalDonado has been released again, but he may not contact certain people.
Just like last time.
2025-04-10

Better and Better
Not really. In fact, worse and worse: the medical staff of CMC hospital has now submitted a motion of no confidence against the RvB management council. Not really "now" even though minister Silly Vain tries to make that impression: it dates from February 28.
Their main complaint is, the medics want an equivalent treatment. Equivalent to what? Politicians?
2025-04-10

Sure Is
PM Prick Pias is having talks with Dutch minister Szabó about several items of interest, among which the hydrogen project. "Financing it remains a challenge" we read. And earning it back still more. Two weeks from now there'll be a follow-up meeting with Dutch economy minister Beljaarts; hopefully he'll save it by not supplying the money.
2025-04-10

Fearless!
But absolutely. Rosaria of not-too-soon-disappeared party PIAS tells us that he won't buy any American-made products again, just to punish 'em for their bullying (by which he means, charging import tariffs, just like we do here and all other countries I know of). I'm sure president Trump is shaking in his boots.
Rosaria mentions "certain lemonades, beers, pizzas, fast food, alcoholic beverages, cars, electronic devices, vacation packages to the U.S., cell phones, and much more." Like the computers he must have used to write his article on?
Raging impotence. 2025-04-10

Unavoidable
We all saw it coming: now two trans-women, in reality men of course (so sue me and good luck), ended up as finalists in an all-women competition and have to fight out who'll become the real female champion pool shooting.
"This is an absolute travesty" the Daily Caller whimsically comments.
2025-04-09

Think About It
If we stop importing from the USA, just to teach them a lesson, we'll just go on paying our import tariff on foods. Which goes to the government, remember.
It's only a few years ago when some supermarkets discovered they might as well, or better, import much cheaper sugar from other countries than from the USA (and pay their import duties as well as ours). Alas, that didn't help us much: they kept charging us the same prices, just pocketing the extra profits.
The trend has caught on with other products as well, with the same result.
2025-04-09

More Burocrazy
The moratorium on tokos and minimarkets has been lifted, says Curaçao Chronicle. New ones may be opened but must comply with specific definitions for categories Toko, Minimarket, Supermarket, Hypermarket, and Convenience Store. No doubt we'll get more Chinese coming in.
The moratorium dates from 2014 and doesn't seem to have helped much, anyway.
2025-04-09

Feels True
But what do we know? We're not told much. Ex-health minister Stanley Bodok points out that the inspection of health seems to neglect its core task of protecting us. For one thing, its web-site hasn't been undated for 6 years, and thus carries no info at all about all the problems with CMC hospital.
Where is Jan Huurmans now that we really need him? Not more than ever, but still really.
2025-04-09

Another Un-holy Man
The diocese has relieved priest José Guillermo Ortega Fernandez of his function in Steenrijk parish, after formerly having asked the parochians to pray for him. Pastor Guillermo hasn't celebrated mass since start this year, which doesn't seem to be the reason although the bishop is mum on what is. But we shouldn't jump to conclusions, we're admonished.
Starts to look like an epidemic.
2025-04-09

Real Problem
Many, or some, of the soiled rats have been overpaid. Now those sums must be reclaimed. Uh oh; they won't like that—but it will happen anyway, says minister Hato.
2025-04-09

Oh, that CPS
BVCA club of importers and distributors is talking to government and harbor representatives on their complaints with CPS port services. It happens all too often that it takes more than 5 days to unload a ship (in some cases several weeks), which results in the importer having to pay an extra fee to the shipper. Ships cost money, even when they're moored in port. Which results in higher consumers' prices. BVCA thinks CPS should be held responsible instead.
And this long since the container terminal has been opened.
"The CBS monopoly weakens Curaçao's economy" they say.
2025-04-09

Pests
23% of households complains about stray dogs, 17% of lack of street lighting and 11% of dirtying neighborhoods. But 39% has no problems with all that whatsoever.
2025-04-09

Fine!
A busier hurricane then normal is predicted. Judging from the predictions in years gone by, that means we may look forward to a tranquil season.
The forecast will be updated several times. They'd better.
2025-04-09

"Absurd"—Yes, Quite
That's what a former director of CBCS calls USA's higher import tariffs. He points out that we import $456m/year and export only $56.6m. Probably correct, until of course Global Oil actually starts exporting. If and when.
He offers a solution: we have to import less from the USA and more from other countries. Genius! Who'd ever have thought of that!
Our government lowering the import duties, as many, like Japan and Taiwan, have done? Don't be ridiculous.
2025-04-08

It's a Tradition
The people in Holland know almost nothing about "their" Caribbean islands. But 49% know enough to think "the Netherlands should have more say in how things are run in Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten, especially when Dutch financial support is involved." Sad fact is, in the news terms like "corruption," "bankruptcy," and "sun and vacation" (yes, that too; but sad?) dominate people's associations.
Small wonder.
2025-04-08

Another Flop
Potentially, that is. Don't bet it won't be. RvA advisory council thinks the idea of having people on welfare take on extra jobs will backfire. If the collected welfare gets above the minimum wage, they'll just stick to the welfare they collect, and have no impetus to join the working masses where they'll make less money.
And if you do take on a job, your welfare will be discounted by 50%. Really attractive, that.
RvA thinks the proposal needs reconsideration.
The employed population is 72249, with 5042 or 7% unemployed. So we will be importing almost as many.
2025-04-07

Oh, Go Ahead
Hundreds thousands of workers will have to be imported, as there's an enormous personnel shortage in the catering, restaurant and hotel business. Go ahead and do so, already; we're all well aware of the fact that the tourist trade is not for us, anyway.
2000 of 'em by 2026, going up to 4000 in 2027.
2025-04-07

Such a Sweet Dream
The IRS in the USA will reduce its "work" force with 25%.
Not our tax "service", though.
2025-04-07

Bright, Not
That would be the next step towards "fascism" in our country. Like a New York mayoral candidate proposes: city-owned grocery stores! To fight up-going prices. (Hint: better stop charging import duties.) See how well this works with government-sponsored imports of veggies and fruit!
Teach those supermarkets a little lesson in the bargain. Not that they may not need that.
2025-04-06

But Here?
Florida State is trying to lower property taxes, what goes here by the name of OZB. "Units of government spend a lot of money, and they have to raise that revenue somehow. With heavy government spending firmly entrenched, reducing the overall tax burden is problematical," we read. And there you have it.
Every three years, we all await with trepidation the new property tax assessment. Especially these days. But quoting another source, "The fairest and least painful form of taxation is consumption taxes [sic] such as sales and excise taxes." Florida wants to eliminate property taxes altogether! Dream on... Who thinks taxes are fair in the first place?
2025-04-06

Keep It Up Down!
Ronald Lieuw figures it out in Amigoe: Since September 2024 the electricity tariffs Aqualectra charges have gone down by a total of 18%. For a welcome change, a promise fulfilled.
If Aqualectra will succeed in keeping prices down, or even lowering them more (as also promised) remains to be seen. Please pardon my showing skepticism: these lowered prices are a result of the lower oil prices—not of the wind generators.
Also, from 2022 tot 2024 prices went up just as fast so we have only made up for that.
2025-04-06

Not this Country
USA president Trump says "all countries" have called him about the import tariffs. Not this one, you can be sure. Keep on making us pay!
2025-04-06

Is It True?
KEM/FOOL Godett announces he's had it with politics. We feel the same about him. But this is not the first time he made us happy by telling us he's getting out. Maybe this time it's for keeps?
2025-04-06

Get It Done, Already
Already voices are being raised to extend the Landspakket, serving to fix the country's debt problems in the Kingdom, and ending two years from now. But Dutch minister Szabó warns, "forget it." And fix the problems instead. Good.
2025-04-05

Oh, Were Did It Go?
Cft financial supervision warns that there's no money for necessary investments in CMC hospital. The money reserved in the 2025 budget (such as it is) only covers the daily exploitation costs.
Interestingly, there are plans to transfer the hospital to the government. But the hospital;'s debt with the government is larger than the building's value, which would mean a loss.
So keep it private. Please?
2025-04-05

Sorry Kids
The government's last effort to steal the Kadaster [land register] money, a High Court appeal, has been bounced back. No money for Ali Baba's gang. So let's raise the taxes instead!
2025-04-05

Woe Is Us
CTB tourist board plans to attract 880,000 tourist in 2027, which is 180,000 more than last year. That's 15%. In other words, you ain't seen nothing yet.
But no worries, it will all be in a sustainable manner. Sustainable for who?
2025-04-04

CPS Delays
That's where he's right. Shipping company Don Andres complains that its ships coming in on Monday are only unloaded on Thursday. (At 16:00.) They carry fresh fruit and veggies from Santo Domingo. By then, not so fresh anymore.
You know what brings tears to your eyes? But not from laughing. The service was instigated five years ago by the government "to address food shortages and provide Curaçao with more affordable produce from the Dominican Republic."
2025-04-04

Naturally
Hey, it's the government! So we're not surprised to read that the further ruination of what used to be a small intimate beach, Playa Lagun, will take longer than expected. Only 4 days, true; until April 7.
2025-04-04

Such Foolishness
MAN-PIN strongly advises the government (who won't listen anyway) to take measures which will protect our purchasing power. Instead of my simplistic idea of scratching our import duties in turn, their proposals amount to giving everybody subsidies, and even discount cards. Which means we'll all keep paying—only via a bureaucratic detour which will cost us even more money. One of their bright ideas is to reduce tales tax. What? Still less money for the coffers? Never!
2025-04-04

Important!
The hurricane names Beryl, Helene and Milton have been scratched by the World Meteorological Organization and will not be used again. Because these three caused such an enormous damage in 2024. That'll teach 'em!
Who was it said "superstition"? No man, follow the science!
For those who want to know, the new names will be Brianna, Holly and Miguel. I'm sure that will help.
2025-04-04

I Call the Bull: MOO!
Ex-minister Rosaria (PIAS Party) writes an article about how the CPS port monopoly weakens Curaçao's international market position. That's what the headline says, at least. But upon reading it, which I'm sorry I wasted my time on, it's all about how Trump's raising import tariffs will bring us all into trouble. Yes, I read that in the official press as well as he did—which doesn't make it true by a long way.
Only in his last line he comes back to the headline. Which goes without saying all the rest.
2025-04-04

Who Cares
So the USA will charge 10% import duty on products imported from Cura¸ao. So what do we export but oil? And if we still do that, let the government worry about it. Maybe those guys will even stop making us pay 10% import duty on USA imports, so that retaliation tariff will go away? Not a bloody chance. Money coming in at Ali Baba's cave!
2025-04-04

We Don't Need Being Told about It
Building prices, and with it rentals, keep going up and up. Thanks to tourism and (not only) Europeans coming over and buying properties. Renting a room will cost a student 800 guilders/month now; a few years ago you could find a studio for that price. Buying a terrain will set you back 200 guilders per m^2 these days (over $10/sq.ft.). Needless to say, this means the poor, of which we have many, can't afford a home at all any more. If you're lucky enough to have inherited a terrain from your parents, watch it: that prices go up means you will also have to pay higher estate tax. Which our government doesn't mind at all: more money coming in to spend.
2025-04-03

Don't Worry
Zakitó development just goes on. The lagoon is now being "cleaned up"—which in our lingo means, denuded of vegetation. People's protests? Who cares.
2025-04-03

Oily Mystery
A tanker, Dahlkut, has been sailing—that can't be right—cruising around Curaçao for weeks now without anybody seeming to know why. At least, nobody's telling. Why it's not allowed to moor at the oil terminal, in spite of USA sanctions, is not known either. At least, not to us.
2025-04-03

Sue Them to Bits!
Another anti-gambling mafia success. Court has decided that Gaming Services Provider and Black Hawk Technology (better they call it Black Vulture) must supply SBGOK with details on a player. If they don't, they must pay up.
2025-04-02

Good to Hear
Holland will not support Curaçao's plans for more green energy. While minister Hermans cheers the EV-buses with solar park, that's it. Holland will finance 150 million €uros for unprofitable investments needed for switching over to green energy in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten.
If it's unprofitable, why do it? Crazy question, I know.
We hear that those buses will come from BYD at "dump prices." Which is bad for Dutch manufacturers, but not so much the Dutch government's problem. Besides, aren't all Chinese products sold at dump prices?
2025-04-02

Thank the Tourists!
By now you must be amazed to read this here. But that's why finally something is done about those aggressive dogs that are so popular with some people here: in 2023 a tourist was mangled and we can't have that, can we? Especially since it "made international headlines."
If all those announced measures will have effect and will be maintained is another question.
2025-04-01

Just Leave It to Them
SER social-economic council advises that the proposed tax reforms, which are supposed to simplify the tax system, will work the other way round and make everything more complicated.
Will the government follow their advice? Don't count on it!
2025-04-01

What Now?
Trouble for Global Oil: despite their ideas that they wouldn't have troubles with president Trump's sanctions, they'll have to leave Venezuela. Goodbye asphalt production? Goodbye Isla refinery?
Also, Oryx confirms they won't make it (hah! we knew already) to take over the refinery per March 1. They say they're working in a phased time-schedule. As long as they're not phased out; but their "important studies" to guarantee a safe and sustainable operation are still in an early phase. Fast workers, they're not as they signed a MoU with Isla two years ago.
2025-03-31

Stupid Laziness
We have to reckon with higher consumer prices (4-8%) in the coming months. This is because the USA has import tariffs on goods coming in there, and many of our supplies are bought in the USA.
It's always possible to get those duties back union re-export, but our importers are too lazy to get that done. It's us who'll pay up anyway, so why bother? This also works out for sales tax paid in the USA. So we pay for taxes inside the USA. Aren't you proud?
2025-03-31

Just So
CMC hospital, what with all those financial troubles, warns that there's no money for new investments. Which includes replacement of apparatus etc. now in use. Cft Financial supervision agrees: there's only money in the government budget for daily running cots.
2025-03-31

Won't Happen
It becomes more and more obvious almost by the day that the future of electricity supply is in nuclear reactors. So much so that there's already a danger of a backlog in orders, so new stations will probably be delayed if not ordered soon, while prices will go up. But our politicians and utility experts know better of course, and are still planning to go what they think is greener and greener.
And also, with the decline in wind generator orders some of those giant-producing giants may inevitably have to close down and then, where are we?
2025-03-31

No-Good Budget
Cft financial supervision still wants the 2025 budget to be adapted to their wishes. They make several good points, and we believe them anyway. It never seems to work out after all.
But if the government will correct? And if not, what then? We await further news with considerable interest.
2025-03-30

I Stand Corrected
People-in-the-know inform me that finance minister Silvania may be Silly, but a Bully he's not. That's just what the soiled rats say about him, because he admonishes them to get to work. Which they don't like. I can believe that!
2025-03-30

Going Slow
Oryx, supposed to take over the refinery on March 1, has not done so. Why not, nobody seems to know. At least, they're not talking.
2025-03-29

To Be Sure
The illegal undocumented immigrants cost the island a lot in time and money. We're not told how much; not that anybody will really know.
2025-03-28

Yes, But
Work is being done on an alarm system for disasters and crisis situations. The idea is to send out warnings to cell phones. The project is in coordination with Digicel, which can only make us hope that those whose phones are on another system will get the warnings as well.
2025-03-28

Cyber Was Lucky
The minister of Justice has extended Cyberluck's gambling license without "the required approval of the Governor, a formal government decree, or proper publication in the Curaçaosche Courant." That was in 2007 and they've been operating since, until they went bankrupt.
At that time, the minister of Justice in the Netherlands Antilles was David Dick, for PAR.
See? It doesn't matter at all that M*F*K won those elections—they're all just as bad. And get away with it.
I had to find out about Dick for myself, as Curaçao Chronicle didn't bother to mention his name. In a way, understandable: don't make no difference, mon.
2025-03-27

Here We Are
The USA has announced sanctions for all countries that import Venezuelan oil: 25% import duty will be charged on their imports in the USA.
Not that we have any to speak off.
But the halt of USAID (because of wide-spread corruption in there) may have a severe impact on social organizations, care and education. Here's an idea, revolutionary as it may seem: isn't this a perfect occasion to stop depending on foreign help and try to take care of these things ourselves? Instead of feeding it to the government apparatus?
2025-03-26

If Only They Could Read
I mean our Big Leaders. To quote: "New York Times's moment of clarity: Paper shopping bags 'might not be as green as you think' — 'Paper bags tend to require more energy to produce than plastic ones' & 'In landfills, paper bags produce methane & CO2.'"
Here, we know better, as always; those great flimsy plastic bags may not be used for supermarket shopping.
2025-03-26

Banking for the Poor
It has finally been arranged: everybody can open a bank account (so they can pay by transfer of with plastic). Account limit is 3000 guilders, to avoid money laundering.
No news on balance guarantees yet, are you joking?
2025-03-26

Dream On
There is a study on how to develop tourism in a sustainable (that word again) way, without bad effects on "the island, nature and the community."
Preposterous. Much damage has been done already and it will, can, only grow worse.
2025-03-26

Damen/CDM Stay
The rumors that Damen Shipyard/CDM will stop operating are just that, the management says. Just after they had their first profitable year here, too. To the contrary, they think of expending.
2025-03-26

Chicken Shit
The direction of Egg Farm Moderno lets it be known there is no chicken manure at Dam Pretu. Just 30m^3/day of chicken shit, which is spread out over a large area to dry out, and is after two to three days transported to kunukus where it is used as manure.
I think we can assume that the fresh shit stinks more than the dry manure, which makes their argument plain ridiculous.
As for the dead chickens, they are transported to the Malpais landfill, not to Dam Pretu.
So there always are 60-90m^3 of chicken shit around at Dam Pretu, spread out. I guess, at the most 5cms/2" thick, which means an area of 200*60=12,000 to 18,000m^2 (3-4.5 acres) Looks like the people living around there have a cause for complaints.
2025-03-26

April Fools
Minister Silvania may say that he remains loyal to his Boss, but he's not very loyal to us the people. He wants to continue functioning as minister of Health (GMN) but all his actions concerning Dam Pretu don't have any effect.
The people living there now will no longer accept the government's lies and deceptions. Their action model will be presented if there's been no improvement by April 1.
2025-03-25

Huh
After the number of insured vehicles went down last year, it's going up again. That's good? Yes, but not good enough. We are told how many have insurance now, but how many vehicles drive around in total is never mentioned.
Not that anybody knows for sure how many there are.
2025-03-25

He's Not Worried
Newton of 2Bays refinery is not worried about the USA sanctions stopping Venezuela selling oil? No, says Newton, that only applies to countries (mainly, China) and Global Oil is a private company. He forgets that Chevron, for all we know a US private company, was stopped doing business with Venezuela as well.
The deal where PdVSA is supposed to pay off its debt with crude falls outside the sanctions as well.
Which doesn't matter anyway, as it just doesn't seem to happen.
2025-03-25

That's a Relief?
Not really. Silly Bully says he will remain loyal to PM Prick Pias, even though he got many more votes. He says serving the community is the most important function of a minister or MP.
If only.
2025-03-25

#WeToo!
The Dutch have concerns about Curaçao's democracy, with M*F*K winning elections with an absolute majority. We had them for a long time already.
For now, we can only wait for what's going to happen to us.
2025-03-25

Casino Heist
It's a miracle this doesn't happen more often, what with the banks having all their security measures these days. The Aqua Casino in Marriott Hotel was robbed, leaving 1 injured worker there. And yes, they did get away with money—how much we're not told.
2025-03-25

From Badder to Worser?
At least M*F*K's Prick Pias got only 15% of all votes, 11,583. Silly Bully got many more, 24% or 18,264 votes (he got only 228 votes four years ago). Bolo Mudbelly got 8% of all votes, up as well. M*F*K has 13 of the 22 parliament seats, and nine ministerial positions.
Now let's wait for what happens with the refinery, the green energy, the gambling mafia, health care and education.
2025-03-24

Which Figures
Venezuelan opposition leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González accuse president Maduro of leading Tren de Aragua and the Cartel of the Suns. I shouldn't wonder: Maduro "allegedly" sent those crooks to the USA, be it invited by the Democrat party there or not, and over a hundred of them were just now delivered to the prison system in El Salvador.
Tren de Aragua is involved in drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and other serious crimes, while The Cartel of the Suns is allegedly composed of senior government officials and military personnel engaged in large-scale drug trafficking.
"The Maduro regime is not only a threat to Venezuela but to the entire continent by allowing organized crime to expand unchecked," we read. To which I add: and not only the continent.
2025-03-24

Hope for the Best
What else can we do? The government has delayed the Caracasbaai development for one year, but they will persevere—"in spite of social objections." How like them. At least, those will now be looked at. They say.
2025-03-24

What's the Difference
Anarchy reigns already, as we're all sadly aware. It will only become worse now that M*F*K can do as it wants—that's the difference.
Traffic example: yesterday I was driving behind a Toyota SUV that towed a trailer with two Sea-Doos or whatever they're called or were, and behind that still another one carrying one more of the same.
Neither had brake-lights or blinkers, are you kidding? I couldn't even see if the towing SUV had them—or bothered to use them.
So much for the announced police actions.
2025-03-22

"Crushing"
Verpletterend is one headline about M*F*K winning the absolute majority: 55%. Just what they wanted... "Four more years of the same" was one of their slogans, and we're gonna get it. Or even worse.
5% less people bothered to vote for a 69% turnout. We even had international observers (just like in Venezuela and Turkey). But I really don't much doubt the outcome myself.
Yesterday, PNP's Larmonie was still convinced "the people wanted PNP to govern." The party did grow to 16%, but if they'll form part of the cabinet looks like a very moot point.
Let's hope Dick Drayer was right. Meanwhile, however, we're stucked with an F.
In case you're interested, PAR got 10%, MAN-PIN 8.5%; the rest is nowhere. Also M*F*K's majority is smaller than predicted, which doesn't help at all.
2025-03-22

Meanwhile, Down South
Last year, Venezuela made over 8 billion dollars on drug trafficking. The drugs come from Colombia and are further distributed, also via the Caribbean in which of course we play an important role. Great!
2025-03-22

Ah What
Curaçao is working on future tourism which must be "sustainable."
Turn it back, already is my advice.
2025-03-21

Strike
Today we have elections, but I'm on strike. What's the use. The same old, same old crummy lot as far as I'm concerned. Not enough to choose from.
At any rate, the government has resigned awaiting the results. They'll be back!
2025-03-21

Other Reasons
Not all medical specialists are leaving CMC hospital for salary reasons, says the health inspector. I dare say they have other reasons as well.
2025-03-21

How Like Him
The Laman building activities near Jan Thiel disturb about 20 sea turtles, who hang around there. But of course Bolo Mudbelly prefers not to believe that, and upon being warned by STCC Seat Turtle Conversation Curaçao asks them "Since when have you seen turtles swimming there? Do you have photographs?" To which one answer would be, "Since when not?"
In fact, 8 of them have been followed intensively with a transmitter for weeks. So there, Bolo.
Who in his reaction says "The EOP island development plan is the government's guideline and should be respected by everyone." What a laugh. When it serves him. It's a miracle God didn't kill him on the spot with a bolt of lightning.
2025-03-21

To Start Today with a Good Plan
In South Africa, our great future symbol, there are water problems. As well, yes. Now, the idea is to turn the government-owned water facility (sounds familiar) into a private one, in the hope that will solve the troubles.
All over the country, water leaks and other losses account for 47% of the prodction, which even we can't beat. But in the two privately-run companies, the losses are between 15 and 20%. Which Aqualectra here beats by a wide margin. Let's!
2025-03-20

Make Them Pay
For once, all our MPs agree that a tourist tax is a great idea. Anything that brings in more money, right?
And maybe that will teach them to stay away? Dream on...
That doesn't stop them from protesting the Dutch flight tax, to "save the climate."
2025-03-20

I Bet
M*F*K wants to win an "absolute majority" in tomorrow's elections, as expressed in an interview by Curaçao.nu. As a poll predicts they'll get 67% of the votes, they may get it too. Which spells nothing but trouble for the country. Just read on...
One god thing about it , as curacao.nu's Dick Drayer remarks, is that in the three preceding cases where a party had the absolute majority here, it came to a final fall because of internal quarrels and ego contests.
But that may be Drayer's wishful thinking.
2025-03-20

Desperation Sets In
What else can you think about a new proposal to turn the 1988 public library into a theater to replace the burnt-down Sentro Pro Arte? The library was forced to move because maintenance was so bad. Which is typical for our government, and not only the present one. It's our Culture!
Many people who ought to know judge it was a bad building for its purpose, anyway. Be that as it may, how anybody could think about turning it into a theater is a good but unsolvable riddle.
2025-03-20

It Just Goes On
The USA is starting, or continuing, to be worried about Curaçao's gambling enabling. They well may be, and so are many of us. Now Topbet.eu is in the news, alleged to be "to child kidnappings, pedophile rings, and human trafficking operations in Europe and Asia." Topbet may have a *.eu extension, but it's registered in Curaçao. It's hard to enforce rules on territories outside the USA; which doesn't surprise anybody. Especially not with our political Bleaders.
Interesting detail: Topbet only accepts Mastercard.
2025-03-20


Clumsy
Look at that sign. Didn't you read, just like me, "€UR"? Well, you were wrong, just like me. It's a logo for Hato Airport and it's supposed to say "CUR".
2025-03-19

See?
That "emergency repair" of a pier at Baoase Resort has by now been finished, and the new development even has been named—"Bida Beach." You can buy a day-pass to go there for $200, which includes $100 worth of food and drinks.
A good thing our ministers are so helpful in stimulating development.
Almost forget: the new extended pier also protects the coral reef. And stupid I here thinking it had helped ruin it.
2025-03-19

To the Point
It's explained that you can make your vote invalid by writing on it, for (given) example: "Thief."
What moved them to select just that word, I wonder.
2025-03-19

It Finally Happened
De Kloof [cleft] finally has electric road lights. If they're "smart" I couldn't say.
Reminds me of how our esteemed ex-PM Maria Liberia Pieters many years ago wanted to make spend some money on the same traject by installing solar-fed lights. But this was thwarted somehow.
2025-03-19

Symbolic
Saturday we'll have the annual farce of one hour lights out, to fight the dreaded climate change. This has been going on since 2007 and look how much it helped.
Many government buildings may be dark, which at least is fitting.
Now you know it won't be one more Aqualectra black-out.
Not that many people seem to care, judging from all those lights on.
2025-03-19

That's Tellin 'Em?
SSS trade union syndicates insist that the government must take measures to avoid prices get still higher. People just can't afford them any more. Only they don't say how this could be done.
And remember, this and preceding governments managed to turn this island from one of the richest in the region to the poorest of the former N.A.
2025-03-19

Watch Big Brother
47 security cameras more have been installed. Maybe they'll even work. We're told that people feel safer when those bugs are installed. Like in London, which has the highest number in the world and where people get knifed regularly?
2025-03-19

What We Need
This time, alcohol sales are not forbidden on election day. But you may not buy nor sell votes. So how to pay for that much-needed beter drink?
2025-03-19

Good Idea
Post in Denmark will stop delivering letters and concentrate on packages. It's all email anyway, right. Why not do the same thing here? Then they won't have anything to do but to continue subjugating you to tortuous treatments when you want to send something to a foreign country.
Delivering a package? How I wish. Those, you will have to go pick up as well.
2025-03-18

Stinking Dam
Escalating problems around Dam Pretu. After the surrounding residents' protests, GMN ministry of health put up a fence. But now it seems GMN has removed it again. My guess is, somebody has paid somebody, both possibly plural. "The government has let us down" say the residents. What makes them think that? Always complaining...
2025-03-18

Not by Our Government
Scrutiny of the gambling industry is increased, because of money laundering risks. Indeed. In the Basel Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Index all Caribbean islands are flagged, but our "online gambling industry stands out due to its vast scale and relatively lenient licensing process" writes Curaçao Chronicle.
What do you expect with this mafioso government.
2025-03-18

Yesss
The Italian mafia is extending its influence, "by collaborating with local criminal networks, particularly the No Limit Soldiers (NLS)." And with our mafia government, don't forget.
2025-03-18

Promising
With elections next Friday and having no decent choice on whom to vote, just the same tired old crap, it's refreshing to read that trouble is a'brewing in both M*F*K and PNP. M*F*K, described as "founded and owned" (?!) by ex-PM Shorty has as its strawman leader the wearded beirdo Prick Pias, but for incomprehensible reasons, his finance minister Silly Bully Silvania is more popular. So they may start a power struggle. May the best man win; not that there's much to choose from. Both are just as responsible as that crook Shorty to deliver that mafia paradise.
Good to hear that their runner-up PNP has similar problems.
Let's all hope they fight to the death, but at least all this may prevent an alliance between those two parties. And it may not, money=power, you're so right.
Silly Bully, sorry to repeat myself, never fails to remind me of Jan de Hartog's remark: "Watch out for small men, because they hate you for every inch you're taller."
2025-03-18

Just Great
Next year, TUI will start flying 15 times a week from Europe to Curaçao. That's more than 2 daily flights. How nice for the Tourist Industry!
2025-03-18

Groundwater Polluted
This has been going since before I was even born. We have very little rain for this windy and hot climate, resulting in groundwater levels going down and as a result, seawater infiltrating. Also, pumping for agricu]ture, industrial and residential use. Then, only 19% of residences has a sewer system and instead has to use cesspools. Which inevitably results in nitrates infiltrating the groundwater.
You need not be surprised that, in spite of continuous clamoring for a law regulating groundwater pumping, it has never come.
2025-03-18

Do Tell...
Colombia has produced a record amount of cocaine in 2023: with a growth of over 50%, 2600 tons. These are distributed to Europe and the USA by many Caribbean islands, among which of course Aruba and Curaçao. "Corruption of customs personnel is essential." Really?
2025-03-18

WOW! That's Fast!
Renovation of Stadhuis will finally start. After six years! But don't hold your breath, work will only start next year.
2025-03-18

Bad Luck Bank
FCIB First Curaçao International Bank, which in 2006 was declared bankrupt after a BTW/VAT fraud (musta been really sumpin), took away 15% from their account holders' balances if they didn't cooperate in the settlement of their credits. But the court of appeals judged differently, and also figures FCIB should pay themselves for the costs involved in their criminal offences. Also, FCIB should go on paying interest after 2006.
2025-03-17

An Extra Month
Not in work, are you kidding? In salary. The soiled rats will get 8% of vacation money from now on, instead of 6; which in total means a month in salary.
The union who has been fighting for this for 30 years is satisfied. Because more money will flow into the economy, they say.
Sure. After it has been taken out of it first.
2025-03-17

They're Too Important
Some St. Maarten's politicians don't like the Algemene Rekenkamer [general accounting] advice that they must fly economy class. It doesn't fit in with their important function, they say. It shows little respect (there we have that again).
Now, they fly business class; plus, they get 720 guilders per day without having to account for them. Nice huh? No wonder they don't want to give it up.
2025-03-17

Wuddayaknow
That's Fake News, about the raid on den Haag's Curaçaohuis says minister Carlos. But let's face it, who would believe him?
2025-03-15

Good Plan
Efforts are made to move Curaçao's Staten to the old Bestuurscollege building, which has been sitting there neglected for all those years since our glorious independence. That's instead of building a new one to replace the four locations in use now. Just like the tax building, where finally a decision was made to restore it after the arson attack. Saves money.
Politician Omar Gill comments: " The people deserve a better Curaçao." If you use 'voters' instead of 'people' I'm not so sure.
2025-03-15

You Can Always Try
There now is a website www.rac.cw run by the Regulatory Authority of Curaçao (RAC) where you can file a complaint about your internet provider if he fails to meet established standards. But first, you're supposed to try your luck with the provider.
2025-03-15

Way to Go
If you're rich; and I mean, stinking. Otherwise forget it. Building a house, not counting infrastructure, will these days cost you 4500-5500 guilders per square meter (~$250-300 per sq.ft.) It was 'only' 2850 guilders, a mere two years ago. That's even more than on Bonaire!
It's a shortage of workers that causes this. That at least is what contractors say. And by the way you know, they also point at all those luxury villas and hotels that are built. That's development!
There is a resemblance between contractors and second-hand car dealers, I too readily admit.
2025-03-15

Tough, Shon Pastor
Back to the cooler for him. All we're told is, he didn't keep to the conditions upon which he was liberated.
Must be a real Holy Man. Seems also to have been involved in weapon dealing. As always, his parochians are convinced he's innocent. Another pastor seems to have blabbed to justice; possibly out of jealousy.
Jealousy? Nice... Better keep praying, parochians.
2025-03-15

There We Go
Circling down the drain, heading for the sewer. A guy Felipa has been appointed by parliament as head of ARC [general accounting]. Trouble is, Felipa has a background in the gambling world and worse, was involved in illegal casinos. Details are rather ugly
In his new function, he's responsible for checking compliance with laws and regulations. To make it worse, it's for sure we have not been told everything about the guy's past career.
In short, ARC joined the club of institutes having lost their credibility. Totally.
2025-03-15

Could It Be?
Is the heavy hand of ex-Aqualectra head Jonis perchance involved in the troubles with those gas turbines? After all, some years ago he did leave Aqualectra for the green refinery pastures.
2025-03-14

There We Go
Aqualectra utility once again confirms that the electricity supply will be 70% "green" by 2027. But at the same time, they admit that the energy demand is growing much faster than expected. For one thing, tourism growth with 25% results in much higher demand. Small wonder: they all use airco all day and take showers like nobody's business.
All that is pointed at as the cause of 10 blackouts in the past 5 years, while there was not a single one between 2006 and 2019.
I beg to differ; we've had many more here but admit they were not "ront Kòrsow" [all over the island}.
2025-03-14

Who Trusts Him?
Our Den Haag/Holland minister Carlos pooh-poohs the ongoing rumors that investigating officers have raided "his" Curaçaohuis. Is supposed alleged to have to do with a complaint filed by a woman working for said minister. But he won't deny it "for 100%."
2025-03-14

1.7 Million
That's how much Holland (the Kingdom) is prepared to invest in Curaçao agriculture. Not very much, as 560 million guilders' worth of foodstuffs is imported in a year. A pilot project of 10 ha (24.7 acres) will be set up with "modern irrigation and cultivation techniques."
As the Dutch saying goes, "a drop on a red-hot plate."
2025-03-14

Who Cares
Second time in two weeks because of insufficient personnel, passengers to Amsterdam could get out without passports controlled. Problem may be, their visa is valid for 180 days, so on a next visit they may run into trouble with Immigration.
I'll admit, very occasionally people who want to leave and shouldn't be allowed to are caught by the passport control. Very rarely. And are those passports even stamped? What's the use.
2025-03-14

Words of Wisdom
Hopefully. Health economist van den Broek explains that a thorough evaluation and structural improvements in health care to handle a new pandemic; which she is sure will come. During the Covid pandemonium, politicians followed the advices of virologists and epidemiologists (lock downs and curfews) without watching broader consequences.
In the first place, let's be thankful they did listen, for a change. But how about those medical experts? There are lots of reasons now to suspect their advices as downright worthless. Like those forced vaccinations.
2025-03-14

Half Solved
A person has been arrested for arson in Groot Sta. Martha a while ago. It turns out, he really threw a Molotov-cocktail in there. Why still is (almost) anybody's guess.
2025-03-14

For a Change
Blow me down! No Curaçao MPs will visit the next Parlatino meetings, March 20-21 in Panamá. What's going on, you ask?
It's easy: elections here on March 21.
2025-03-14

Come Again?
Must be a mistake. At least, let's devoutly hope so. Amigoe tells us that, first, out of 9,656 new vehicles here, 8,312 passed the obligatory test. So 1344 didn't make it? That's outright wondrous and frightening. Even if those failed were second-hands, who would import a wreck?
The story continues saying that.51,336 vehicles were tested for the first time. A number failed, sure. But would this mean that, say, half of the cars driving around were never tested before? That beats all imagination.
In 2018, there were registered passenger vehicles in Curaçao.
2025-03-14

Agreed
What else? After a struggle in court it was decided that FKP social housing has the right to kick out a renter who just doesn't pay the rent. It's a source of wonder to me that FKP had to go to court for this.
2025-03-14

Complicated
From the article in Curaçao Chronicle it's hard to get a real insight into what's going on here. Not their fault: it's complicated. What's going is hidden in the machinations by Global Oil and 2Bays refinery. The gas turbines in use by Aqualectra Utility for electric power delivery now are under control by Global Oil, which can result in power failures. (As if we're not used to that by now.) It might have resulted in two-hour beurtkrags in 2024 and 2025.
Oh no, they're under control by Oryx. Did I mention it was complicated? Meanwhile, Global Oil still is not producing any asphalt.
Another interesting detail, the gas turbines are owned by the state. Just like 2Bays and Aqualectra. And whatever the government controls stinks like a refinery.
2025-03-13

The Law of Anarchy
At Playa Hundu somebody discovered how construction work has been done, involving concrete work and a wooden terrace, with stairs to the beach below. It looks like these have been stopped—for now;but minister Bolo Mudbelly Cooper hasn't reacted to questions. As yet?
The ruination of our natural beauty just goes on.
2025-03-13

Fight and Bite
Antilliaans Dgblad has started a fight with Silly Bully, by reproaching him the budget figures about 2Bays refinery are not, er... accurate. Needless to say, Silvania can't accept this, and he reproaches Antilliaans Dagblad they used this figures "out of context." Curious how often politicians use that expression.
Biting back, AD attacks him on the CMC salaries.
2025-03-12

Just Try
There actually exists a Commissie Klachten over Politieoptreden (KCPO) [Complaints committee about police action]; in fact, since 1994. It was reinstalled in 2020 by then-minister Girigorie. I must admit I never heard of it, which at least to me indicates it wasn't very successful.
Now, there's a new try. As the minister himself has the last vote in accepting members, you may be forgiven for being skeptical about the desired transparency and independence of the committee.
2025-03-12

Weird's the Woid
The immigrants come over here because they look for jobs, says CBS statistics. Which is really remarkable, as we still have so many unemployed Curazoleños.
2025-03-12

Food Fools
MAN-PIN wants to replace the OB sales tax with ABB. I don't know what that acronym stands for, but supposedly it will lead to lower food prices. Which will remain high as they go up all over the world, and 90% of foodstuff is imported.
There are plans to start growing more food locally, also from Holland. But let's face it: the amount of imports can be reduced by only a small percentage. With the heavy population, this still is like a cruise-ship which every so often has to put into port to lay in stock.
2025-03-12

CMC versus Silly Bully
CMC hospital has filed a lawsuit against the Curaçao government, because finance minister Silvania refuses to allow the medical specialists their desired salaries. Which results in them leaving, getting overburdened and even staying at home because of burnouts.
2025-03-12

Oh, In that Case...
The stones dumped into the water near Jan Thiel for the Laman project are there only temporarily. It's only a work platform. That's a relief! We await their removal with much interest.
If the mangroves will be put back, we're not told. But no worries, they "were removed with the appropriate permits and in consultation with environmental experts." Who they were, we're not told either.
2025-03-12

That's a Lot
It's pretty hard to get a solid insight into how much carnival costs. First, 10% of the people are not interested at all. Count me in, sourpuss. Total money spent on the whole bloody show may be over 20 million guilders.
It's maybe a lot, but what the hell? Let 'em have their fun if they want to. Even I think so.
2025-03-11

Yes, True!
For once, they're not lying: MAN-PIN points out that many people still suffer from bad internet service. Tue troo. This in spite of minister Bolo Mudbelly's assurance that he'd do something about it. MAN-PIN urges him to take swift action. If there's no money in it, he won't. Is only my private opinion.
2025-03-11

There You Have It
Pastor Donado has been released, but his "luxury car" remains confiscated and he 's still suspected of money laundering. Much of that money came from his parochians' donations.
Enough to turn you into an apostate.
2025-03-11

Energis Expansion
2Bays announces the expansion of Energis activities, for which a Bullenbaai terminal pier will be adapted. A new pipeline between Bullenbaai and the Dokweg facilities will be built as well.
Energis (presently?) annually processes 40,000 tons of biomass into sustainably fuels. Which, between you and me, upon use produce just as much of that "polluting" CO₂ as any fossil fuel.
2025-03-11

So What
KEM again wants to go for what's called a two-tier justice system. MPs and Ministers may not be criminally prosecuted like the hoi polloi, vulgar voters: us, but the PG must have the court's go-ahead first. Because politicians are very vulnerable, being in their position.
So what? They should be more responsible as well. Sic 'em!
2025-03-11

All for Nothing
After Z-Air had to go to court forcing St. Maarten to give them landing rights for USA-(N) registered aircraft, the management has registered them in Curaçao (PJ) anyway.
2025-03-11

Worse News
Comparing the poll-results with the actual elections of 2021, it looks like the new results: M*F*K wins, the rest is (almost) nowhere, are pretty reliable.
2025-03-11

Bad for Business
The Dutch Navy Groningen has intercepted another 500 kilos of cocaine. They were aboard two go-fasts, of which the first one escaped, but not before having chucked the cargo overboard, where it was picked up. Also not before the helicopter had some warning shots at the second one.
2025-03-11

So that's the New Plan for Lagun
If you ask me, it's pure evil. Horrible. No real improvement on the first one, which got forcibly discarded after many protests. Nothing left of the characteristically secluded old Lagun beach.
But that's only me? Maybe. There may be others who don't accept it. I hope so.
Not that I am protesting against toilets, also for handicapped persons (if that term is politically correct; and who really cares?
2025-03-10

Dios Spar Nos
God save us! Because a poll has shown that in the coming elections 67% of voters will vote for M*F*K, meaning, for more of the same. 13% prefer PNP and 7% MAN-PIN. 75% of the pollees (is that a word?) will go vote, and 25% prefer not to say who they'll vote on.
Even if the poll is as far wrong as those in the USA predicting Trump would lose, that's not nearly far wrong enough.
PAR, Kousa Promé, KEM, Mihó Kòrsou and Trabao pa Kòrsou would be completely out of the game, with 4, 3, 2, 2 and 1%.
2025-03-10

They Should Know
The customs people have not had a (promised) reaction since their 2-day strike last month, complaining about work conditions. They also want to know why the Tax people got a gratification, but they didn't.
Not a hard one: the Tax people are much closer to the source so it's easier for 'em to get their hands in there.
2025-03-10

USA in the Game
The Michigan Gaming Control Board has sent out 5 "stopping commands", of which 3 to Curaçao gambling institutes. They may be legal here, thanks to M*F*K, but not in Michigan. As if they cared.
Interestingly, they seem to be owned by a **** Chinese (Sichuan province) company.
Maybe the official term for "stopping" is "cease and desist"—hey, once again, I'm no lawyer.
2025-03-08

Uh Oh—Damn Fools
Dutch D66 party is asking questions on how about those EV-buses for Curaçao, complete with solar charging station, which plans were stopped because Holland retracted the promised support?
One reason D66 mentions is, the buses would have been delivered by Dutch VDL, but now the much cheaper (because of Chinese government subsidies) BYD buses may replace them. Can't have that... Bad for Dutch business!
Also, D66 inquires how about those wonderful plans to start producing hydrogen by floating windmills. Here's my advice once again: forget right now about those monstrosities and save a lot of money—mark my words, they will never happen. Fortunately.
2025-03-08

Guess She's Right there
MAN MP McWilliams reproaches M*F*K finance minister Silvania that he doesn't answer her questions in parliament, as a minister is supposed to do. But that's only the law, McWilliam—who cares? Silly Vain answers that she's playing political games. Well, in government, isn't that the name of the game?
Silly Vain also says that they're working to repair the damage the former government left. He hasn't much time left to do that; hopefully.
2025-03-08

Social Issues
Trabao pa Kòrsow/work for C. admonishes the government that there is too much focus on social issues, but the economy keeps going down. (Except for tourism?) Unemployment went up from 13% to 18%, and the decline must be counteracted. Fine.
Too bad that they follow with recommendations like, we need better access to medical care, "including cheaper and natural remedies, urging greater recognition of traditional medicine and ancestral knowledge." Uh oh. It may be (not only) me but that sounds like asking for quackery. Of which we already have more than enough.
What they mean with "social issues" I couldn't say. Maybe they can?
2025-03-08

That's a Lot
Because two tourist boat owners have fused I now read there are 5 (FIVE!) trips per day to the island of Klein Curaçao. Small wonder it's in danger of being ruined. By tourism.
I may have it wrong, but that's the best number I can arrive at.
Don't tell me about it, I know and fully agree. The island was ruined long, long ago by removing the guano deposited there. All for money as well, of course.
2025-03-08

Remains to Be Smelled
Egg Farm Moderno remains open for the time being. A solution has been found for their stinking chicken shit disposal problem: it will be transformed for "sustainable energy". Whatever that means.
2025-03-07

Jan Thiel's Turn
A hill there has been denuded and mangroves have been removed and stones have been deposited in the water, all for the planned building of more high-rise apartment buildings for rich foreigners. Sounds familiar... Only too familiar by now.
What sounds just as familiar, people living around there are complaining that they haven't had a chance to protest. In fact, they've filed two complaints but Bolo Mudbelly's ministry never bothered to react.
2025-03-07

Oops... Forgot
FFP [foundation family planning] remarks that there is a heavy increase of another STD, Chlamydia. But "alas, there are no figures available." Which figures. We're all advised by TV to use a condom during carnival, but that doesn't seem to be necessary the rest of the year, says FFP.
2025-03-07

And Now, for Some Good News
"The link between electricity and GDP per capita is one of the strongest correlations in the social sciences" commences an article on Small Modular Reactors. Well, that would explain a lot about our economy going downhill all the time.
Like in South Africa? you may remark. Yes, the same place where those reactors come from. They promise a kW cost of $0,12 for starters, going down to $0.01 within the next generation. Which certainly beats wind generators and solar panels, not to mention the 20 year life span those have.
If only Aqualectra would read this. Let's go Nuclear!
2025-03-06

Now that
Seems some or more voting cards have been delivered to the wrong addresses by (leave-it-to-them) C***-Post. Which is investigating if possibly "human errors" have been made. Yeah, we all guess it's quite possible; plausibly even probable.
It's followed by a warning that we all are responsible for a good, and accessible, mailbox. It's obligatory! Not a word about those "community mailboxes."
2025-03-06

Last of Our Worries
Now that the festivities are all over, CMC hospital warns about the danger of influenza infections during carnival.
Are they serious? Not a word about HIV and other nasty STDs. Let alone pregnancies.
2025-03-06

It Worked? No Really
Now, the building permits have been published, after all. Albeit much too late; so, protests won't be handled. If you don't like it, don't bother to complain. It will get you nowhere. Now you know who's Boss.
Those of which time hadn't elapsed yet, got a little time extension. Aren't you glad?
If you try to download the overviews for several weeks, you get the message "You know where you can put it" "No file paths defined."
There is a way available, in theory, to file a belated complaint, provided you can prove the delay is not your fault. Once again, Good Luck!
2025-03-06

Go Ahead
Parliament has sent a letter to Dutch government to protest against the announced higher air taxes, Because of global warming... er... climate change, whatever, you know. Of course, our precious tourism is more important than that. After all, it's sustainable! at least, planned to be.
Good luck!
2025-03-06

Wellness: Believers, Liars and Bullshitters
That's an article in the Skeptical Inquirer magazine on the commercial "wellness"-world.
You want my suspicion, to take it or leave it? Our auntie Sushi is all three rolled into one package.
2025-03-05

Immigration
The number of Dutch immigrants, that's people from Holland coming to live here (if only for a few years) now is 24%. How to rhyme this with a recent analysis of languages spoken, where Dutch was said to be used by 6% of the people, I can't explain. Nor can anybody else, I guess.
Papiamentu Propaganda? you say. I shouldn't wonder.
After 2011, population has grown with 3.5% to 155,826, but immigrants have increased with 7%.
2025-03-05

No More Marriages
The number of married people is steadily declining; it was 36.39% in 2011 and 34.1% in 2023. Those who do marry do so at later ages.
Then, of course, there's the "gays" who seem desperate to follow a declining trend.
The headline in Curaçao Chronicle has it the other way 'round, but shit happens all the time.
2025-03-05

Do Tell—Really?
Restart of Isla refinery is "unlikely" says finance ministry. It adds the words "in the short term" which we freely translate as "always." On a scale from 1-5 it's given a 4. It's unclear what's the state of the Oryx take-over, supposed to start on March 1, we read. How do you mean, "unclear"? It's clear as daylight that it didn't happen.
Global Oil's asphalt production is now expected to start in QII. Last we heard was "early this year." Or maybe they started already? Clear as crude; or even asphalt.
2025-03-05

Not Me
I won't get aboard a cruise ship, not if you drag me with ten oxen as Stevenson writes about Treasure Island. Holland-America's Eurodam, among the top five cleanest cruise lines, has had the fourth norovirus outbreak this year. In nine trips. "... these recurrent outbreaks highlight a growing concern within the industry regarding the handling of public health onboard cruise ships" writes Curaçao Chronicle. Not good to know.
Montezuma has nothing to do with it, neither has the infamous Delhi Belly. Mark: another word for it is "turista." Not funny at all.
2025-03-05

But How Much Is "Sufficient"?
APS Akshon Partisipation Sivil (needs no translating, I guess) advises us all to go for blank votes next election. Until now, these are counted as "not valid" but APS hopes that if enough voters go for blank, this will make political changes possible. The way it is now, people just have to keep voting for the same tired old crews that, as has been only too clearly shown, don't make no difference in how the island is run.
If there are enough blank votes, the governor will be forced not to order any party to form a new government, which APS hopes may even lead to a referendum.
On what exactly we're not told, and neither when enough would be enough.
Nobody knows, of course. Yet.
2025-03-04

Old Problem Back?
All "Dutch" Caribbean islands have heavy populations of the Aedes egypti mosquito, which transmits dengue and other nasty diseases, among which the deadly yellow fever; which doesn't occur here now—yet. However, with the number of yellow fever infections on the continent growing, it only needs one patient coming in to wreck havoc. Since a year, all passengers arriving in Aruba need to be vaccinated. Here, I wouldn't know.
2025-03-04

But
The Tax Grabber had a surplus of 3.2 billion, beginning this year. Don't worry: we'll get rid of it soon enough.
While the outstanding incoming payments should have been reduced, they've grown though. "More effective measures are needed." In other words, one more thing minister Silly Bully did not accomplish: that saldo has grown from 2.6 to 3.2 billion.
Interestingly, more deferments of payment have been granted than objections have been submitted. Smells extremely fishy to me. In fact, it stinks.
At least, it indicates a very sloppy administration. Tell me about it. Sigh. At worst? Don't ask...
2025-03-04

Doesn't Matter
Curaçao.nu asks "Where are the party programs?" I wish I was sure that's only meant as a rhetorical question. What difference will it make, after the elections—supposing one of those parties wins?
The site then also reports on the differences between what MAR and MAN-PIN propose. On which I have the same skeptical feelings.
2025-03-04

The Judge Had to Say So?
Big deal! Council of ministers has agreed with a new payment system for education. Meaning, a structural adaptation of financing. Which became necessary when court forced them to keep to the legal requirements within three months.
Otherwise, I bet my #$$, notwithstanding all their fine blah-blah, nothing would have happened. Even now, we can only wait to see. Which we've been doing, in this instance, for over a year since the president of the National Reform Commission submitted an assessment form.
2025-03-03

We Hope So
Dutch MPs have questions on the Dutch Navy (and Coast Guard) protecting our islands. Are budget and personnel force adequate for their tasks? And are there enough investments in drones and radar? We, too, hope so.
Remember Urbina!
By what must be a coincidence, the Dia di Viktoria has been celebrated, in memory of Manuel Piar and Luis Brion beating off a British attack in 1804.
As far as I know, the island was in Dutch and therefore French (Napoléon's) hands at the time, and later, so how this can be seen as a victory on colonialism is hard to understand.
2025-03-02

Still in Jail
Pastor Carlos's provisional detention has been extended with 8 days. Story is, he's told a cellmate that another priest has involved him in the affair. The plot thickens?
2025-03-02

Why Not?
Because he's a minister or rather, has been? Ex justice minister Rutsel Martha, according to rumors mentioned in Amigoe, has been picked up for public drunkenness. Police haven't confirmed this yet.
2025-03-02

Oh, Really?
There's a new development plan for Lagun Beach. To quote the ministry, "It is important to note that the majority of stakeholders are satisfied with and support the revised design. The GMN is confident that the adjusted plan will contribute to an inclusive and sustainable Playa Lagun, suitable for both residents and visitors, while preserving its organic identity for future generations."
That's what they say. Wait and fear for the worst.
2025-03-01

Poor Turtles
A petition to leave the turtles alone and to stop feeding them at Playa Piskadó has collected 1345 signatures. (Thankfully, more by now.)
Makes me rather sad and feeling powerless. Won't help much. Long live tourism!
2025-03-01

Keeping Mum
Now the car of that pastor has been confiscated by the police as well. Details on even his identity are scarce, let alone of what more but money laundering he's suspected of.
2025-03-01

Neat Trick
While a protest against a building permit must be submitted within 6 weeks of its publication, and the ministry (that would be Bolo Mudbelly's VVRP) website says they will be published every Monday, no such publication has been done since the last week of 2024.
So if you wanted to protest against yet another monstrosity, forget it. You're too late, that's the Law!
2025-03-01

No, Martines
KEM party leader Martines will remain in prison until June 11 (at least), when his case will serve in court. His request to get out right now was rejected.
Now we know what he's accused of. Allegedly, sure, sure. Import of 20 kilos of cocaine; accesory to a transport of 100 kilos of drugs; preparatory acts for import and export of drugs; dealing in and preparing import and export of drugs; and one of more cases of money laundering. We read there's more, that's not yet mentioned by the prosecution.
As far as I know, he's still on KEM party's election list.
2025-03-01

That Must Hurt
About &euor;30 billion have found a home in Curaçao, mainly in family holdings. They are mostly managed by trust offices and foundations; a so-called APV construction. Liechtenstein and Panamá are next popular.
The Dutch Tax persons don't like it. "It's hard to get an insight in these constructions." I bet, that's what they're for.
2025-03-01

Let's See...
USA president Trump has reinstalled the sanctions on Venezuela, which were retracted by his predecessor Biden. For one thing, Chevron oil has to stop activities there. Which begs an interesting question: can Global Oil still go ahead with the plan to use Venezuelan propane gas as fuel in the asphalt factory? As the product is meant for the US market, my guess is, NO.
As if Global doesn't have enough problems, already.
2025-02-28

Bragger!
Our finance minister is not only a Silly Bully, he's lying and bragging all the time on social media that tax income is going up by the month. Meanwhile, from other sources we learn that it's a total mess and growing worse and worse. More and more people don't hand in their tax returns in time, or at all; and fines to prevent that are just not given consistently. Communications between the Tax Dept and the ministry are defective which makes it even worse.
But the ministry claims they have been working on the problems for a while, already. When they can spare time from attracting gambling mafia, we must guess.
2025-02-28

So Let's Have It
Already... Finance minister Silly Bully says the bank account balance guarantee is "in its last phase." But he doesn't tell us when it will in fact be inplemented.
2025-02-28

What Else, New?
MAN MP McWilliams blames the Pisas government for a lack of transparency, especially in financial affairs.
McWilliams, they may or not be transparent, but how about, they don't know a thing about their finances themselves?
That minister Silly Bully bypasses parliament's budget rights by giving out uncontrolled subsidies all over, there she has a point.
2025-02-28

Superfluous
MP Prick Pias complains that there are efforts to discredit his government. Because of rumors about the reopening of the refinery, which he says are "disinformation." (If I understand him right, which is not an easy thing to do.)
No need. They discredit themselves more than enough.
2025-02-28

Yes, True
Now even in Holland they start getting worried about our education. They well may be. Our politicians just don't seem to care. "Education" is such a word like "transparency": often uttered but nothing done about it.
Aruba and St. Maarten have the same problems, aren't you surprised?
Question asked sounds pretty rhetorical: Will the Dutch government take concrete steps to improve education? If only.
2025-02-27

Fingers Crossed
With the new elections in sight, the governor has held an information session on the integrity screening for ministers.
Let's hope they can understand what she was talking about. Integrity has 4 syllables (count em!) already.
2025-02-27

Suspense
There are plans to reform the OZB real estate tax. SER social-economic council will now look at them. The idea is to give better deals to "small home-owners and vulnerable social groups while increasing contributions from wealthier property owners with greater financial capacity" to quote Curaçao Chronicle.
Sure, make them pay. They have already driven up prices to ridiculous (for us) levels. Like, in Bonaire building now costs $2100/m^2 (10.8 sq.ft.); and renting goes up accordingly. A modest house already is over 500,000 guilders, which places it out of reach for many.
Thanks to tourism and all that. Just mentioning Zakitó as one out of many examples.
2025-02-27

Good Start
Global Oil has not even started producing yet, but already the personnel is demanding higher wages. They do have a point: for specialized work they get only 11 to 13 guilders ($6-7.15), which really is very little. In fact, even below the minimum wage of 11.72, which is meager to start with. If they want more, they're kicked out and replaced by imported workers—against higher wages, ya betcha.
2025-02-27

Protect the Holy Cows Tourists!
Justice minister Hato wants 6 instead of 4 years of jail for attacks on tourists.
For you and me, who cares?
2025-02-27

Now What?
That's for Bolo Mudbelly to say. The taxi-drivers do not want to accept his proposal to "liberalize" public transport, as it opens the way for big companies to take over. Many of them are small entrepreneurs, afraid to be pushed out of the market.
Don't worry, what Cooper decides will go through. As we all have seen before.
2025-02-27

No Clamps
Don't worry, park wherever you want to. There's a software problem with the parking meters, so they don't work.
How long did it take again to develop a new system? Years...
UPDATE: the problem has been solved, and the meters work again.
2025-02-27

It's a Political Plot!
That's the new approach of KEM party's Martines, still under arrest awaiting his day in court. A photo of him was sent to justice dept. with a (false) label of a "real" drugs dealer, and that's how he got arrested!
All on those pesky social media. Where Martines threatens to file a complaint against those RST-members who falsified the photo in order to get him arrested.
Please do so, Martines. We can use a good laugh.
2025-02-26

Once Again
Proof of the old idea: if you want something to happen here, don't wait for the government. Do it yourself.
A driver emptying his pick-up truck of trash somewhere was caught, and pictures were taken of him and his license plates. The photos were shown on the social media, and sent to the police, which resulted in the driver having to return and remove all the junk. Which also was recorded and shown.
How and why he was forced to do so was not published. Forced by the police? Tchah.
2025-02-26

Not Really Permanent
Post 5 refinery entrance has been re-opened, after it had been "permanently" closed a few years ago. Because of the new activities.
2025-02-26

Not in Aruba
While here Eurodam passengers were allowed to visit the island and spread their Noro-virus, in Aruba that was prohibited and they had to stay aboard.
There are 3 cruise-ships in Willemstad harbor right now, good for 11,000 passengers. Ain't that great? Over 7% of our entire population in one glorious day.
2025-02-26

Not Yours to Say, Martines
Ex-PM but still KEM party leader Martines protests against the fact that the next court session is only "pro forma." He thinks after 2 years of investigations and 4 months of jail time the public ministry ought to be ready to start the real process; already.
That's not how it works, Martines. Why don't you inform yourself about the laws applying, instead of trusting your lawyers.
As far as clowns Peppi and Vaders can be trusted, good point.
2025-02-25

No Respet
The bankers union has chosen, twice, not to appear at a Staten parliament meeting on opening accounts for those who (at least to the bankers' taste) can't afford them. The MPs are peed off: the bankers show no respect for them.
And who can blame 'em.
The bankers' excuse is, they are much too busy preparing for the new Caribbean guilder's intro.
2025-02-25

What a Shame!
The incoming tax money was appreciably lower than expected. Something must be done! pronto. At least, that's what the politicians think. Those of MAN-PIN, just so you know. They are "deeply concerned" about missing out on all that lovely green kapucha to spend. You better believe it.
And then, we read that CAft Aruba financial supervision warns that the windfall of income exceeding expectations must not be spent (hah!) but applied to "restore order in the basics." As if there ever was any to restore. And then, we read that CAft Aruba financial supervision warns that the windfall of income exceeding expectations must not be spent (hah!) but applied to "restore order in the basics." As if there ever was any to restore.
2025-02-25

Who Cares?
Not the Playa Piskadó tourists, nor those who make a buck off 'em. World Nature Fund has released a short film by Sea Turtle Conversation Curaçao wherein tourists are asked not to join activities where sea turtles are touched and even seduced to go sit on swimmers' bellies. Which calls for turtle infections.
Will it help? Not a bit. What do those tourists care.
This is just one more effort to stop all that. Former ones don't seem to have helped much; the problem keeps growing.
2025-02-25

What a Relief
Cruiseship Eurodam, after a mooring ban, may come to Curaçao again. There were troubles with on-board epidemics of stomach- and intestine problems. Which is what those cruises are just asking for, "packed with meat like an egg." In fact. it's close to a miracle it doesn't happen more often.
2025-02-25

Sanctions
All sanctions by the USA and €U will be combined in one Curaçao law, so we will comply. Is that a good plan? you might well ask. How about sanctions by Iran, Russia and China?
2025-02-25

27% Only
Of course St. Maarten is in trouble. Taxes are much too low; at least, compared to Holland, Curaçao and Aruba's 40%. Yes, forty percent!
There are several ways proposed to solve the problem. Except lower government costs.
2025-02-25

Cut Me Off a Piece of That
That US president everybody hates (except his voters of course) now plans to reorganize the USPS mail. Great plan! if it works. Democrats don't like it, c¸a va sans dire.
Makes my mouth water. Imagine: for all orders from the USA, I use a Miami FedEx based service called Ezzyship, which is cheaper, more reliable and faster than our C***-Post "International." And you can even communicate with 'em!
There are more services like that around, small wonder.
2025-02-24

A Farce
After all enthousiasm about five new buses, the ABC company warns that they're still making a loss, which will not change as long as tariffs must remain the same.
Which they will. At least, until the elections are over.
Meanwhile, ABC expects debts to grow and grow. Until there's no money to pay taxes etc. Then, maybe, something will be done?
At least, the new buses are diesel-engined. So they can even run air-conditioning. As long as that lasts.
2025-02-24

'Course Not!
The Landspakket of government reforms will not be accomplished by April 2027, the planned date. What did they (in Holland) expect, anyway? We never thought so; but then, we know our politicians better. Too well.
2025-02-24

He'd Like that
Regales, ex-exploiter of giant Campo Alegre bordello, warns that illegal prostitution has grown (much too true) since his business was closed. (For fraud, gun and drugs dealing and money laundering, as I recollect.)
He thinks it would be a good thing to re-open it, but "controlled."
By whom?
2025-02-24

Zero Tolerance
That's the police policy during the coming carnival festivities. Which includes resisting arrest, insulting an official on duty, simple assault and public intoxication. And anybody above 12 years old must show ID at first call. "Ausweis! Sonst, mitkommen."
2025-02-24

Hope It Works
After the Ennia and Girobank disgraces, CBCS central bank announces they are progressing nicely with the supervision of banks and insurances. But not everybody agrees. More rule-based regulations are needed. Emphasis should be on reports without any delays.
2025-02-24

Good?
Curaçao government costs are 35% of the GDP. High! you think; at least, so did I. But in Holland, it's 43.5%—and in the USA, 36.2% (Federal 23%).
We hardly pay for defense, there's that.
Still higher than most Caribbean countries; which mostly have no defense worth mentioning either.
2025-02-24

In Other Words
One in four Curaçao cars is involved in an accident—per year.
2025-02-22

Hear, Here
"... all [USA] government agencies and programs primarily serve as fig leaves to disguise graft, the theft of taxpayer dollars by government officials."
I didn't say that!
2025-02-21

Who Cares?
Cft financial supervision is content that the amounts of paid tax have gone up last year.
Not everybody else is. For some various reasons.
Cft also likes the extra income because of gambling licenses. Just like the government! Such as it is.
2025-02-21

Car Accidents
Last year, 11,294 insurance cases were counted. To give it in a nutshell: 95% were car crashes, in 12% of which unlicensed drivers were involved, who caused 57% of those accidents. 12% was uninsured and 10% had expired insurances.
It goes without saying that the other party must pay for the damages, themselves. Good luck with suing those non-insured drivers.
2025-02-21

Finally
A newly built fuel station by Malpais may finally open, after it has been sitting there for months and months. Other fuel stations protested its relocation from Willemstad-Welgelegen. But court judged that the relocation didn't involve an expansion. Which to many is a rather weird decision, as the number of fuel pumps obviously will be much increased.
2025-02-21

That's Normal
The judge thought it "incomprehensible and unacceptable" that no Tax Person appeared in court where a complaint of a tax-payer served. The Inspector had charged more, in several cases, than the payer figured he had to pay, but didn't bother to defend the arbitrary amounts.
Because everybody there is well aware that they were only arbitrary.
The court not only accepted the tax payer's figures, but also made the Inspector pay for all his costs.
2025-02-21

Maybe a Trick
And a dirty one, too. Protesters against the Baoase development must have some patience, since the permits have been retracted. But that's only because the plans have been changed, so new permits have been applied for.
Now the protestors are afraid that they won't be informed in time of those new permits, so their protests will come too late.
Exactly.
2025-02-21

Oh, Great
Just what we needed. Curaçao's tax is compliant with the €U standards.
Only, not with mine. And Cft financial supervision also judges, "more work must be done."
MAN-PIN parties (now that elections are coming) also want simplification and even talk about changing to an indirect tax system. But, uh-oh: that "must not negatively impact essential public services funded by the government budget."
All depends on what you call "essential." Also, let's wait until they are, or not, in the government.
"Not with mine": within two weeks, we recently got two print-outs of what we were supposed to pay and have paid—with different amounts listed.
2025-02-20

No Problem, Mon
Only 3 political parties have submitted their yearly accounts, as they're obliged to do by law: MAN, PAR and M*F*K. But the fact that the others did not does not mean they can't participate in the coming elections.
What are laws for, anyway? "Only marks on paper."
They may get a 3-month jail term and/or a fine. Betcha they won't.
2025-02-19

Let Us Hope So
We read SVB social insurance is out of trouble, as long as it lasts. All payments are safe and guaranteed. For a welcome change.
2025-02-19

We're Used to that
The old SEHOSpital is turning into a ruin. Nothing is done to maintain the magnificent buildings, despite plans for a hotel, museum, apartments and more. Because there's a conflict between project developers (excuse me while I throw up my breakfast), one of which is the infamous Bas Filippini.
It's not mentioned in the media, but I strongly suspect politicians have inserted their ugly heads in this matter.
2025-02-19

Oh, those Pastors
The reason that one was arrested upon arrival (from Colombia) seems to be, because of money laundering. Alleged and suspected, to be sure.
2025-02-19

A Drop in the Sea
Almost 3K Keys of Coke were intercepted by Dutch navy ship Groningen. It took an extensive hunt, with shooting going on, in which the smugglers almost escaped. Which begs a question: how many do escape?
2025-02-19

Yes, But...
... Again, it's for the tourists. In this case, we would profit as well, if only partly. Politician Gill proposes pre-clearance on flights CUR-AMS AMS-CUR, so long lines upon arrival here would be avoided.
But why not the other way? Arriving at Schiphol airport is a disaster; after a long flight passengers are subjected to extra-long lines there, as well. Because of the cocaine-smuggling from here to there, got it?
That's why.
After all, everybody knows tourists don't smuggle coke into Holland. Oh no!
2025-02-19

I Would!
Says Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee: "I think [...] people are dancing in the streets and celebrating. It's finally a moment where you've got government people who are looking into how the taxpayer's money is being spent [...] "I think people are ecstatic about it." And he adds, it's "the greatest thing in my lifetime." Maybe I wouldn't dance in the streets, but I'd certainly be overjoyed when somebody started cleaning out Ali Baba's Agean stables here.
Dream on...
2025-02-18

Less Fertility
Here too, there has been a sharp decline in the number of children women get in their fertile years. (Well, it's hardly a surprise it only goes for those years.) More research as to why is needed, opines some foundation. Only, that won't help much, will it?
If you care or not for my opinion, here it is anyway: my entire lifetime I have heard panicking stores about how the population grew too large all over the world. But now that it's shrinking, the panicking has increased! Go figure.
2025-02-18

Really Unchained
The chains on the Rif Tula monument Desenkadená [Unchained] have been removed by some unknown party which didn't leave a calling card.
Only now we're told some people all the time were against raising the monument, because they were not slaves any longer. So why keep wallowing in it? I must say I fully agree.
The media write the monument is bronze, but it's not. It's plastic.
Maybe the chains have joined Peter Stuyvesant's disappeared statue, to make sure he won't come back? That one was real bronze, by the way.
The foundation taking (evidently not so good) care of the statue will bring the chains back. They think there's still mental slavery, lack of brotherhood and inequality. Sure. The chains won't fix that.
2025-02-18

Bad News?
Depends. Holland will raise flight taxes in 2027, which will pay €248 million per year. Of course the reason given is less CO₂.
Bad for our tourism? Wait and see. Citizens may protest here. For French colonies provinces, the people there won't have to pay those higher tariffs when flying to Europe.
2025-02-18

Makes You Curious
On Airport Hato, a Catholic pastor has been arrested. We don't know which one nor what for. Police is not abreast, but diocese promises more info later.
2025-02-18

Pravda of Fort Amsterdam
Staten parliament announce they're ready for the first test transmission with their very own radio station. Who was it said "fascism"? It does look like it. Even the USA media running government propaganda were only paid on the sly and Q.T. by the Democrats running the burocrazy, as Musk and his "fascist" collaborators are now finding out.
But here, that's all quite normal and above-board. Enjoy the slide—downwards, as slides go.
2025-02-17

Join the Party
Not a political one. If possible even worse... During a rap-concert in the Airport Dome a confrontation between some people resulted in guns going off.
It's not even known yet if people were hurt or have been arrested. The management is still mum.
On second thoughts, the organizers have to tell us they deplore what's happened.
2025-02-17

That We May Live to See It
Damen Shipyards has made a profit! for the first time in history. Took some years (at least eight)... They're even considering an expansion.
Damen pays a yearly 130,000 guilders concession fee to CDM/DOK, owned by the Curaçao government.
2025-02-17

No Ofac
That's a license from the US Office of Foreign Assets. needed for transactions wich would be forbidden without it. Curaçao had a "General License 44a" which was retracted mid 2024. Which means no business can be done with Venezuela for products which will be exported to the USA.
Tough for Global Oil, which wants to use Venezuelan LPG in their asphalt production. But Isla/2Bays says Global has licenses of their own. If not?
2025-02-17

Not (Yet) So
The headline says "Asphalt Production Starts" but in fact, the article says it will. Shortly, anyway. But when?.
2025-02-17

Good. Now Spend It
FMR Financial Management reports a positive result of 18.6 million guilders. Not that we will ever notice.
2025-02-16

A Party! For Them
For us, not so much. The Tax Persons have re-occupied their renovated building, restored after the arson of some years ago. They first wanted to build a new one, but finally wised up and just rehabilitated. Cost 33 million guilders, while a new building would have cost 50 million.
The Persons felt it was like a home-coming. Well, that's their attitude.
2025-02-16

So Why Return Them?
600 confiscated arms have been returned to the dealer, after an unfinished investigation by the police. Seems the arms, meant for security companies, turned up in the hands of other people, and even in those of non-registered foreigners.
Why they, then, were returned is not clear at all.
2025-02-15

Come, Come
Kousa Promé [first cause] Party states that corruption is the most important problem in our government. You don't say. Better still, the party announces the creation of a forensic investigation team to examine corruption cases from the past three decades.
That we'd like to see. If they win—and if they keep their promise.
2025-02-15

Goodbye Transparency, Welcome Mud in Your Eye
The government's weekly press conference has gradually been replaced by messages on the a-social media. Which means nasty journalists' questions cannot be asked anymore, let alone have to be answered.
2025-02-15

Peanuts
An exploitation license for an online casino will cost you about €50,00 a year, 25,000 of which go into Ali Baba's pirate treasury chest at Fort Amsterdam and 23,000 to supervisor (haha) CGA. You can be sure there's enough left over to make it worth while.
2025-02-15

Clean Sweep
A solution has been found for the customs people who were making trouble. Their building will be cleaned this week-end, and they may work from their home for a while. (Now just try to get 'em back in the office later.)
2025-02-15

Somebody Please Tell 'Em
According to the Bank statements (which everybody knows, the bank insists on your handing in proper registration proofs) our C****-Post International is still called "Nieuwe Post N.A." Which is getting pretty old by now.
2025-02-15

Bide Your Time
OW public works "is working" on a solution for the sewer problems. Just be patient.
2025-02-14

There as Well
In St. Maarten's Point Blanche prison a search found 73 weapons plus improvised knives and daggers. So meant are 73 guns, am I right? Also marihuana and 20 cellphones. The authorities thought a search was called for because a lively traffic in all those goodies was going on. It shows "the prison safety was endangered" they say. Golly.
2025-02-14

Goodbye, Rif Stadium
Looks like it... An action has been started to preserve it as the monument it is. But if somebody wants to build a hotel there, it will go—as long as we have people like we have today in the government. Who may or may not be replaced soon, without any real change.
2025-02-14

Ya Betcha
An investigation is going on re. human trafficking, possibly involving several high-ranking police officers. Women were imported under false pretences, then forced to work as "bar staff" (uh huh) and detained and and thrown out discarded [yes, their word] when "their presence was no longer desired." An official statement is still coming.
2025-02-14

Oh, Oh, Casino
Soon it's 7Bit Casino (not yet) in court, for license violations and fraudulent practices. Complainant asks for $115,000. A formal complaint has been filed.
Talk about mafia. The complaint suggests "suggesting that the games were designed to benefit the casino rather than players." Hey, that's the name of the game. Don't be so naïve!
2025-02-14

Not Too Soon
Aqualectra will reconnect 1000 households under specific conditions, to avoid them building up more debt. This will happen before Christmas, so they can enjoy the festivities.
What they do before then is anybody's guess.
Total outstanding debt is 12 million guilders, much less than I figured.
2025-02-14

As Long as It's Money, Welcome!
Cypriot Önal, now detained in Holland because of the murder of his former boss, Turkish-Cypriot gambling mogul Halil Falyali, has some, ummm... interesting things to say. Like, quoting Curaçao Chronicle "Curaçao provided a prime opportunity to establish gambling businesses without anyone asking about the origin of the money. Through the use of shell companies and cryptocurrency transactions, enormous sums of money were reportedly funneled through the island. Several Curaçaoan trust offices and businesses are also mentioned in the investigation, while the local regulator of online gambling remains in the background."
This involved bribes of $15 million a month to Turkish and Cypriot authorities. And who knows, where else?
2025-02-14

One Stoned Cat
Not really. The animal got stuck in a container and made an ocean trip of three weeks (or four, depending on where you read about it) in there. But it was the other way round, from Makambia to Curaçao, so he didn't have drugs to keep him going.
2025-02-14

Will More Be Enough?
Military capacities of the islands will be enlarged. Good. No one will doubt it has to do with our friendly Southern neighbor. If it will be enough?
Let's hope he has some respect, despite his big fat mouth, for the president of the USA. And his mighty arm.
2025-02-14

Bully Bites
The customs people are on strike. They want better accommodation in Nieuwe Haven. Hey, I couldn't possibly know if they're in the right.
But I do understand why the customs people are pissed off by responsible finance minister Silly Bully's reply to their complaints: "No work, no pay." How like him.
If the conflict upscales, it may result in a total commerce stop. Which means we'll all die from hunger.
2025-02-13

So, Why Wait
A new law on currencies is urgently needed. Without understanding all the fine points: if we don't get one we may be listed on a grey or even black list, which again means no foreign credit cards will be accepted. If this means, here by foreigners, or for us in other countries, I don't get. But both are unacceptable.
Neither do I get why such a law has not been accepted yet. Except for the usual lethargy of our politicians?
2025-02-13

Oh, My
People are allowed to change their names (normally not so easy) if they are obvious reminders of their slavery background. Since July 1 2024, 127 requests have been submitted.
Not a very urgent matter after all, it looks like.
2025-02-13

What Else
More and more (not only) tourists, especially seniors, have been drowning while snorkeling or swimming around Curaçao. The number can only grow with tourism.
I see no way to avoid this. To call this a "crisis" as Amigoe does? Sadly, people drown all the time all over the world. Can't be really helped.
73 since 2011, or about 5 per year.
2025-02-12

How I Wish
Might as well wish for the moon, tell me about it. Trump (the new USA president so many people so much hated, but he was still voted for by a landslide) signed a mandate that government agencies hire "no more than one employee for every four employees" who are terminated, with exceptions for public safety and law enforcement.
He's just out to make us here jealous...
2025-02-12

Why Should They?
They'll get their money anyway. So it figures that MPs hardly participate in parliament debates. And let's face it: can't make no difference, mon. M*F*K c.s. just do what they want.
2025-02-12

Now for the Appeal
Ex-CBCS directors Tromp and Hasselmeyer have been ordered by the judge to pay back what the bank gave them in bonuses and other goodies, plus process costs, in total over 2 million guilders.
Don't know yet if they will pay as ordered or go for an appeal. But even then CBCS can recover the funds at once.
Interesting detail: Antilliaans Dgblad claims Tromp is still an advisor of finance minister Silly Bully.
2025-02-12

Daaibooi
Don't ask me who's in the right here. But the fishing coop says it does have the right to exploit the beach, while the widow of recently expired exploiter says, she does. This after said exploiter started a petition (over 1500 signatures so far) to stop all that.
Now the fishing persons have blocked the access road. Great for tourism! (Who cares.)
2025-02-12

Mud
That Zakitó mud discharge is said to be on government property. But nobody knows, at least those who do are not talking, if the mud-slingers have a permit for that. No worries, they'll get one soon enough! If after the fact.
2025-02-12

Forward to Lawlessness
Proposed law by ex-con Godett, no doubt inspired by the arrest of his KEM party leader Martines. The idea is, before a minister can be arrested it should be presented to the court of justice; in fact, to three judges. Who then would have to judge on it in advance, and not after the arrest as goes for everybody.
Nobody is above the law? Easy, so change it already!
Godett also asked parliament head how about TPK Calmes's amendment that MP's get a 100,000 support for submitting laws. Tough luck there; the amendment has (naturally) been accorded but a policy has not yet been decided upon.
2025-02-11

Clutching for Straws
"To make one wind turbine, it takes 45 tons of non-renewable plastic" says infamous climate denier Marc Morano. How many forbidden straws does that mean?
One plastic straw weighs .4 grams, so 100,000 weigh 40 kilos. Put it another way, 1 turbine equals over 1 million straws.
That's a lot.
You bet Marc has the time of his life since the devil Trump stopped a lot of that foolishness.
2025-02-11

Discussions
Since the negative non-binding advise by Monumentenraad APC pension Fund plans a discussion with VVRP on how to proceed. ROP planning will take part as well.
As Monumentenraad's advise is for a large part based on EOP, you will be pardoned for being pessimistic about the end result of that meeting. We will be saddled with yet another monstrosity.
Need you be reminded that Cooper was that guy who said, finally it was he who made the decision?
2025-02-11

Nothing's for Sure
An article in curaçao.nu warns us that everything "may" go bad and worse for all of us on the islands. Because president Trump's tariffs "may" raise prices and energy "may" become more expensive. It's full of assumptions like that. All negative, you bet.
And they "may" all turn out the other way. Who knows? I certainly don't. Neither does curaçao.nu.
Don't you sometimes get the feeling (dare admit it!) that what we sorely need is an institute like that hateful Musk DOGE, to throw all those corrupt trough-feeding pigs out?
2025-02-11

Dammit.. Doom!
An agreement between CAH Holding (say, Hato Auirport) and VVRP (say, minister Cooper) makes it possible to review EOP island development plan and, where needed, adapt it.
Which means it has become even less than marks on paper. For all practical purposes, they're written in invisible ink and "they" can do as they please.
2025-02-11

That's Our Culture
If you want to accomplish something here, you have to do it yourself. That's the only way to make sure it actually happens, because leaving it to the government is no guarantee at all. It's our tradition, no kidding!
Now there's talk about "shadow education" next to the official one, which, we're told, helps a lot of youngsters to pick up some knowledge they won't learn at school but at other institutions. Good, of course. Still a shame that it's needed. And how many youngsters fall by the roadside?
2025-02-10

Hope Against Hope
Monumentenraad announces they will publish their advise on the Plaza-Waterfort plans. But where? Reason for that decision, CPA pension fund, the most important factor in the planned building, refrains from comment and just says there'll be a meeting with VVRP. That would be Bolo Mudbelly himself, a guy who just presses on in the direction he wants—with his mighty volume adding weight to his arguments.
Monumentenraad's main objection, as far as becomes clear from the media is, the building would be too high for the EOP development plan. Good luck with that. "Only marks on paper."
Plans are still secret, but Monumentenraad must have seen them, I have to guess. Wait—and see?
2025-02-10

Good Title!
There's a foundation Pa Un Mihó Mañan, which means "for a better tomorrow." Sounds good, huh? In a recent letter it asks for financial sponsoring and donations, complete with bank account.
Turns out, when investigated by Antilliaans Dagblad, that money somehow serves to fatten finance minister Silly Bully, AKA Silvania, and/or his election fund. Making his tomorrow better—much better.
If you're surprised, you shouldn't be.
2025-02-08

Not So
Dutch MP van Haasen reproaches our esteemed M*F*K PM Prick Pias that he's a-lying when quoting Dutch State Secretary Szabó that progress is so great with the Landspakket reforms.
To the contrary, we have a long way to go. To quote Curaçao Chronicle, "there is no real progress in catching up on necessary reforms, particularly in financial accountability, as Curaçao's annual financial reports have yet to receive consistent approval. Additionally, Van Haasen pointed out that the island's debt continues to rise, contradicting any claims of significant financial improvement."
2025-02-08

Can't Have that!
The Lei di Bion [billion law] which was supposed to help youngsters between 18-30 age to a job didn't help a bit. So now there are plans to change it, so it will have some effect.
Reason, if they get jobs, they pay taxes—which is the real name of the game.
Got it now?
2025-02-08

Mystery at Sea
For at least weeks, and maybe much longer, the Marshall Islands oil tanker Dhalkut has been turning its tail to the South of Curaçao. Maybe, possibly, I shouldn't wonder, waiting for permission to enter Bullenbaai. Seems original planned date was December 25, 2024. But the USA consul general may have objected (because of Venezuela sanctions?), while they nor anybody else can or want to talk about it.
All that may be clear is, it has to do with the Qatar-based Oryx Group that took over some of the refinery activities.
2025-02-08

Sure, Martines, Anything You Say
Kem's Martines, still under arrest awaiting his trial for drug dealing and money laundering on February 28, judges the public ministry has had two years of investigations and three months of (his) detainment and that should be sufficient. So he wants to go to court immediately and if he doesn't get that, he should be released at once until trial starts.
Not a legal expert, my idea is that Martines has a big mouth, but the words coming out of it have no value.
February 28 is only a "pro Forma" session and preliminary to the final court date.
A factor here of course is the elections on March 21, in which Martines would love to participate. Heh heh.
2025-02-07

Bad Luck
The long fight between the country and Kadaster land registry is almost over with the expected decision of the High Court. You see, Kadaster had built up nice reserves of 21 million guilders, on which of course the country had in its beady eye. But no deal, Silly Bully: it's Kadaster's money and they may keep it.
Which will mean other official instances in the same position can keep theirs, as well.
2025-02-07

Thr Real Problem
According to M*F*K party, there are 1000 people looking for work and, here it comes, that results in 3.6 million per month, total 44.9 million per year less tax paid. A disaster!
How these people keep alive, is their problem. Let's help 'em to work so we "earn" their taxes!
Seems a lot of money in tax, as well. Don't ask me.
So one person is expected to cough up 44.9 thousand a year in tax? Sounds outrageous.
2025-02-07

Rejoice!
Thanks to the tireless efforts of our great government, we now have a tax accord with Mauritius. Mauritius? you ask. So did I and started checking. Oh.
Small wonder... All about gambling.
2025-02-06

Hope It Helps
Hope against hope, I'm inclined to say. After the elections there'll be a course Behavioral Governance in Leadership, for politicians and associated rubbish. It will take two whole days to give them "practical insights to control more transparently, ethically and strategically."
Don't try to make us laugh. It's sad enough.
Operative word of course is "control."
2025-02-06

We Don't
M*F*K PM Prick Pias congratulates his government, and himself not to forget, on the great results achieved with the Country Package.
We don't. Oops, I repeat myself. Good, adds emphasis.
2025-02-06

They're Working on It
The government is working on a structural solution for the sewer problems. Capacity is too small and the systems, where they exist, are aged.
And whose fault is that? That same government, and/or the ones of the past. Don't make no difference, mon. When they're not outright crooks, they're incompetent.
2025-02-06

In Style
Neigborhood centers lack enough attention from the government and are often deteriorating as a result. The one in de Savaan is now, for all practical purposes, no more than a junkyard.
Asks the president of the Mahuma center, Omar Gill, for the government to take this problem seriously. Don't be naïve, Gill. If there's no money in it (for them), the government is not interested.
2025-02-06

Amazing
Not really. Central Bank says that the growth of governments in the Caribbean has a negative influence on the economic development.
If only the governments listened. Little do they care. "We're only in it for the money" as Frank Zappa said.
2025-02-05

We Never Knew
The Tax office, even though it has made progress, still has no structural approach to compliance risks, while there's a substantial lag in payments of over 3 billion guilders. Says the IMF.
Oh wait! We did know about those 3 billion guilders. That's rummily similar to what finance minister Silly Bully gave away to his friends.
2025-02-05

The Gift Nobody Wants Keeps on Giving
New complaints by the neighbors of Zakitó—now the builders are pumping highly polluted water into a relatively clean lagoon. More stench, and it's even dangerous because of the sort of pollution, among others medical waste from the old hospital. Not to mention still more mosquitos.
From the photo published, that highly polluted water looks just like mud.
2025-02-05

It's Their Culture, Too
At Playa Canoa, a group of people who are said to come from Santo Domingo, take up parking and other space, blasting everybody else's ears with enormous speaker installations on their cars. It seems CSA surf association has politely requested them to turn it down a bit, but that they don't care to. In fact, they reacted with "intimidation and provocation." Nice people.
After the police came by, that helped—for a couple of hours.
After they go back home (not all the way to their own island), they leave heaps of trash behind. Seems they moved their location, after complaints elsewhere, to Playa Canoa.
2025-02-04

Just Wait and Hope for the Best
The tax stunts of finance minister Silly Bully will go to the Dutch Hoge Raad supreme court, upon which we'll find out if an announcement on FakeBooc has any legal value. My idea is, not. The appeal is started by the court's PG Attorney General himself, which seems to indicate the Dutch take the matter pretty seriously. After all, in one fell swoop Silly Bully made us all poorer by 3 billion guilders this way.
Except for his fine friends, you get that straight.
2025-02-04

Mind Boggling
We only had 834,350 cruise passengers this year. A mere bagatel. Now, the idea is to get 1 million a year in the future! For starters, the cruise terminal will me expanded.
The tourist industry jubilates, of course. Not everybody else does.
2025-02-03

Go On Like this
Our new Social Affairs minister announces the subsidies for nine boarding school and retirement homes will soon be paid out, even though the budget deliberations are not quite rounded off yet. The payments are based on the amounts paid last year and will be corrected later.
2025-02-01

More Power
To the Kustwacht coast guard. Because of that nasty guy Maduro in Venezuela, whose mouth gets bigger as fast as the country deteriorates.
Also because of drug smuggling and human trafficking plus "irregular migration"—all from that same country.
2025-02-01

Keep Him Locked Up
KEM party Martines's appeal to get out-of-jail has been rejected. He'll remain in prison for a while, awaiting his day in court, for alleged drug dealing and money laundering while a parliament member.
2025-02-01

Fingers Crossed
Hope for the best. We'll get a "Curaçao China Town" with a shopping center plus residential buildings. It's meant to promote a balanced social-economic and cultural development of the Chinese community (which has been steadily been growing for quite some years by now).
We can only hope the Chinese Communist Party does not have a great influence in this, as they are well known for trying to get more and more power in (not only) this region.
2025-02-01

Let's Go Digital!
For Them, but not for Us. From now on (well, not yet), the police will be able to check documents of cars much faster, as all that stuff (license, car tests, insurance, car tax) will soon be integrated in a digital database which they can access.
Alas, that doesn't mean we won't have to join the madding throng to pay our car tax. Instead of simply paying by bank. Oh no!
2025-02-01

Well, Of Course
Oh, so it's our fault again. We're used to that. While flushing the sewers, blobs of fat are found which of course obstruct the needed flow. Where else can we put that fat? Burn it?
But hang on. The really guilty parties are not households but bars and restaurants, who in theory need a vetput [grease trap] fat collector, but "it's unknown if they do have one." PAR Pauletta asks Bolo Mudbelly "How about it?"
With more restaurants and all in Willemstad, this is a growing concern. Ain't unbridled tourism great?
Maybe the solution is to sell the fat to those guys with their Bullenbaai pipe dream.
2025-01-31

Bully Burned
Not yet, but efforts are made. Finance minister "Silly Bully" Silvania is heavily criticized for "alleged irregularities in issuing and renewing gambling licenses"—KKN's Nardy Cramm, to nobody's surprise is one of the main tattletales. Nothing could be fairer than going after this M*F*K character. Even if he himself calls it "fake news." Who's a fake here? you may ask. Silvania says that's all negativism and may damage Curaçao's international image. You bet.
Look who's talking!
Meanwhile, Cramm asks Bully to submit the requested documents. Tomorrow.
2025-01-31

That's Expensive
Staten parliament has bought an electric car, which will be used for bode [messenger] purposes. Original budget was 70,000 guilders, but it turned out 40,000 more was needed. All 17 votes were "for".
That was influenced by the example of the USA, we read. Ah so. Decision must have made before the last president's elections there.
2025-01-31

Wait for the Results
The campaign No Riba Nos Isla was a resounding success, says organizer ACOC. Over 113,000 persons were reached and 4122 clicks were counted to an interactive quizz.
Now we confidently wait for crime to go down.
2025-01-31

Debtors
Bankrupt JetAir has 346 debtors, of which 311 are passengers. Total debts 1.7 million guilders ($1m).
As far as can be figured out, that is.
2025-01-31

Stinking Sewers
We read that not only in Punda the sewers are overflowing, but in several other places as well. PAR's Pauletta has several nasty questions about this for minister Bolo Mudbelly Cooper.
If he answers them is another question. If he can.
Seems there's a "cold war" going on between the department and contractors, one cause of which is the preferential treatment of some contractors. Ye olde favoritism hits again.
2025-01-30

No Bloody Foreigners
The "expats" arrangement, where foreigners for five years could fulfill a high function with certain tax advantages, is coming to an end.
As from next Week.
From then on, locals must replace them. Businesses have one year to find and train those.
2025-01-30

Total Mess?
It seems to be impossible, at least extremely difficult, for the curators to get an insight in what has been going on with the finances of bankrupt jetair JetAir. For some reason, accounting records have been moved to another office.
2025-01-30

We All Hope It Helps
The ACOC ministry of justice campaign No Riba Nos Isla [not on our island] has finished. It's hoped it will help stop or at least slow down the growing criminality.
2025-01-30

That's a Lot
We have five to six traffic accidents daily because somebody drove through a red light.
Frightening.
2025-01-29

Party's Over
Only, not yet. First our smart Bleaders will have to get their noses rubbed in the facts: "The fading mirage of the hydrogen miracle."
Because it's too much to expect them to wise up on their own. They always remind me of the Eldorado legend.
2025-01-29

Out of CyberLuck
That bankruptcy process is still not finished. What we are told now, CyberLuck's debts total about $2 million, including players' claims. sub-licensees and claims resulting from bankruptcies of1XCorp, Stacktrace and Cake Entertainment.
But CyberLuck's trick was to transfer all tax-sensitive activities in 2020 to Data Global, which just happens to share one board member with CyberLuck. Is that a coincidence?
This stinks.
2025-01-29

"Somewhat"
Hato airport director Andersen asks himself, and us, if it isn't time to have a real discussion about tourism? Isn't it time to put the brakes on the present growing expansion?
It's much over time. If you ask me, and many others as well.
Andersen wants more tourists spending more many, and reduce the cheapo people. Let's start with the cruises then!
2025-01-29

So Don't
The small bus drivers, always complaining: this time about the "miserable" amounts the political parties are prepared to pay for them carrying propaganda on their buses.
So don't carry it.
2025-01-29

Much Ado About Nothing?
APS party protests against the membership in Electoral Council of the brother of a M*F*K party member. But there's nothing in the law forbidding that. Besides, let's face it; almost everybody on this island is related to almost everybody.
2025-01-28

He Was Right
A few months ago, our eye specialist (I'll spare you the expensive word) predicted that soon, eye-care on the island would be below what was needed. Much below that. And now it's started to come true already, sooner than he said: Advent hospital's specialist went back to Colombia, and now Advent wants more money from Silly Vain. Which they're not gonna get, are you kidding?
So there we are. Not only for now, I'm afraid.
2025-01-28

Gone
Soccer club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)'s action against Curaçao AK Global has resulted in AK's bankruptcy. In spite of minister Silly Bully declaring the reporting on it was fake news and harmful to the island's reputation.
You know what's harmful to the island's reputation? Our government, especially Silly Bully and PM Prick Pias.
2025-01-27

Unexpected (?) Consequences
Egg's Farm (really! that's what it calls itself) Moderno must remove the chicken manure on a daily base, after the people choosing to live around there complained about it. So now it's removed all right—only to be transported to Dam Pretu, which had problems enough already.
Seems Moderno has had approval for that, only nobody can say by whom.
2025-01-27

Good—If True
My paranoia is showing... 2Bays refinery says that the new activities of asphalt production (on the Isla terrain) and oil blending )in Bullenbaai) will not lead to conflicts with the new environmental law. You wouldn't expect them to, as, knowing our Bleaders, that very law must have been written to accommodate those activities.
2025-01-27

Let Us See It!
Monumentenraad monument council says that the new plans for Curaçao Plaza/Waterfort "significantly deviate" from the cityscape as described in EOP island development plan, in building height and volume. Which will cause great damage to that cityscape.
You don't say.
Bolo Mudbelly Cooper doesn't want us to see those plans, it sure looks like.
The same applies for the existing Plaza Hotel, now thankfully being demolished. Only when that was built we had no EOP yet. And it shows.
EOP? "Only marks on paper" anyway.
Why don't we get to see those "new, improved" plans? A very good question to which I have no answer. Only suspicions.
2025-01-25

Watch It
If next March the Caribbean guilder will replaced the Netherlands Antillian guilder, we'll have to exchange our old money for the new coin. Just be aware that there will be strict controls to avoid money laundering and all that.
Really? Excuse my skepticism.
2025-01-25

Should We Celebrate?
There's a new minister of SOAW social affairs, Dayanara Chin-A-Lien Roozendal. As she is associated with KEM that doesn't promise much good, sorry!
2025-01-25

Ban Them All
Sweden has banned Curaçao gambling outfit Goodwin NV, associated with Luckyluck. If Goodwin will keep to it is another matter; those mafiosi don't care for the law, much.
2025-01-25

Let's Keep It a Surpise
In a move we could only expect, our M*F*K Prince Clown PM Prick Pias tells us he won't tell us what the plans are with the infamous Campo Alegre bordello until the elections are over and done with. It's a secret! Why, he doesn't explain. Not that he possibly can; except that we, the voters, shouldn't know.
But that they do have plans is for sure.
2025-01-24

At It, Again
Charo people protest the building of a hotel in what EOP development plan designates a "residential area". Spox Ignacio blames Jesus-Leito and Bolo Mudbelly, as the hotel is expanded without any building permit. But Bolo just refuses to comment, taking a shortcut way out.
2025-01-24

Yes, We Know
M*F*K announces already they will not cooperate with PAR in a new government. They don't need to tell us, also because the feelings must be quite reciprocal.
Present PM Prick Pias says he hopes for 12 seats, as that will result in much faster taking of decisions and all. You bet, without that nasty opposition.
What else can we do but, hope not? Even though Pias looks back on a great governing period, we don't.
2025-01-24

Let's Get Serious
Police checked 102 vehicles during road inspections, of which 76 were fined. For no driver's license, insurance, or paid vehicle tax, and also issued for not wearing seat belts and damaged windshields.
But howcum no vehicles were confiscated? All good thinks come to an end.
2025-01-24

Now I'm Confused
Fullinck is the new head of KEM party, and also nr. 1 on the voting list.
But.. but... how about Martines? And Godett?
Oh, Martines has been degraded to nr. 3.
2025-01-24

Welcome, Dear Tourist!
Hato airport warns that so much traffic is expected during the coming high season, what with coming Carnaval and all, that long lines may be looked forward to by arriving passengers. But departures are also advised to get there in advance.
Best (?) part is, Hato/CAP will have to start building. Again.
2025-01-24

Smell the Stench
Because of work on the Curgas installations at Isla oops 2Bays refinery terrain the people downwind are treated to heavy whiffs of escaping H₂S rotten eggs stench.
It's not really H₂S but ethyl marcaptan, which smells just as bad and is added to warn for leaks; but at least it's not poisonous.
2025-01-23

Next, Please
Parties have registered for the elections. Only Rennox Calmes'sTrabow pa Kòrsow came to the bureau with such an accompanying show that they arrived too late and will not be on the list.
It's not mentioned how many parties did join the free-for-all.
2025-01-23

Let's Have It
Dutch VVD MP de Vries wants Holland to do more to fight corruption and fraud in the Caribbean part of the kingdom: that would be the ACS islands. State secretary Szabó agrees.
So do we all.
Mentioned are not only undermining criminality, corruption and favoritism but also abuse of function and money laundering. De Vries also wants more emphasis on promoting integrity. If measures don't have enough effect, heavier ones should be taken, she says—without indicating which.
2025-01-23

Pardon My Paranoia
ARC denies all allegations about the person of new head Felipa. It's all perfectly kosher and following the books. Which doesn't surprise me at all, here on this island these days.
2025-01-23

Mazel Tov!?
Last year, Bonaire has broken all tourist records as well. My! how great that must be for the poor suckers.
2025-01-23

For Starters
Felida, the new head of ARC Rekenkamer, is said to be connected with a Bulgarian-Israeli online-casino network that illegally aims at European gamblers. Which begs the question "How about transparency and good governance?"
Dutch KSA gambling authority already commented that Curaçao is one of the most devious gambling centers in the world.
2025-01-22

Now for the Appeal
8 Bonairianos started court proceedings with Greenpeace against the State (Kingdom) so there wouldn't arrive more nitrogen in sensitive areas than nature can handle. Who decides how much that is? We can only hope, not Greenpeace which is not exactly known for its scientific accuracy.
2025-01-22

Like, How Much?!
Those electric buses Bolo Mudbelly is pushing, remember? At first sight Holland stopped the crazy scheme, but Bolo hopes to get financing elsewhere. Which doesn't look like it will happen.
Wait! It gets worse better. The whole idiotic scheme has come to a grinding halt in the USA with Trump as president. Only now we learn those monsters are even more expensive than we figured: $350K for EV, 100K for Diesel.
Apart from that, these things are dangerous. In Wilbraham, MA USA, 4 or 5 of them sitting in a school district bus garage, brand-new and never been used, just caught fire for some reason. Luckily not with your kids inside. And that's only the last such fire that happened.
You don't have to tell me, we only hear about where it goes wrong. Does that really matter?
To keep our attention aimed at local conditions, the Wheelee transport service for mobility challenged people (and more power to them, hey!) just added an electric vehicle to their fleet, now totalling 3 cars. Hope those people in a wheelchair can get out in time if the worst happens.
2025-01-22

Oh No - Oh Yes
Health department GMN has come and checked the alleged oil pollution at Boca Sami, but couldn't find a thing. The bottom looks a bit dark and there's a heavy H₂S smell, but that's all normal, GMN says. Complainer de Jongh thinks it a pity that GMN didn't bother to include their test results in their report.
Best part is, GMN says that all works undertaken in those RAMSAR areas must be accorded by GMN and (Cooper's) VVRP. Like planting mangroves, I take it.
2025-01-22

More Sewage Sh*t
Now in Ansinghstraat, where the old sewers are blocked up and even get inundated at high tide in nearby Waaigat. It's the lowest point in town. Result, the rubbish just flows out onto the street where people must see how they can avoid walking though it. To make it even better, the sewage pumps don't work.
VVRP ministry has been advised several times with no results. No surprise: that's Bolo Mudbelly's department.
2025-01-22

Pensions Up? Hold Your Breath
Pension Fund announces a raise of 0.7%, as from January last year.
But if you just get AOV welfare pension, you're out of luck. No such raise. But surely you're used to that by now.
2025-01-22

Good Timing
Rekenkamer accounting control under-exploits its yearly budget by about 30%, or about 1.5 million guilders. Reason, shortage of personnel. Which results in lack of essential controls on the government. Just what we needed.
2025-01-22

Neither Do We
Dutch ministers van Weel and Szabó have had a talk with our own minister Silly Vain on the gambling future. It was Silly Vain who pointed out (why, escapes me) that Malta doesn't supervise the licensees with gambling institute permits.
But do we here? LOK and CGA are viewed by many as just covers to enable the gambling mafia to do as it likes. There are now over 1000 gambling enablers who together pay the meager amount of 30 million a year to "the ministries" which they can spend as they like.
2025-01-21

Two Come-Backs
The choice of Martines for KEM party leader is bad for Curaçao's image, replies Dutch MP Vaasen to Godetts criticism.
And then, to realize that Vaasen once visited the Nos Futuro jail together with that same Martines, where the guy was presented as an example of how an ex-con could work himself up to a successful businessman. Looks like, after all, he couldn't.
Ironically, Vaasen expects Martines to win a seat at the next election, which Godett can then occupy for him. After all, when Godett was a jail-bird himself, his party won the elections.
Martines's last request to be released was rejected by the judge. Case will come to court begin next month.
2025-01-21

Sure... Sure...
Because of a sudden drop in the wind, several neighborhoods experienced beurtkrag, as the wind generators' capacity dropped along from 50 to 25MW. But no worries: Aqualectra utility swears they had sufficient capacity available. (But where?)
Only, we have to wait for that planned battery park when all our troubles are over and tariffs will go down to boot.
The new Woke Disney version of the old classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is just as big a flop, if maybe even more expensive.
2025-01-21

"Respect"
That should be mutual, says Godett in reaction to Dutch MP van Haasen, who had the temerity to criticize KEM's selection of Martines for the election. It's the law, says the ex-con Godett: only the judge can take away someone's active and passive voting rights.
Talk about "respect"—there are other considerations than what the law says, but that doesn't mean a thing to Godett, Martines and their gang of crooks.
2025-01-21

What Else
Four Coast Guard members (and 1 former member) have been arrested for (allegedly, of course) helping drug smugglers to avoid being captured, by mounting GPS apparatus in Coast Guard vessels,which kept the smugglers aware of their location.
The public ministry thinks more arrests may follow.
You think?
2025-01-21

That Will Help
Parties MAN and Pin urge an emergency meeting on regional and global tensions. Because of Venezuela and its president Maduro's (probably empty) threats.
But the military are training here right now! How much that will help is another good question.
2025-01-21

No Good
CBCS central bank director Doornbosch agrees with Dutch minister Heinen that we here have to do more rather than less to fight money laundering with terrorism financing.
Small wonder he thinks so.
2025-01-21

They Were Right
An (unknown) number of passengers refused to reboard the Corendon flight CUR-AMS after everybody had to deboard because of an airco problem. They were right: when the flight finally arrived in Amsterdam, the gate was closed and the passengers had to wait for 20 minutes before they could leave. To top it off, their luggage had remained behind in Curaçao.
Passengers complained about the bad communication by Corendon, while spox Norman Serphos declared "safety before all."
2025-01-21

From Better to Worse
"The global warming effect of leaked hydrogen is almost 12 times stronger than CO2" says the Center for International Climate Research in Oslo (CICERO).
That's old news, really, from 2023. But it hasn't penetrated the brains of our experts yet.
Such as they are, you say? It's a thought.
2025-01-20

And Now for the Status?
Curaçao has agreed to the Protocol on Air Navigation Services. Only the governor still has to sign it.
Wow! Fine. Great.
Now for the FAA status? Please?
2025-01-20

Do Tell
Ex-minister Mike Willems writes that corruption is a lurking danger and that we all have to fight it.
Sure, Mike.
2025-01-20

Just a Headline
Says it all: "The Energy Storage Fiasco -- How Soon Will It Be Abandoned?"
But for us here, the question is: how long will it take before we wake up? "... energy storage [is] totally infeasible as a way to make wind and solar work as the main power sources for an electricity grid."
Only, it's our so-called experts who need to wake up.
2025-01-19

That's Out
Let's devoutly hope so. As even "ultra-green" (not so very at this moment) California can forget about its electric truck mandate, maybe we can forget about that bloody nonsense as well?
Maybe...
2025-01-18

Oh, We're Used to that
As from next Monday, we can stand in line for the privilege of paying our car tax. Live in Person—there's no other way. And the money will disappear into the general government budget to fill holes; and only what remains will be applied to filling holes in roads, where it's all supposed to go.
But the government tries to convince us it's all kosher and following the book. Sure. We trust you to death!
2025-01-18

Hardly Enough
Just an impression. After in the first few days of the Kita Tur car control campaign 15 vehicles had been confiscated, the total from December 19 to January 14 is 115.
2025-01-18

Will It Help?
Wanna bet? NO, it won't. The people living around Zakitó have protested against the way a new project is handled by the government. Lack of transparency, is one of their points. Tender is a formality rather than open and honest, they say. Also, EOP development plan requirements are just neglected.
2025-01-18

Hold Your Breath
In California it's not only forest fires: now "the largest battery storage facility in the world" has caught fire as well. The Fire Dept. leaves it to burn out on the advice of fire experts: there's just no extinguishing those lithium battery fires.
Hundreds of people are evacuated and a highway is closed.
As for me, I still haven't found out where our planned batteries for Aqualectra and that battery plant will be located. But it surely is an interesting question.
2025-01-17

Boon
Amigoe presents a list of the top-MP salaries in the Caribbean. Much to our surprise, we're not on it. Almost as surprising is, it's topped by Suriname! Fancy that. Which country technically isn't even in the Caribbean, but that's no problem. Not in politics.
2025-01-17

Let's!
There seem to be USA plans (Trump's, you bet) to get rid of income tax and eliminate the IRS. Wouldn't that be great here as well? Our Belastingkantoor with all its corruption, probably much worse than in the USA, canceled with one fell swoop. Goodbye to yearly struggles to fill out those nasty forms, with the expensive help of tax consultants and accountants.
Mostly replaced by Omzetbelasting on goods and service purchased. Sure, there are problems there. Where not?
2025-01-17

Even Worse
There'll be a hotel as well in the disastrous plans for Rif/St. Marie.
You and I know: this will go through, regardless.
2025-01-17

Dam Pretu
A real bore. One again the people living around there raise an alarm about ongoing smoke and mosquito problems, all having to do with illegal trash dumping which just goes on and on, in spite of all measures against it that keep being announced—without any discernable effect.
2025-01-17

Neither do I
Dutch VVD MP de Vries doesn't share State Secretary Szabó's optimistic view about the future of education on the CAS islands. She wants more to be done about undermining crime, corruption, and cronyism here, which mere "monitoring" won't solve.
A "March deadline" is mentioned, but it escapes me what that exactly means.
2025-01-17

Which Reminds Us
In Massachusetts USA a Bill has been introduced stipulating utilities will have to buy 5000MW worth of batteries, starting with 1500MW next July, which will cost billions of dollars. This is supposed to reduce costs for consumers; how isn't clear: to the contrary.
Which once again makes us wonder about Aqualectra's similar plans.
2025-01-16

Enjoy that View
After plans for an extensive ruination development of a Rif-St. Marie area, Dormio Eco Resort, had been stopped, developer Janssen-de Jong now announces an even more ambitious plan, called Lake View Residence. 343 houses are planned. Protests come from United Homeowners Coral Estate (sorry, look who's talking) who warn that such a development will destroy the salt pans of St. Marie, where a large number of flamingos hang out.
2025-01-16

Ain't that Nice
President Maduro threatens to invade Puerto Rico. How? you ask. Good question! But for once he gives an answer: with Brazilian troops.
He wants Puerto Rico to be "independent" which can only mean social/communist, like Cuba and Nicaragua. And an invasion of Venezuela he will not tolerate!
Last of my worries. Those are, next he wants to make us here independent.
2025-01-15

Pay Up, Bastards
Trust office Carmanco must pay 1.2 million in damages, as it's responsible for bankrupt Stackrace as a sub-licensee. Cyberluck as well must pay 1 million; but is bankrupt as well.
Stackrace exploited online casinos Lockpoker and Lockcasino, co-exploiter Cipaco.
If they can pay, that is...
2025-01-15

Oh, the Economy
World growth this year will be a bit slower than last year's. To remain in our own neighborhood, differences between rich and poor will grow even further.
At least, that's a prognosis. Who knows?
2025-01-15

Punishment
Because the countries protested against president Maduro's 3rd term, Venezuela is punishing Holland, France and Italy by reducing their number of diplomats to 3. We'll have to see what the consequences are for us here.
2025-01-15

Now Do It
There's a new plan to improve education, long after we were ready for it. It's a "realistic 10-points plan" that's cheap, can be implemented fast with no law changes for 8 of them. Primary costs 10 million, and from then on 100,000 per year. Compared to the 350 million a year now, peanuts.
So why did this take so long to figure out? Shameful!
2025-01-15

That's a Lot
Out of 85,000 registered vehicles, by September last year 53,000 had not paid their tax. It's pretty safe to assume that among the 32,000 non-payers there were a lot who had no insurance nor inspection papers. No to mention a driver's license.
Tow them to Mahuma!
2025-01-15

That, Too
Godett doesn't see any reason why Martines shouldn't appear on the top of the election list as leader of the KEM party, even though he's in jail suspected of money laundering. Of course Godett doesn't, being an ex-con himself.
2025-01-14

We Can Only Wait
And vote, there's that. Media are publishing articles on what different political parties are promising, with an eye peeled for the coming elections. I'll take them as read, if you don't mind. My opinion on their stories hardly matters; what does matter is what they will do if and when elected to fulfill those.
They all want to fight corruption. Sure. Color me skeptical, right.
At least it's announced we won't have a combination of parties who fight for independence.


Jackpot
After the complaints about the illegal activities at Daaibooi Beach, the authorities started an inspection and found that 3 out 4 exploiters indeed didn't have the necessary permits.
A success for the Daaibooi's licensed snack exploiter, who meanwhile alas has died.
2025-01-14

This Stinks
No, this time it's not our politicians, although it's Bolo Mudbelly's responsibility. Sewers in Willemstad's Punda have a problem and distribute a powerful stench.
Welcome, dear cruise passengers! As for us, we have become used to this sort of thing, and who cares anyway.
2025-01-14

Lock Him Up!
The USA has enlarged the reward for arresting Venezuelan president Maduro to a cool $25 million. But I'm afraid it's still not enough.
2025-01-14

Alphabet Mafia
I like that moniker, applied to the good and maybe some of them even well-meaning folks who keep forcing their sexual preferences upon us. Rubbing our noses in it, as the expression goes.
We used to do that with cats and dogs when they'd soiled the carpet.
2025-01-14

The Don't Like It
Reacting to the recent article Follow the Money in KKN, trust office eMoore protests that it has broken relations with Bellona NV. A pity, then, that Chamber of Commerce still lists eMoore as director of Bellona. Still, eMoore insists they are completely kosher and protests KKN's allegations.
You know, it may be my fault but I just don't trust those trust offices.
2025-01-14

Short Snappy Answer
An almost full-page in Amigoe asks in the headline: "Gaming-law LOK: improvement or new problems?"
Take it from me: it's a decline with both old and new problems.
In the same issue, George Lichtveld goes into the island's relation with San Marino, "a shield for financial operations of criminal entrepreneurs and organized crime groups in Italy." Following the tax treaty with Malta with its own plethora of unanswered questions.
Lichtveld hopes the Kingdom will stop all this. For now, that depends on our governor.
2025-01-14

20% More!
The mind boggles and reason wobbles on its shaky throne. That's how much tourism grew last year. Aren't you glad?
Well, our nitwit leaders are. 1.5 million, including cruise passengers (AKA Day Trippers). That's about 1000 per each of us. In December it was even worse, 2000 for each of us.
2025-01-14

Beurtwater?
In South Africa there's beurtkrag, which we don't have here. Yet. It means there are times when electricity is not available, period. Now, Aqualectra requests the people who get their water from the Fuik plant not to use too much water, as the plant is not operating at full capacity*). There has been a fracture in one of the pumps resulting in some (how many?) hours of no water.
*) That's not exactly correct; in fact, the storage tanks are still empty.
2025-01-13

Come On, Already
Holland wants to help fight crime on the islands, specifically mentioning favoritism and corruption. We all know they've got their work cut out for them. Minister Szabó wants to grant permanent support to Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten to arrive at a strongly ruled state.
Interestingly, mentioned is that with the record tax receipts of last year, the payment backlog went up from 2.6 to 3.4 billion guilders. That's, according to my machine, 0.8 billion. Good work, Trona and Silly Bully!
2025-01-13

Yeah, Well...
MAN-PIN parties present a plan to fight high living costs. Among which is a higher sugar tax; kindly explain how that helps? Also local agriculture must be subsidized. The one thing that could be helpful is a tourist tax, as even the politicians are discovering that more tourism results in higher costs for us, the people.
Will that help us? Depends on where that tourist tax money ends up, of course.
2025-01-13

Not All So Good
Indie, former PAR, MP Jesus-Leito wants to invest the windfall in taxes of last year in strategic projects that strengthen the economy. Like digitizing education and an undersea cable. Alas, other items on her list are hydrogen production (sigh) and more solar panels, plus helping Aqualectra out with even more investment money.
2025-01-13

Dirty Games
2Bays, requesting 2 revision permits on December 2, got them on December 31. Which may be a record! They have been declared formeel ontvankelijk [formally acceptable].
To translate as far as we know, that means that the refinery including Global Oil and Oryx Group, can proceed.
Because the deals have been made anyway and it would take too long to grant a proper nuisance permit.
2025-01-13

One Out and Down
MPK party won't participate in the next elections. That's Rignald Lak's party, the guy who many years ago wanted to buy/lease Mercedes-Benz cars for all government VIPs. In other words, good. And Stay Out!
2025-01-12

Oh Wait... Help!
"Iran Signs Deal to Develop Drones in Venezuela" (near Maracay) is the headline. Makes me think a bit of what I uploaded last morning. Any help against these drones would still be welcome; be it ever so inadequate.
Consolation is of course, how long before Iran (and with it Venezuela) collapses completely? Well on their way, both of them.
2025-01-12

Campaign Promises
Partido Miho Kòrsow wants 30 to 70% increases in social assistance. Also in AOV welfare pensions. As these presently are about half at most of those on the other islands, that won't help much, will it?
Besides... oh, you know. Promises!
2025-01-11

No Stopping them
A young woman's corpse was found last week in a lonely location, far decomposed but with 50 bolitas in her stomach. One of those had ruptured, causing her death.
We read that a case involving cocaine smuggling in bolitas, comes into court every two weeks.
2025-01-11

No Permit Yet
Global Oil is still waiting for the necessary permits to start producing asphalt. Isla/2Bays only applied for them last December; this while the contracts were signed in June 2023. We're not told why this took so long.
2025-01-11

Come off It
Please. A new law (landsbesluit) for an organization meant to care for the "sustainable" development of the tourist sector. Whatever that means. We're promised we'll get more attention for what the population thinks.
That would be a welcome change. But... Five ministers are involved, and the organization must follow "obligatory" input of consultations with two platforms consisting of members of the private and public sector end NGOs. The information acquired will then be analysed and returned to the consulting platform.
Looks like more and more bureaucracy, doesn't it? "Give the people what they want!"
2025-01-11

Count Your Pennies
Holland will invest about €12 million in anti-aircraft weapons on all 6 islands. Mentioned are guns that can be fired by hand; also good for shooting drones. Peanuts. And ridiculously inadequate, in my layperson's opinion.
2025-01-11

More Cruises
Corendon Hotel chain is starting cruises through the Caribbean from Curaçao harbor, in cooperation with British Ambassador Cruise Lines. Ship will be the Renaissance, a renovated version of the HAL Maasdam of Statendam class.
2025-01-10

"A Republic, if you can keep it."
When Benjamin Franklin walked out of the USA Independence Hall in 1787, he was asked what kind of government the framers had created. His response, above, still echoes through history.
Remember (however vaguely) De Bataafsche Republiek, successor state to Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden [Republic of the Seven United Netherlands]? The Dutch couldn't keep it.
"It was proclaimed on 19 January 1795 and ended on 5 June 1806"
2025-01-10

First Things First
The Carnival preparations will start this week with the first JumpUp! When that's all over and done with, comes the second round: next elections. A veritable Free for All: 17 parties have registered already, which is much more than 1 per 10,000 voters.
11 of those must still collect enough voters to participate. But judging from the past, most won't make it.
2025-01-10

Daaibooi, Too
A petition started by the exploiter of the snack there. First, the government and CTB do nothing to maintain his rented building. Then, illegit entrepreneurs occupy all palapas there by beach chairs for rent; this while the beach is supposed to be free. They also sell drinks etc. without a permit.
No matter as long as the tourists keep coming, of course.
There's the rub? Hopefully.
Sorry, a link to the petition is to be found on what I call a-social media, which I never visit.
Not everybody agrees with the snack-exploiter. He distorts facts and has been operating without proper licenses for 17 years, himself. At least, that's the story.
2025-01-09

And One More... Correction: Many More
Portuguese João Pedro Mar has filed a formal complaint with several authorities (among which Curaçao Gaming Board, Curaçao eGaming, the Attorney General and CBCS central bank) about the activities of Slott Casino and its mother company Bluewave Interactive NV. Mar wants measures against NeoGroup and associated companies.
He describes the companies as dealing in "illegal activities" and characterizes the system as a "gambling mafia."
2025-01-092025-01-09

That's Democracy, Folks!
You think? Antilliaans Dagblad doesn't and we can only agree. Of the 9 ministers, the 5 belonging to M*F*K are all that matter. Parliament is powerless with a majority of M*F*K and their henchmen as well.
And the soiled rats, who really have the power. As long as the civil servants get their salaries (and raises) they won't make any moves endangering their positions.
All this against the background of the government owned enterprises.
2025-01-09

Not Only there
MP Croes sent a letter to minister Cooper with an urgent call for action on Caracasbaaiweg, where the traffic situation deteriorates day by day; and as done so for years and years already. Meanwhile, building of resorts and hotels just goes on.
The same situation, not as serious yet, will come to exist for the road to Westpunt, where developments are going on as if there were more roads to get there. There are not and can't come, either. Now, it's already one of the most dangerous roads on the islands.
2025-01-09

Stronger Defense
Dutch minister of defense Brekelmans, on a visit here, said that defense of the islands will be strenghtened. More frigates will come over and more personnel will be stationed here as well.
He specifically mentioned Venezuela and its president Maduro as a possible source of trouble.
2025-01-09

Hold Your Joy
Building on two of the towers at Zakit&ocute; has been stopped. But only temporarily, until after Arbeidsinspectie [labor inspection] has done its job.
Which they may not have done before the scaffolding collapsed?
2025-01-09

C*******t C*ntry?
Sure looks like it. Or fascist; but what's the difference? No privatization! Now we read to our unexpressible joy that, after years of threats finally, Aqualectra utility's Aquatel internet company as been founded.
And an MP complains that the government, meaning M*F*K, is making and transmitting propaganda films masquerading as "information"—at our expense as taxpayers. Which is another well-known but not well-loved fascist trick.
Will it help one bit? We all know the answer is NO.
Let me once again point out that when what's now Aqualectra was part of the Dutch capitalist & colonial (eek!) OGEM concern [Overseas Gas and Electricity Company] disruptions were happening, but incidentally. Very incidentally. The local branch was nationalized under the 1980s Maria Liberia Pieters government. The rest is history.
Admittedly, Setel communications was recently privatized by Flow.
2025-01-09

Howdy! One More
This one on the Spaanse Water boards. A few years ago, the fashionable term was "ecological" but that by now has been replaced with "sustainable" meaning the same: nothing. This one's by Dormio Group, already managing 47 resorts and 7 hotels in Europe. A so-called PODS resort, which from the publicity art works primarily reminds you of a bunch of air conditioners strewn over the land.
Construction is planned to start in 2025, with the first 60 of 244 PODS with "swimming pools, restaurants, playgrounds for all ages, and recreational areas", all completed by end 2026.
Even if shops are not mentioned, it doesn't look like these visitors will have to get out of there except for the trip to/from Hato airport. Good for them, as Caracasbaaiweg is more than congested enough already.
2025-01-08

Out of Hand
We're really getting a fine reputation all over the world with that gambling mafia enabled by finance minister Silly Bully. Now an anonymous (Curaçao?) gambler has complained with Amigoe that his $500 wins were not paid out. Names mentioned are a muddy mix: Throne Entertainment BV, licensed by Curaçao Interactive Licensing NV under Master Gaming License #5536 JAZ, issued by the governor. Thank you, Ms. Wout. Say, how about that LOK law validation?
This is only one example out of many. Too many to mention here. Curazoleños used to be proud, maybe too proud, of their island. Not so much reason for that anymore. An international—what? with Malta a world scandal we've become.
2025-01-08

Unlucky Number
Despite all lies by Silly Bully, AOW welfare pensions will remain the same until 2025. That's for the 13th consecutive year.
Not that anybody expected better. Not with this crew of crooks in charge.
2025-01-08

Wait... Wait...
The government "is working": on a structural increase of the AOV welfare pension, claims Silly Bully. About time, too, after over 11 years of no increase at all. How long it will take? Your guess may be better than mine—which is pretty pessimistic.
Take heart: all AOV recipients with an income below 1100 guilders/month will get 169 guilders on January 10. Even better? All oldies with the same low income will get 350 guilders. One time only. When, we're not told.
2025-01-07

Don't Count on It
The idea is to build yet another hotel near Zakitó. The EOP island development plan stipulates a maximum height of 4 stories but we've already seen how much that's worth.
2025-01-07

Private Enterprise
The Saliña Samihi is heavily polluted by oil, leaking out of old and rotten pipes which were used to pump oil from Bullenbaai to Isla refinery. Now some people are, privately, working to get it cleaned up by the use of mud-balls in which selected micro-organisms are applied to consume the oil; these are then spread out in the saliña to give mangroves a chance to get settled there.
All private, as mentioned; don't think the government would lift a finger. The question even is, will they start using those pipelines again with the planned exploitation of Bullenbaai by 2Bays?
I was agreeably surprised that Shell Oil, for once, wasn't blamed for this, probably unjustly. Remember: Leaks=Loss.
2025-01-07

Ain't Tourism Great?
Now we got stories complete with photos of tourists crossing the mondi in rented jeeps, causing destruction of the xerophile vegetation and wildlife. Which in our climate takes a very long time to get undone.
And a tourist tax won't help. Meanwhile, lots of noise about restoring dams and all that.
2025-01-07

Who Cares?
Only the people, not our Big Leaders (AKA Bleeders). After the scaffolding collapsed at Zakitó, the people living around there have once again asked the government several nasty questions. The most important of which, at first sight, is: howcum the original building permits were for buildings 4 stories high, and now towers of 10 and 11 stories are being built, exceeding local restrictions?
Don't expect a reply this time—after all, there probably is none. Not a good one.
Other questions, also to the point, are: why do the workers have no safety equipment like helmets, which are a must in international regulations (but not here, I fear); mosquito plagues; dumping waste water into the sea, resulting in health dangers for swimmers to the West; risks of roads collapsing because of rain-filled pits.
There's more, you bet there is.
2025-01-07

There Goes Another One
Corneliusbaai, next to Mambo Beach, is the next one to be developed. Goodbye!
2025-01-06

That's Good
As from January 1, 2025 there'll be a new guaranteed Ennia company (which essentially we're paying for during the next 30 years). But no fear, the countries of Curaçao and St. Maarten will not become co-owners of Ennia.
Who will be the owner is a very good question, to which the answer for now remains unclear. There'll be a Stichting Beheer management foundation, until "[new] Ennia can be transferred to private hands in a responsible way." When jellyfish grown wings?
2025-01-06

Damage Blamage
The scaffolding at the Zakitó super-duper buildings has sagged down, just like that, for 3.5 meters (12 ft). Not during working hours, so no victims. Blamed is the scaffolding builder, who used old pipes and wrong construction methods. He has already been replaced by another company.
Still, if they weren't satisfied, why go on using the old scaffolding?
2025-01-06

Goodbye to All That
Never satisfied with half-measures, our government has announced the final steps to ruin the Zakitó area. 7.8 hectares (19 acres) more will be made available in leasehold for touristy development. As licenses/permits come from the VVRP (Cooper's) department, protesters don't even get to see them. A LOB-request (law on government transparency) has now been submitted. Good luck with that, we have to say; once again: the cabinet says that the Master Plan is now complete.
Other great plans: a new road between Bullenbaai and the road to St. Willibrordus; a new partly elevated (toll) road parallel to the road to Caracasbaai; further development of the Koraal Tabak area; not to mention some other great goodies.
Once again: Happy New Year! The elections will come too late.
Yes, that's a reference to Robert Graves's autobiography.
2025-01-05

Tempting
In the UK, there are now traffic cameras equipped with AI that scan the photographs and check if the driver is wearing his seat belt or isn't texting. Is what we need here? Sure, if those cameras can look through the dark windows. And anyway, if we would just put up those never-used-but-paid-for cameras from China at traffic lights and put a stop to driving through red, we'd have much faster results.
London is infamous for having most security cameras in the world. That's why there are so many people knifed, maybe?
2025-01-04

Now that's a Good Idea
A proposal in the UK (as we used to call England) to make EVs pay more tax than gas or fuel driven vehicles. Because of the extra weight: 40% more than ICVs, which means higher road maintenance costs. Among other problems.
If it will make it is another question. For now, the Green Frenzy is still going strong.
This weight-based tax is not really strange; it has been that way in Holland for as long as I remember.
2025-01-04

You Think?
The police, smart as always, suspect the fire in Soto was "probably intended"—because a Molotov-cocktail has been used.
2025-01-04

Ban Them All!
Sweden has prohibited Curaçao gambling enabler Versus Odds BV from providing online gambling services there. Versus Odds had no license and offered a Swedish language website anyway.
2025-01-04

Enough Already?
Dutch NiNsee institute asks Holland to keep up the conversation about the slavery history and its consequences. Things are not over and done with by the 2022 apologies, they say.
Please permit me to say that all that harping on the past only has negative influences. It's alright to remember, who'd want to deny it? but those times have gone. Like many evil things that were normal in the past.
Instead let's hope, hopefully not against hope, and take care, and measures to ensure that they will never come back.
Without knowing anything about it, gee, I must wonder if the members of that and similar organizations are paid, and how much? I hope not—because then, it will never end.
2025-01-03

Maybe He Did Know
The police now say that the Soto fire probably was arson, and even parrot PM Pias's remark that a Molotov-cocktail caused it.
Pias must have had inside information! How's that for paranoia?
2025-01-03

Depends
The police say New Year's celebrations were quiet, but CMC hospital reports there were more accidents than usual. Take your pick.
2025-01-03

As Always
The Air Pollution Law has become valid on December 30. Alas, in spite of all good intentions, however doubtable, it won't have much effect as there is no monitoring system yet. But in theory you can get fined—if an offence is observed. How? Good question, no answer. Nor does the minister have publicly to evaluate the results every five years.
What results? A dead letter.
2025-01-03

Hear Him Talk
M*F*K PM Prick Pias looks back on "his" term and seems to think he's done pretty well.
Not all would agree. Maybe for him, but not for us.
2025-01-03

Not this Time, Yet
A good guess: Nelson Willems proposes changes in the electoral system to make it more democratic. With the speed our "system" works, that will probably not be achieved before the next elections take place.
2025-01-03

Happy New Year
Before I forget... Let's hope for the best, hard as it may be.
2025-01-02

Doubtful
A house in Soto with 5 residents in it has burned down, after some say an explosion had been heard. Right away the popularly nicknamed Lolo di Soto, his excellency PM Prick Pias, declared it must have been a Molotov cocktail and implored us to refrain from violent acts.
"It's not clear what he bases his information on" we read in comments. As if he'd care.
2025-01-02

That's Better
Some good news for a welcome change. There's a new website, ArchaeologyCuracao.com, "your gateway to information on the island's archaeology." Check it out!
2025-01-02

Last Year's Last Catch
On December 31, a boat from Venezuela was behaving suspiciously and stopped/searched. 25 kilos of coke aboard, plus 3 guns and ammo.
2025-01-02

Where? How Much Less?
Bolo Mudbelly and Aqualectra announce the planned installment of a new battery park which is supposed to bring down electricity costs. A very doubtable claim. We still are not told where that possible point of trouble is planned.
Cooper also says that the electricity tariffs have gone down by 10% over last year. Big Deal? For most of us it's still 0.65-0.70/kW (say, over €/$0.35). And they will go down still more! How much? We can only hope somebody must have figured that out instead of just Dreaming Green.
Electricity in Europe, averagely, costs €0.289/kW; prices go up from €0.1019/kW (Hungary) to 0.395 (Germany, the Green Power champ).
2025-01-02

What an #$$—What #$$es
A guy has been serving jail time for 10 years for being convicted of murdering a shopkeeper. But he may be innocent, after all. He's now free, as I understand it, but his lawyer is still fighting. One aspect is, the killer was left-handed, while this guy is not, and also must have been shorter than he. Whatever.
But still, the guy was bragging about the fact, even telling WhatsApp friends that he was the killer, and also claimed he was a big drugs-dealer and had bought a house with the money. All lies, "to make an impression on girl friends."
What an ass. And what asses. Plenty more of them around, you can be sure.
2025-01-02



Older Clowns' Acts:
2024 - 2023 - 2022 - 2022 - 2020 - - 2018 - 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 - 2008 - 2007 - 2006 - 2005 - 2004 - 2003



SEARCH this site or the Web





copyright notice
all material on this site, except where noted
copyright ?y , curaçao
reproduction in any form for any purpose is prohibited
without prior consent in writing
























=