A decision not to pay end-of-year bonuses to Curaçao ministers and parliamentarians follows an internal reconsideration and an estimated cost of thirty million guilders, as NU.cw reported on Wednesday.
- Prime Minister Gilmar ‘Pik’ Pisas announced on Wednesday that planned end-of-year bonuses for ministers and parliamentarians are cancelled.
- The original proposal from October 7 included a one-time bonus of 8 percent of the annual salary, totaling an estimated 30 million guilders.
- Civil servants and equivalent personnel will still receive an allowance, though the distribution method remains undecided.
Prime Minister Gilmar ‘Pik’ Pisas announced on Wednesday that the Curaçao government has abandoned plans to issue end-of-year bonuses for ministers and members of parliament.
The Pisas administration initially announced a one-time end-of-year bonus amounting to 8 percent of the annual salary for ministers, civil servants, equivalent personnel, and members of Parliament on October 7. Pisas defended the original proposal as a measure to return extra financial resources to the community, with total costs estimated at 30 million guilders.
Pisas explained that implementing the bonuses would require a formal statutory amendment.
“It is off the table, you need a legal basis and we don’t have that now,” Pisas said, according to NU.cw.
Proceeding with the bonuses would have required a legislative decision supported by a two-thirds majority in parliament to amend the National Ordinance. The government ultimately decided against pursuing this path.
The cabinet concluded that the political and legal hurdles were too high. Pisas emphasized the administration’s commitment to following existing laws.
We have really worked hard, but unfortunately. We are not going to break the law,” Pisas told NU.cw.
While political officeholders will not receive the 8 percent bonus, the situation differs for government employees. Civil servants and equivalent personnel remain eligible for a financial accommodation.
The specific method and implementation details for how civil servants will receive their allowance are still under review by the government.
| Recipient Group | Original Proposal | Final Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Ministers and Parliamentarians | 8 percent annual salary bonus | Cancelled (lacks legal basis) |
| Civil Servants and Equivalents | 8 percent annual salary bonus | Allowance to be determined |
