List of cabinets of Curaçao
The cabinet of Curaçao consists of several ministers and is headed by a prime minister. The Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao also is part of the cabinet of Curaçao, but resides in the Netherlands. A Curaçao cabinet becomes "demissionary" upon election day, or upon resignation, and generally stays in office until a new cabinet has been formed. All members of the cabinet are sworn in by the Governor of Curaçao. As of 2017, eight cabinets had served the country, presided over by seven prime ministers.
Eight Cabinet
The Rhuggenaath cabinet is the incumbent Curaçao government and comprises a coalition of the parties: Partido Alternativa Real, Partido MAN and Partido Inovashon Nashonal. The government is headed by Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath and was sworn in on May 29, 2017 by the Governor of Curaçao, as successor to the Cabinet Pisas. The formation of the Cabinet took one month to conclude.Ministry | Minister | Period | Party |
Prime Minister | Eugene Rhuggenaath | 29 May 2017 | Real Alternative Party |
Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports | Marilyn Alcalá Wallé | 29 May 2017 - 27 January 2020 | Real Alternative Party |
Minister for Social Development, Work and Welfare | Hensley Koeiman | 29 May 2017 | Partido MAN |
Minister for Justice | Quincy Girigorie | 29 May 2017 | Real Alternative Party |
Minister for Governance, Planning and Service | Armin Konket | 29 May 2017 | Partido MAN |
Minister for Finance | Kenneth Gijsbertha | 29 May 2017 | Partido MAN |
Minister for Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning | Zita Jesus-Leito | 29 May 2017 | Real Alternative Party |
Minister for Economic Development | Steven Martina | 29 May 2017 – 21 February 2019 | Partido MAN |
Minister for Economic Development | Giselle Mc William | 27 August 2019 | Partido MAN |
Minister for Health, Environment and Nature | Suzanne Camelia-Römer | 29 May 2017 | Partido Inovashon Nashonal |
Minister Plenipotentiary | Anthony Begina | 29 May 2017 | Real Alternative Party |
Seventh Cabinet
On 24 March 2017 Koeiman was succeeded as Prime Minister by Gilmar Pisas.Ministry | Minister | Period | Party |
Prime Minister | Gilmar Pisas | 24 March 2017 - 29 May 2017 | Movement for the Future of Curaçao |
Minister for Education, Science, Culture and Sport | Maureena Esprit-Maduro | 24 March 2017 - 29 May 2017 | Independent, representative for Gassan Dannawi |
Minister for Social Development, Work and Welfare | Jaime Córdoba | 24 March 2017 - 29 May 2017 | Sovereign People |
Minister for Justice | Gilmar Pisas | 24 March 2017 - 29 May 2017 | Movement for the Future of Curaçao |
Minister for Governance, Planning and Service | Norberto Vieira Ribeiro | 24 March 2017 - 29 May 2017 | Korsou di Nos Tur |
Minister for Finance | Lourdes Alberto | 24 March 2017 - 29 May 2017 | Independent, representative for Eduard Braam |
Minister for Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning | Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia | 24 March 2017 – 30 March 2017 | Sovereign People |
Minister for Economic Development | Errol Goeloe | 24 March 2017 - 29 May 2017 | Korsou di Nos Tur |
Minister for Health, Environment and Nature | Sisline Girigoria | 24 March 2017 - 29 May 2017 | Movementu Progresivo |
Source:
Shortly after the formation of the Pisas cabinet, it requested Governor Lucille George-Wout that the planned 28 April elections be cancelled. Pisas stated that a new majority had been formed in the Estates and that there was thus no need for new elections. This new majority of MP's started a procedure at the European Court of Human Rights to allow the elections to be cancelled. The petition to the ECHR was dismissed by the court on 29 March.
A National Decree was adopted by the Estates on 27 March, calling for the cancelling or postponing of the elections. Governor George-Wout refused to sign the decree, cited it "seriously impaired legal certainty and good governance" and nominated it for destruction at the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of the Netherlands proposed, by use of an, to task Governor George-Wout with responsibility for holding the elections. Minister of Interior and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk stated that the "interim cabinet severely damaged the integrity of the electoral process" and asked the Council of State for an urgent advice. On 3 April the Council of State gave a positive advice for the proposed measures. The proposed measures were formally taken by the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of the Netherlands the same day. In response to the actions by the Council of Ministers Pisas stated: "the Netherlands is biased" and that the Netherlands was behind the parties opposing his coalition. He regretted the decision by the Council and called it unnecessary.
On 28 April, the day of the elections, Pisas submitted the resignation of his cabinet and that of the Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao to the Governor.
Sixth Cabinet
Koeiman's cabinet was sworn in by Governor Lucille George-Wout on 23 December 2016. following the Curaçao general election, 2016. Seven members of the Estates of Curaçao joined the cabinet.Ministry | Minister | Period | Party |
Prime Minister | Hensley Koeiman | 23 December 2016 – 24 March 2017 | Partido MAN |
Minister for Education, Science, Culture and Sport | Elsa Rozendal | 23 December 2016 – 24 March 2017 | Partido MAN |
Minister for Social Development, Work and Welfare | Jaime Córdoba | 23 December 2016 – 24 March 2017 | Sovereign People |
Minister for Justice | Ornelio Martina | 23 December 2016 – 24 March 2017 | National People's Party |
Minister for Governance, Planning and Service | 23 December 2016 – 24 March 2017 | Sovereign People | |
Minister for Finance | Kenneth Gijsbertha | 23 December 2016 – 24 March 2017 | Partido MAN |
Minister for Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning | Suzanne Camelia-Römer | 23 December 2016 – 24 March 2017 | National People's Party |
Minister for Economic Development | Eugene Rhuggenaath | 23 December 2016 – 24 March 2017 | Party for the Restructured Antilles |
Minister for Health, Environment and Nature | 23 December 2016 – 24 March 2017 | Party for the Restructured Antilles |
Source:
On 12 February 2017 the Koeiman cabinet fell after Sovereign People withdrew its support in the Estates. The Sovereign People parliamentarians in their letter of withdrawal of support also announced to support a government led by the Movement for the Future of Curaçao of Gerrit Schotte. Koeiman stated that there had been pressure on his government coalition from the start. His cabinet continued as a demissionary cabinet. Koeiman announced he wished to hold new elections on 28 April 2017.
Fifth cabinet
The fourth Cabinet resigned on 9 November 2015 after losing the parliamentary majority when Marilyn Moses withdrew her support. One week later Whiteman announced to have formed a new coalition, with the entry of the Party for the Restructured Antilles to the coalition. The PAR held two seats in the Estates and was allowed to deliver the new Minister for Economy. The new cabinet entered in function on 30 November 2015.Ministry | Minister | Period | Party |
Prime Minister | Ben Whiteman | 30 November 2015 | Sovereign People |
Minister for Education, Science, Culture and Sport | Irene Dick | 30 November 2015 | Sovereign People |
Minister for Social Development, Work and Welfare | Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia | 30 November 2015 | Sovereign People |
Minister for Justice | Nelson Navarro | 30 November 2015 | Partido pa Adelanto I Inovashon Soshal |
Minister for Governance, Planning and Service | Etienne van der Horst | 30 November 2015 | Partido pa Adelanto I Inovashon Soshal |
Minister for Finance | José Jardim | 30 November 2015 | Independent, representative for Glenn Sulvaran |
Minister for Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning | Suzanne Camelia-Römer | 30 November 2015 | National People's Party |
Minister for Economic Development | Eugene Rhuggenaath | 30 November 2015 | Party for the Restructured Antilles |
Minister for Health, Environment and Nature | Siegfried Victorina | 30 November 2015 | Sovereign People |
Minister Plenipotentiary | Marvelyne Wiels | 7 June 2013 | Sovereign People |
Source: