The President of the Parliament of Curaçao, Fergino Brownbill, expressed that he is extremely pleased to be present in Aruba, the “One Happy Island.” In his speech at the IPKO meeting, he stated that there is often a lot of discussion but limited action. From his perspective, since taking office as President of Parliament, his vision has been to take action. At the same time, he indicated that IPKO 2026 cannot conclude without presenting a concrete plan on how the IPKO expert committee will be utilized.
For the President of Parliament of Curaçao, geopolitical developments are of great importance to Curaçao. However, when discussing geopolitical situations, the focus should not be limited to the situation between the United States and Venezuela, since this is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He emphasized looking further ahead and considering broader developments, including the expressions of Mr. Mark Rutte, not only in Europe but also regarding how the Netherlands must carefully monitor developments coming from Russia. All these elements form part of the Kingdom.
For Curaçao, geopolitical developments and how the Kingdom positions itself are crucial. That is why the IPKO expert committee is so important. This committee will focus on strengthening internal relations within the Kingdom while also determining how the Kingdom positions itself globally.
According to President Brownbill, Curaçao cannot afford to be internally divided while engaging in external conflicts. This means the Kingdom must strengthen itself internally and assess what this means for its position as the Kingdom of the Netherlands — not merely as Curaçao, Aruba, St. Maarten, or the Netherlands individually, but as one Kingdom as a whole, beyond just the United States Venezuela relationship.
Within the entire geopolitical process, Curaçao is looking at what benefits the island as a whole. Brownbill stated that if opportunities arise such as Curaçao potentially storing Venezuelan crude oil and raw materials — Curaçao could position itself as the closest route to facilitate dealings between the United States and Venezuela, thereby creating opportunities and benefits for Curaçao.
As the Parliament of Curaçao is also a member of Parlatino, which examines how Latin American and Caribbean countries position themselves regionally, it is important to monitor developments and remain attentive to how the Kingdom positions itself in this broader geopolitical context.
The reality, he noted, is that the Netherlands focuses primarily on Europe. However, the Caribbean islands — together with the CAS islands (Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten) must remain vigilant about where they stand within the power dynamics unfolding in Europe.
Curaçao believes maintaining relations with the United States is very important and should not be abandoned simply because President Trump approaches matters differently. That does not mean relations must end. He cited Jamaica as an example — maintaining good relations with both the United States and China. The key is leadership: knowing how to manage relationships and create a balance that benefits one’s country, while maintaining stable relations with major powers to avoid conflict.
Curaçao’s relations with Aruba, St. Maarten, and the Netherlands are very good. The island’s focus is on action and on taking greater responsibility. At the same time, Curaçao remains open to self-criticism if a chosen path proves ineffective. Being critical of oneself is part of what Curaçao is currently practicing.
When a parliament critically evaluates its government and ensures internal affairs are in order, it can also be strong externally. Parliament plays a crucial role in holding government accountable. However, if parliament does not function properly, the country faces a serious problem.
