The Partido Nashonal di Pueblo (PNP) faction notes with concern and strongly condemns the attacks, false information, and attempts at intimidation by Minister Charles Cooper directed at our faction member, Mr. Elvin Gerard. The PNP faction stands firmly and unwaveringly behind Mr. Gerard in his just fight for the rights of our citizens.
These days, we can clearly feel that tensions are high in the streets, and we know the people are tired of waiting. There is a real crisis at Domeinbeheer (Land Management) affecting thousands of Curaçaoans who have been waiting for years for an answer or a piece of land to build their future, while there is boasting about distributing building permits to others.
Gerard has always advocated and shown the courage to bring the voice of this people both inside and outside of Parliament, demanding transparency and swift action. This painful reality is not a fabrication; it is confirmed daily by the severe criticism from citizens against the unacceptable delays, as was also recently reported in the local media.
Instead of tackling the problem at its root, facing the people, and coming up with solutions for the chronic inefficiency at VVRP and Domeinbeheer, MFK chooses, as seems to be their modus operandi, to use intimidation tactics and spread incorrect information to try and silence the work of parliamentary oversight. This is something that remains completely unacceptable in our democracy.
The PNP faction will not allow any official to divert attention from their management failures, which they promised to change, by attacking the one who demands justice for the children of the soil.
Our motto as a faction is clear: “Monitor. Propose. Improve.”
Mr. Gerard is doing exactly that. The interest of the citizen who wants to progress must prevail over political egos and displays of power.
The PNP faction does not play games, nor will we allow anyone to intimidate us into stopping us from doing our job.
The goal must always remain more important than any personal battle: namely, serving the people.
We urge the Minister of VVRP/FIN to stop the personal attacks in his official capacity and to start focusing his energy and time on fixing, among other things, the disaster at Domeinbeheer. Until the day that every Curaçaoan receives the fair treatment they deserve according to the law, Elvin Gerard and the entire PNP faction will continue to demand answers and exercise strict oversight.
Curaçao and its people come first. We will continue to monitor this process closely and will not rest until there are accessible and tangible solutions for the people.
