Former Curaçao Health, Environment and Nature Minister Jacinta Constancia went to prison this week (see Wednesday paper) to serve a sentence related to embezzlement of public funds in the “facemask fraud” case under her responsibility while in office, involving her ex-partner. She is the third member of the then Schotte Cabinet of nine that took office per 10-10-10 to end up behind bars, preceded by Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte for accepting bribes and Finance Minister George “Jorge” Jamaloodin for murder.
This shadow will always remain over the first government of country Curaçao following the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles. It is a painful lesson of how easily crime can find its way into politics.
All three were from “Movementu Futuro Korsou” (MFK), which only a decade later became the island’s biggest party with a new leadership headed by current Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas. He claimed a “clean slate” and helped them earn nine of 21 parliamentary seats in the March 2021 election to form a coalition with PNP that had captured four seats.
St. Maarten too has seen its share of exposed irregularities involving politicians since 10-10-10, but mainly in the legislative rather than executive branch. About half a dozen Members of Parliament (MPs) got into trouble with the law, of whom two were suspended and had to be replaced by substitutes as prescribed in the constitution.
While all this did not make the two new Dutch Caribbean countries still together in a monetary union look very good, it’s important to remember that at least these cases came to light and were prosecuted. The latter should serve as a deterrent for the future as well.
Some argue that many have done much worse and gotten away with it, but that is beside the point. Two wrongs don’t make a right and useful examples sometimes need to be set.
