Rennox Calmes.
WILLEMSTAD--Curaçao’s PAR/MAN/PIN government is in serious trouble, now that Rennox Calmes has left one-seat party PIN to continue as an independent Member of Parliament (MP). Calmes had supposedly assured Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath that he would continue to back the coalition, but later reportedly sent a letter to Governor Lucille George-Wout stating that he was in fact withdrawing his support.
His resignation from the coalition party meant the position of its political leader and Minister of Heath, Environment and Nature GMN Suzanne Camelia-Römer became untenable. She had indicated that she would tender her resignation to the governor on Monday, but that did not happen. Governing partners PAR and MAN asked Camelia-Römer to stay on for at least another week.
Regardless of what Calmes does, the coalition can still rely on the PAR and MAN factions currently with a combined 10 seats (five each) in the 21-seat house, the same number as the opposition.
The 21st seat belonged to PAR’s recently passed William “Junior” Millerson and should now go to former Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports OWCS Marilyn Alcalá-Wallé as the next candidate – of the most recent elections – in line. However, she is unclear about her position within the faction because a criminal investigation into a possible violation of the screening law for prospective cabinet members is ongoing against her.
There has been no further word yet on the case from the Prosecutor’s Office.
