Curaçao: A Land of Poverty and Inequality
December 11, 2024
According to curaçao.nu, 80% of the population in Curaçao survives on an income of less than 3,000 guilders per month. This data is based on the latest findings from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). I used to write that 60% lived under these conditions based on older data, often met with disbelief. I also pointed out that 30% of the population lives below the poverty line. Curaçao remains the poorest country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with a sprawling informal economy whose size is anyone’s guess.
This stark reality reminds me of the late, well-known composer Ernst "Kèkè" Willems, who, in his song Esei ta mi pais described a nation where a small elite thrives while the majority struggles for power. Income levels should ideally correlate with education, but today, we see people without sufficient qualifications occupying top positions and earning matching salaries. Conversely, even those with higher education earn excessively in a nation that remains overwhelmingly poor. This dynamic partly explains the vast gap between the rich and the poor.
One critical indicator yet to be updated by CBS is the Gini coefficient, which stood at 0.42 in 2011. It would be interesting to see how much inequality has deepened since then. Meanwhile, my son reacted to the report, questioning how 80% of people manage to eat out so often, mentioning popular spots like tuki pan. While his reasoning makes sense, it’s worth noting that poverty impacts cognitive function and decision-making. This is well-documented in the book “Armoede uitleggen aan mensen met geld” (Explaining Poverty to People with Money).
Returning to education: last week, the Minister of Education presented a polished story about an educational dashboard in Parliament. This system supposedly tracks total student and staff numbers, allowing data to be drilled down to individual schools. I want to believe it’s operational and not just another plan on paper. Then there’s the talk of laptops. It turns out these laptops are for teachers, not students. An opposition member pointed out that none of this is reflected in the budget.
So, we continue to deceive ourselves, keeping each other poor and uneducated in the process.
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