Do I Want to Talk About the Heat?
September 30, 2024
I am not sure if I want to talk about the heat or the fact that last Friday, we held a tourism summit where 27 resolutions were passed to promote sustainable and inclusive tourism. For many, these resolutions seem relatively easy to adopt—on paper. But the real question is: how will we implement them?
Implementation is always the challenge. It reminds me of the Curaçao Climate Change Platform meeting last year. The event was full of energy and good intentions. Speakers passionately laid out the critical importance of addressing climate change for our island. I was one of those speakers. But what happened after? I am almost certain that, post-conference, not enough materialized. The momentum faded, and the words spoken on stage dissolved into the usual business-as-usual approach.
I also think back to the Future of Work conference. It was another big event that ended with a powerful manifesto about preparing our workforce for a changing economy. I was leading the charge for some of the initial follow-up work, but it became clear quickly that things would stall. Despite our efforts to keep the momentum going, the sponsor suddenly pulled out, and with that, the project died.
And this is the pattern. The real work happens between conferences, during the quieter months when no one is watching. But during these periods, very little gets done, which becomes glaringly obvious when the next conference rolls around, and we find ourselves talking about the same issues all over again.
Where does the problem lie? It’s a mixture of factors—there’s a lack of understanding and leadership, yes, but there is also a deep-seated unwillingness to let others step up and act. It is not about capability; it’s about mentality. People are aware of the issues, yet they refuse to change. Why? Perhaps they simply do not want to.
This brings us to an even deeper problem: the failure to recognize the skills and potential of others and, just as importantly, the failure to see the necessity of implementing ideas. Our society has developed a tendency where even if you are the best at what you do, if people do not want to see you succeed, they will find ways to stop you. And that’s even if it comes at the expense of the common good. It is the well-known "crab mentality"—the moment one crab tries to climb out of the bucket, the others pull it back down. Instead of helping each other rise, we seem determined to keep everyone at the same level, even if it means sabotaging progress.
This brings me to another point: the cultural aspect. We are in the middle of yet another celebration of Siman di Kultura (Culture Week). I have looked at the program, and once again, it is the same pattern—festivities, folklore, food, and sweets. Do not get me wrong, there is value in celebrating these traditions, but where is the substance? Where is the research or the critical conversation about who we are as Curaçaoans? Where is the discussion about how we live and, more importantly, how we survive in today’s world?
Siman di Kultura should be more than a nostalgic look back at our heritage. It should be a time for reflection and for examining the state of our society. How are we adapting to the modern world? Are we addressing the inequalities, the struggles, and the opportunities that shape our daily lives? Instead, we seem stuck in a cycle of superficial celebrations that do not move us forward.
The same is true in our broader society. We often focus on the external—what looks good on the surface—but when it comes to digging deeper and addressing the real issues, we hesitate. We get caught up in the performance of progress without ensuring that it is actually happening beneath the surface. Conferences, summits, and cultural weeks come and go, but the true measure of success is what we do after the event, in the quiet moments when no one is clapping. Unfortunately, too often, that is when nothing happens.
It is not that we lack knowledge or talent. We have plenty of people with great ideas and skills. But the real obstacle is the mentality that holds us back—the unwillingness to recognize and support those who want to push forward and the comfort we seem to find in the status quo. Change is difficult, yes, but clinging to outdated ways of thinking only guarantees stagnation.
So, as we reflect on yet another tourism summit, another Siman di Kultura, and the many other conferences that fill our calendars, let’s ask ourselves: what happens between the events? What actions are we willing to take when the spotlights fade and the applause dies down? That is where the real work begins, and unless we address the deep-rooted mentality that’s holding us back, we will be having the same conversations again next year—and the year after that.
Miguel Goede
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