Invest Willemstad: A Sustainable Future or a Missed Opportunity?
November 25, 2024
The fifth edition of the Invest Willemstad conference is just around the corner, offering another moment to reflect on the future of Willemstad, our UNESCO World Heritage city. This year’s focus is on sustainability and inclusivity—acknowledging that Willemstad be-longs to everyone. As a facilitator for the session "How to Organize Investments in Willemstad," I’m eager for the discussion, but it also raises critical questions about our direction.
The conference began by encouraging investors—primarily from the Netherlands—to support projects in Willemstad. Over time, sus-tainability has become more prominent in the dialogue, but how genu-ine is this commitment? Take, for example, Aqualectra’s recent an-nouncement: a significant Naf. 235 million investments in significant-ly sustainable energy, financed by local entities such as the General Pension Fund of Curaçao (APC). It’s an impressive step forward, but does it set the standard for future developments?
Looking at the panels for this year’s event, many speakers have only recently jumped on the sustainability bandwagon. Where are the forward-thinking voices envisioning a more ambitious Curaçao 5.0—a future built on inclusivity, innovation, and true sustainability be-yond tourism and construction projects?
The constant influx of investments into tourism-driven construc-tion projects poses significant risks. It strains our infrastructure, damages the environment, and often neglects the broader social fabric of our community. What’s missing is a cohesive vision that integrates sustainability across all sectors. We must prioritize cultural, educa-tion, public transportation, and renewable energy investments.
As I wrote in my 2020 publication COVID-19 and Change:
"There is a battle between two ideas: those who want to save peo-ple and the planet, and those who simply want to restart the global financial system. A green future requires an economy that places so-cial and ecological needs at the forefront."
Willemstad has the potential to be a shining example of how herit-age, innovation, and sustainability can coexist. However, achieving this requires long-term thinking and structural changes.
The Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten recently emphasized the financial sector’s responsibility to address climate risks. Yet, we remain stuck in a cycle of short-term fixes and fragmented approach-es. As highlighted in an article on curaçao.in we often lack the organi-zational capacity and forward-thinking necessary for a holistic strate-gy. We need leadership with a vision—not just empty promises but actionable plans that guide us toward a resilient future.
The Invest Willemstad conference is an opportunity to change course—not only by promoting sustainable projects but also by pre-senting a broader vision for a green, inclusive, and future-proof Cura-çao. It’s time to harness our resources and collective intellect to make Willemstad a living example of what’s possible when heritage and sustainability go hand in hand.
The question is not whether we can do it—but whether we will.
Miguel Goede
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