The Public Administration as a Concern: A Structural Issue in Curaçao
December 19, 2024
As I mentioned before, the public administration operates like a concern. In such a structure, the strategic top is crucial because it ensures coordination, establishment, and monitoring of policies for the autonomous units—the ministries. Unfortunately, in the case of Curaçao, this strategic alignment is absent due to ministerial responsibility.
There is no collegial governance. Ministers are not required to align with one another, leading to silos. The nine ministries function independently with minimal coordination, resulting in a lack of integrated policy. Simply put, the various sectors operate in isolation, without a shared strategic direction.
This problem could be resolved if the Council of Ministers implemented or genuinely pursued integrated policies. Additionally, establishing a regular (e.g., weekly) consultation between the Secre-taries-General (SGs) could significantly improve coordination. However, such structured communication is absent in practice.
To make matters worse, not long ago, the position of Secretary General was evaluated and abolished. It was replaced with a role akin to a Director General or something similar. This change is a rebrand-ing exercise or an entirely unfounded adjustment. The structure itself was fine.
If we are serious about improving public governance in Curaçao, we must address the fundamental lack of coordination and integrated policymaking. Strong strategic top and effective communication between ministries are essential to break through the silos and implement cohesive, forward-looking policies.
Miguel Goede
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