UNA must face challenges own governance

September 08, 2008 1:59 PM

"Now that we are on the threshold of an extremely important transition in the history of our Country, it’s going to be our decision whether we blow the opportunities offered to us or we utilize this moment in history to create a better Curacao for the next generations", started Ron Gomes Casseres his speech yesterday at the opening of UNA’s academic year.

"Some make the mistake by thinking that good governance is important, because the Netherlands demand that or because it is a requirement of the Central Bank. But that’s not how it is. Governance is important, because it is internationally determined that there is a solid causal relation between better governance and better developing results. Leaders in the society, but especially our politicians have the responsibility to explain this direct relation in plain terms.

We can enhance the quality further by stimulating the transparency in the decision-making of the government, by creating a stronger and more direct relation with the voters, by laying down the budgetary process in laws, and by banning all levels of corruption from the public and private sectors.

Good governance requires leadership; it doesn’t come automatically and instinctively. Here is something leaders in our society can do. Leaders that have an internal compass that points to critical ingredients of ethics, integrity, and character to act correctly – and this way, achieve excellent results. Leaders can be people, but also institutions can exert leadership. Our own University of the Nethrelands Antilles is one of those institutions that can take a position of leadership in our society. To do that, the UNA self must also face own governance challenges and with regard to the relative importance that she devotes to education and research. She can only then become a true center of information and be acknowledged as a national pride in and for our country. "

(Source: National Newspaper Amigoe)

6 September, 2008