WILLEMSTAD--Curaçao’s incoming Council of Ministers headed by PAR-leader Eugene Rhuggenaath held its first meeting after being sworn in on Monday.

 

Their installation ended a period of more than two months during which the interim Pisas Cabinet backed by an MFK-led coalition was in power.

 

The new PAR/MAN/PIN government took office a month after the early April 28 parliamentary elections and will immediately start work on a social plan to combat poverty. In addition, the three governing partners have undertaken to work hard for more financial reliability.

 

The country experienced a lot of political unrest with two elections within a short period of time and constitutional quarrels over the past period. The then “Group of 12” headed by MFK-leader Gerrit Schotte tried to stop snap elections called by the outgoing Koeiman Cabinet after the latter lost its majority support in Parliament, but the Kingdom Council of Ministers in The Hague placed the island under higher supervision and put Governor Lucille George-Wout in charge of the electoral process.

 

PAR won with six seats, followed by MAN and MFK with five each. The former two teamed up with newcomer PIN (one seat) for a majority of 12 seats in the 21-seat legislature.

 

MFK is now in the opposition with KdNT (two seats), PS and MP (one each).