The Financial Supervision Board (Cft) of Curaçao has formally amended a recent report by removing a controversial passage that suggested a criminal investigation was underway regarding the island’s gambling regulator.
The adjustment, made on Wednesday, December 3, involved the deletion of text stating that the Public Prosecution Service was investigating the Curaçao Gaming Authority (CGA), the body tasked with implementing the new LOK legislation.
The decision to redact the claim follows significant pushback from both the CGA and the wider government, specifically regarding the inclusion of unverified information in an official supervisory document.
Finance Minister Charles Cooper publicly questioned the source of the Cft’s assertions, arguing that if the information originated from the RST police unit or the Public Prosecution Service, it should have been confirmed through official channels before being published.
Cooper further emphasized that criminal investigations generally fall outside the Cft’s specific mandate, suggesting that the board should only reference such probes after direct consultation with the government.
In response to the Minister’s concerns, the Cft acknowledged the oversight. While maintaining that matters of integrity affecting public finance do fall within its supervisory scope, the board agreed that future public communications would rely strictly on investigations confirmed by official authorities.
The CGA has welcomed the correction, noting that the original claims lacked factual foundation. This retraction is seen as a critical step in maintaining public trust in the regulatory transition currently taking place on the island.
By ensuring that official reports are based on verified data rather than speculation, the Cft aims to preserve the integrity of the financial management oversight process as Curaçao continues to overhaul its gambling framework.
Dr. L.M.C. Ongering, Cft Chair
“The Cft thanks you for this clarity. Upon further reflection, we agree with you that it would have been better if the Cft had referred in its public letters only to investigations confirmed by official channels. We will ensure that this remains the case in the future.”
Cedric Pietersz, Managing Director of the CGA:
“The removal of these assertions in their entirety confirms what has been clear from the outset: the claims had no foundation in fact and should never have been issued in an official context.”
