Diskurso di Presidente Kámara di Komersio & Industria Kòrsou Raoul Behr / Speech By Chairman Curaçao Chamber of Commerce & Industry Raoul Behr Chamber of Commerce event February 20th, 2025

February 21, 2025 REDAKSHON

Diskurso di Presidente

Kámara di Komersio & Industria Kòrsou

Raoul Behr

Evento di Kámara di Komersio 20 di febrüari 2025

Imaginá bo lanta mañan i realisá ku tur loke bo tabata kere tokante kresementu ekonómiko tabata… inkompletu.

No ta robes, pero solamente un parti di e historia.

Hopi biaha nos ta papia di kresementu den sifranan – GDP, yegada di turismo, preis di biennan rais – pero kiko si mi bisa bo ku berdadero forsa ekonómiko no ta sinta solamente den kuantu nos ta krese, pero den kon nos ta krese?

Dama i kabayeronan, ekselensianan, estimado empresarionan, trahadónan di polítika, i lidernan di Kòrsou, ta un honor pa para bo dilanti awe.

Den un mundu ku ta moviendo mas lihé ku nunka, nos ekonomia tin mester di un guia kla.

E eskohonan ku nos ta hasi awe lo determiná no solamente unda nos ta bai, pero kon resiliente, inklusivo i ‘a prueba di futuro’ nos ekonomia lo ta.

Nos no por papia tokante ekonomia di Kòrsou sin wak promé e panorama mundial mas amplio. Mundu ta den transishon!

Merka ta drentando un era di protekshonismo, ku bareranan komersial nobo ku por afektá nos industrianan klave.

Si e atministrashon di Trump sigui ku, por ehèmpel hisamentu di tarifanan, ekonomianan di Karibe por sinti e olanan di shòk.

Desaroyonan geopolítiko resien, for di potensial kombersashonnan di pas di Ukrania ku ta baha preis di zeta te na sanshonnan nobo di Merka riba Rusia ku ta stroba kadena di suministro, ta alimentá volatilidat den merkadonan di energia mundial, ku efektonan di ondulashon riba inflashon i tendensianan di invershon.

E oumento di inteligensia artifisial i outomatisashon ta redefiniendo industrianan, forsando ekonomianan chikí manera esun di nos pa repensá nos bentaha kompetitivo.

Apesar di e retonan aki, oportunidatnan ta keda.

E kambio mundial pa energia sostenibel i transformashon digital ta habri porta pa ekonomianan inteligente i ágil ku ta dispuesto pa inová.

Kòrsou por ta un di nan – si nos hunga nos kartanan drechi.

Riba superfisie, Kòrsou su ekonomia ta parse prometedor.

Turismo a bin ta floria.

E merkado di biennan rais ta subiendo.

Inflashon a baha un poko.

Pero laga nos no wòrdu engañá pa sifranan so.

Kresementu, si no wòrdu manehá korektamente, por bira un spada di dos banda.

Konsiderá biennan rais:

Preis di kas ya a subi te na 500.000 ANG pa un kas modesto.

Kiko ta pasa si e tendensia aki sigui?

Nos lo bira un merkado kaminda solamente un grupito por permití nan mes pa kumpra propiedat, miéntras ku profeshonalnan yòn i famianan di klase medio ta wòrdu pushá afó?

Konsiderá turismo:

Si, e ta nos motor ekonómiko, pero un ekonomia no por draai riba turismo so.

Nos mester diversifiká, òf nos ta kore riesgo di bira dependiente di un ‘ekonomia di un pilar’.

Konsiderá e forsa laboral:

Desempleo ainda ta riba 11%.

Negoshinan ta lucha pa haña trahadónan kualifiká, miéntras ku profeshonalnan yòn ta bai pa oportunidatnan otro kaminda.

E desakuerdo entre edukashon i e merkado laboral no ta djis un inkumbiniensia – e ta un riesgo ekonómiko grandi.

Esakinan ta señalnan, no djis estadístika.

Nan ta bisa nos ku awor ta e momentu pa akshon stratégiko.

Kámara di Komersio no ta kere den warda pa problemanan solushoná nan mes.

Nos ta kere den forma e futuro, proaktivo.

Aki tin seis área klave ku nos ta atendé i tambe ta eksigí bo atenshon:

Reformando gastunan di gobièrnu

Nos gastunan di gobièrnu ta keda na 35% di GDP, signifikantemente riba e mediano di Karibe.

E desbalanse aki ta limitá kresementu di sektor privá.

Nos mester di gastu públiko mas inteligente i mas efisiente ku ta stimulá invershon den negoshi en bes di limitá kresementu di sektor privá.

Fortalesé sektor privá

Burokrasia i regulashonnan no kla ta stroba invershonistanan.

Mester kòrta burokrasia i hasi Kòrsou un lugá mas atraktivo pa hasi negoshi.

Enkurashá empresario i invershon den eksterior no mester wòrdu mirá komo un opshon – e ta un nesesidat.

Reformanan kontinuo bou di e Landspakket tin komo meta pa rasionalisá regulashonnan i mehorá gobernashon, i nos ta spera ku e esfuersonan aki pronto lo habri kaminda pa un ambiente mas previsibel i amigabel pa negoshi.

Alineando edukashon i imigrashon ku e merkado laboral

E buraku di abilidat ta real.

Nos mester sòru pa nos sistema di edukashon produsí e forsa laboral ku negoshinan realmente mester di dje.

Mas entrenamentu profeshonal, mihó insentivonan pa transferensia di konosementu, i koperashon mas estrecho entre industria i akademia ta krusial.

Adishonalmente, polítikanan di imigrashon dirigí mester atraé trahadónan ku konosementu, individuonan ku un balor nèto haltu, i man di trabou tékniko kualifiká den sektornan manera konosementu, hospitalidat i konstrukshon pa yena buraku krusial den nos ekonomia.

Produkshon lokal & redukshon di dependensia di importashon

Nos ekonomia ta keda altamente dependiente di importashon, kreando vulnerabilidatnan.

Nos mester invertí den produkshon lokal pa oumentá outosufisiensia, redusí gastunan, i konstruí resiliensia.

Adishonalmente, agrikultura, un sektor ku hopi bia ta wòrdu pasá por haltu, tin potensial no eksplorá pa kontribuí na seguridat di kuminda, kreashon di trabou i kresementu sostenibel. No plannan, pero inovashon ta di esensia!

Polítikanan di invershon inteligente: insentivonan i desinsentivonan

No ta tur invershon ta kontribuí igualmente na kresementu ekonómiko.

Nos mester duna aktivamente desinsentivonan pa invershonnan di efisiensia abou, manera biennan rais spekulativo, miéntras ta promové insentivonan pa sektornan di efisiensia haltu manera práktikanan di kuido di salú inovativo, AI, laboratorionan di konosementu, edukashon privá, investigashon i desaroyo, i infrastruktura.

Kada dòler òf mi mester bisa Florin Karinense ku invertí mester kontribuí na kresementu sostenibel, ku ta mehorá produktividat.

Reformanan di seguro sosial

Nos sistema di Seguro Sosial ta rekerí mas kontribuyente pa e por keda sostenibel. Si sea fertilidat ta sigui baha, òf nos hóbennan opta pa no regresá nos isla ounke nos tin un fasilidat di dedukshon di belasting maravioso pa fiansa di studiante i e reglanan di ex-pat tambe ta konta pa lokalnan, lo no tin nada malu ku atraé otro hende a traves di un polítika di imigrashon bon determiná pa nos Isla.

En todo kaso, ahustenan den edat di penshun, tarifanan di kontribushon, i mekanismonan di finansiamentu mester wòrdu konsiderá kuidadosamente pa mantené viabilidat ekonómiko. Nos no mester kuminsá wak e entrada total di kas en bes di e entrada di e kabes di kas?

Mitigashon di riesgonan eksterno

Polítikanan di komersio: si tarifanan nobo di Merka stroba nos komersio, nos tin un plan di reserva?

Preis di energia: nos por aselerá invershonnan lokal den energia renobá pa redusí dependensia?

Esakinan no ta preguntanan apstrakto.

Nan ta rekerí akshon inmediato i kordiná.

Na final di dia ki tipo di ekonomie nos ke pa Kòrsou?

Un ekonomia ku ta krese, pero solamente pa algun?

Òf un ekonomia ku ta dinámiko, inklusivo i resiliente?

Nos mester puntra nos mes:

Kon nos ta produsí?

Kon nos ta konsumí?

Kon entrada ta wòrdu repartí?

Pasobra kresementu sostenibel no ta solamente tokante sifranan di GDP – e ta tokante garantisá ku prosperidat ta alkansá tur hende.

Nos di Kámara tambe tin un ròl importante pa kumpli kuné.

Nos no ta djis opservá e ekonomia; nos ta partisipantenan aktivo.

Nos ta komprometé na traha ku gobièrnu, sektor privá i komunidat internashonal pa impulsá kambio signifikante.

Pues, mi ta laga bo ku esaki:

Un ekonomia ta manera un barku.

No ta sufisiente pa nabegá bai dilanti; nos mester sòru pa nos ta bai den e direkshon korekto.

Dama i kabayeronan, e bientunan di kambio ta suplando.

Mi ta kere ku nos tur por ta di akuerdo ku nos no por drif, pues e pregunta no ta si nos lo move, pero si nos lo stür den e direkshon korekto.

Laga nos tuma e timón.

Laga nos kue rumbo pa un ekonomia ku no ta solamente grandi, pero fuerte.

No solamente kresiendo pero prosperá.

No solamente riku den kantidat, pero riku den oportunidat pa tur.

Danki.

Speech By Chairman

Curaçao Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Raoul Behr

Chamber of Commerce event February 20^th, 2025

Imagine waking up tomorrow and realizing that everything you believed about economic growth was… incomplete.

Not wrong, but only part of the story.

We often talk about growth in numbers – GDP, tourism arrivals, real estate prices – but what if I told you that true economic strength lies not just in how much we grow, but in how we grow?

Ladies and gentlemen, excellencies, esteemed entrepreneurs, policymakers, and leaders of Curaçao, it is an honor to stand before you today.

In a world that is moving faster than ever, our economy is in need of clear guidance.

The choices we make today will determine not just where we go, but how resilient, inclusive, and ‘future proof’ our economy will be.

We cannot discuss Curaçao’s economy without first looking at the broader global landscape. The world is in transition!

The United States is entering an era of protectionism, with new trade barriers that could affect our key industries.

If Trump’s administration follows through on, for example raising tariffs, Caribbean economies may feel the shockwaves.

Recent geopolitical developments, from potential Ukraine peace talks driving oil prices down to new U.S. sanctions on Russia disrupting supply chains, are fueling volatility in global energy markets, with ripple effects on inflation and investment trends.

The rise of artificial intelligence and automation is redefining industries, forcing small economies like ours to rethink our competitive edge.

Despite these challenges, opportunities remain.

The global shift towards sustainable energy and digital transformation opens doors for smart, agile economies that are willing to innovate.

Curaçao can be one of them – if we play our cards right.

On the surface, Curaçao’s economy looks promising.

Tourism has been booming.

The real estate market is rising.

Inflation has slightly decreased.

But let’s not be deceived by numbers alone.

Growth, if not properly managed, can become a double-edged sword.

Consider real estate:

House prices have already soared to 500,000 ANG for a modest home.
What happens if this trend continues?
Will we become a market where only a few can afford to buy property, while young professionals and middle-class families are pushed out?

Consider tourism:

Yes, it is our economic engine, but an economy cannot run on tourism alone.
We must diversify, or we risk becoming dependent on a ‘one-pillar economy.

Consider the workforce:

Unemployment is still above 11%.
Businesses struggle to find skilled workers, while young professionals leave for opportunities elsewhere.
The mismatch between education and the job market is not just an inconvenience – it is a major economic risk.

These are signals, not just statistics.

They tell us that now is the time for strategic action.

The Chamber of Commerce does not believe in waiting for problems to solve themselves.

We believe in shaping the future, proactively.

Here are six key areas that have our attend and also demand your attention:

Reforming government spending

Our government expenditure remains at 35% of GDP, significantly above the Caribbean median.

This imbalance limits private sector growth.

We need smarter, more efficient public spending that stimulates business investment rather than limiting private sector growth.

Strengthening the private sector

Bureaucracy and unclear regulations deter investors.

We must cut red tape and make Curaçao a more attractive place to do business.

Encouraging entrepreneurship and foreign investment should not be seen as an option – it is a necessity.

Ongoing reforms under the Landspakket aim to streamline regulations and improve governance, and we hope these efforts will soon clear the path for a more predictable and business-friendly environment.

Aligning education and immigration with the job market

The skills gap is real.

We must ensure that our education system produces the workforce that businesses actually need.

More vocational training, better incentives for knowledge transfer, and closer cooperation between industry and academia are crucial.

Additionally, targeted immigration policies should attract knowledge workers, high-net-worth individuals, and skilled technical labor in sectors like knowledge, hospitality and construction to fill crucial gaps in our economy.

Local production & reducing import dependency

Our economy remains highly dependent on imports, creating vulnerabilities.

We must invest in local production to increase self-sufficiency, reduce costs, and build resilience.

Additionally, agriculture, an often-overlooked sector, has untapped potential to contribute to food security, job creation, and sustainable growth. Not plans, but Innovation is of the essence!

Smart investment policies: incentives & disincentives

Not all investments contribute equally to economic growth.

We must actively provide disincentives for low-efficiency investments, such as speculative real estate, while promoting incentives for high-efficiency sectors like innovative healthcare practices, AI, knowledge labs, private education, research & development, and infrastructure.

Every dollar or should I say Caribbean Guilder invested should contribute to sustainable, productivity-enhancing growth.

Social security reforms

Our Social Security system requires more contributors in order for it to remain sustainable. If either fertility keeps dropping, or our youngsters opt not to return to the island although we have a marvelous tax deduction facility for student loans and the ex-pat rules also applies to locals, there won’t be nothing wrong with attracting other people through a well determined immigration policy to out Island.

At any rate, Adjustments in pension age, contribution rates, and funding mechanisms must be carefully considered to maintain economic viability. Shouldn’t we need to start looking at the total household income instead of the income of the head of the household?