Medical Professionals in Curaçao demand apologies from minister for provocative Facebook posts

July 3, 2023  –WILLEMSTAD – The Board of the National Association of Medical Professionals in Employment (LVMPiDC) in Curaçao has sent an open letter to the Interim Minister of Health, Environment, and Nature, Javier Silvania. In the letter, they expressed their indignation regarding recent Facebook posts by the minister, which they describe as “unnecessarily provocative,” “privacy-violating,” “highly suggestive,” and “clearly inflammatory in nature.” 

The minister is accused of spreading falsehoods and deliberately sowing division against medical specialists employed by the Curaçao Medical Center. The association claims that his actions are “not only unprofessional but also disrespectful and harmful.” According to the LVMPiDC, the minister’s behavior is comparable to that of a teenager and not what is expected from a minister in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 

The revelations made by the minister regarding salary information, which is normally confidential and private, have not only undermined trust and ethics within the medical sector, but can also have serious consequences for the affected specialists, according to the association. This disclosure is seen as a gross violation of their privacy and is expected to evoke feelings of frustration and injustice within the medical community. 

Reconsideration 

The Board of the LVMPiDC calls on the minister to reconsider his actions and apologize to the medical specialists whose privacy has been violated and about whom falsehoods have been spread in the media. Furthermore, the association requests intervention from the Council of Ministers to ensure that such privacy breaches and disrespect do not occur in the future. 

According to the board, it is crucial that “its medical professionals are supported and recognized for their valuable contributions to society, instead of fueling hostility against these specialists.”