Leila Matroos-Lasten: Curaçao financial sector - ready for 2019 and beyond

Speech by Mrs Leila Matroos-Lasten, Acting President of the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten, on the occasion of the information session on "Replacing the old Off-shore; Embracing the new Reality", Willemstad, 25 October 2018.

The views expressed in this speech are those of the speaker and not the view of the BIS.

Central bank speech  | 
20 December 2018

Your Excellency:

The Prime Minister of Curaçao, Mr. Eugene Rhuggenaath

The Minister of Finance of Curaçao, Mr. Kenneth Gijsbertha

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good evening.

There is a tendency to assume that stimulating growth and the strengthening of specific economic pillars is the sole responsibility of the government. However, as we have been recently experiencing in Curaçao, initiatives jointly undertaken by all key stakeholders are crucial to achieve the desired development and growth of an industry and/or an economic sector. While the private sector knows best the trends and needs, the role of the public sector is to create and safeguard the right investment climate and regulatory framework for businesses to operate, grow, and attract direct investment. The collective actions of the public and private sectors will certainly lead to sustainable economic growth and progress.