MP Ardwell Irion: Bloem’s nomination undermines law, track record is troubling

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion on Tuesday re-iterated that the conditional nomination of Mr. Jairo Bloem as Chairman for Supervisory Board of the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS) undermines the law. MP Irion emphasized that the controversy surrounding the appointment is not a political game, but a matter of governance, legality, and protecting the integrity of one of the country’s most vital institutions.

“The conditional nomination of Mr. Jairo Bloem to the Supervisory Board of the Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten has stirred national debate. While Mr. Bloem has dismissed the controversy as a ‘political ploy,’ the facts tell a different story. This is not a political game, it is about governance, legality, and protecting the integrity of one of our most vital institutions,” MP Irion stated.

He stressed that concerns have been raised not only by opposition Members of Parliament but also by coalition MPs and even the Supervisory Board itself. “That alone makes clear this is not about political maneuvering. Parliament has a constitutional duty to hold government accountable when actions appear inconsistent with the law. Asking questions in that context is not politicization, it is doing our job,” Irion said.

According to the MP, the law and the CBCS Charter are unambiguous. “The Supervisory Board must recommend, Ministers must nominate, and appointments must be finalized through a Kingdom decree. Any attempt to reshape or shortcut that process by personal interpretation threatens the independence of the Central Bank and undermines public confidence.”

𝐀 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝

Irion pointed out that concerns about Mr. Bloem’s suitability are not new. “The concerns about Mr. Bloem’s suitability do not start today. Public reports have documented how his law office was retained by NV GEBE’s Supervisory Board, with large invoices for legal advice that were criticized internally as excessive. Mr. Bloem himself admitted in an open letter that his firm was contracted directly and that invoices were quickly approved by the then chairman. These circumstances sparked internal disputes at GEBE and raised questions about accountability in the handling of company funds.”

Irion further recalled a direct encounter with Bloem. “During my tenure as Minister of Finance, Mr. Bloem also personally visited my office with what I can only describe as a savior attitude, insisting that only he could save the Central Bank and that I should appoint him as chair if I wanted to protect the institution. This kind of desperation is troubling and only deepens the question of what is driving such urgency. Independence, restraint, and institutional respect are what we need in a Central Bank appointee, not self-promotion.”

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬

Irion criticized the handling of the current nomination process. “It must also be asked why legal advice in this case was only sought after the Council of Ministers had already given approval. Advice that comes after the fact looks less like objective guidance and more like an attempt to justify a decision already made. If the government wanted impartiality, it should have consulted the Department of Legal Affairs or longstanding external counsel, not a politically affiliated source.”

He rejected Bloem’s claims that past practice supports this approach. “As for Mr. Bloem’s claim that past practice supports this approach, that is not accurate. When the Supervisory Board nominated Mr. Etienne Ys during my tenure, Curaçao rejected it. This led to a deadlock but the process was still respected. The recruitment and nomination procedure was never redefined as it is being attempted today.”

MP Irion said the independence and credibility of the Central Bank depend entirely on strict adherence to the established process. “The independence and credibility of the Central Bank depend entirely on strict adherence to the established process. Recommendations must come from the Supervisory Board, nominations from the Ministers, and appointments only through the joint decree. Anything else risks politicizing the Bank and damaging trust in our financial system.”

Finally, Irion made clear his own position on the matter under the current government. “For me, this appointment under the current Minister of Finance is already a moot point. I do not see her being able to bring a decree for Mr. Bloem’s appointment through the Council of Ministers, nor do I see her colleagues approving it, especially since she has not even secured the agreement of her counterpart, the Minister of Finance of Curaçao.”

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