WILLEMSTAD, April 26, 2024 – During a recent interview on TV 13, conducted on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, Mr. Gilbert Martina publicly announced his decision not to extend his current employment contract at Curaçao Medical Center (CMC). However, it is important to highlight that this announcement does not come as a surprise, as Mr. Martina had previously indicated during the parliamentary hearing on March 12, 2024, that his contractual agreement with CMC would terminate in June 2025 and would not be subject to renewal.
In accordance with the provisions of the articles of incorporation, the supervisory board possesses the authority to appoint a director for a term of 4 years, with a maximum of 2 terms of 4 years each. The establishment of the entities occurred in February 2018, with the initial appointment spanning from 2018 to 2022 and the subsequent one from 2022 to 2026. Nevertheless, Mr. Martina has been actively engaged in the transition process since October 2017.
Despite the absence of statutory regulations during this timeframe, Mr. Martina regards October 2017 as the beginning of his employment. Consequently, Mr. Martina considers the period from October 2017 to October 2021 as a 4-year period working for CMC. His next term will span from October 2021 to October 2025. Therefore, considering that Mr. Martina’s employment contract concludes in June 2025, he will have served nearly 8 years in his position as director.
Drawing from his fundamental values, Mr. Martina emphasizes the importance for the supervisory board to proactively start the journey towards finding a qualified candidate, to then execute the management plan to guide CMC towards becoming the best hospital in the Caribbean and potentially one of the best hospitals in the world.
It is important to highlight that Mr. Martina’s stance remains independent of political considerations. His decision stems from his respect for the articles of incorporation, which prescribe that a person can serve a maximum of 8 years in our hospital’s leadership. Additionally, his principles which advocates for regular changes in directorship, particularly for roles within public entities that have a significant impact on our community, such as our hospital.
