De Kort (centre) viewing plans for the court house renovation in Willemstad
THE HAGUE--Legal expert Mauritsz de Kort, 51, has been named as the new Governor of Curaçao. He will officially take office on November 4, succeeding Lucille George-Wout, whose second term will come to an end on that date.
The Kingdom Council of Ministers RMR in The Hague approved De Kort’s appointment for the usual a six-year term. He brings with him a wealth of legal experience, having served since 2022 as the President of the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, St Maarten and the so-called BES islands. Prior to that, he was Vice President of the court's Curaçao and Bonaire branches for five years.
De Kort began his career as a lawyer working across several islands and was appointed as a judge in 2011. He studied law at Leiden University in the Netherlands and at the University of London. Beyond his judicial work, he has also been actively involved in various cultural and social organizations in Cu-raçao and St. Maarten.
As governor, De Kort will become the formal head of Curaçao’s government and serve as official representative of the Dutch King. He will also act as the key link between the island and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
After completing his first six-year term, he may be reappointed for a second and final term.
