Concerned organisations say Curaçao is in crisis

June 14, 2011 4:37 PM

The same group of organisations that recently expressed concern about the latest development on Curaçao in their "Declaration of Willemstad" now says the island had landed in a crisis.

At the same time, the MFK led by Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte is telling The Netherlands not to intervene into the Central Bank, because it concerns an internal matter between the countries Curaçao and St. Maarten.

The concerned private sector organisations are VBC, KvK, AvA, Bohavena, BVCA, CBA, CCDA, Chata, Cifa, Cica, CEA, CTAA, CVV, DMO, Frezacur, IBNA, Imana, NAVV, Suvecu, VAB, VIPP, VCB, CGTC, SSK, the Council of Churches, various NGO's and the protestant school board VPCO. In their latest release, spokesperson Janet Bonet (Chata) said the society groups are deeply worried.

"Government's policy in the last few months, including the approach with as provisional low-point an enormous controversy between the Government of Curaçao on the one hand and director the Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten on the other hand, were reason for the groups involved to have several meetings to analyse and discuss the matter."

The conclusion is that the island is in a crisis, said the release, with - among other things - a serious tarnishing of the confidence between government and various institutes on the island. "This development is not conducive to the investment climate, or the economy, or the living climate," writes Bonet.

Meanwhile, the debate continues regarding Schotte going back on his agreement with the Kingdom Council of Ministers for an investigation on the confidence in both the Curaçao Government and the Central Bank by an independent committee. The Dutch Government in any case says it will proceed as planned.

The MFK/PS/MAN coalition claims the Central Bank statutes don't allow for such and it's sticking to the MFK-led Cabinet's own decision to ask the newly appointed Supervisory Board of the Central Bank to have the General Audit Chamber conduct a probe at the monetary authority. The Parliament of Curaçao had passed a motion to that effect as well.

Some are now suggesting that the controversy be discussed at the parliamentary consultations between the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten taking place in The Hague this week. MFK faction leader and Chairman of the Committee Kingdom Affairs and Inter-parliamentary Relations Dean Rozier rejected the idea.

"The agenda has already been set, but we have no problem expressing our point of view. The Central Bank is our internal affair. It is not that we are not doing anything either, there will be an investigation as we have agreed.

"The statutes say that the Supervisory Board has to conduct any inquiry. Even if you want to have an independent committee do it you still have to deal with the statutes and the board."

However, delegation member of opposition party PAR Dennis Jackson sees things a bit differently. "Don't forget that it was Prime Minister Schotte who opened the door to Dutch intervention into our Central bank and our government, making it a point of political discussion in the Netherlands."

13 June 2011