WILLEMSTAD – According to the Government Accountants Bureau (SOAB), after a thorough audit at the social workshop Santa Martha, that in the period of 7 years, 9 ministers were responsible for the institution. Each with their own policies. Therefore the social workshop was not able to develop and function properly.

At the beginning of their audit, SOAB noted that the majority of the Supervisory Board was replaced in 2017. This new board had the perception that the management of the institution was not optimal. Documentations used by former management teams were not transferred to new teams. This meant that the new teams had to begin from scratch. There were also no minutes taken from meetings. No feedback and no continuation of policies accepted by former board members.

The institution would invest in certain projects and after a change of board members, these projects were not continued. This has brought the institution in financial problems.

The requests for subsidies were not substantiated by the necessary documents. And the minister responsible did not ask for these documentations either. Basically, according to the SOAB, it was a free for all in the social institution.

SOAB advises the current minister of social development to deal with this problem within his ministry. The social workplace must have one policy set by the government with all the necessary documents before granting more subsidy.