WILLEMSTAD - Tomorrow, the Curaçao Council of Ministers is set to make a crucial decision regarding salary increments, indexing, and one-time payments for civil servants. This announcement came from the Minister of Finance, Javier Silvania.
In a proposal presented to the Council of Ministers, a sum of 32 million guilders is said to be available for this purpose. However, the Minister of Governance and Planning, Ornelio 'Kid' Martina, has urged for a total of 68 million guilders, covering 29 million for salary increment adjustments, three million for one-time payments, and 36 million for retroactive indexing.
The forthcoming decision appears to highlight a power struggle between the two ministers. Meanwhile, labor unions are holding their positions in anticipation of the Council of Ministers' verdict.
It's important to note that payments to civil servants cannot proceed until Minister Martina receives the necessary recommendations from his Human Resources department, the Directorate of Legal Affairs, and the APC Pension Fund.
Additionally, Silvania's proposal suggests that payments are likely to materialize in December, representing an advance on the government's overall debt to civil servants until it's completely settled.