THE HAGUE, WILLEMSTAD - The set deadline for the Ennia rescue mission, put forth by State Secretary Van Huffelen, has come and gone with no agreement in sight. The Netherlands offered a 600-million-euro loan to Curaçao and Sint Maarten to secure the pensions of 30,000 policyholders, but the offer expired on Saturday without both parties reaching a consensus on the terms.
A concise statement from the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) suggests that the Dutch offer remains on the table. A spokesperson stated that "both sides are working diligently" to eventually reach an agreement. Van Huffelen, who arrived in Sint Maarten on Saturday, will head to Willemstad tomorrow evening. The State Secretary's spokesperson also noted that, at this point, no further statements would be issued.
Sources indicate that it is the Curaçao government that is causing the deadlock. Prime Minister Pisas contends that his country should not shoulder the consequences of mismanagement at a private company, insisting that the bill should be settled by the Kingdom (in other words, the Netherlands). Sint Maarten, albeit reluctantly, is reportedly in agreement, primarily because there appears to be no alternative: without a consensus on the Dutch offer, 30,000 policyholders may face pension reductions of up to 80%.