WILLEMSTAD - Quincy Girigorie, leader of the opposition party PAR, has sharply criticized the Pisas Cabinet, accusing it of deliberately blocking transparency in the ongoing controversy surrounding Curaçao’s Tax Department (Servisio di Impuesto).
In a strongly worded statement, Girigorie said the government appears determined to keep the “black box” around the tax service closed, despite growing public pressure for openness.
His remarks came after Minister of Traffic, Transport, and Urban Planning, Charles Cooper, told Parliament that he opposes inviting the national tax collector (Ontvanger) to speak about the recent turmoil — even though the Council of Ministers had already granted the Ontvanger official dispensation to address Parliament freely.
“Prime Minister Pisas himself publicly stated that the Ontvanger was authorized to speak openly with Parliament and the people,” Girigorie said. “That was supposed to be a guarantee of transparency. Now we see a minister defying that decision — it’s unbelievable.”
Confusion and Contradictions
Girigorie noted that the controversy surrounding the Tax Department has been marked by contradictory statements and leaked information from multiple sources, including the SOAB audit reports, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and civil servants.
According to him, the leaks created the impression that certain taxpayers may have received preferential treatment, while at the same time confidential tax data was exposed — a serious violation of privacy that affects every citizen.
The PAR leader reminded the public that several MPs had formally requested a public parliamentary session to clarify the situation, determine who is responsible, and discuss how such incidents can be avoided in the future. The intention was for the Ontvanger to appear so Parliament could ask direct, factual questions.
“Government Undermining Its Own Decisions”
Girigorie expressed disbelief that Minister Cooper would contradict a decision made by the entire Council of Ministers.
“How can one minister go against a collective Cabinet decision?” he asked. “Is there no longer unity within the Pisas Cabinet, as required under Article 4 of the Council of Ministers’ Rules of Order?”
He further suggested that the government is using stalling tactics to silence the Ontvanger and prevent Parliament from fulfilling its oversight role.
“First, the President of Parliament illegally halted a meeting requested by three MPs, and now Minister Cooper is refusing to let the Ontvanger speak. This is a clear attempt to keep the truth from the public,” Girigorie said.
The opposition leader concluded that these developments show the Pisas government does not want transparency regarding what he described as the “black box” of the Tax Department.
“By blocking open dialogue and accountability, the government is not protecting institutions — it’s protecting itself,” Girigorie said.
