WILLEMSTAD – Employees of waste management company Selikor will receive a one-time compensation of 1,000 guilders, as per a ministerial decree from the Minister of Health, Environment, and Nature (GMN), who also oversees the Finance portfolio.
The government has allocated a total of 357,750 guilders for this bonus, drawn from the GMN budget. According to the decree, the payment is a reward for Selikor’s efforts in 2024, which have contributed significantly to the government achieving its objectives.
The financial package is described as an exceptional measure in the national interest. In addition to compensating employees, Selikor itself will receive funds to cover employer costs, including taxes and social security contributions.
The so-called "Bashí bonus" applies to all employees who were hired before December 1, 2024, and are still actively working at Selikor as of January 1, 2025. The timing of the payout is notable, as it comes just weeks before the upcoming elections.
Although Selikor is a government-owned company rather than a direct government agency, the bonus is being funded with public money.
The announcement follows another controversial financial decision by the government, in which 4,000 festival tickets were distributed to civil servants and school staff for the Hak’é festival. That move sparked criticism from some labor unions and on social media.