WILLEMSTAD - According to the union representing the civil servants, ABVO, the government should indicate when it will pay the 3% increase to its employees. This was stated by union leader Adrie Williams. His statement came after a debate he had with Minister Armin Konket of Government Policy and Services on the interpretation of a recent court ruling.

After this debate, the Minister told the union that the government cannot pay if it doesn’t have money. Seeing the current financial situation of the country, it will be impossible to pay this increase of 3%.

According to the union leader, the Minister is violating an agreement the government made with the unions. To stop negotiations just because the government does not have money is against the agreement.

The judge ruled that both parties need to continue negotiating. According to Williams, this is not what the government is doing. “If they can’t pay, they need to come back to the table and tell us when they can pay.”