WILLEMSTAD - The Curaçao government is currently in consultation with the Netherlands about the establishment of an Entity for Reform and Development, better known under the name OHO.

According to Minister of Finance Kenneth Gijsbertha, this includes a loan of 170 million guilders to be able to give account holders of the Giro Bank their money. As is known, the bank will close its doors at the end of the year, but there are still two thousand account holders who have money in the bank.

According to Gijsbertha, not all account holders will receive their money with the 170 million guilders from the Netherlands. For example, the General Pension Fund Curaçao (APC) still has 110 million guilders outstanding and the government itself still has 80 million guilders.

Chairman of the ABVO union, Adrie Williams, is dissatisfied with the way in which the government and the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten has released the news about the closure of the Giro Bank.

According to Williams, workers had to hear the news of the shutdown from the media this weekend. He thinks that is inappropriate. Williams argues that the government and the bank should have a better understanding of how to deal with employees. He calls the closure very frustrating for the staff and will contact the Central Bank about further handling.