WILLEMSTAD - Parliament held a lengthy debate yesterday over the ongoing Tax Department scandal, which has shaken public confidence in Curaçao’s financial governance. The controversy erupted two weeks ago when revelations surfaced that the national tax collector (landsontvanger) had personally intervened for years in tax collection and payment arrangements, allegedly costing the country millions in lost revenue.
The head of the Tax Department, Alfonso Trona, was expected to appear in Parliament to answer questions — a prospect that the opposition welcomed but some coalition members were less eager about. However, the session took a surprising turn.
“He would need formal authorization to speak — and that permission took a long time to arrive,” explained one MP. “When the approval finally came, Trona himself was nowhere to be found.”
No reason was given for his absence. According to temporary Minister of Finance Charles Cooper, he was the only one authorized to respond on behalf of the government. Cooper stated that as a civil servant, Trona had no formal role in a plenary parliamentary debate.
Avoiding the Core Issue
The debate, which many expected to focus on the core of the tax scandal, instead shifted to side issues. MPs spent much of the discussion questioning how confidential information had been leaked and who was responsible for public exposure, rather than addressing the alleged misconduct itself.
Critics noted that the debate became more about the messenger — and the auditor SOAB — than about the actions of Trona or the loss of millions in tax revenue. Several lawmakers expressed concern about the damage to the Tax Department’s reputation, both domestically and abroad.
The SOAB (Government Audit Bureau) had issued its first reports on the case a year and a half ago. Those findings suggested that influential individuals and politicians may have benefited from Trona’s personal interventions — a factor that has likely contributed to the political reluctance to confront the issue directly.
Public Prosecutor Silent
For now, the focus in Parliament appears to be on restoring functionality to the Tax Department rather than identifying or holding individuals accountable.
Minister Cooper did not assume political responsibility for the department’s failures, and there was no sign that the coalition intended to demand it. Observers believe this could change if a criminal investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) moves forward — though it remains unclear whether such an inquiry is underway.
The OM has so far declined to comment, maintaining complete silence on whether any formal investigation into the tax scandal has begun.
As the debate ended, opposition members accused the government of dodging the real questions and protecting officials instead of taxpayers, warning that public trust in Curaçao’s institutions will continue to erode if the truth remains hidden.
