THE HAGUE - Outgoing Undersecretary Raymond Knops of Kingdom Relations says that Curaçao still does not meet the conditions for eligibility for liquidity support. A 25 percent cut on the employment conditions of ministers and members of parliament has indeed been implemented, but the legislation for this has not yet been ratified.
This is according to Knops in response to questions from the standing committee for Kingdom Relations about the Annual Report Kingdom Relations and the BES fund 2020. There is no question of cessation of the liquidity support for the time being, as there is currently no request from Curaçao for further support.
The legislation for a 12.5 percent discount on the employment conditions of civil servants has meanwhile been approved by parliament. However, according to Knops, the 25 percent cut on the employment conditions of ministers and members of parliament has been implemented, but the legislation drawn up for this that must provide the legal basis has not yet been approved by parliament.
In addition, the Rhuggenaath government has placed the salaries of ministers in a higher pay scale and subsequently implemented the cut. On balance, the ministers are therefore making more money. According to Curaçao government, the salaries should be placed in a higher scale since a secretary general, who is at the head of a ministry could earn more than a minister. After the increase, the 25 percent cut has been implemented.
Knops writes that he discussed this with outgoing Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath. "The condition remains a 25 percent cut on the employment conditions of ministers and members of parliament," said the minister.
"The legislation providing for the 12.5 percent cut on the employment conditions of government-affiliated entities also still has to be approved by parliament," said Knops. According to the undersecretary, this was also one of the conditions and he has been waiting for the legislation to be implemented for a long time.
Knops writes that the Kingdom Council of Ministers therefore decided on March 26 that Curaçao will only be eligible for liquidity support again once the legislation has been enacted and entered into force. There is currently no request for further liquidity support.
