WILLEMSTAD - In a press release, the state-owned company Refineria di Korsou, Curaçao Refinery (RdK) indicated that in the process to select, negotiate and reach an agreement with a party to guarantee a sustainable future for the refinery installations, which was followed last year, the two most important points were integrity and accountability.

During these last days, RdK has taken note of statements from certain parties that indicated their potential and desire to operate the refinery. However, RdK says it cannot do anything else but to take note of this due to the agreement signed with the Klesch Group. In this agreement it is stipulated that these types of interests cannot be entertained while both parties are working on achieving a deal.  

Rdk expresses that it is important to remember that the government of Curaçao has given them the mandate to search for a capable party that can guarantee a sustainable future for the refinery facilities. All serious parties, that were interested, were able to participate in the public tender, which was organized by RdK’s Project Management Organization (PMO). An important aspect of the process was a rigorous screening where parties had to submit relevant proofs that they had resources and expertise to comply with the demands if they were chosen. Parties that could not comply with these demands were thanked and informed that they could not continue in the process.

RdK indicated in its press release that it has taken note that there are parties that did not succeed in continuing the transparent process and are now trying to gain favor through people or organizations that do not have the government’s mandate. As a matter of fact, they are trying to initiate parallel negotiations without any legal base. “Any attempt to do this outside of the mandated process, does not have a legal basis and could even result in unwanted repercussions just like in the past during the efforts to find an operator for our refinery,” says RdK in their press release.