WILLEMSTAD – In a press release, the private sector on the island accuses the strikes of last week as orchestrated. The business owners’ organization (EO Curaçao) declared this through their contact person Achim Henriquez.

“Peace and stability are needed to ensure economic growth. That is why EO Curaçao disapproves the actions. It is important that there is a good relationship between employers and trade unions. Small differences of opinion cannot escalate so much that they affect the daily lives of people who are not directly involved and even reduce the chances of a better future. The actions disrupt the entire economy and are out of proportion. There are several ways for the unions to put forward their relatively simple demands and get what they want. A strike is the last option if dialogue does not work out. But we have understood that there have been no attempts at dialogue. The unions should have been more responsible and better informed. The actions are all about a strategic collaboration between the various unions,” said the organization in their letter.

In writing, reference is also made to the document Growth strategy Curaçao that recently came about in collaboration with the Netherlands. According to Henriquez, there is finally light at the end of the tunnel, but opponents apparently do not want economic growth.

EO Curaçao also thinks that the trade unions can spend their time better on training their members with all kinds of courses than to incite them to an old-fashioned protest. That is out of time and belongs to the past.

“EO Curaçao is not against strike but against unnecessary strikes. We all together form this island and must put our shoulders together. That is much more constructive.”