WILLEMSTAD - The head of Curaçao’s Tax Department, Alfonso Trona, has confirmed that the Criminal Investigation Cooperation Team (RST) and the National Detective Agency (Landsrecherche) are conducting an investigation into allegations of corruption linked to reports prepared by the Government Accountants Foundation (SOAB).
In an official statement, Trona—who serves as the island’s Receiver of Taxes, responsible for collecting public revenues and social insurance premiums—acknowledged the ongoing investigation, which had not yet been publicly confirmed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) despite repeated inquiries from the media.
Since January 2025, investigators have been examining claims of preferential treatment in tax collection involving politicians, senior civil servants, union leaders, and wealthy business families, as documented in a series of SOAB reports.
“I Have Decided to Take Leave”
In his statement, Trona said he has voluntarily taken a leave of absence to allow the investigation to proceed without interference.
“To give the authorities space to conduct their work in peace, I have decided to take vacation leave,” Trona stated.
He expressed confidence in a positive outcome:
“Soon, I will return to continue serving our community, as I have done with honor and respect for more than 40 years.”
Possible Suspension Under Consideration
According to government sources, the ongoing RST investigation specifically targets Trona, who may now be formally considered a suspect.
On October 22, Trona received a letter from the government, signed by Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas (MFK)—acting in the absence of Finance Minister Charles Cooper (MFK)—informing him that the Council of Ministers intends to impose a disciplinary measure (suspension).
The government reportedly plans to formalize this decision in an official national decree (landsbesluit).
While the Public Prosecutor’s Office has not yet issued a statement, the developments suggest that Curaçao’s tax authority is now at the center of a high-profile corruption probe, raising questions about integrity and transparency within one of the island’s most critical financial institutions.
