WILLEMSTAD – Former PAR Member of Parliament Ana Maria Pauletta has criticized Finance Minister Charles Cooper following his response during Parliament's question hour, raising new questions about the management of the social housing foundation, Fundashon Kas Popular (FKP) and its rental income.
In a public statement, Pauletta referred to remarks made by Cooper during the parliamentary session, in which the minister reportedly stated that rental income collected by FKP should be transferred to the government treasury.
According to Pauletta, if that is indeed the case, it raises an important question as to why, during the years Cooper has been responsible for the portfolio, no measures were taken to ensure that the rental payments were actually being collected.
"If it is true that all rental income must go to the government, how is it possible that for years Minister Cooper did not take the necessary measures to guarantee that the rent was being collected?" Pauletta asked.
She also argued that Cooper's statements suggest he is not fully informed about the legal proceedings currently before the Supreme Court involving FKP and its tenants.
Pauletta said this raises "many questions" about what is really happening within FKP and whether the foundation's management has been adequately supervised.
The former parliamentarian did not provide further details about the specific court case but suggested that the minister's comments warrant closer scrutiny of the organization's governance and oversight.
Minister Cooper has not yet publicly responded to Pauletta's latest remarks. The discussion follows recent parliamentary debates over the management and financial administration of FKP, Curaçao's public housing foundation.