WILLEMSTAD – Justice Minister Shalten Hato (MFK) has rejected a proposal by fellow MFK parliamentarian Javier Silvania to establish a ANG 2 million fund to assist police officers struggling with serious debt, arguing that the plan unfairly stigmatizes members of the police force.
Silvania recently proposed creating a dedicated fund to help financially distressed police officers, coupled with a debt restructuring program that would provide participants with 18 months of guidance, budget coaching and financial assistance.
According to Silvania, the initiative is intended to reduce the financial pressures that can make officers more vulnerable to corruption while helping them regain financial stability.
Hato, however, disagrees with the approach.
The minister said it should not be assumed that police officers are burdened with debt simply because they work in law enforcement. In his view, creating a fund exclusively for police officers risks labeling the entire corps as being in financial distress.
Instead, Hato pointed to existing government initiatives designed to assist public servants facing financial difficulties. He noted that the government already works with Arbo Consult to provide counseling and support for civil servants and said the Ministry of Social Development, Labor and Welfare (SOAW) is developing a broader debt relief program intended to serve the entire population.
According to the minister, debt is not a problem unique to the police force and should therefore be addressed through general social policies rather than a program targeting one specific profession.
Hato also linked Silvania's proposal to the ongoing debate surrounding the implementation of the BION Law, which led to some police officers being required to pay taxes on overtime earnings after not qualifying for the law's tax exemption.
The BION Law, introduced to encourage additional work by providing wage tax exemptions on overtime under certain conditions, has become the subject of growing political debate after many police officers said they were excluded from its benefits. The issue has prompted several parliamentary questions from Silvania, who has argued that legal solutions exist to extend the tax relief to affected officers.
According to Hato, information sessions have already been organized to explain how the BION Law is being implemented and to address concerns raised by police personnel.
The disagreement marks the latest public policy difference between the two MFK politicians, who have recently clashed over the government's handling of police overtime, debt relief and broader labor issues within the police force.