WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao Tax Collector Alfonso Trona has made serious allegations against former Finance Minister Javier Silvania, accusing him of interfering in a tax-related decision involving approximately XCG 3.2 billion and disregarding professional advice from government officials and financial experts.
In the second part of his public response to the controversy surrounding the SOAB investigation, Trona claimed that Silvania personally intervened in a process involving a major taxpayer, despite an earlier administrative decision and recommendations that had received support from several relevant authorities.
Trona described the matter as an example of political interference in tax administration and challenged Silvania to explain his actions.
According to Trona, the dispute originated from a meeting on August 24, 2022, during which a decision was reached concerning tax assessments, exemptions and the treatment of outstanding obligations involving an entity whose name is not entirely clear in the available recording.
He explained that the decision addressed several technical tax issues, including older assessments, the legal validity of assessments and the treatment of tax credits dating back to 2005.
Trona maintained that the original approach was based on existing legislation and the principle that tax assessments must be legally valid before the Tax Collector can enforce payment or process refunds.
Following the August 2022 meeting, according to Trona, specialists prepared a formal document reflecting the agreed administrative approach. He said the document involved legal and financial expertise and was intended to provide a legally defensible solution to the outstanding tax matters.
Trona claimed that the proposed arrangement could have resulted in the collection of approximately XCG 1.1 billion if implemented as originally agreed.
However, he alleged that Silvania subsequently intervened and demanded changes to the document.
Trona Describes Confrontation During Meeting
One of the most striking allegations in Trona's statement concerns a meeting attended by Silvania, tax officials and advisers.
According to Trona, the meeting lasted less than five minutes before a disagreement arose over the financial consequences of the proposed tax arrangement.
Trona said Silvania asked him how much the taxpayer's (a lottery operator) outstanding debt would be reduced under the document being discussed.
The Tax Collector claimed that he answered that the reduction would be zero because the Tax Collector's Office had already established claims against the lottery operator's property.
Trona alleged that Silvania then instructed an official or adviser, whom he addressed as Wim Nijdam, to follow his orders rather than exercise independent professional judgment.
Trona quoted Silvania as saying in Dutch: "Wim, jij moet doen wat ik zeg, niet wat jij denkt."
The statement translates approximately as: "Wim, you must do what I say, not what you think."
According to Trona, this exchange demonstrated that Silvania wanted the tax document changed despite the professional assessment presented to him.
The alleged exchange has not been independently verified, and the available transcript does not establish the identity or response of the person addressed as Wim.
Questions About Professional Advice
Trona further claimed that the original administrative approach had received favorable assessments from several institutions and government departments.
He referred to SOAB, the tax authorities and other advisory bodies as having participated in or reviewed aspects of the process.
According to Trona, the relevant advice supported the decision reached on August 24, 2022. Nevertheless, he alleged that Silvania chose to pursue a different course.
Trona questioned why a minister would depart from professional recommendations in a matter involving such substantial public financial interests.
He argued that the controversy should not focus exclusively on allegations against him but should also examine the decisions taken at the political level.
Dispute Over XCG 3.2 Billion
At the center of Trona's allegations is an amount of approximately XCG 3.2 billion, which he linked to tax exemptions or adjustments involving the taxpayer.
Trona suggested that Silvania's intervention had significant consequences for the government's financial position.
However, the statement does not provide sufficient documentary detail to establish whether the XCG 3.2 billion represents outstanding assessments, proposed exemptions, disputed liabilities or amounts that were legally collectible.
The distinction is important because the cancellation or adjustment of a tax assessment does not necessarily mean the government has lost an equivalent amount in collectible revenue.
Trona nevertheless maintained that the decisions deserve investigation, particularly given the size of the amounts involved.
He also challenged Silvania's public criticism of him, accusing the former minister of applying different standards when discussing alleged misconduct.
Trona ended this portion of his statement by directly questioning Silvania about responsibility for the disputed decision and challenging him to explain who should be held accountable.
The allegations are Trona's and have not been independently substantiated by the transcript. No conclusion can be drawn from his statement alone that Silvania manipulated official documents, acted unlawfully or caused a financial loss to the government.
The former minister's response to these specific accusations was not included in the material provided.
Trona's latest allegations add another dimension to the dispute surrounding the SOAB report, raising questions about the relationship between ministerial authority, independent tax administration and the handling of major tax liabilities.
The controversy now extends beyond Trona's personal conduct to the broader question of how decisions involving billions of guilders were prepared, reviewed and ultimately approved.
A few details need verification before publication. The recording appears to refer to a taxpayer or company whose name sounds like “Refineria” or “Rifero,” but I have not identified it conclusively. The XCG 1.1 billion figure also needs to be checked against the original audio, particularly whether Trona was referring to potential collection or another financial outcome.
The strongest news angle is Trona's allegation that Silvania ordered a change to a tax document despite professional advice. I've presented that as an allegation rather than an established fact, which is particularly important given the seriousness of the accusation.