Lawyers do not preclude further suspensions/dismissals at CPA

February 23, 2011 4:31 PM

The lawyers of Agustin ‘Tinchi’ Diaz Jr., Ronny Koeijers and harbor company Curaçao Ports Authority (CPA) Marius Römer are negotiating the termination of Diaz Jr.’s contract.

Until recently, he was the manager of the tug company branch KTK (subsidiary of CPA) in Panama. Nor do the lawyers preclude further suspensions/dismissals at CPA.

There are several inquiries into alleged ‘mismanagement’ within CPA/KTK in progress since last December under leadership of chairman of the board, Amparo dos Santos. These have already led to the suspension of CEO Marcelino ‘Chonky’ de Lannoy in connection with several matters, which according to an interim investigation of accountant Terrence Hernandez had not preceded in conformity with the procedures.

Last Friday, De Lannoy had turned in his written plea on the interim report from Hernandez, and the government and finance institution Korpodeko as shareholders of CPA/KTK have requested two weeks to comment on this plea. In the meantime, Hernandez is working on the final findings of his inquiry

However, the inquiry into CPA/KTK initiated by Dos Santos has more consequences within the company. For instance, one has also started the process of dividing CPA and KTK legally. KTK is currently a subsidiary of CPA. In 1997, the Island Council of Curaçao decided to transfer the shares from KTK to CPA as payment of debts between the island territory and CPA. At that time, the value of the shares was estimated at 16 million guilders. The loss of confidence in Diaz Jr. is another consequence of the inquires. The negotiations to reach an amicable settlement were started last week. The current proposal implies that Diaz Jr. receives an amount equal to six-seven months salary as discharge. The parties are still negotiating.

There is also an inquiry into the former directors Agustin Diaz and Richard Lopez-Ramirez. They are suspected of having enriched themselves at the expense of CPA and of making unaccounted expenditures. One is currently investigating to which extent one could re-claim these amounts from the former directors. There is also an inquiry into the information leak from within CPA by an anonymous group – identifying itself as the group of concerned employees of CPA. This group sent another e-mail to the media today, requesting attention for the negotiations on buying off the contract of Diaz Jr. The anonymous e-mail also states Dos Santos has decided that the Cuban technician Manuel Becker has to leave. This means the immobilization of all tugboats in the harbor because he is the only one who can service the tugboats properly. The anonymous employees also think the KTK-branch in Panama will be closed down and that after the division of the companies KTK and CPA, CPA will transfer the KTK-shares to KTK at zero value. They also mention that De Lannoy will be dismissed and that this will lead to a court case. They also suspect more dismissals in the finance department of CPA.

The leaking of information by this group or others could lead to the suspension of even more CPA employees if the current inquirers can prove that information from the company is directly leaked to the press.

22 February 2011