VBC criticizes council pension

December 22, 2008 8:01 AM

With great indignation, the Business Association of Curacao (VBC) has taken note of the fact that before the Christmas recess, the Island Council of Curacao has forced through an ample pension scheme for former, current, and also future council members and commissioners.

According to the VBC, these are the ‘old’ propositions made last year, which led to big social protests. Such a pension scheme was then considered unacceptable, also by the authorities. The current Island Council and the BC obviously don’t give a thing about these statements of discontent and the advice of the special Committee Pensions Island Council members are now also being cut dead”, established the VBC that emphasizes that the members of the Island Council and the commissioners have the right on a pension scheme, ‘but it must be in line with what is socially acceptable’. VBC flat out objects the position, attitude, and arrogance of the Island Council members and the commissioners, because to her opinion, the scheme is socially unacceptable, because it does not comply with the rules that the pension-disposition imperatively prescribes.

VBC says further that there is unequal treatment of citizens here, or discrimination, because only this selected group can qualify for this exaggerated ample benefit for the old age.
The scheme that is fiscally extreme and not in accordance with the market is according to the VBC besides purely for the purpose of the own interest and leads to improper self-enrichment. “Local public funds or money of the Dutch taxpayer (via the debt restructuring) are not meant for this”, says the VBC. The knowingly worsen of the already precarious financial situation of Curacao can only be called indecent, arbitrary, and inferior financial government and is fatal for a sound investment climate. In conclusion, the VBC is of the opinion that it is ‘shameless, tasteless, below all standards and of a dubiously and condemnable ethical level’ that the ‘Silent Night, Holy Night’-tactic is used to approve the provision. Definitely not a good example from these office holders.

(Source: National newspaper Amigoe)

20 December, 2008