WILLEMSTAD - Environmental organization SMOC announced this weekend that CORC, the potential new operator of the refinery, has "made a false start." In a press release, CORC indicated on Friday that in the event of a possible restart of the Isla, it wants to work on a gradual improvement of the environmental conditions until the best international standards are met. SMOC points out that CORC does not have time. Two years ago, the court ruled that the government must ensure that the refinery meets modern environmental standards by September 1, 2020.
As is known, however, the government has appealed against this. The Court will rule on this today. According to SMOC, "it is up to the Court to prevent the government from giving CORC free rein for years to come, à la PdVSA, to expose the residents under the smoke to smelly emissions full of disease and carcinogens."