WILLEMSTAD - Earlier this week, approximately 950 former employees of the refinery ceded to the unions at the request of the unions Apri and PWFC the amount they still have to receive in cessantia (severance pay) from Refineria Isla.
Now the unions want to seize the oil products that Refineria Isla still has on the Refineria di Kòrsou (RdK) site through a lawsuit, which will probably take place next week. The unions, for example, want to try to get the total amount that Refineria Isla still owes the former employees. It concerns a total amount of 27 million guilders.
That is what Apri chairman Gherrel Remilia indicated. Remilia says that they are rushing the matter and that the unions want to realize the seizure before May 28, because on that date RdK will auction the oil products.
If the products are sold at the auction, it will be disadvantageous for the former employees because the amount that the oil products yield at auction will have to be divided between all creditors of Refineria Isla, including RdK. The distribution of the proceeds takes place according to the size of the debt that Refineria Isla Curaçao has with each party.
The unions are represented in this case by the law firm of Ornelio "Kid" Martina who is currently a candidate minister for the coalition party PNP.