“For more than two and a half months, my question has been pending for the Minister to return to Parliament.”
WILLEMSTAD - “For over two and a half months, Parliament has been awaiting a response from the Minister of Economy, Mr. Ruisandro Cijntje, to provide follow-up on the meeting held on March 14, 2023, where the concerning situation at the DAMEN shipyard was discussed,” says Member of Parliament for MFK, Ramón Yung in a letter to the Minister.
Minister Ruisandro Cijntje requested additional time of a few weeks from Parliament, but in the meantime, it has been two and a half months without the Minister returning to Parliament to answer the questions raised during the initial session.
Last year, DAMEN offered voluntary retirement to around 78 employees, but recently DAMEN published several newspaper advertisements seeking new employees and individuals interested in enrolling in the training school (Bedrijfsschool).
Currently, DAMEN is in the process of negotiating a collective labor agreement with the PWFC union for a period of three years. However, according to information provided by the MP, the negotiations have reached an impasse, and DAMEN has threatened legal action.
The MP hopes that Minister Cijntje will understand the necessary respect for Parliament and will return to provide answers to the various unanswered questions.
Yung is concerned about the situation at DAMEN, taking into account persistent rumors that the financial situation remains delicate, and the parent company of DAMEN has indicated that DAMEN Curaçao will have to rely on its own resources in 2023 and may face financial losses.
There are clear indications that in order to salvage the shipyard, employees will need to make sacrifices, as otherwise achieving a positive outcome this year would be unlikely, which could result in a negative outcome that could jeopardize the future of the shipyard.
For these reasons, it is crucial for Minister Cijntje to come to Parliament and answer the series of questions he received during the initial session held on March 14, 2023, so that Parliament can have a comprehensive and clarifying view of the entire situation at DAMEN.
Furthermore, Parliament is eagerly awaiting the opportunity to gain insight into the contract signed with DAMEN, as there is still a lack of clarity and transparency regarding its contents.
This hampers Parliament's ability to access all the necessary information to ensure that DAMEN is fulfilling its commitments as outlined in the agreement.
The parliamentarian for the MFK faction urges Minister Ruisandro Cijntje to take swift action before the situation worsens.