WILLEMSTAD - The dissatisfaction of protesters in Curaçao is about more than austerity. The prime minister considers the measures for the Dutch aid package to be 'unrealistic'.
A week ago, Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath was taken away from Fort Amsterdam under heavy police protection. Outside, more than a hundred furious protesters, including youth and workers, were ready to rush in. "I was very worried about what was going on outside. I tried to enter into a dialogue and invited a delegation of protesters to speak, but they refused,” says Rhuggenaath.
The prime minister looks back on the events from Willemstad. The riot team deployed tear gas and dozens of people were arrested. Troubled days followed with looting, vandalism, and arson by disorganized groups.
Rhuggenaath condemns it as criminal behavior, but he understands the deeper dissatisfaction of the protesters. This stems from the strict austerity measures that his government must take to be eligible for a support package of 190 million euros from the Netherlands, in the form of a loan.
Undersecretary Raymond Knops of the Interior and Kingdom Relations promised in mid-May that the Netherlands will help the islands of Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten now that the inhabitants financial trouble and the economy is collapsing due to the corona crisis. But under strict conditions: ministers and members of parliament must hand in 25 percent of their salary and civil servants 12.5 percent.
"I am delighted that we, ministers and members of parliament, should make cutbacks," says Rhuggenaath. "However, it is not possible to ask all civil servants and workers in the public sector - including nursing staff - to hand in fringe benefits during an emergency. A large part of them barely make ends meet. Moreover, we have not been consulted at all, and we need to take these measures through quickly. It is unrealistic.”
Refinery and Venezuelans
Nevertheless, Rhuggenaath signed the agreement within a few days in May, because otherwise there would be no financial support. Although it now seems a bit quieter on the island and Dutch soldiers and police from Aruba and Bonaire have been deployed, there are still tensions.
Curaçao has been burdened for a long time by the sum of problems. In addition to corona, the crisis also affects oil refinery Isla. It has been idle for months and jobs of hundreds of employees are at risk. After the agreement with the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA expired last year, Curaçao signed a deal with a new partner, the German Klesch Group. However, due to Covid-19, it is unclear if and especially when that company will take over the refinery.
The years of problems with tens of thousands of Venezuelans who have fled to Curaçao, who have come since the neighboring country is in a humanitarian and political crisis, are also pressing. Due to the disturbances of last week, Curaçao threatens to enter a vicious circle. Since 1 July, the airspace has been opened again for flights from several countries including the Netherlands.
"Calmness on the island is crucial, otherwise the tourists will stay away," says Rhuggenaath. "We really need them to get our economy back on track and create jobs again. Since mid-March, 16,000 people in the tourism sector have lost their jobs. There is a chance that half of our population will become unemployed.”