WILLEMSTAD - Political party PNP had other agreements with coalition partner MFK about tackling the sore points of the COHO (Caribbean Organ for Reform and Development) Kingdom Act. Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia (PNP) indicated in the media that she was surprised by Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas' letter to State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Alexandra van Huffelen.
Larmonie-Cecilia says she heard in the press about the letter that Pisas sent to Van Huffelen. In a conversation between Pisas, Larmonie-Cecilia and Van Huffelen in the Netherlands, it was previously agreed to set up a working group.
The working group, consisting of Dutch and Curaçao members, would discuss the seven sore points mentioned in the letter.
The deputy prime minister says she supports the contents of the letter, but regrets not having been informed by Pisas. In addition, Larmonie-Cecilia believes that Pisas should not have spoken on behalf of the Members of Parliament.
Last week the prime minister announced that the government of Curaçao wants to renegotiate the COHO agreement reached earlier. This after one and a half years of struggles.
Pisas proposed to convene a 'kingdom conference' to remove the sore points. The Prime Minister warns that the bill in its current form cannot count on sufficient support in Parliament.
According to Pisas, 'many' Members of Parliament, also from the coalition parties, have fundamental objections, partly because COHO would undermine the autonomy of the country. The undertaking by the Netherlands to co-invest is also not considered strong enough.