WILLEMSTAD - Refineria Isla expects to pay out the first part of the redundancy scheme to the former employees. That is two weeks later than was agreed with the trade unions.
The Refineria Isla, subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company PdVSA agreed with the PWFC and Apri unions that the redundancy payment would be made in five equal parts of 20 percent each.
There were some conditions set out for these payments. For example, the payment of the first tranche would only happen once the Tax Inspectorate had issued a "tax ruling". The letter that human resources manager Lucas Beaujon sent last week to the more than 900 staff members who are eligible for a redundancy scheme now shows that a request for a favorable tax arrangement has recently been submitted, after several conversations between Isla, the consultant and the Tax Inspectorate and that the unions have proof of this. But there is still no question of a tax ruling.
According to Beaujon, everything is focused on making the second payment in the first week of March. “Isla will adhere to the agreements as decided in the Mutual Agreement that has been signed with each of you", as the letter to the employees states.
The agreements on the payment of the redundancy scheme are laid down in an annex which, like the agreement, was signed by Refineria Isla, chairman Angelo Meyer of Petroleum Workers Federation of Curaçao (PWFC) and Gherell Remilia, chairman of Asosiashon pa Personal Staff di Refineria Isla ( Apri).
In this document, "Attachment 2", the second and third payment is expected in the first week of March and the first week of April. But that is only possible in both months if the sale of the petroleum products that are still stored in the Isla tanks yields an amount equal to 20 percent of the redundancy plan.
Fuel distributor Curoil is currently negotiating with Isla and PdVSA about the purchase of these residual products.