C A V E A T
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In an interview with, Angelo Meijer; the union representative from The Petroleum Workers Federation of Curacao (PWFC) which is a different union from The Union of Staff Employees of the Isla Refinery (APRI) and representatives; Errol Cova and Gherrel Remilia expressed that; on Wednesday, October 21st, they sent a letter to Curacao’s Prime Minister; Mr. Eugene Rhuggenaath, to organize a meeting about the Curacao Oil Refinery and about The Oil Refinery Interim Director; Mr. Marcelino “Chonky” De Lannoy. The meeting was scheduled for Monday, October 26th at 15:15 PM at the government office in Forti.
REQUEST “TO FIRE” THE INTERIM DIRECTOR
According to Mr. Meijer, “all the workers are worried, but they all have their heads in the same direction”.
According to Mr. Meijer: “the principal message for the meeting with Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath; on Monday; will be to expressed that, Project Management Organization (PMO) must go as well as Mr. “Chonky” De Lannoy must go, that is their position; referring to the workers!”
Mr. Meijer expressed; “Mr. De Lannoy; will also be present in the Monday meeting and he does not have any problem for Mr. De Lannoy to be present; because that way, they can “look each other in the face and speak the truth!”
Mr. Meijer stated, “he and the workers also want to speak about the embargo that Mr. “Chonky” De Lannoy has put on the Isla Oil Refineries products, and to see what the Prime Minister’s thoughts are on the matter of waivers.”
Mr. Meijer further stated; “Because in the past, Mr. De Lannoy said that he will not put any kind of embargo; in between; that the workers did not get their money. However, surprisingly; yesterday; as I understood on a television channel, Mr. De Lannoy said now he will commercialize.”
AN AUCTION WOULD NOT BE PROFITABLE!
Mr. Meijer, expounded that, “Mr. De Lannoy, must do an auction, and if the product cost Naf. 10, the product would be starting the bid at Naf. 7 and under.”
At publishing time, the exchange rate of Naf. 1.75 (Guilders) was equivalent to $1.00 USD
Mr. Meijer insisted; “the persons responsible for selling the products; in reality; were commerce and supplies of PDVSA of Venezuela; and no one else!”
Mr. Meijer clarified; “When Mr. De Lannoy put the embargo on the products, he cannot decide to just take them to commercialize them as he wants. He is obliged to go into auction with them and there also he will lose. As I tell you, they would need to start with 30% less from what the product cost on the market.”
PDVSA AND VENEZUELA IN THE PICTURE
Mr. Meijer highlighted, “The (Petróleos de Venezuela Sociedad Anónima) PDVSA personnel is here in Curacao, but; “Chonky” De Lannoy, is denying it; because he was not told about it; by his Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister; which is also; Mr. De Lannoy’s boss, knows that this PDVSA personnel, is here! Additionally, Mr. De Lannoy’s boss received the letter of Power that; the gentleman; the PDVSA personnel, must be able to speak; on behalf of and in the name of PDVSA; here in Curacao.”
Mr. Meijer accentuated, “PDVSA owes the workers and pensioners all together Naf. 37,000,000 (Guilders). From Mr. “Chonky” De Lannoy’s own mouth, I understood that; there is about $21 Million USD, in products; in the tanks. However, the embargo that Mr. De Lannoy put on is about Naf. 40 to 54 something thousand Guilders”.
Mr. Meijer emphasized, “because of the auction, and the fact that about 30% value will be lost; you will not get enough money to pay the workers”.
Mr. Meijer stressed, “Mr. De Lannoy should not forget that he gave away the Oil installation for $1 USD for a term of 60 years! And now; I heard that KLESCH Group, the company that got the deal for $1.00 USD, will go to war in legal claims against Mr. De Lannoy, and now Mr. De Lannoy is running to the government for guarantee”.
Mr. Meijer informed, “Klesch contacted us, and explained the reason why they will not come to Curacao. It was not because of COVID-19, but instead it was because of the almost dilapidated state of the Oil Refinery”.
Furthermore Mr. Meijer said, “I have solid proof to show that Mr. De Lannoy told me; to not speak with parliamentarians about this general oil refinery situation.”
Mr. Meijer further stated, “I informed the Prime Minister about this, but his only reaction was like, when someone is looking in your face and doesn’t say anything, but they continue looking at you for you to understand that they understood.”
The information that JJosepha News understood; was that at that point that Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath was informed by Mr. Meijer, that Prime Minister Rhuggenaath did not then inform the country of Curacao, that Klesch would not be coming to Curacao, to operate the Isla Oil Refinery. However, when Mr. Marcelino De Lannoy announced that Klesch would not be operating the Oil Refinery; the reason given was because of the COVID-19 pandemic impact.
Mr. Meijer alleged, “from the day that the Prime Minister recognized Juan Guaido; as the President of Venezuela; the matter about; they will come to give the humanitarian help came about, I questioned it”.
Mr. Meijer underscored the reality, “Prime Minister Rhuggenaath has problems speaking with the Venezuelans, because the Netherlands prohibits him from speaking with the Venezuelans”.
According to Curacao’s national Statues and The Charter of The Kingdom of The Netherlands in Article 3, this is the prevue of The Netherlands responsibility for international relations, not that of The Curacao Prime Minister. This is in much the same manner as Netherlands is responsible for “justice” on the island and regulates the nation’s purse; hence; The Netherlands is the final verdict on International relationships between Curacao and others; for now!
THE PEOPLE OF CURACAO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS!
Mr. Meijer elucidated, “this must stop, the money is the people’s money! RDK is the people’s company! The products in the tanks; are of the people, so we will not allow one man to massacre us the people!”
Mr. Meijer revealed, “because there is a lack of the Oil Refinery Operation, we are speaking today whiles, Curacao Towage Company (KTK); is speaking with more than 30 people to send them home unemployed!”
Mr. Meijer also commented, “Nobody else is gaining financially in this situation, except for a group of lawyers.”
WHAT IS MR. DE LANNOY AND PM RHUGGENAATH’S TRUE INTENTION, TO CLOSE THE ISLA?
Mr. Meijer explicated; “we wants the search for the new Oil Refinery Operator to be angelized and not to wait until March 2021 to reach a deal, as Mr. De Lannoy stated, if that does not happen, Meijer believe that Mr. De Lannoy’s intention is something else!”
Mr. Meijer insinuated that; by showing such actions, the intention in fact is to close the refinery, and this is something that Mr. De Lannoy denies.
MEIJER CLAIMED HE HAS PROOF OF MR. DE LANNOY’S TRUE INTENTIONS
Mr. Meijer hinted at Mr. De Lannoy’s true intentions; “I have proof; Mr. De Lannoy said to me; “if the refinery start now, it would be for five years and that would be it, he does not want for no one to come and put a lot of money in this because they will not have enough time to get their money from it!”
Mr. Meijer questioned; “when someone speaks like this, what idea does that person have?” In reference to the proof, Meijer stated, “I will go to the Prime Minister first and then I will let the entire world hear it!”
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