WILLEMSTAD.- Trade Unions in action that have representation in Isla Refinery, namely: PWFC and APRI, will be in action. This, because they are not satisfied with the explanation that the Government gave them in breach of their wishes. This could be concluded from a meeting with the press that the two unions convened yesterday afternoon, in the framework of their actions this week. In principle, Mr. Gherrel Remilia, president of APRI, reacted to a letter issued by Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath, who said that the union is requesting the retirement of Mr. Clift Christiaan of the negotiating committee to include Mr. Errol Cova instead. Mr. Remilia said that he refutes that paper, since what they requested was that Mr. Errol Cova was integrated into the Commission and thus in this way the unions could have more representation and consequently be informed of the negotiations from its inception. For APRI believes that, if they have Cova as their representation from the start, the union can help put things straight when they are being diverted. In the case of these negotiations that seek to obtain a partner for Isla, the Union is informed that the decision has already been made, and consequently is at the zero point again.
Subsequently, Mr. Remilia reacted on the Government’s presentation, about the fact that Mr. Cova would have a conflict of interest if he were appointed within this committee, since he is in a team that is currently talking to PDVSA. The Unions consider that Cova can be in two committees at the same time, that is, both in which he is talking with PDVSA and in the one that is negotiating with “bidders” interested in Isla. The president considers that the Government should be ashamed that it is not they have contacts in Venezuela to attend to these matters at the governmental level and that they must always turn to mr. Cova to give them a hand in cases like these. It is remarkable that Mr. Remilia does not show appreciation for the good contacts that Mr. Cova would have in Venezuela for the welfare of Curaçao, but on the contrary, this only demonstrates the lack of contacts that the Government itself would have in Venezuela.
