WILLEMSTAD.- The financial situation of Isla Refinery is very delicate. In a meeting with the workers yesterday, the management informed them about the current situation. Sources informed EXTRA that during the meeting it was explained that if Isla does not receive more oil comes, Refinery will not be able to pay salaries for another 3 to 4 months.
Island Refinery spokesperson Earl Balborda informed EXTRA that they held a meeting with the workers yesterday, but that Refinería decided not to inform the Community of Curaçao about this for now, but maybe next week.
As is known, the financial situation of Isla Refinery is very delicate due to the lack of crude oil. Although last year Refinería guaranteed that they would respect the contract until the end of 2019, this year the situation that continues to get worse in Venezuela, put the Refinery in the position of not being able to keep that promise.
Already all the students who followed courses at the Refinery were let go and they asked all the contractors to reduce their expenses by 50%. It is a reality that Refinery has no crude to refine and on the other hand the border with Venezuela is completely closed.
Judge Peter de Kort issued a judgment suspending the Icarro tanker’s embargo. Icaro is a ship that sails between Curaçao and Venezuela bringing PDVSA crude to the island. Refinery was optimistic about how soon it could bring crude to Curaçao to turn the plant back on. But until now, neither Icaro nor another tanker can come to Curaçao to deliver crude oil. This has as a consequence that Isla Refinery cannot handle the production for many more months.
As is known, until this end of the year, the contract that Isla Refinery has to manage our company, will expire.
