A list published yesterday revealed the names of state-owned companies that so-called did not contribute to the FASE funds.
Confusion. Resentment. Outrage.
If you recall earlier this year the Dutch announced GOA had to tighten its belt, lower its expenses and those of the state-owned companies and foundations, such we WEB, SETAR, ELMAR, Aruba Airport, Aruba Port Authority, FCCA, AZV, RDA, CBS, etc.
Because of the blasted pandemic, GOA’s glaring wasteful ways were exposed and it was promptly instructed to introduce austerity, across the board.
GOA and its dependents bickered and argued at how large a salary reduction would be convenient slash appropriate, while thousands of locals lost their job in the private sector.
The pampered and protected unionized public sector was asked to give up a pitiful 12.5%, some more some less, they ALL did.
Then GOA came up with the brilliant idea, that perhaps that money, saved from payroll and benefits could be transferred to GOA’s coffers to help finance the FASE program, in which those who lost their job in the private sector could still collect a small stipend each month.
It was a request, not an instruction.
Some state-owned companies that cut their payroll transferred the amount saved to GOA to sustain FASE. Some did not, and used the funds to prop up their depleted cash flow. The failing state-owned entities such as Arubus, Post Aruba and Serlimar, titter-tottered on the brink of extinction, the others just hurt.
They found themselves stuck with huge overheads and declining income, we had no tourists, water and electricity consumption dropped, locals stopped paying their bills due to lack of income, state held companies saw their income declining to dangerous levels.
As expected, MinPres announced that salary reductions will remain in effect through 2021 and are a do-or-die Dutch CONDITION.
That’s why the letter sent this week by Luis Oduber of WEB was so surprising, he said he was no longer withholding deductions and funneling the funds to FASE, because not all companies participate.
Luis honey, one has nothing to do with the other. All state-owned companies must slash expenses as per our agreement with the Dutch, we cannot go back to the wasteful past.
That thing of supporting FASE, was an option, a clever suggestion by GOA to perhaps collect an advance on their future dividend.
And of course if WEB announces that it is tired of economizing and fed up with austerity, all other GOA unions will probably follow. The SIWA union historically sets the tone.
THESE PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE DIRE SITUATION WE’RE IN. Not complying with reductions in ridiculously wasteful state-owned companies will have serious consequences. The WEB employees with their SEVENTEEN-salary year, and the lousy service they deliver, must see the light.
How?!
GOA could turn all of us into independent solar & wind energy producers, for example, we could all make our own water and electricity and get rid of the monopolistic, EXPENSIVE, old-school energy providers, that hold us hostage.
But no, the system is rigged, fighting change and technology to preserve the way things were. The private sector paying for a mammoth public sector frozen in time.
Liberate the energy market, take monopolism apart!!!