Finance Minister Richard Gibson has a point when saying the Criminal Code stipulates that any cabinet member who knowingly signs documents obligating Government to give out funds
when none are available is punishable by law with up to three years in prison (see related story). He was talking about the demands made by public sector unions NAPB and ABVO regarding pending promotions and payments for uniformed services.
On the other hand, failing to comply with rules, regulations and agreements regarding the functions and benefits of civil servants is not exactly correct either, particularly when this has been the situation already for a long time. The fact that it involves law enforcement personnel on whom society to a large degree depends for its security makes the situation even worse.
Moreover, the revelation of corresponding paperwork apparently getting lost hardly inspires confidence, especially when this is said to be a problem throughout Government. After all, if official documents can “mysteriously disappear” as claimed, what does that say about the quality of the administration?
The good news is that it turns out decisions already were taken on some of the cases in question, while others were not yet completed and may have to wait until January. The latter is not quite what the unions had been told earlier this week when there was the threat of industrial action, but they too must realise that if things are not done by the book it could create problems, including for those concerned themselves in the future.
A draft budget 2016 is being prepared meanwhile, from which some 10 million guilders had been cut to make it balanced. It is important that whatever adjustments needed to arrange these still pending matters are made sooner rather than later, so they don’t end up on the back burner once again.
