WILLEMSTAD--Between 22 and 44 million Netherlands Antilles guilders were wrongly paid to Curaçao civil servants last year.
Random checks showed that between 5 to10 per cent of in total NAf. 440 million was dished out in an incorrect manner. According to Minister of Administration, Planning and Service BPD Armin Konket, this is due to inadequate control of the personnel and salary administration.
He said further investigation is to determine the actual amount involved in unlawful payments and that the country would try to claim the money back. It regards salaries, but also bonuses, allowances, profit sharing and overtime.
In 2016, the General Audit Chamber already warned that irregularities had been noted. They said of all the cases looked at, only 25 per cent complied with the rules and procedures.
Following that statement a probe was initiated by government accountant SOAB that is supposedly still ongoing.
Two senior officials from BPD were reportedly sent home in connection with this matter. It apparently concerns the heads of the salary administration and of human resources.
They would not have fully cooperated in SOAB’s inquiry into the payment of public sector employees. However, Konket says there was no fraud or breach of duty.
