WILLEMSTAD – Last week the Dutch MPs Hachchi (D66) and Van Raak (SP) presented two motions to the Minister of Kingdom Relations, Ronald Plasterk to persuade him to make the problems around the oil refinery in Curaçao a thing of the past. Plasterk did not agree with these motions and for this reason the local environmental organization SMOC had sent him a letter with relevant legal facts: the oil refinery is acting against the law and has never been held accountable for its actions.

With the necessary indolence Plasterk has always indicated that the oil refinery issue is a matter for autonomous Curaçao. Unfortunately, for Plasterk.

“He cannot play this trump card anymore after today. One of the two motions in fact, has been adopted by the Dutch Parliament. With this motion, the Dutch Parliament acknowledges the problems, both administratively and environmentally, has been going on for decades and that the Netherlands, through the Shell, was directly involved in the source of the problem.”

It is now up to Minister Plasterk, according to the adopted motion, to pro-actively, with Curaçao, seek for a lasting solution to the oil refinery problem. The Dutch government cannot look away anymore.

SMOC is willing to assist in this endeavor. According to the organization their efforts are to achieve clean air, clean water and clean soil.

Source: Curaçao Chronicle