Dutch parliamentary party leaders on a visit to Curaçao have exhorted their colleagues in the Curaçao parliament to launch an extensive investigation of a report alleging corruption among members of Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte’s government.

The Caribbean island of Curaçao has been an autonomous nation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands since October 2010. The party leaders’ appeal was prompted by a report drafted by former Green Left leader Paul Rosenmöller which calls the integrity of Prime Minister Schotte and two of his ministers into question.

Earlier, a leaked memo from the Curaçao Security Service (VDC) listed as many as five ministers who were considered a security risk. One of them, Abdul Nasser el-Hakim, allegedly has ties with the Lebanese movement Amal which, in turn, has links with the Islamist party Hezbollah - classed as a terrorist organisation by some Western countries. Another minister, Rene Rosalia, has since resigned.

Gossip
Mr Rosenmöller urged the Curaçao government to investigate the situation further. However, the Curaçao parliament last week rejected his report as unacceptable.

The appeal by the Dutch party leaders was equally unwelcome. Dean Rozier, leader of Prime Minister Schotte’s MFK party, said the island nation’s relationship with the Netherlands was not good. “We don’t feel welcome in the Kingdom,” he said.

Eunice Eisden of coalition partner MAN labelled Rosenmöller’s report a "gossip report" which quotes 40 anonymous sources. “Nobody can verify anything, that is not how things work in a constitutional state.” She pointed out that parliament debated the report and reached a conclusion. Ms Eisden argued it would be undemocratic to reconsider that conclusion.

(gsh/imm)

© Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Paul Rosenmöller