WILLEMSTAD - The Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) launched an investigation immediately after the October 2 leak of an explosive audio recording capturing a heated altercation between former Minister of Finance Javier Silvania (MFK) and Receiver of Taxes Alfonso Trona.
The investigation mentioned in the October 15 agreement between the MFK party leadership and Silvania — after which the minister resigned — is indeed being carried out by the OM. It focuses on the confrontation between Silvania and Trona, including the serious mutual accusations of corruption exchanged during their dispute.
For weeks, both the Pisas government and the OM remained silent on the matter. However, in a recent declaration Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas confirmed that the investigation concerns the incident between his former Finance Minister and the top civil servant Trona, as well as the allegations made by both men.
Why the declaration is only coming now remains unclear. “We want the investigation to run its course, but we also want to avoid a situation where a minister becomes a suspect,” Pisas stated. He added that he doubts Silvania will ultimately be treated as a suspect, but to prevent any controversy, the popular minister decided to step aside.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the decision was also meant to protect the reputation of the ruling MFK party. “That was our concern. We don’t want to be caught off guard,” he said. When asked whether Silvania could return to his ministerial post if cleared by the OM, Pisas replied that the MFK’s second-in-command could come back “stronger and with renewed energy.” For now, however, Silvania remains on the sidelines, though the party has already reserved a seat for him in Parliament.
Despite this, Pisas does not expect Silvania’s swift return to the Council of Ministers, as the party is likely to appoint new ministers for both Finance and Health, Environment and Nature (GMN). The Prime Minister explained that he does not want to overburden the current ministers by assigning them multiple portfolios.
According to Pisas, both Silvania and Trona were summoned shortly after the leaked audio became public to provide statements and submit documents to the OM’s investigative division, the Landsrecherche Curaçao (LrC). The questioning reportedly lasted almost an entire day.
While the Prime Minister admitted that some of Silvania’s remarks in the audio “were unacceptable,” he still voiced strong support for his former minister. “I see a future leader in him. Silvania has grown tremendously,” Pisas said, adding later: “I’m grooming him for 2029,” referring to the next regular parliamentary elections.
Silvania was one of MFK’s most prominent figures, holding multiple portfolios during his tenure — Finance, Health, Environment and Nature (GMN), and previously Social Development, Labor and Welfare (SOAW). According to Pisas, he entrusted these responsibilities to Silvania so he could “deliver results.”
The Prime Minister recalled that during the last election campaign, fellow MFK minister Charles Cooper warned Silvania: “Be careful — don’t make mistakes. You’re our showpiece. You’re the one who’s going to bring in all the votes for us.”
