WILLEMSTAD - Five major trade unions on Curaçao are demanding an urgent meeting with the Council of Ministers following the controversial behavior of Finance Minister Javier Silvania (MFK) during a heated exchange with Tax Department Director Alfonso Trona.

The unions — ABVO, StrAF, Sitek, SAP, and NAPB — say the incident marks “the final straw” in what they describe as a pattern of abusive and inappropriate conduct within the Ministry of Finance.

During a joint press conference, union leaders condemned the minister’s actions as unacceptable and harmful to the morale of public servants.

“When a minister completely loses control in a meeting, it’s a sign he needs help,” said Sitek President Darius ‘Lio’ Plantijn, who compared Silvania’s behavior to “schoolyard bullying.”

Call for Cabinet Intervention

The unions are calling on the Council of Ministers to step in for two reasons: to ensure Minister Silvania receives professional support, and to assess whether other ministers also believe they stand above their civil servants.

“A minister does not have power — he has a mandate to serve the people,” Plantijn emphasized.

The unions plan to file a formal complaint against Minister Silvania. They view his outburst toward Trona as a symptom of a broader culture of intimidation and power abuse inside the Ministry of Finance.

The growing unrest within the public sector underscores a deepening crisis of confidence in the government’s leadership style, as calls for accountability continue to mount.