When accepting a function as Minister in the government, according to the National Integrity Ordinance, the candidate must distance himself from his properties such as shares in a company. Dr. Steven Martina did not do this and apparently did not inform Eugene Rhuggenaath when he presented his government to the Governor. It was Rhuggenaath who presented the results of the screening process which was positive for all candidates to become minister in the newly formed government. Thus, Steven Martina was not actually ready to take on the job as minister of economic development. He still owned shares in the insurance company Guardian Group.

This was the essence of the investigation to determine whether Martina committed a crime or not. This is what the Public Prosecution was investigating. And they did determine that Martina committed a crime. That is why in their press release they state that they will dismiss the case under certain conditions.

The Public Prosecution concluded that Martina participated in decision-making in the Council of Ministers on a draft national ordinance that would change the rate of compulsory third-party insurance. Because Martina also owned shares in an insurance company at that time, he had a business interest in the decision to be taken. That is why he should not have taken part in that decision-making under the National Integrity Ordinance. Now that that has happened, a criminal offense has been committed, according to the Public Prosecution.

In the screening law it is written that a candidate minister is not allowed to have anything under his name that could cause a conflict of interest. Martina kept his shares under his name because these were up for sale soon (at that time). But the sale did not go through and Martina kept them. And that is the entire issue for the Public Prosecution. So, it is difficult to understand why the Public Prosecution dismissed the case and classified it as a ‘political issue’ that should be discussed among politicians. Just because the National Integrity Ordinance is something new? No! Martina should have been made an example and be prosecuted.

Now his party wants him back as minister and knowing Curaçao politics, he will pass the screening process and become minister. And that is how we want to build a strong country.