WILLEMSTAD — The State Secretary for Kingdom Relations, Ank Bijleveld-Schouten (CDA) concludes that a dialogue with the operator of the Isla-refinery, the Venezuelan PdVSA, is just not getting started. According to her, this is understandable in connection with an investigation into the social-economical consequences of various future scenarios of the refinery, amongst others, closure. "For that reason, I have offered to find out what the Dutch embassy in Venezuela could accomplish in this."
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The Board of Governors has insured Bijleveld that they – unimpeded the current civil and administrative process – ‘are working hard to actually start the measuring of the emission of the refinery per January 1st, 2010 and on that basis act accordingly’. A committee has been made responsible for the working-out of the implementing orders belonging to the Nuisance Act permit 1994, which amongst others enables the imposing of penalties.
From a letter, which Bijleveld forwarded to the Lower Chamber yesterday, it appears that the Isla-refinery is considered very important. She writes: "As with each opportunity presenting itself, this time I had also spoken with the government of the island territory Curaçao on the environmental problems of the Isla-refinery".
This time, the directors of Personnel and Organization, the Environmental Department as well as the directors of the government companies Refineria di Kòrsou, Aqualectra, and Curoil were also present during this conversation. "This gave me a good perception in the broad palette of the Curaçao efforts on environmental field", said Bijleveld.
The development of a long-term vision on the refinery has been included in the Social Economical Initiative (SEI). Bijleveld: "The Board of Governors has promised me that this vision-development will explicitly be included in a broader executed economical survey. This will occur under the responsibility of the Deputy of Economical Affairs and Tourism."
Bijleveld is positive about aforementioned developments and is pleased with the developments on environmental field. "For example, the Environment Department not only targets on the air quality, but will also invest in water and soil survey with the increased capacity as of next year. In addition, the most environment-polluted gasoline will be abolished as well as the most polluted diesel, after the necessary storage capacity has been realized. In due course, the installations from Aqualectra will use cleaner diesel, which will decrease the environmental affects even more."
Bijleveld also mentions that an ambitious energy policy has been agreed upon with the target to realize a 40 percent energy saving in 2020, just as a maximum effort on alternative energy.
"Regarding the latter, an effort is especially made for wind energy which is currently generating 6 percent of the capacity and with the building of two windmill parks which should generate up to 15 percent. In cooperation with the hotel sector, the possibilities for cooling with seawater will be worked out as well, and a ‘waste to energy power plant’ is being prepared." Solar-energy does not appear to be an economical cost-effective option yet, said Bijleveld. Therefore, Curaçao intends to approach the European Committee to research the subsidy possibilities.
Based on an agreement with the GGD Amsterdam – with financing from the SEI, equipment for the measuring of the air quality is currently being purchased. Preparations are also being made to install this equipment on site. GGD Amsterdam has trained a co-worker of the Environmental Department Curaçao so that the measuring data could be interpreted and maintained.
Additional capacity
The Board of Governors has agreed with an initial phase of one year for the support by DCMR Environment Rijnmond. Bijleveld "With my approval, additional funds with the SEI have been made available for this through re-allocation so that Usona can assess a financial proposal within short. Prior to the support from DCMR, the government wants to acquire additional capacity at the essential level in order to sink in the advising and safeguard the upholding in the long term. To this end, the government hopes to attract co-workers within short, amongst which a turn-around manager. The plans also include further training of the current personnel."
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The Board of Governors has agreed with an initial phase of one year for the support by DCMR Environment Rijnmond. Bijleveld "With my approval, additional funds with the SEI have been made available for this through re-allocation so that Usona can assess a financial proposal within short. Prior to the support from DCMR, the government wants to acquire additional capacity at the essential level in order to sink in the advising and safeguard the upholding in the long term. To this end, the government hopes to attract co-workers within short, amongst which a turn-around manager. The plans also include further training of the current personnel."