WILLEMSTAD–Former President-director of Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten Emsley Tromp claims the Dutch Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations applied pressure on then St. Maarten Minister of Finance Richard Gibson to dismiss him.

In an interview with Radio Direct, Tromp said at the time Curaçao’s Finance Minister Jose Jardim initially did not get support in this matter from his counterpart and co-CBCS shareholder representative in Philipsburg. The still pending assets division of the dismantled Netherlands Antilles was subsequently used to twist the latter’s arm.

Tromp also revealed that then Attorney General Guus Schram told Gibson the prosecution had to investigate the CBCS-president until they found some unlawful act to charge him with.

Tromp regrets what happened. He was accused of tax fraud because of the no-longer-allowed fiscal setup of his personal pension fund, but insisted he wasn’t aware it had become impermissible.

Both the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeals agreed there was no demonstrable intent and he was ultimately cleared of all charges.

Bron; Daily Herald