Saleh’s function as Minister of State under pressure

WILLEMSTAD — Almost twenty years after he became Minister of State for the Netherlands Antilles, Jaime Saleh is under threat to lose this honorary title. Prime-Minister Gilmar Pisas gave the 82-year old former Attorney-General and Governor until September 30 to give it up voluntarily. Otherwise the government will “take the necessary steps to prevent societal escalation around the problems with Ennia.”

The interim ruling of the Common Court of Justice of September 12 shows that Saleh, as supervisory director of the beleaguered Ennia Group received almost 3 million guilders for this function between 2008 and 2018.

A day later MP Sheldry Osepa (PNP) questioned whether the position of Saleh as Minister of State is sustainable. On the same day, Pisas wrote a letter to Saleh asking him to voluntarily give up the title.

“It is for the government impossible to keep your honorary title in place, considering your function as a role model,” Pisas wrote.

Press Agency Curacao reported that Saleh was a confidante of Ennia’s major shareholder Hushang Ansary and that he had not done enough to stop him from plundering the insurance company, while he was well aware of what Ansary was doing.

Saleh is a former attorney-general, lawyer and president of the Common Court of Justice. In 2004 he received the honorary title of Minister of State for the Netherlands Antilles. Since 2010 he holds the same title for country Curacao. Pisas asked Saleh in his letter to be reluctant when he takes part in public activities (like Prinsjesdag, when the Dutch government presents its budget for 2024) whereby he will be introduced as Minister of State.

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Related links:
Letter Pisas to Saleh
Regering Curacao pakt oud-gouverneur Saleh titel Minister van Staat af