“Monorath acted on the instructions of the resolution,” Brunswijk stated during the DNA meeting. The ABOP chairman was responding to questions earlier raised by DNA member Mahinder Jogi about the financial affairs within TAS and the employment contract that Monorath, as supervisory board chairman at the time, had offered to Jap-A-Joe.
The issue concerns, among other things, whether Monorath was authorised to offer an employment contract on behalf of TAS. Under the TAS Act, the Minister of Transport, Communicatie en Toerisme (TCT; Transport, Communications and Tourism) is charged with implementing the relevant legal provisions. Brunswijk, however, states that Monorath was authorised under an approved resolution to carry out certain actions.
Brunswijk refers to resolution
According to Brunswijk, the resolution in question explicitly states that the supervisory board chairman was charged with implementation. He therefore disputes that Monorath acted on his own initiative. “He was instructed by the shareholder to carry out matters, and that is what he did,” Brunswijk said.
The ABOP chairman stressed that the missives in question had, in his view, been approved and that Monorath acted in accordance with the resolution. Brunswijk acknowledged that the TAS Act designates the TCT minister as responsible for implementation. However, he pointed out that the resolution, which was approved during a government meeting, specifically charged Monorath with implementation. “He did not act in violation of the law,” Brunswijk told parliament.
Jogi seeks clarification on money flows
DNA member Mahinder Jogi was not satisfied with the explanation given and asked additional questions about TAS’s financial management. Among other things, he wanted to know how much money had been transferred from the authority’s funds to third-party bank accounts. Jogi also sought clarification about possible payments for foreign travel. “Were airline tickets to the Netherlands paid for? To Bali? Was 40 thousand or 40 million euros spent?” the parliamentarian asked.
With his questions, Jogi called for greater transparency regarding the spending of TAS financial resources. The amounts and possible payments mentioned by him are not substantiated by financial documents in the information provided.
Mathoera points to legal provisions
DNA member Krishnakoemarie Mathoera also raised questions about the course of events surrounding Jap-A-Joe’s employment contract. According to Mathoera, Article 4, paragraph 4 of the TAS Act stipulates that the director’s employment conditions are determined by the TCT minister, after approval has been granted by the Raad van Ministers (Council of Ministers). “Did that happen in this case?” Mathoera asked.
She also pointed out that the TAS Act imposes restrictions on the director holding additional positions. According to Mathoera, the law was also violated on that point.
