ORANJESTAD (AAN): Government Mediator Mr. Anselmo Pontilius has raised serious concerns regarding several companies in Aruba that are failing to deposit SVB (Social Insurance Bank) premiums despite deducting these amounts from employees’ salaries.
In an interview with DIARIO, Pontilius stated that it is long overdue for SVB authorities to take firm responsibility for monitoring and ensuring that employers comply with their legal obligation to remit both the deducted employee contributions and the employer’s share on a monthly basis.
“This situation is urgent because we have identified multiple cases where employers are not complying, while employees believe their premiums have been properly deposited with a pension or insurance institution,” Pontilius explained.
He further noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, SVB data revealed how many workers across Aruba were not registered under any system. While he believes the situation has improved since then, he emphasized that ongoing issues remain.
“We continue to receive information indicating that a number of workers — on a small island like ours — either allow this to happen, fail to monitor it, or are unable to properly verify compliance. This must now become a deeper priority,” Pontilius said. He questioned whether the Department of Labor (DPL) alone should bear this responsibility, or whether a multi-agency inspection commission — similar to those used in the past — should be reintroduced to conduct on-site compliance checks and enforce labor laws.
Pontilius stressed that workplace security and social protection are extremely serious matters, as failures in these areas can have devastating consequences for workers and their families.
“It’s not only about who will pay after an accident occurs, but about what can be prevented beforehand — prevention plays a crucial role,” he emphasized.
He concluded by stating that there is no doubt that the relevant authorities must act more decisively. While acknowledging that DPL is currently undergoing a reorganization process, he suggested stronger collaboration with the police force and other regulatory and inspection bodies, such as DTI, to ensure consistent monthly monitoring across all sectors.
“You cannot allow violations to continue when you know they are happening,” Pontilius firmly stated.
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