Payoke cracks under Borealis case: director Klaus Vanhoutte has to resign (Antwerp)
It was announced on Friday that aid organization Payoke no longer wants to continue with director Klaus Vanhoutte, who is currently on sick leave. The resignation comes at a difficult time, just after the outbreak of the Borealis case, one of the largest human trafficking cases ever in our country. Payoke chairman Hans De Ceuster regrets that not all payments of economic exploitation could be absorbed. Vanhoutte stands for his diplomatic approach, the board of directors wants to act more decisively.
David Van Turnhout
“At Payoke we had been looking at how we could reform our organization for some time,” explains de Ceuster. “We also noted that we met with the board of directors and want to move in a more activist direction. That was not entirely in line with the vision and approach of director Klaus Vanhoutte.”
The fact that the roads between Payoke and Vanhoutte are now splitting comes at a very unexpected moment, just after the eruption of the economic exploitation case at chemical company Borealis in the port of Antwerp. “It is terrible for every social worker at Payoke to see that not every victim in this case,” continues De Ceuster. “We were prepared for a situation with so much. Although economic exploitation is increasing in our country and we have seen a crisis like this one for a long time,” it sounds.
Vanhoutte is known in policy circles for his diplomatic approach. Payoke now wants to pound the table harder for more resources. “It is difficult for us that there was not an immediate solution for all victims in the Borealis case,” said de Ceuster. “The fact that the grantors are demonstrating in front of our gate and their lawyer offered us in default hit each grantor right in the heart.”
“Emergency shelter is a total failure”
At the end of August, the aid organization let out a loud cry for help. With no goals to close them by the end of the books. Together with the city of Antwerp, Payoke shot large sums to accommodate more than a hundred of economic exploitation. At that time, the account had already risen to more than 300,000 euros. Vanhoutte, together with mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA) and the council of aldermen, asked Vanhoutte in a letter to competent minister Hilde Crevits (CD&V) to pay the costs there. However, the cabinet continues to point to the federal points, consistently the file is still stuck to this day. Without intervention, they are again without a roof over their heads in October.
According to Koen Dewulf, director of the Federal Migration Center Myria, jurisdiction discussions are detrimental to both research into human trafficking and the reception of people. This gives organizations the opportunity to reorganize and erase evidence. “As far as the reception of problems is concerned, we can only conclude that the organization of the emergency shelter of all entitled persons has taken place heavily. While some has already happened at the federal level, there is a strong need for more extended follow-up rather than jurisdictional discussions.”
Klaus Vanhoutte says in a short response that the fight against human trafficking remains a personal priority for him. Despite our differences of opinion, I wish Payoke every success in our joint fight against human trafficking and the reception of people.