rmdir('/unix_path/to/dir') not working with 5.18.1?

I am trying to get the GNU make 4.0.90 self tests run on VMS, and they 
are written in perl.

I am making some progress, but have found some issues.

I can not seem to do a rmdir() of an absolute or relative Unix path with 
Perl 5.18.1.

I have worked around the issue by replacing the rmdir() builtin method 
with one that translates the filename to VMS format and then calls 
unlink().

LION> perl  --version

This is perl 5, version 18, subversion 1 (v5.18.1) built for VMS_IA64

LION> show log decc$*

(LNM$PROCESS_TABLE)

   "DECC$EFS_CASE_PRESERVE" = "ENABLE"
   "DECC$EFS_CHARSET" = "ENABLE"
   "DECC$FILENAME_UNIX_NOVERSION" = "ENABLE"
   "DECC$FILENAME_UNIX_REPORT" = "ENABLE"
   "DECC$READDIR_DROPDOTNOTYPE" = "ENABLE"

LION> show log perl_*

(LNM$PROCESS_TABLE)

   "PERL_ROOT" = "LION$DKA0:[SYS0.SYSCOMMON.perl-5_18.]"


I also noticed that opendir('/search_list/directory') fails when 
'directory' is only in the first member of the search list.  I am not 
sure what the issue there is.  I think the solution for that will be 
more complex.

I have worked around that issue by decoding the search list and 
recreating the path to used for opendir.

Regards,
-John
Personal Opinion Only