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local Saturday 13 May 2023

During the second day of the Caribbean Climate & Energy Conference (CCEC):

It is important for small island to work together more often to

resolve the challenges brought by climate change

(Oranjestad)—The second ends is in charge with all The Netherlands itself is a
day of the CCEC confer- issues concerning the Aru- country that resides below
ence on Thursday morning ban nature and environ- the water line, and it also
started with a speech from ment. He elaborated on feels the effects and risks
the Minister of Nature, Min- the importance of coop- of climate change. The
ister Ursell Arends. Aruba, eration and collaboration country is currently actively
along with the Netherlands between countries, in or- working to reduce these
organized the conference, der to promote sustainable damaging factors against
where in different repre- developments. The minister the environment, namely
sentatives, authorities and urged everyone present by reducing the carbon
experts from the Dutch Ca- to develop methods and footprint that the country
ribbean islands and around strategies that take into ac- produces and to promote
the world met—either in count future generations and educate the commu- Secretary of the United tween the small islands.
person or virtually—to dis- and that respond to the nity on the importance of Nations Climate Change And together with financial
cuss on the field of energy necessity of nature. sustainability and transition Secretariat, elaborated on instances, look for ways to
and climate. of energy. Finally, Minister the topic of climate and get the necessary funding
Dutch minister of Climate Jetten expressed that the energy, saying that this to sustain the actions need-
Minister Ursell Arends and environment, Rob Dutch kingdom is commit- conference is making way ed.
opened the conference Jetten, expressed that ted to work together for a for countries to better work Being small islands, there is
with a warm welcome to countries are currently go- solution. together for the big chal- a sentiment in all who par-
those present. The theme ing under water. Collective lenge we are currently fac- ticipated, that there is not
he elaborated on was the action is cardinal to ensure Mr. Selwin Charles Hart, ing. enough union between
impact of climate change the future of everyone on Special Adviser to the Sec- the islands to combat this
and the urgency to attend this planet. Furthermore, he retary-General on Climate After the speeches, 3 ses- problematic subject. Dur-
to the consequences of elaborated on the different Action and Just Transition, sions of work groups were ing the conference, it was
this on the environment of risks that the islands face. elaborated through a vid- assembles on the topics of expressed that without this
Aruba. Minister Arends ex- As a minister in charge of eo call on the challenges Transition of Just Energy, union, there is no way to
pressed that he acknowl- matters such as this, he ac- that climate change, the Creating Resilient Climatic achieve the goals neces-
edges that the challenges knowledges that there is transition of energy and the Ecosystems and Financing sary for the benefit of the
are multidimensional, and much to be done to “make role that the UN plays in this of Climate Action. In these small islands. The first CCEC
that is why there is a need up” for what has not been initiative. sessions, the participants conference is the first step
for a strategic plan to re- done earlier. discussed how to achieve to achieve this. q
solve this. As a minister, Ar- Mr. Simon Stiell, Executive more cooperation be-

John Wesley High School to close its doors;

students and teachers must be transferred

(Oranjestad)—The John Wesley High minister has no influence in. This is decided
School in San Nicolas, which falls under by management of the foundations under
the Protestant Christian Education which John Wesley High School forms part
Foundation Aruba (SPCOA), has been of. However, they have provided a safety
subject to discussions in the press in the net for the students and teacher; they
past few days. Our reporter has posed made sure that they could be transferred
different questions regarding this issue to to other nearby high schools.”
the Minister of Education, Endy Croes, but It was on April 19th that the students have
has yet to receive answers. sent a letter directed to Minister Croes
concerning the possible closure of their
During his last press conference on the school. In the letter, they pleaded to the because it is there for you no matter what. Teachers even
matter, Minister Croes assured that after minister to reconsider the closure before stay after school, or use their free time to give extra lessons
various discussions with SPCOA, they taking a final decision. or to provide extra support for the students. We are upset
presented a table written in a letter, They expressed that their tiny school is a that no one addressed this matter with us, or even asked
indicated the number of students that family. They have created a social media us about our interest, our rights. We as SMAD heard the
were attended the high school in the past account for the school in order to gain concerns of every student,” the document read.q
few years: “In 2018 or 2019, the school more entries of students and consequently
only had 225 students, which was still reduce the current expensive tuition.
permissible by law. Unfortunately, this year “We are members of the student council
has only seen a total of 64 students,” Croes SMAD, Students Making a Difference. We
stated. established this council this year to make
For this, he explained that you cannot run sure that our voice is heard concerning our
a school with this tiny number of students. education. The reason we sent this letter is
This would mean a loss in money, because to share our point of view on why we think
the operation cannot be sustained for the school should remain operational.
much longer. There is a possibility to raise Our main concern is to lose the comfort
the tuition from 700 Aruban florins to 1,000 we acquired while attending. The reason
florins, “but this is a decision that the why we want to keep the school running is