Page 11 - aruba-today-20230104

a11
local Wednesday 4 January 2023

Prime minister of Aruba to travel to Sint

Maarten for dialogue on democratic deficit

ORANJESTAD – Recently, Our reporter contacted the Wever-Croes explained
media in the Kingdom of prime minister of Aruba, Mrs. that on the agenda for this
the Netherlands reported Evelyn Wever-Croes, and meeting there is the topic of
that the prime ministers of she confirmed that Aruba democratic deficit, which is
Aruba, Sint Maarten and will indeed be present at a topic on which they have
Curaçao will be meeting the meeting between the already been discussing
with Dutch Secretary of prime ministers of Aruba, widely, seeing how there is
State for Kingdom Affairs, Curaçao and Sint Maarten a democratic deficit when
Alexandra van Huffelen this with Secretary of State Van it comes to making deci-
month in Sint Maarten, to Huffelen, and this will take sions within the kingdom of
dialogue on the democrat- place next week, January the Netherlands.
ic deficit within the king- 12 and 13, in Sint Maarten.
dom. “Many times the Nether-
lands imposes, the Nether-
lands decides, the Nether-
lands sets conditions and
then they say we went
along and agreed. Dur-
ing the pandemic we felt
this more than ever, and
we committed ourselves
so that when there is time,
after the pandemic, we set
this on the agenda, and it is
on the agenda right now”,
Prime Minister Wever-Croes
indicated.
of January in Sint Maarten, It is also expected that the
For Aruba, the prime min- each prime minister indi- draft for the kingdom law
ister indicated that they cates the expectations of for consensus for the estab-
began already before this, each country regarding lishment of the Caribbean
with consultations with dif- this topic. Body for Reform and De-
ferent organizations and She mentioned that she velopment (COHO) will be
stakeholders in the com- has heard some countries on the agenda. The version
munity, and they began saying that the democratic submitted by the Nether-
receiving their input also on deficit is eliminated com- lands met with strong re-
what they see as the dem- pletely when a country, sistance, which is a reason
ocratic deficit and how this for example in Curaçao, why Aruba, Sint Maarten
could be eliminated or min- has the same voice as the and Curaçao are sending
imized. Netherlands; and the Neth- alternatives.
Wever-Croes commented erlands said that this would
that based on all the input never happen, because Prime Minister Wever-Croes
and contributions that they the Netherlands represents indicated that regarding
are receiving, and they will more inhabitants than Cu- the topic of COHO, it is
continue receiving before raçao. “This means that it the case that indeed dur-
the 12th of January when is important for each of us ing the last meeting of ad-
the dialogue will begin, to have our expectations ministrative consultation in
they will fix Aruba’s position; well defined, because oth- June last year, which took
she said this is because it’s erwise, the deliberations place here in Aruba at a
not only important what become a failure”, she un- moment when Secretary of
the government things, derscored. State Van Huffelen and the
but also what stakeholders prime ministers of Curaçao
think is important. She added that for Aruba it and Sint Maarten were also
“We asked for the opinion is also very important – and on the island, it was agreed
and input of the Parliament she indicated that they that the countries of Aruba,
of Aruba, we asked the Uni- have already expressed Curaçao and Sint Maarten
versity of Aruba, the Foun- this in writing – that per- would prepare an alterna-
dation for Good Gover- haps the democratic defi- tive for COHO.
nance, and based on that, cit cannot be eliminated in
we are fixing our position”, the short term, but it is im- She said that Aruba al-
she indicated. portant in any case to be- ready prepared an alter-
gin with a decent dispute native in the form of a mu-
The prime minister empha- resolution, appropriate, in tual arrangement, and that
sized that it is a fact that which Aruba can feel that now the Netherlands, dur-
there is a big democratic if there is a dispute with the ing the meeting next week,
deficit within the kingdom Netherlands there is an ar- will give its commentary on
of the Netherlands, but rangement giving the is- the mutual arrangement
for Wever-Croes it is very land the right to be repre- presented by Aruba, Sint
important that during the sented fairly and fight their Maarten and Curaçao, on
meetings on the 12 and 13 case. which there is consensus.q