Page 7 - aruba-today-20220928

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local Wednesday 28 september 2022

Minister of Labor, Energy and Integration met with OFAC and

Department of Treasury in Washington

Aruba is looking for solutions to regulate the price of water and electricity

ORANJESTAD – Aruban min- The reason why Aruba is
ister of Energy, Mr. Glenbert approaching the United
Croes together with the States with the request spe-
Plenipotentiary minister of cifically to purchase heavy
Aruba in Washington, Mrs. fuel oil from Venezuela is
Joselyn Croes held a meet- because there are indica-
ing with representatives of tions that the discount that
various departments of the the government of Aruba
American government. The can get on heavy fuel oil
goal of these meetings was from Venezuela is so great
to ask the American gov- that it can help bring down
ernment for consideration, the price of water and
understanding and support electricity on the island.
for the request of the gov- This will provide relief to the
ernment of Aruba for FSMA/ community of Aruba for the
RdA to purchase heavy fuel following 30 months while
oil from Venezuela. Eagle LNG is implementing
its project so that WEB can
Aruba, like the whole switch to gas, according to
world, is going through dif- a press release. Once WEB
ficulty because of the en- is no longer dependent on
ergy crisis, caused by the heavy fuel oil, the price of
invasion of Ukraine by Rus- water and electricity will go
sia. The price of oil is high, down permanently. a big difference for a small they can work on the re- Utilities absorbed the price
and it means that prices of island like Aruba, with sup- quest through diplomatic increase for water and
fuel is also increasing, in- Minister Croes expressed port of the platform of the channels. The Council of electricity, pushing the
cluding the heavy fuel oil that the meetings in Wash- Dutch Kingdom, having the Ministers will be informed state companies in a diffi-
that FSMA/RdA (refinery of ington were positive and strength and opportunity so before the formal request cult financial situation.
Aruba) has to purchase to he thanked Mrs. Joselyn that Aruba can be heard in goes out to the American
sell to WEB Aruba NV (elec- Croes and her team at the the United States. government. “The cost of life in Aruba
tricity and water produc- Dutch Embassy in Wash- and the whole world is sky
tion plant), which in turns ington for organizing these Minister Glenbert Croes will The government of Aruba high, and it is our task as a
creates a price increase meetings. The preparatory be in meetings and com- is aware that the need to government to do our ut-
for water and electricity, meetings began from Aru- munication with the Dutch reduce the cost of water most effort to bring down
heavily affecting our com- ba, and with the staff at the Embassy in Washington and electricity is urgent. all aspects of the cost of life
munity and economy. Dutch Embassy that is sup- so that, together with the For many months, ELMAR affecting our community”,
porting Aruba. This made Plenipotentiary minister, (Electricity Company) and minister Croes said.

Aruban minister of Justice met with State Secretary for Justice and

Security of the Netherlands

ORANJESTAD – Yesterday ister of Labor, Integration eigners regards different cussed the subject of the judicial security council is
afternoon, the Aruban min- and Energy, Mr. Glenbert facets and falls under vari- spending plan for the immi- evaluating the possible im-
ister of Justice and Social Croes met with the State ous ministries, it was cho- gration chain, the reopen- pact of the reopening on
Affairs, Mr. Rocco Tjon to- Secretary for Justice and sen to held a meeting in this ing of the border with Ven- asylum and security on our
gether with his colleagues, Security of the Netherlands, constellation. ezuela and possible future island and in general, thus
prime minister Mrs. Evelyn Mr. Eric van der Burg. See- collaborations. According it is a topic that needs fur-
Wever-Croes and the min- ing that the subject of for- Among others, they dis- to a press release it was an ther evaluation in order to
extremely positive meeting, come with a policy plan to
where they discussed the execute this in due time.
cooperation that Aruba is
receiving from the Neth- Finally, they also discussed
erlands regarding asylum, the subject of possible col-
aspects of migration and laboration in the near fu-
immigration regarding our ture, and here they spoke
border control. of aspects of detention and
forensic care for detainees,
Regarding the reopening as well as receiving techni-
of the border with Venezue- cal help regarding asylum.
la, both the government of Aside from this, they also
Aruba and the Netherlands discussed human traffick-
are aware that the reopen- ing and human smuggling,
ing will take place eventu- and explained the chal-
ally; however, the security lenges in this area in the
of our border and security context of the TIP-report is-
on our island remains a sued by the United States.
priority. In this context, the