During the IPKO meetings in the Netherlands, the Aruba delegation had two intensive days of discussions on various topics affecting the countries of Curacao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten (CAS). Parliamentarian Shailiny Tromp-Lee was pleased with the meetings and felt they went well.
In the meeting, Tromp-Lee emphasized the decisions that were made in 2022 and still remain unresolved. She pointed out that during the discussion in the subgroup, it was clear that a consensus had been reached on the “rijkswet” in May and September 2022, a point strongly supported by Sint Maarten’s Parliament President, Sarah Wescot-Williams. She referred to the agreements made in 2022 during the IPKO meetings. All four parliaments had agreed that the Parliament must be informed and involved at all times, and there should be consensus before any “rijkswet” is presented to the Kingdom Ministerial Council.
The decision was made in the subgroup to not proceed with further discussions on the consensus “rijkswet” until the COHO (Country Support Program) discussions were finished. The majority of parliamentarians emphasized that each country’s government must respect the parliament of each island, and the Parliament should be informed beforehand and during the process before any “rijkswet” is submitted to the Kingdom Ministerial Council.
Tromp-Lee hopes that the Aruba delegation, especially the AVP members, have gained more insight during this IPKO meeting. They learned the correct information regarding the agreements and the necessary steps to reach consensus before submitting the “rijkswet” to the Kingdom Ministerial Council.
The truth is that this IPKO was the first time the AVP delegation participated, and it was crucial for them to listen and understand what had been communicated to Aruba for a long time. However, the delegation did not seem willing to understand or listen. There was considerable frustration from Curacao, Sint Maarten, and the Netherlands during the IPKO, as they realized Aruba had not been properly informed for several days, leaving the community in confusion.
The Raad van State, through their representative Mr. Paul Comenencia, also provided an explanation regarding the consensus “rijkswetten.” It was emphasized that the government must involve its parliament and ensure that there is consensus within the parliament to prevent the mistakes of the past.
Tromp-Lee expressed her deep disappointment at the situation Aruba is facing and criticized the government for not following the IPKO decisions and the majority’s stance in the Aruban Parliament. Sadly, MEP has been trying to inform the community about the situation, while some parliamentarians have been misled by their own government and refuse to seek out the right information, persisting with the belief that Aruba is on the right path.
The reality of this process is that the government must involve the Aruban Parliament, especially considering the devastating impact this “rijkswet” could have on the island. The Parliament should have been consulted before any decision was made to submit this law to the Kingdom Ministerial Council.
During the IPKO meeting, MEP received support, and parliamentarians emphasized this point, with the Raad van State repeating the same concerns.
Unfortunately, the AVP-Futuro government has failed once again, just as it did in the past. Tromp-Lee calls for a solution but insists that it will require political maturity and action to fix the situation.
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