PPA parliamentarian Eduard Pieters is urging the government to go beyond surface “clean-ups” and adopt a humane, structural policy to address Aruba’s growing street-addiction crisis. Pieters said last month’s police clean-up was only a temporary fix and stressed that addiction is a mental health disorder requiring professional treatment and rehabilitation, not criminalization or displacement.
He noted many people affected are former workers and parents who lost their way due to depression or personal problems, and should be treated with dignity.
PPA’s concrete proposals (from “Nos Aruba 2050”):
- Mandatory rehabilitation as part of sentencing for addicted offenders
- Compulsory treatment for those refusing voluntary help
- Public–private partnerships to guarantee jobs after rehab for reintegration
- Urgent reform of guardianship law to make it more therapeutic and humane
Pieters said his faction will submit formal questions to Minister Wyatt Ras seeking clarity on action plans and timelines under the AVP–Futuro governing agenda. He emphasized that people struggling with addiction deserve professional care and a path to a dignified life.
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