During a press conference at the headquarters of Utilities Aruba N.V., Parliamentarian Clifford Heyliger of the Aruban People’s Party (AVP) expressed deep concern over what he described as irresponsible and non-transparent handling of the Edward Cheung Centre for Innovation renovation project in Eagle.
According to Heyliger, the project was originally budgeted at 4 million Florins, but the total cost has now ballooned to 16 million Florins — four times the planned amount. “There was no business case, no defined process, no clear objective. Where did the other 12 million go?” he asked emphatically.
Heyliger stated that during construction there was a complete lack of oversight and control. “Any contractor could show up, receive direct instructions from the director, make changes to the work, and send invoices that were paid without question. That’s how public money is lost,” he said.
He emphasized that the 16 million Florins involved are government funds — therefore, people’s money. Between 2019 and 2023, Utilities Aruba N.V. generated 28.4 million Florins in dividends, yet none of it went back to the government. “While the government imposes new taxes and the people struggle with rising costs in supermarkets, hardware stores, and restaurants, 28 million Florins vanished without benefiting the public,” Heyliger declared, noting that the project still remains unfinished.
The parliamentarian also criticized the Board of Commissioners of Utilities Aruba N.V. and its affiliated companies, including WEB Aruba N.V., for failing in their supervisory duties. “Instead of protecting the public interest, they protected themselves,” he stated.
Heyliger further accused the board of altering its statutes after the government changed to safeguard their own positions. “That’s shameless. Some commissioners are already retired but want job security while many citizens remain unemployed. They want to hold onto power, keeping public companies from moving in the right direction,” he added.
He also referenced the case of Aruba Renewable Energies (ARE), a company managed by Utilities Aruba N.V., describing it as another politically motivated maneuver by the MEP government. “Thanks to pressure from the union and a complaint submitted to the public prosecutor, that plan was stopped,” he noted.
Heyliger warned that the government’s intention was to remove WEB Aruba N.V. from sustainable energy initiatives, giving Utilities Aruba control over major financial decisions at the people’s expense. “As a result, WEB lost seven years of renewable energy development — hundreds of millions of Florins that Aruba could have saved,” he said.
He concluded with a strong appeal: “The people voted for change and transparency. Political manipulation through state-owned companies must stop. If you’re with MEP, you should leave with MEP — these institutions belong to the people, not to a political party. What’s happening now is shameless, and I’m calling for a full investigation and accountability for the unnecessary spending that cost the people 16 million Florins.
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