According to Evelyn Wever-Croes, the parliamentary debate on the 2026 national budget is a reason for optimism, as Aruba now has the financial capacity to invest back into the community—particularly those who need it most.
“I have worked on budgets for 15 years, and today we truly have reason to be positive,” Wever-Croes said. “Thanks to the sound financial management of our government, there are now funds available for the current government to implement its vision.”
She recalled a conversation with Prime Minister Mike Eman during the transfer of government nine months ago, noting that he thanked her for restoring Aruba’s financial stability.
“I told him that as long as the money is given back to the community—especially to those who need it most—there will be no problem. That is exactly why these funds were generated: to give back to the people.”
Wever-Croes expressed appreciation to former Minister Xiomara Maduro and her team for their vision and determination in placing Aruba back on a responsible financial path. She also thanked current Minister of Finance Geoffrey Wever for continuing that policy, as well as civil servants from the Departments of Finance, Taxation, Legislation, Economy, and other government professionals.
Concerns Over Parliamentary Process
Despite the positive financial outlook, Wever-Croes raised serious concerns about how the 2026 budget discussions were handled in Parliament.
“Unfortunately, this optimism is under pressure,” she stated. “As we mark 40 years of Parliament, the new parliamentary approach has taken us more than 10 years backward.”
She criticized the limited time allocated for parliamentary questioning, noting that MPs were initially given only three minutes per ministry, later extended to 3.5 minutes after protest.
Under the Wever-Croes administration, budget transparency rules were reformed to allow two ministries per session, with 20 minutes per ministry for parliamentary questions—making debates more effective, transparent, and accessible to the public.
Wever-Croes warned that the current approach poses a serious risk to democracy, pointing out that:
- Around 80% of parliamentary questions go unanswered
- Ministers fail to attend requested meetings
- The Vice President of Parliament allegedly obstructed her faction’s work, contrary to the Constitution
“For me, limiting debate time to three minutes is a serious blemish on the 40th anniversary of Parliament,” she concluded.
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