ORANJESTAD (AAN) – President of Parliament Marlon Sneek has assured the public that the majority of requested parliamentary meetings will be placed on the agenda and scheduled. He expressed regret that the MEP faction has repeatedly attempted to involve the Governor of Aruba in parliamentary discussions.
President Sneek reminded critics that, as stated clearly in the Constitution, Parliament is an independent body that conducts its work without direction from any single individual. He emphasized that neither the Prime Minister nor the Governor can dictate Parliament’s decisions.
Sneek explained that he is making every effort to schedule meetings that have been requested. However, he noted that various factors must be taken into account, such as Parliament’s availability, workload, whether ministers are present, or if they are abroad. “There are many circumstances I must consider when calling meetings,” he said.
He added that while some requested meetings have already been scheduled back‑to‑back, others remain pending on Parliament’s agenda.
President Sneek also acknowledged past challenges with the same faction, noting that during the 2021‑2022 legislative year, 17 public meetings were requested but only 10 were called. He clarified that this was due to circumstances at that time, not a failure of leadership.
“We are constantly working to optimize this process,” Sneek said. “Based on the current pending list, one or two meetings will be scheduled. Looking at the past year, I believe we have achieved good results in ensuring that the majority of requested meetings are called, as our rules of order require.”
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