ORANJESTAD (AAN) – Minister of Education and Sports Gerlien Croes has defended the decision to allow the use of the Guillermo Prospero Trinidad Sports Complex despite the facility not being fully completed.
Speaking in an interview, Croes emphasized the importance of transparency regarding public projects, especially those funded through government resources and organizations such as Lotto Aruba.
According to the minister, the renovation project was announced several years ago, and approximately 7 million florins have been invested in the facility, including 1.5 million florins from the Ministry of Education’s budget.
Croes stated that when she assumed office, there was limited cooperation and access to information regarding the project’s status. As a result, she decided to take control of the facility’s keys and review the situation directly.
She explained that despite assurances from project coordinators that no major issues existed, her administration later identified several challenges that still required attention.
Over a period of three to four months, the ministry carried out smaller improvement works to make the stadium suitable for football and athletics activities.
Croes stressed that the agreement was always to begin using the facility while acknowledging that the project was not yet fully completed and that several challenges remain to be addressed.
The minister reiterated that the goal was to make the sports complex available to athletes and the community while continuing efforts to finalize the remaining work.
