ORANJESTAD (AAN) – Aruba Government and Justice Agencies Unite for Cleaner Island as government departments and law enforcement authorities strengthen cooperation to improve environmental enforcement and support the upcoming National Day to Care for Aruba.
Gisbert Boekhoudt, Director of the Department of Nature and Environment (DNM), participated in a meeting with Prime Minister Mike Eman and representatives from several enforcement agencies to discuss strategies for keeping public spaces clean through a combination of community action and effective enforcement.
The meeting focused on ensuring that areas cleaned during the National Day to Care for Aruba remain clean over the long term through stronger monitoring and enforcement measures.
According to Boekhoudt, organizing community clean-up efforts is only part of the solution. Preventing illegal dumping and littering after public areas have been cleaned is equally important.
“Cleaning an area is one thing, but ensuring it stays clean over time requires effective enforcement,” Boekhoudt said.
Representatives from the Department of Nature and Environment (DNM), the Bureau City Inspector (BCI), the Aruba Police Force (KPA), and the Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) discussed ways to improve cooperation and coordinate their respective responsibilities.
The agencies reviewed existing legislation aimed at combating illegal dumping and environmental pollution. Boekhoudt explained that Aruba’s General Police Ordinance (APV) already includes regulations governing where waste may and may not be disposed of, along with rules applicable to businesses involved in waste processing.
As part of the initiative, the DNM will examine relevant legal provisions and determine how inspection and enforcement efforts can be structured more effectively. The department’s inspection unit and the Bureau City Inspector will receive operational support from the Aruba Police Force, whose officers have experience in inspections, preparing reports, and drafting official enforcement documents.
Boekhoudt noted that properly documented enforcement reports will help the Public Prosecutor’s Office continue legal proceedings where violations occur. The meeting also included discussions on fines and penalties for breaches of environmental regulations.
Following the meeting, Boekhoudt said he was encouraged by the willingness of all participating organizations to work together. He also praised Prime Minister Mike Eman for presenting a clear vision of how government agencies can combine community clean-up efforts, prevention, and law enforcement to achieve lasting environmental improvements.
The Government of Aruba said the goal is to create an effective partnership between public participation and enforcement so that a cleaner Aruba can be maintained long after the National Day to Care for Aruba concludes.
