Aruba Minister Criticizes Stadium Renovation Planning after raising concerns about how the renovation of Guillermo Trinidad Stadium was managed, saying the project should have followed a proper public procurement process.
Minister Gerlien Croes said the investment made in the stadium has become a source of concern because the project was not planned through a comprehensive public tender. According to the minister, a project of this scale should have been awarded to a single contractor responsible for completing the entire renovation while providing the government with contractual guarantees.
The Aruba Minister Criticizes Stadium Renovation Planning statement explained that, instead, multiple companies were reportedly assigned different portions of the work by the previous administration. Croes said this approach has complicated oversight, reduced accountability, and made it difficult to hold contractors responsible for delays or incomplete work.
Government Reviewing Project Costs
Minister Croes has requested that Lotto Aruba prepare a complete financial overview of all expenditures related to the stadium renovation during the past two years.
According to the minister, preliminary estimates from the outgoing director indicate that approximately AWG 7 million has already been spent on the project. When combined with an additional AWG 1.5 million contributed by the government, the total investment is estimated at around AWG 8.5 million, despite the stadium not yet being completed.
The Aruba Minister Criticizes Stadium Renovation Planning comments also referenced concerns raised by several sports federations that regularly use the facility, noting that complaints have been received regarding the current condition of the venue.
Stadium Remains Available For Sports
Despite the ongoing concerns, Croes stated that the government decided not to close the stadium completely in order to avoid disrupting sporting activities on the island.
The minister explained that sports federations are currently allowed to continue using the government-owned facility without paying rental fees while renovation work continues.
The Aruba Minister Criticizes Stadium Renovation Planning position emphasizes that the government wants to support the continuation of sports activities while simultaneously reviewing the project’s financial management, construction progress, and procurement procedures to ensure greater transparency and accountability moving forward.
