During the Common Good Conference, Bario Mabon officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Aruba, marking a significant step in collaboration to promote the common good.
According to Astrid Vries, President of the Bario Mabon Commission, the agreement represents a major shift compared to the past. She explained that in previous years, the community’s voice was not always heard, but now, the situation has changed.
“In the past, we weren’t being listened to, but today, we feel that the government is truly listening to us,” Vries said.
The signing of the MOU was done with pride and a strong sense of commitment to working together for the well-being of the community. The collaboration, according to Vries, is not focused on just one specific group, but on the entire community—children, youth, adults, and seniors.
“We want to work together to bring well-being and change to our children, our youth, and our elders,” Vries emphasized.
She also noted that most changes in the neighborhood won’t happen overnight, but the MOU creates a foundation for lasting progress in the years ahead. The mutual commitment between the government and the community is vital to achieving real, sustainable change.
The testimony from Bario Mabon reinforces the central message of the Common Good Conference: that the common good is built through collaboration, dialogue, and joint action. For Vries, the agreement is an invitation to continue working together for a stronger community with more opportunities for all.
“To achieve the common good, we must work together,” Vries concluded.
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