ORANJESTAD (AAN) – The Court of First Instance ruled Friday morning that the Aruba government must return confiscated E-Steps and E-Bikes to rental companies operating in the hotel sector.
The legal case involved electronic scooter rental companies E-Bike and Green Bike, which challenged the government’s recent decision to remove the vehicles from public roads.
The dispute began after Justice Minister Arthur Dowers announced an immediate ban on E-Steps and E-Bikes on public roads, citing traffic safety concerns.
Following the announcement, authorities confiscated electric scooters and related charging stations from several business locations.
In its ruling, the court stated that the government cannot remove or confiscate the electronic vehicles without first following the legal procedures established by law.
The judge explained that authorities should have first issued formal written notices to the companies specifying the alleged legal violations, the required corrective measures, and a reasonable compliance period.
The court further ruled that the rental companies are currently not obligated to remove their scooters or charging stations from government property until proper legal procedures are followed.
However, the judge also emphasized that E-Step rental companies and riders must still comply with all existing traffic laws and regulations.
The ruling criticized the government’s handling of the situation, stating that authorities cannot enforce measures while failing to follow the legal procedures themselves.
