ORANJESTAD (AAN) – Endy Croes Questions ATA’s AWG 2.1 Million Ecotech Contract after raising concerns in Parliament about procurement procedures, transparency, and a potential conflict of interest involving a contract awarded by the Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA).
During a public parliamentary meeting on waste management, Member of Parliament Endy Croes questioned Minister Wendrick Cicilia regarding an AWG 2.1 million annual contract awarded by ATA to Ecotech for the “Baki den Bario” project in Barcadera.
Questions Over Procurement Process
According to Croes, the agreement was approved without following the mandatory public tender process.
He argued that the contract did not comply with Article 21 of the Landsverordening instelling ATA (ATA Establishment Ordinance), which he said requires ATA to follow Aruba’s public procurement regulations.
Croes further stated that under the Aanbestedingsverordening 2026, which came into force on January 1, 2026, projects valued above AWG 200,000 must undergo a public tender procedure.
He maintained that because the contract is valued at approximately AWG 2.1 million per year, it should have been subject to a public bidding process.
Concerns About a Potential Conflict of Interest
Croes also raised concerns about what he described as a possible conflict of interest.
According to the parliamentarian, Jo-Anne Arends, Chair of ATA’s Board of Directors, signed the official request submitted to Minister Cicilia on April 30, 2026, seeking approval for the Ecotech proposal.
Croes stated that Arends is also employed by a company within the Meta Corp group, which he said owns Ecotech.
He emphasized that he was not questioning Arends’ professionalism or capabilities, but rather the governance structure surrounding the decision-making process.
According to Croes, having the request signed by the board’s vice-chairperson could have helped avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest and strengthened transparency.
The article states that the minister did not provide a direct response to this specific concern during the parliamentary meeting.
Questions About ATA’s Role
Croes also questioned whether the waste management project falls within ATA’s primary responsibilities.
He expressed concern that Serlimar, Aruba’s government-owned waste management company, was reportedly not involved in the process.
According to Croes, waste management is outside ATA’s traditional core responsibilities, raising additional questions about the authority’s role in the project.
Call for Transparency
Concluding his remarks, Croes stressed the importance of integrity in public administration.
He said that transparency, good governance, and respect for the law should remain the foundation of all public decisions in order to maintain public confidence in government institutions.
The statements contained in the parliamentary meeting reflect the views and concerns expressed by Member of Parliament Endy Croes during the debate. The article does not include a response from the Aruba Tourism Authority, Ecotech, or Minister Wendrick Cicilia regarding the allegations raised.
