PPA’s Eduard Pieters Urges Government to Protect Aruba’s Autonomy and Listen to Its People

During Monday morning’s public session of the Parliament of Aruba, Eduard Pieters, Member of Parliament representing the Partido Patriotico Arubano (PPA), delivered a clear and forceful message: “The voice of the people must be respected, our autonomy must be protected, and Aruba must not surrender its financial control to the Kingdom Law HOFA.”

Pieters recalled that on January 30, both the PPA and MEP factions had requested a public meeting to discuss the process surrounding the Rijkswet HOFA and the Administrative Agreement (Bestuurlijk Akkoord) — and that today’s debate was the outcome of that call.

A Call for Clarity Amid Political Confusion

According to Pieters, the ongoing debate has devolved into finger-pointing over who is to blame. “These sessions have turned into a game of accusations — who signed the Administrative Agreement, who approved the HOFA process, and on what grounds,” he said. Pieters therefore urged complete transparency, so the public can know who made which decisions and why.

Criticism of the Current Government

He criticized the AVP–Futuro coalition, stating that it entered the 2024 elections “without a clear plan, program, or vision,” yet managed to win 17,872 votes, just 312 more than the MEP, gaining a slim majority. Pieters emphasized that if PPA, MEP, and AVP all oppose the HOFA law, together they represent over 50% of all voters and 70% of those who cast their ballots — a majority that cannot be ignored.

He accused the government of painting an unrealistic picture, with promises of “more money, more purchasing power, and investment funds,” without presenting a concrete plan. Instead of negotiating with social, labor, and business organizations to protect Aruba’s financial autonomy, the government, he said, chose to defend an agreement the PPA firmly rejects.

Unanswered Questions About HOFA

Pieters also presented several key questions that remain unresolved, including:

Whether the Netherlands will automatically refinance Aruba’s debt at lower interest rates if Parliament ratifies HOFA.
Whether there are any hidden or subjective conditions tied to the refinancing agreement.
How reduced interest benefits will apply if the investment fund is not yet operational.
How Aruba will determine compliance with the 20 criteria under vague terms like “risk identification.”
How an independent Budget Office (Begrotingskamer) will function without proper funding or trained staff.
How the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom can hold budgetary power over Aruba without undermining its Parliament.
How HOFA’s pre-approval requirement aligns with Aruba’s sovereign right to approve its national budget.

A Matter of National Soul

Pieters concluded by recalling the words of Aruba’s national anthem: “May God guide and preserve our love for Aruba’s freedom.” He stressed that the debate is not merely about interest rates or financial metrics, but about the soul of the nation.