STA Leader Says Aruba Laws Lack Enforcement and Control

ORANJESTAD (AAN) – According to Sindicato Trahadornan Arubano (STA) leader Diego de Cuba, many laws approved by Aruba’s Parliament are not being properly enforced or monitored.

In an interview with DIARIO, De Cuba questioned how many laws have been passed in Parliament but are never properly implemented or controlled.

“If laws are not enforced, if there is no follow-up and no supervision, situations get out of control. Right now, for example, the General Pension Ordinance is being violated frequently,” De Cuba stated.

He explained that the government is currently working on a new structure that would appoint a supervisory authority, possibly the SVb, to oversee and monitor compliance with pension laws. According to De Cuba, this is a positive step, but authorities must also ensure there is enough trained staff to properly supervise the growing number of life insurance companies operating in Aruba.

De Cuba added that STA is already facing serious issues within certain companies that should never have happened. He also criticized insurance companies that invest workers’ funds but remain silent when problems arise.

“When Parliament introduces a law, it goes through motions, advice, and legal procedures before being implemented. Once approved, the law is supposed to be enforced. But what do we see? There is no enforcement and no control,” he said.

The union leader stated that this is one of Aruba’s major problems today. Many people are forced to work two or three jobs just to survive because the cost of living in Aruba continues to rise, while the island imports nearly everything.

De Cuba also stressed that Aruba is fully dependent on tourism and warned how fragile the tourism industry can become during crises. He pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as proof that Aruba was not adequately prepared for economic shocks.

According to him, it is now the government’s responsibility to create stronger financial protections for the people of Aruba in case another crisis affects the island. He added that Aruba should avoid depending again on the Netherlands for financial assistance, referring to the consequences and additional debt created during the pandemic period.