During the discussion of the 2019 annual accounts in Parliament, AVP parliamentarian Otami Thomasia strongly criticized last Sunday’s Sinterklaas arrival event. He began by stating that the celebration of “zwarte piet” is offensive to a segment of the community that feels discriminated against.
Parliamentarian Thomasia acknowledged the efforts made by former Minister of Culture Xiomara Maduro since 2022 to respect the feelings within the community. Under her leadership, the Sinterklaas celebration was improved with multicolored pieten instead of blackface traditions. Even the lyrics of Sinterklaas songs were adjusted to ensure it became an inclusive celebration for everyone.
However, the current Minister of Culture, Mike Eman, has — according to Thomasia — shown disrespect toward the community and demonstrated that racism and discrimination remain present in his approach. This greatly upset Thomasia, who expressed his disappointment and asked Minister Geoffrey Wever to raise the issue in the Council of Ministers. Minister Wever acknowledged that he also disagreed with Mike Eman’s actions. Parliamentarian Ruthlyn Lindor of Futuro likewise expressed dissatisfaction with her own government.
Thomasia argued that if Aruba has already changed course and taken “ten steps forward,” then Mike Eman’s decision has now pushed the country “one hundred steps back.”
The MEP faction supports Thomasia’s strong criticism and urges Minister Mike Eman to apologize for the error committed.
Press release: MEP