Aruba is currently experiencing “full employment” and economic growth on paper, but behind these figures lies a reality we can no longer afford to ignore. As a media outlet, we observe with concern how our island’s economy—which should, in principle, be a tool to serve the well-being of its people—has become a machine working in the opposite direction. Today, national priorities appear seriously warped: government revenue and investor profits have become the sole compass for our political leaders.
The Myth of Limitless Growth For years, politicians of all stripes have boasted about the number of new hotel rooms and the record-breaking visitor arrivals at our piers. But at what cost are we sacrificing our tourism product? This unchecked expansion lowers the quality of service and creates unsustainable pressure on our social life and labor market.
The need to fill the job vacancies generated by these new hotels has led to a massive influx of migrant workers, often without proper screening. This not only alters the social fabric of our community but also alienates the loyal visitors who used to come to Aruba for the personal touch and the unique identity of our people. Aruba is becoming unrecognizable within its own concrete jungle.
An Island Running Out of Space Aruba is not a continent; our space is finite. Continuing to crowd the beaches, permitting building after building, and increasing the number of cars on the road is not a strategy for progress—it is a recipe for social suffocation. The fundamental question our politicians refuse to answer is: For whom are we building? For whom are we governing?
If the argument for bringing in more people is to “save” social funds, we must ask ourselves if there are not more creative and less destructive ways to achieve this. The vision that “more people equals more money” is short-term thinking that jeopardizes our long-term future.
Conclusion A healthy economy must grow in harmony with its population and guarantee fair purchasing power for the local citizen who works hard every day. When profit and votes are the only languages our leaders speak, their ears remain closed to the concerns of the citizens.
It is time for a pause in this frantic race. It is time to prioritize the quality of life of the Aruban people over the quantity of hotel rooms. If we do not act now, we will soon have an island full of buildings, but empty of the soul that made us great.
