The leader of the PPA faction, Eduard Pieters, has launched strong criticism against the Minister of Education, Gerlien Croes, regarding a public tender for school materials in Dutch and Papiamento. According to Pieters, there is a worrying lack of transparency in how regular public accounting procedures were bypassed.
During a recent meeting in Parliament, the management of public funds for the production of educational materials became the main point of debate. Pieters, who has a long trajectory in the education sector, questioned the decision to choose a path that does not align with standard bidding rules.
Doubts Regarding the Absence of Providers
In her defense, Minister Croes indicated that this procedure was chosen because there are not enough companies or providers (“aanbieders”) on the market capable of presenting an offer to produce specialized materials in Dutch and Papiamento.
While Pieters admitted he is aware that this subject is a specialty where offers are scarce, he emphasized that the Minister’s argument is insufficient. According to the PPA leader, the Minister has a legal and moral obligation to present concrete evidence that other alternatives were indeed sought and that no other providers were available. “This is what did not take place,” Pieters emphasized, indicating that the lack of documentation raises doubts about the integrity of the process.
Management via Social Media vs. Parliament: A System of Immaturity
Another point of irritation for the PPA faction is the Minister’s communication style. Pieters criticized the fact that Minister Croes does not come to Parliament with the desired frequency to account for her actions or to formally answer questions from the different factions.
Instead of choosing the institutional route, the speaker pointed out that the Minister opts to use digital platforms like Facebook to express her opinions or “throw jabs.” According to Pieters, this is not a professional or correct way for a minister to act, especially when dealing with decisions involving public funds and the educational future of the country.
Concerns for Education
This dispute puts the focus on the production of school materials, a critical area for the development of students in Aruba. For the PPA, transparency in how money destined for these materials is spent must be beyond question to guarantee that the best investment is made for schools without skipping necessary democratic controls.