Member of Parliament for the AVP faction, John Hart, highlighted the importance of the Aruba General Pension Law (LAP) for private-sector employees, emphasizing the urgent need for this law to receive the proper attention and supervision that has been pending for several years.
The General Pension Law (Landsverordening Algemeen Pensioen – LAP) was introduced in 2011 during the Eman I Cabinet with the goal of ensuring that all private-sector workers, upon reaching retirement age, have the financial security and purchasing power needed to enjoy a dignified life after working hard in the labor market. Under this scheme, the employer withholds a premium from the salary, which is allocated to a special fund for the employee.
Hart pointed out that in 2017, the Social and Economic Council (SER) conducted an evaluation of this law and informed the Wever-Croes I Cabinet at the time that a supervisory entity (toezichthouder) was lacking. Although the law itself mandates the presence of a supervisor, in practice one was never appointed between 2017 and 2024. According to Hart, previous governments did not give the law the attention it deserved nor did they engage in concrete dialogue with employers to benefit private-sector workers.
As one of his first motions upon entering politics on behalf of the AVP faction, John Hart demanded that the Government give the LAP law the attention it deserves and appoint a supervisor (toezichthouder) without further delay.
Recently, during the Opening Speech of the New Parliamentary Year delivered by the Governor, it was confirmed that this law will soon be debated in Parliament. Hart expressed his satisfaction in seeing the motion gaining substance and proper attention, refuting criticism from political opponents who claim that motions are ignored.
A necessary debate after more than 15 years Hart stressed that Parliament’s role is to stay sharp and stand at the forefront for workers in Aruba. He expressed his desire for the parliamentary debate to take place soon in order to evaluate the necessary changes:
“After 15, 16 years, it is important to open a debate again on the current state of this law and what changes need to be made. We have to stay sharp and stand at the forefront for the workers of Aruba,” Hart concluded.