Former Minister Plenipotentiary Ady Thijsen reflected on his time in the Netherlands and expressed deep concern about the current direction of Kingdom relations and the prolonged absence of a Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba.
According to Thijsen, during his term as Minister Plenipotentiary a great deal of work was done in a positive direction to strengthen Aruba’s position in the Netherlands. He indicated that his approach was based on the five pillars developed by the MEP over the years: visibility, cooperation, mutual respect, effective representation, and defense of Aruba’s interests within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Thijsen emphasized that, in his view, Aruba must be clearly visible not only in the Netherlands, but also in the European Union and throughout the entire Kingdom. “We must be able to understand each other and cooperate with one another, not exercise power over one another, because in the end we live together within the Kingdom of the Netherlands,” he stressed.
He pointed out that information about Aruba must reach all corners of the Netherlands — not only at the national level, but also in municipalities, provinces, colleges, and universities — so that everyone can understand what Aruba’s status is and its role within the Kingdom.
However, Thijsen lamented that much of the work that had been initiated is now falling behind. According to him, the main cause is the actions of the current Minister of Kingdom Relations, Gerlien Croes, who in his words is acting “irresponsibly and unconstitutionally” by failing to appoint a Minister Plenipotentiary. In addition, she dismissed the director of Aruba Huis, something many have labeled “political persecution.”
Thijsen raised critical questions that, according to him, still have no answers:
- Who is responsible for the institutional damage being caused?
- Why is the Minister acting in a way that weakens Aruba’s position within the Kingdom?
He also referred to the political situation in the Netherlands, which recently held elections without a clear majority government. According to Thijsen, the Netherlands is in a difficult political phase, and this dynamic has a direct impact on the Dutch Caribbean and Aruba.
He specifically mentioned the new State Secretary for Kingdom Relations, with whom he had previously worked, stating that he is “very curious” to see how the Netherlands will view the future of the Caribbean within the Kingdom.
A central point of his criticism is that Aruba currently has no official representation in the Netherlands or in the European Union. “At a time when Aruba has no Minister Plenipotentiary, Aruba simply has no voice in the Netherlands,” he stated, describing the situation as regrettable and harmful to the country’s interests.
According to Thijsen, responsibility lies with the current AVP–FUTURO government, which still has not appointed a Minister Plenipotentiary almost a year after taking office. He called this “a direct detriment to Aruba” and insisted that the next government must take its responsibility seriously and ensure dignified representation for Aruba within the Kingdom.
He concluded that a Minister Plenipotentiary is not a political luxury, but an essential instrument for defending Aruba’s interests in the Netherlands and the EU.
