Parliamentarian Xiomara Maduro has expressed concern that, more than a year after the AVP-FUTURO government took office, Aruba still lacks a ‘Landsverordening Instelling Ministeries’ (LIM). This is the law that clearly determines how ministerial portfolios are distributed within the AVP-FUTURO administration.
According to Maduro, this is not just a technical issue. It is a matter of transparency, accountability, and good governance. The LIM is the law that must clearly state which minister is responsible for which task. Without a clear LIM, the public does not know who to hold accountable when problems arise or when public money is spent.
Confusion in practice
Maduro points out that in practice, the confusion is becoming more evident every day. “We see Minister Geoffrey Wever constantly talking about the future of the refinery, while the energy portfolio falls under Minister Arthur Dowers. On the other hand, Minister Wendrick Cicilia uses funds from the Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) to finance cleaning and waste processing actions, while environmental management and Serlimar are the responsibility of Prime Minister Mike Eman.”
According to the parliamentarian, the confusion does not stop there. “In San Nicolas, we have seen Minister Wendrick Cicilia organizing the Carubbian Festival, while Minister Geoffrey Wever is organizing another Food Festival in the same community. The public sees ministries working in the same area, without it being clear where one’s responsibility begins and another’s ends.”
Lack of clarity
Maduro emphasizes that the problem is not that ministries cooperate with each other. “Cooperation between ministries is a positive thing. But cooperation cannot replace clarity. First, there must be an official division of responsibilities, and then there can be cooperation. Now it seems that every minister can enter another’s portfolio without the public knowing who is actually responsible.”
According to Maduro, the lack of a LIM prevents Parliament from controlling the Government. One of the main tasks of Parliament is to control the Executive Branch. But how can Parliament question the correct minister if the Government itself has not officially formalized which portfolio belongs to which minister?
Maduro reminds us that a government that speaks constantly about good governance, transparency, and accountability must start by putting its own house in order. “The question is simple: after more than a year of governing, why is there still no LIM? As long as this law is not in force, the public will continue to see confusion, mixed responsibilities, and a lack of transparency. A government cannot ask the public to be responsible if it has not officially defined who is responsible for which portfolio.”
Conclusion
Maduro concludes by stating that transparency begins with clarity: “The law must establish exactly what each minister does, so that citizens know who to approach when problems arise and so that Parliament can properly oversee the ministers. This is precisely the function of the Landsverordening Instelling Ministeries. And after more than a year, the people deserve an answer to the question: Where is the LIM?”