Parliamentarian Dangui Oduber expressed serious concern about the high cost of living in Aruba during a press conference, where he criticized the economic management of the AVP–FUTURO government and, in particular, the actions of the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Geoffrey Wever.
According to Oduber, the current government ran its election campaign with clear promises to improve purchasing power, lower the cost of living, eliminate poverty, and ensure that there would be no inflation. “Today, after almost a year in government, reality is completely different,” he stated.
Oduber recalled that Minister Wever had previously said that refrigerators in Aruba were empty and that he would work to fill them again through responsible financial and economic management. However, according to the parliamentarian, the current situation shows that the government’s priority is not the consumer, but the merchant.
“The people see food prices rising every day,” Oduber said. He mentioned that last year, around the Christmas season, the government increased gasoline and diesel prices, and that this year began with an additional increase in the price of bread.
According to Oduber, social media shows that a white sliced loaf of bread recently increased to florins 8.75 in one supermarket, while in another supermarket the price rose from florins 6.50 to 7.50. “This is a heavy burden on Aruban families,” he added.
He acknowledged that the government has taken measures to improve the purchasing power of pensioners, which he considered correct. However, he emphasized that Aruba does not consist only of pensioners. “There is a large group of workers and middle-class families who are struggling to survive,” Oduber stressed.
Oduber mentioned that during the MEP administration, pensioners’ income was increased by florins 400, but he criticized the current government for forgetting other segments of the community that are also facing economic pressure.
He also referred to research by the Central Bank of Aruba, which concluded that the middle class is gradually disappearing, mainly as a result of the high cost of living and the weakening of purchasing power. Research by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) also indicated that both home-prepared food and food purchased outside the home have become practically unaffordable for many people.
“Even though the government talks about deflation, the people feel inflation every day in their wallets,” Oduber stated. According to Central Bank data, 88% of respondents indicated that their purchasing power has declined.
After 11 months of AVP–FUTURO governance, Oduber concluded that the electoral promises have not been fulfilled. “The government promised that people would have more money in their wallets and that the cost of living would go down, but reality shows the opposite,” he said.
Finally, Oduber criticized Minister Wever for acting more like a merchant-minister, promoting fiscal initiatives that benefit merchants, while the “ordinary people” are left behind without real relief in wages and prices. “The government must stand with the people first, not with commercial interests,” Oduber concluded.