While the world is changing at an unprecedented pace, the PPA faction firmly believes that Aruba cannot stand still. Based on our Plan Nos Aruba 2050, the vision of preparing our community for the future—and our desire to strengthen and support the position of our community centers (centronan di bario) as hubs for community development and education—the PPA organized an informative meeting for community centers alongside two Artificial Intelligence experts, Mr. Waslander and Mr. Bislip. The gathering focused on how this technology can become a positive tool for areas such as education, business, and community development.
For Member of Parliament Eduard Pieters, this was not just a talk about technology, but a concrete step toward a more prepared, modern, and competitive Aruba.
Artificial Intelligence is today’s reality
According to Pieters, Artificial Intelligence is no longer something distant or exclusive to large corporations abroad. “It is already touching our daily lives,” he emphasized. “And if we do not educate our people today, tomorrow our community will be left behind.”
The meeting came about after the PPA connected with Mr. Waslander and Mr. Bislip, two AI experts who share the same concerns and vision outlined in the PPA’s Plan Nos Aruba 2050.
Community centers as engines of development
One of the central pillars of Plan Nos Aruba 2050 is strengthening community centers so that they are not just places for social gatherings, but also hubs of knowledge, innovation, and human development.
“We want community centers to become places where people can continue to learn, grow, and adapt to the changes in the world,” Pieters explained.
According to the plan currently on the table, the goal is for each community center to develop sessions and programs related to Artificial Intelligence, tailored to different target groups: children, youth, the elderly, professionals, and entrepreneurs.
Technology that can help people advance
During the meeting, discussions took place on how Artificial Intelligence can help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), improve services, create business plans, organize workflow, and even boost creativity and productivity. However, Pieters emphasized that the primary focus is not solely on the technology itself, but on education and awareness.
“Artificial Intelligence can be a powerful tool for progress, but you also have to teach people how to use it responsibly,” he said. “Technology is not dangerous. Technology like Artificial Intelligence without education, however, is.”
Education is not limited to school
For the PPA, this initiative connects directly with their vision of “lifelong learning,” where education does not stop after school but continues within the community and daily life.
“A strong country is one that keeps investing in the knowledge of its people,” Pieters emphasized. “Not just in the classroom, but in every relevant context to improve the quality of life.”
“Our community must be prepared for a new world”
The PPA faction expressed its gratitude to the two professionals who offered their expertise and who are willing to continue working with the community on this topic. According to Pieters, this is just the first step. “Today we threw a rose petal into the sea that will create massive waves of development and community education. We cannot stand by and watch the world change while Aruba is left behind,” he concluded. “We have to prepare our people, our youth, and our entrepreneurs for a new reality. And that reality is already here.”
