After weeks of pressure, the unions have finally caught the government’s attention. The thirteen united unions have positioned themselves firmly against the HOFA Kingdom Act and communicated this to parliament through two letters. Despite this, the AVP/FUTURO government chose not to listen and proceeded to submit its agreement on the draft HOFA Kingdom Act to the Kingdom Council of Ministers.
It is extremely arrogant that Minister Geoffrey Wever took the initiative to approve HOFA without consulting his own coalition in parliament. And according to various sources, there was neither a mandate nor a formal decision from the Council of Ministers. Even today, the letter requested by parliament on 14 August 2025 — which should show who gave the order to approve HOFA — has not been presented.
Unions stand united in their resistance
Minister Wever assumed that the unions would simply accept the situation without protest. The opposite happened: the unions united and sent not one but two letters requesting that the meeting and all parliamentary motions be halted until they had been heard. To top it off, the AVP’s most experienced and most voted-in MP broke ranks with his own AVP/FUTURO government to support hearing the unions. It appears that more AVP parliamentarians are also against Geoffrey’s approach, but have not yet voiced their views for party-political reasons. There is a strong base of solidarity among the unions against HOFA. They feel neglected by the government. Where the AVP once valued social dialogue, unions are now being bypassed simply to keep a government standing.
Parliament’s president is not impartial
Tevreden states that his faction has repeatedly pressured the President of Parliament to call a meeting to hear the unions. The president seems to forget that she presides over parliamentary meetings and is not a defender of the government. By refusing to call meetings on matters involving complaints against the government, her impartiality comes into question. Parliament is an institution that must function independently from the government, and the separation of powers must be respected.
Freedom has no price
Criticism of the HOFA Kingdom Act continues to grow. Legal experts, including professors Elzinga and Nicolaï, have warned that the law conflicts with Aruba’s Constitution and gravely affects the island’s right to self-determination. Nevertheless, Geoffrey continues to defend the law as the only necessary solution for achieving financial stability. According to Tevreden, Wever’s explanation is based on projections that are not even clear or certain, increasing the perception that major financial interests are behind this move. “What the government is doing here is not only reckless, but dangerous, because Aruba risks being thrown 40 years back in time,” Tevreden said.
“Without a doubt, we will continue to stand strong for the people, the unions, and the integrity of parliament. We must put a stop to the wrong direction the government is taking. Aruba’s financial freedom and autonomy come before a bag of money, because freedom has no price.”
Press release: MEP