Although a few days have passed since the IPKO meetings in the Netherlands, Member of Parliament Stephany Sevinger believes it is important to continue informing the Aruban community about the discussions that took place during the official visit. According to Sevinger, the meetings covered several key topics, particularly regarding democratic renewal within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
“I was part of the committee on democratic renewal, and I can say that the Dutch parliamentarians showed great interest in hearing how the islands could become more active and involved within the Kingdom,” said Sevinger. “One of the more interesting proposals was to give the Minister Plenipotentiary a stronger and more involved role in the meetings of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom.”
Currently, the Minister Plenipotentiary may attend these meetings but does not have the right to speak or vote. According to Sevinger, it is worth exploring ways to ensure that the representatives of the islands carry more weight in the discussions and decisions taking place in the Netherlands.
Another key topic discussed was voting rights. The Netherlands proposed considering whether the islands could have voting rights in Dutch elections. However, Sevinger emphasized that representation without real influence is not enough:
“We might have the right to vote, but if we don’t have real influence over the decisions being made, nothing will truly change. We are a country of nearly 100,000 inhabitants, but without a voice that carries weight,” she added.
Sevinger also proposed improvements in how the Council of State provides its advice. Currently, the Council assesses how laws affect the Dutch population, but not necessarily how they impact the Kingdom as a whole.
“I propose that whenever a Kingdom Law (Rijkswet) is being considered, the Council of State should conduct research within the islands themselves to evaluate how the law will affect our people,” concluded Sevinger.
According to Sevinger, Aruba must continue to strive for greater participation and influence within the Kingdom’s structure, to ensure that the voice of the Aruban people is truly heard and taken into account in the decision-making process.
Press Release: AVP