Parliamentary faction leader Evelyn Wever-Croes of the Movimiento Electoral di Pueblo (MEP) expressed concern following a meeting in the Parliament of Aruba held last Friday regarding the situation of elderly care in Aruba. She indicated that during the meeting, much attention was given to the challenges facing the sector, but unfortunately the minister did not present a clear vision.
Lack of concrete vision
According to Wever-Croes, during the parliamentary session no detailed plan was presented by Minister Mervin Wyatt Ras regarding elderly care policy, but rather general explorations and possibilities. The MEP leader emphasized that when a minister is responsible for a portfolio, he or she must come forward with a concrete short- and long-term plan, especially with less than three years remaining before elections. MEP believes that the lack of clear direction is concerning.
Parliament unanimously approved four motions related to the welfare of elderly citizens, including two motions that indicate the direction Parliament wishes to take on the issue. One motion presented by the Partido Patriotico Arubano (PPA) faction requests that the minister present a concrete plan within two months, and that within one additional month the plan must already be in the implementation phase, according to the approved text.
Focus on care and sustainability
According to MEP’s motion, Aruba’s social challenges include significant issues in elderly care, primarily due to a shortage of caregivers and insufficient infrastructure. The motion emphasizes that with sufficient staff and care facilities, elderly care problems could be minimized. Parliament is requesting that the Government of Aruba analyze this challenge more broadly and focus on medium- and long-term solutions.
Economic opportunities and diversification
Although the main focus was on elderly care, Wever-Croes also mentioned that her faction sees opportunities in other areas, such as tourism and the energy (petroleum) industry for Aruba. She suggested that the government could explore the use of existing oil infrastructure to generate revenue for the island, including oil storage and processing — something that, according to MEP, could provide Aruba with a platform to attract investment and expand the local economy.
The suggestion is made in the context that addressing social needs such as elderly care also depends on the availability of financial resources to sustain projects.
The MEP leader continues to insist that the government must take the motions seriously and translate them into real action. Parliamentarians demonstrated unanimity regarding the motions, showing that this is an issue with broad support in Parliament. Wever-Croes emphasized: “Surveys are not enough — we want concrete action for the well-being of our elderly.”
