Minister of Justice, Mr. Arthur Dowers, reaffirmed that the Government of Aruba remains committed to restoring order in the management of e-steps (electric scooters) in Aruba and that the official position has not changed: e-steps are not permitted in traffic or on public roads in accordance with current legislation.
According to Minister Dowers, the current situation is the result of years in which, in his view, there was insufficient control or action to enforce the law. He indicated that the current Government inherited a situation where activities lacking the necessary legal authorizations continued to operate, creating uncertainty for both business owners and users.
“A government’s responsibility is to enforce the law and restore order, even though this may mean making difficult decisions.”
According to the Minister, a permit, concession, or authorization to operate a commercial e-step service on public roads has never been granted. He emphasized that the fact that an activity has taken place for a period of time does not automatically create a right to continue operating against current legal provisions.
Minister Dowers acknowledged that the process of restoring the situation according to the law is not always easy and that various legal procedures are currently underway. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that the legal path will provide the necessary clarity and allow the Government to continue with its responsibility of upholding the law.
The Minister reaffirmed that the original decision to ban e-steps was based on recommendations from the Traffic Safety Commission (Comision Siguridad den Trafico), serious road safety concerns, and the reality that Aruba’s infrastructure is not adapted for this type of vehicle.
“We cannot wait until there are more serious accidents to take action. Our responsibility is to protect human life, restore order in traffic, and enforce the law,” Minister Dowers concluded.
