Leaders of the St. Maarten Parliament have expressed surprise that Aruba’s Minister of Finance, Geoffrey Wever, presented a populist proposal at the Inter Expo in the Netherlands.
The proposal suggests that Aruba, whose finances are reportedly well-managed according to Minister Wever, should move from a local ordinance to a Kingdom Act (Rijkswet HOFA). This change could result in stricter supervision by the Kingdom and limit Aruba’s financial autonomy.
Parliamentary leaders described this move as “unexpected” and “against the goal that Aruba has declared.” They argued that if Aruba is financially stable, it would make more sense to continue managing its finances locally rather than ceding control to a stricter Kingdom framework.
Concerns were also expressed that a Kingdom Act could reduce Aruba’s flexibility in political decision-making, raising questions about the motivation behind the proposal. The announcement has reignited regional debates on autonomy, financial supervision, and the balance of power between Caribbean countries and the Netherlands—a topic that remains central in Kingdom politics.
Critics argue that Minister Geoffrey Wever is committing an act of betrayal against his own country, describing it as a national and international embarrassment.
The people of Aruba do not want the Kingdom Act (Rijkswet HOFA), but Minister Geoffrey Wever continues to persist. Why is this persisting ? What else is there?