In the financial sphere, Minister Geoffrey Wever is facing increasingly strong criticism over decisions that raise serious doubts about transparency, justice, and good governance.
His recent proposal to exempt certain business owners from paying profit tax on buildings purchased on the main street — while business owners who rent must still pay taxes — has generated suspicion of favoritism and unequal treatment. Even more alarming is that Parliament approved this initiative, which clearly demonstrates a lack of political and technical analysis in passing such a measure.
The way this law was presented and processed in Parliament reflects serious deficiencies in planning and evaluation, raising many red flags about possible conflicts of interest. It is no secret that there are indications that the Minister himself has interests in acquiring various buildings on the main street. If this is true, the legitimate question is: was this law made for Aruba, or for himself?
Furthermore, the creation of a public fund without a clear structure or transparent rules regarding its use is perceived as a serious risk to the responsible management of public money. The lack of information about the destination and use of these funds weakens citizens’ trust in both Aruba and its government.
There is also distrust surrounding the so-called “public tender,” which by name suggests openness, yet to this day there has been no transparency about how the processes took place or how Minister of Finance Geoffrey Wever is spending public funds. This contradicts the basic principle of transparency that should guide all public investments.
There is growing concern that financial mismanagement could push Aruba further into debt and place the Netherlands in a position to intervene once again. This could open the door to a Koninklijk Besluit (KB) that would give the Netherlands greater control over Aruba’s finances. Many citizens wonder whether this situation is being created consciously or unconsciously through the Minister’s own decisions.
Aruba is at a decisive moment in its history. The country needs responsible leadership, absolute transparency, and a clear financial strategy to protect its identity, economy, and autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Without a change in direction, there is a real risk that Aruba could lose internal stability and international reputation — particularly under the current AVP–FUTURO government, and more specifically under the financial management of Minister Geoffrey Wever of FUTURO.