During his political mission in The Hague, MP Eduard Pieters of the PPA faction not only reiterated his stance against the Kingdom Law HOFA but also revealed a deeper issue: a serious lack of understanding in the Netherlands regarding what is actually happening in Aruba. During meetings with members of the Partij voor de Vrijheid (PVV) and other factions, Pieters focused on a dimension that has not yet been sufficiently highlighted: the disconnect between decisions made in The Hague and the reality on the ground in Aruba.
“If we don’t speak up, others will define our future” One of the strongest messages Pieters delivered is that many Dutch politicians, especially new ones, have never or rarely visited Aruba or the other islands in the Kingdom, nor do they have direct experience with our reality. “Many of them do not know our context,” Pieters said. “If we don’t bring this information to them, they don’t get the full picture.” This explains why PPA sits down with all parties without exclusion, as the mission is not partisan, but national.
Aruba is not the problem—Aruba is a positive result A point Pieters successfully positioned in The Hague is that Aruba is not a case of failure, but an example of financial discipline. This is based on facts such as the recent international rating upgrades, debt reduction, and economic growth following the crisis. “This didn’t happen by chance. This is the result of the hard work of the Aruban people,” he emphasized. This shifts the narrative in the Netherlands, as there is no real basis to treat Aruba as a financial risk.
A question The Hague cannot avoid During the meetings, Pieters challenged the Dutch representatives with a fundamental point: If Aruba is complying; if Aruba is improving; if Aruba is being responsible… why must it accept an external system that limits its decision-making power? This question resonated with the Dutch parliamentarians.
Aruba at a decisive point According to Pieters, the current situation is one of definition. Either Aruba accepts this direction or it stands firm on its constitutional position. He concluded that the fight to protect Status Aparte is now being fought on two fronts: local and international. “We cannot remain silent,” Pieters concluded. “Because silence is the quickest way to lose what our ancestors fought for and achieved.”