In a strong reaction published on his social media, politician Otmar Oduber launched severe criticisms directed at State Secretary Eric van der Burg. Oduber questions the intentions of the Netherlands behind the loans and financial supervision, sounding the alarm on the danger this poses to Aruba’s Status Aparte and autonomy. He claims that Van der Burg is using the same “sugar-coated” rhetoric as Minister Geoffrey Wever to mislead the public,focusing on the benefits of receiving funds and lower interest rates, while failing to mention the power and autonomy that the AVP-FUTURO government is surrendering to the Netherlands, thereby dismantling the country’s self-governance.
According to Oduber, if the conditions proposed by the Netherlands were truly beneficial for the island, the process should have followed the legal framework of the Kingdom Charter (Statuut). He emphasized that the current debt did not result solely from local mismanagement but is a direct consequence of a global crisis that affected all nations.
Hidden Interests? Oduber posed a critical question for the community to reflect upon: “Do we truly believe that money is being offered or given to Aruba in exchange for supervision without the Netherlands having its own benefit behind it?” For the politician, the answer is clear. He argues that Aruba’s Status Aparte has always been a “thorn in the side” of Dutch civil servants and politicians in The Hague, and that is where the true motivation behind Dutch demands lies.
Autonomy is Non-Negotiable With a firm tone, Oduber declared that the Aruban people’s right to self-governance is not something that can be negotiated or sold like a common item. “Our autonomy within the Kingdom is not for sale on eBay, and certainly not by the Aruban people,” Oduber emphasized, recalling that this struggle has a long history dating back to the 1940s.
Oduber firmly believes that in a united Kingdom, partners must treat each other with mutual respect and comply with the provisions of the Charter, both in content and execution.
Love for Freedom To close his message, Oduber referred to the profound lyrics of the national anthem, “Aruba Dushi Tera,” to remind the public of the country’s fundamental values. He quoted the passage: “The greatness of your people is their great cordiality. May God guide and preserve their love for freedom!”, reiterating that Aruba’s freedom and autonomy must be protected for all generations and not be surrendered, as Prime Minister Mike Eman is doing betraying the struggle of his grandfather and father alongside ministers Geoffrey Wever and Gerlien Croes.
