the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Finance, Governmental Organization, Culture, and Sports with the Aruban Olympic Committee (COA) took place, which I organized.
We received the official presentation of COA’s 2026 Management Plan. During the presentation, they outlined their strategic vision to strengthen the sports sector as an important pillar for social and economic development in Aruba.
COA addressed various priorities for 2026, including:
- Development of local talent
- Focus on athletes’ mental health
- Digitalization and use of Artificial Intelligence
- Strengthening transparency and good governance
- Increasing local and international visibility
- Integration of sustainability (ESG) into management
On the financial side, COA emphasized its commitment to discipline and fiscal responsibility, while exploring possibilities to create new revenue streams to continue investing in athletes and sports development in Aruba.
At the end of the meeting, I was officially appointed as COA Ambassador, a role that strengthens the connection between sports and governance, and recognizes the importance of leadership and commitment in promoting sports at the national level.
Parliament has an important role in sports development, not only in oversight and supervision but also in creating the legislative framework needed to support the sector. In this context, COA presented several concrete suggestions where Parliament can contribute, including athlete protection, tax incentives for sports, and facilitation of combining sports, education, and work.
The Committee appreciated COA’s presentation and is committed to continuing dialogue and evaluating the proposed possibilities. In the coming period, the Committee will conduct a visit to COA to deepen the exchange of information.
I would like to express my gratitude to the entire COA team and parliamentary colleagues for this tremendous meeting.
“Step by step, day by day, we reach the goal together.”
