During her first round of debate on the AIOF Investment and Development Fund, Parliamentarian Xiomara Maduro expressed serious concerns, indicating that her faction is not against investment or development, but that the current law does not yet offer sufficient clarity and guarantees for the management of public funds.
Maduro emphasized that Aruba must continue to invest in infrastructure, education, sustainability, economic development, and the improvement of neighborhoods and San Nicolas. However, according to the parliamentarian, the main question is not whether the Government should invest, but how the investments will be managed and whether the people’s money will be spent correctly.
According to Maduro, there is still no clear evaluation showing why government projects are not executed on time or why budgets remain unspent at the end of the year. The parliamentarian questioned whether the problem is a lack of personnel, planning, or capacity within the ministries, arguing that without a proper diagnosis, it cannot be guaranteed that the fund is the right solution.
Another major concern is the possibility that private entities or other public entities could contribute to the fund. Maduro requested more clarity on the rules, the influence that investors might gain, and the guarantees to avoid conflicts of interest. Furthermore, the parliamentarian pointed out that the law does not include concrete goals, KPIs, or indicators to measure the fund’s results. “Without goals and evaluations, it is difficult to determine if the investments are truly producing economic and social benefits for Aruba,” Maduro expressed.
Maduro also referred to the report “Buiten beeld, buiten controle” (Out of Sight, Out of Control) by the General Audit Chamber (Algemene Rekenkamer), which emphasizes the importance of transparency and financial control in public investments. The parliamentarian asked the Government how it will guarantee that Parliament and the Public receive complete and timely information regarding the cost, progress, and results of projects.
At the end of her speech, the parliamentarian expressed concern over the announced change in government leadership, pointing out that a long-term investment fund should not depend on politicians, but rather on strong institutions, clear rules, and sufficient oversight. “This is where the AVP-FUTURO Government fails to strengthen the departments; it fails to establish clear rules in advance and does not ensure sufficient control,” Maduro stated.
“We are not against investment, and we are not against development,” Maduro declared, “but a law that moves millions of florins of the people’s money must have control, transparency, and accountability.”