Renovation work on the ex-Brisas del Mar pier in Savaneta has officially begun. After, in September 2025, the Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs, and the Primary Sector, Geoffrey Wever, signed the execution agreement with the company that won the contract for the renovation and maintenance of the ex-Brisas del Mar pier in Savaneta, on Monday the work officially started with a groundbreaking ceremony to initiate the project.
Although the Minister of Finance stated that a public tender took place, it is still unclear which company actually received the contract, what the criteria for the public tender were, how long companies had to submit bids, and when exactly the tender took place. Who was the notary handling the process? There is no clarity on this matter, and nothing has been published for the community of Aruba. Until now, it is not known whether the public tender was actually announced or held, or if a company was simply selected. No announcement has appeared in the official gazette or the local press regarding any public tender.
The ex-Brisas del Mar pier is a very important infrastructure for the Savaneta community. It is intensively used for different purposes, such as fishing, mooring, going to and returning from the reef by boat, and for activities organized by various foundations and community groups. Due to the renovation work, the pier will be temporarily “out of service” for several weeks.
Maintenance and renovation of piers around Aruba is part of the government’s priority to strengthen and develop the fishing sector. To provide concrete support for the government’s vision and management of the fishing sector, as stated in the AVP-FUTURO 2025-2028 Governance Program, an amount of Afl. 500,000 was allocated for the renovation of piers for local fishermen.
The ex-Brisas del Mar pier in Savaneta is the first project in this trajectory, and soon it will be followed by the pier in Colony at Rodgers Beach. The question remains whether all these piers will have “phantom” public tenders.
As part of the renovation, the pier will receive completely new pilings and decking, designed to improve durability, safety, and practical use. The work is being carried out by a contractor with extensive experience, who has completed the renovation and maintenance of various piers in Aruba over many years.
Adequate basic infrastructure is essential for sustainable growth and development of the fishing sector. The AVP-FUTURO Cabinet is committed to providing our fishermen and the community in general with the necessary infrastructure to continue using these piers, whether for professional purposes or for recreational use.
“According to the Minister, soon the next pier will follow, until we manage to renovate all of them. The ex-Brisas del Mar pier will soon be completely renovated and ready for use by our fishermen and all residents of Savaneta.”
