The faction leader of FUTURO, Ruthlyn Lindor, expressed her disappointment with how the parliamentary debate regarding public tenders in education developed. According to Lindor, while the central theme is of vital importance for educational materials in Papiamento, the opposition chose to “boycott” the meeting with topics that have nothing to do with the established agenda.
Lindor explained that the meeting was requested based on a press release regarding public tenders under the Minister of Education. Although the minister has already answered questions extensively in the past, the MP noted that during today’s meeting, the focus was completely diverted.
The real problem in Education The MP brought forward a long-standing situation that affects the development of local school materials. “There is only a small group of professionals who have the experience to create educational material in Papiamento,” Lindor explained.
She pointed out that in the past, under the former education minister, payment processes were left open without proper formalization. This forced the current Minister to sign ministerial decrees (MB) without a prior public tender. Lindor clarified that, although the law allows for exceptions, this should not become a habit, and the goal of the meeting was specifically to fix these processes for the future.
“Political Theater” For the FUTURO faction leader, it is regrettable that the debate turned into a stage for partisan politics instead of seeking solutions for the educational sector.
“The public has to witness a complete political theater. We are seeing something entirely different from the main topic. I don’t know if we can reach a solution today, because the opposition is trying to boycott the meeting with other topics,” Lindor declared.
Seeking a definitive solution Despite the interruptions in the parliamentary process, Lindor reaffirmed that the Minister is working on a structural plan to prevent education from being stalled due to a lack of professionals or administrative processes that do not run properly.
The MP hopes that, when providing answers, the Minister receives the necessary space to explain the technical details and the action plan to guarantee that didactic materials reach our students without further setbacks.