“If the minister paid for her trip, show the receipt. It’s that simple to end the criticism.”
MP Xiomara Maduro expresses her concern regarding how Minister Gerlien Croes is handling legitimate community criticism about her business trip on a private jet—a matter now known as the “Jetlien” case. According to Maduro, the central point of the discussion is simple: transparency and compliance with integrity rules in governance.
“In a state of law, every public official, and especially a minister, has the obligation to provide clarity and present proof when there is doubt regarding the use of resources or official conduct,” Maduro states.
Contradictions in Minister Croes’ Statements MP Maduro emphasized that when the minister was questioned, instead of presenting a payment receipt proving she covered the costs herself, the minister opted for explanations that kept changing. Among other things, the minister claimed she paid for the trip out of her own salary; later, she declared the costs were shared; and most recently, she attempted to compare a business trip on a private jet to a family outing at a restaurant where it is not “normal” to account for who paid. MP Maduro qualifies this comparison as “out of place and a lack of seriousness for the responsibility that the position of Minister demands.”
“If the payment receipt had been presented from the beginning, all questioning would have ended immediately,” Maduro indicated. “And if there was a beginner’s mistake, the people of Aruba are mature enough to understand and forgive. But what we see now is a pattern from Minister Gerlien Croes to avoid responsibility, change versions, and blame the opposition.”
Questioning is not an Attack, but a Constitutional Duty Maduro emphasizes that the opposition has not only the right but the duty to question and demand clarity when there are doubts about governmental integrity. “This is not a political attack; this is fulfilling our constitutional role to oversee the Government and protect the interests of the people.”
Finally, Maduro questions why the minister’s own supporters are not demanding to see concrete proof. Transparency should not be selective. If the minister paid for her trip, show the receipt. It’s that simple!