In Cede of MEP, a meeting was held to explain to the community of Aruba the difference between Onderlingerregeling, COHO and CHE. Prime Minister Evelyn Wever Croes feels it is very important to provide this information in detail. For the first time in history the government wants people to know more about what the trade and word were in Aruba and the Netherlands.
While there is something positive and good for Aruba, there is a lot of ground burning to misinform the community or to bring insecurity into the community, so we choose to get closer to the citizens to explain and understand more what Aruba has achieved which is certainly something great for Aruba’s status.
A room full of questions. A lot of people who didn’t know what was going on, they asked for every doubt and got answers. According to Prime Minister Evelyn Wever Croes, a well-informed people is one that makes the best decisions for its future.
The COHO and the interim arrangement relate to the conditions which the Netherlands had imposed on Aruba when it lent money to Aruba. What should be clear is that the Netherlands did not just lend Aruba, but that the Netherlands lent Aruba money on the condition that Aruba make fundamental changes to make Aruba stronger. If there is another crisis, Aruba must not collapse like COVID. According to Prime Minister Evelyn Wever Croes, the Netherlands wants Aruba to stand strong on its feet and become more independent, but they also want to make sure that Aruba pays back the Netherlands.
Prime Minister Evelyn Wever Croes understands the Dutch concern that Aruba has only one economic pillar. What is a reality is that if something happens to Aruba’s tourism, Aruba cannot repay the money to the Netherlands, this is what the Netherlands is doing to make Aruba stronger and more resilient and help Aruba create other economic pillars so that Aruba can withstand any possible shock.
The Dutch condition that Aruba should be reformed was included in the land package, and the land package and the eight areas of discussion to improve and strengthen Aruba were agreed.
According to Prime Minister Evelyn Wever Croes, the rules of the game must be clearly laid out so that there is more visibility on who does what, which was all in the COHO according to Prime Minister Evelyn Wever Croes.
The COHO is so extreme that the Netherlands wanted there to be a body made up of three Dutchmen, all of whom would decide how Aruba became stronger and more resilient. This is what has not happened and that Prime Minister Evelyn Wever Croes has succeeded in putting on the table and stating that COHO is not in force for Aruba where she has come up with a subordinate arrangement.
If the three Dutchmen were to come and say that the retirement age must be raised, then it must be done, neither the Government nor Parliament have anything to say. This is a situation which has not been in the good graces of the Government of Aruba.
That is why Prime Minister Evelyn Wever Croes boarded a plane to the Netherlands and let the Netherlands understand the situation in Aruba and it was clear that Aruba understands the rules of the game because the Netherlands is helping in Aruba’s recovery, but it should not be so extreme. This is how the negotiations began and the mutual agreement was reached and the COHO was eliminated.
The difference with the COHO is that the arrangement remains entirely in the hands of the Government of Aruba itself and the responsibility lies with the Parliament of Aruba itself and the three Dutchmen no longer come to Aruba. This means that all priorities are set by Aruba itself. A certain positive performance for Aruba and for the progress of all citizens in Aruba and respect between the Netherlands and Aruba was also defined.