The parliamentarian of the Aruban People’s Party (AVP) has had to respond to the requests of various media and citizens for a reaction to the statement made recently by Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes regarding the scandal of the helicopter at the service of the Aruba Police Force. Dowers believes that once again the prime minister is trying to throw sands in people’s eye, by talking things that do not match and pointing fingers at previous governments based on pure lies.
That is why on Tuesday morning Dowers challenged Premier Wever-Croes to debate and compare results of the time that he was Minister of Justice and now. Standing in front of the hangar of the Fire Brigade base at the airport, the parlamentarian said that he was surprised to hear his name in the mouth of the prime minister for what is the problem in which the government is currently. On the other hand, Dowers understands that the Wever-Croes cabinets I and II have no achievements of their own to talk good of herself. This causes that even the agreement with a drug dealer who turned himself in to DEA, they will come out and say they are very proud of him.
You can’t justify the LNG Eagle deal because that’s a basket that still remains to see how much chickens will come out of it and how much it will cost the community. The one of Citgo if everyone knows that Aruba lost to receive 300 million Guilder, in addition to taking risks that they would have to take out more, despite someone closed to the party has won a good piece of money with this agreement. That is why it is also easy, according to Dowers, to understand the longing for death that there was the time there to sign this helicopter deal. Back then, many people complained and said that they had not had a fair opportunity to submit an offer because from the very first moment the government had already said who would get the contract.
That great love was demonstrated again that week in the speed with which ministers publicly came out in defense of the company. Any other organization that closed a deal with people involved in drugs would have at least waited a couple of days of investigation before to see what is what and not just say that the helicopter should keep flying. Wever-Croes accuses Dowers of stopping all helicopter matters when he assumed responsibility for the Justice portfolio. However, Dowers found himself with a contract in the works and when that ended, the company intended to find an extension without public bidding, because that’s the way the MEP’s previous government had done it. As there was 1 million guilders budgeted for helicopters and he had not had an offer below 1.2 million guilders, Dowers opted to put the resources directly into the Aruba Police Force, which resulted in a considerable advancement of his operation.
Dowers: “Evelyn Wever-Croes is lying once again that it was the helicopter that solved crime in Aruba.
What solves crime is the police. I have come to find a KPA (Police Force Aruba) demoralized is what is happening now again. I went to put to work more than 100 policemen who are still working and are the ones who fight and prevent crime, not helicopter. Besides that, the punishments for robbery and possession of weapons were increased; that’s what reduces and to prevent crime, not a helicopter that costs 10 million guilders from the people; 10 million guilders thrown away.” In his opinion, the police command did very well to say that as long as there is no clarity, the helicopter does not fly. Minister Tjon, instead of standing behind the integrity of his police force, defended the foreign company with stories because no serious company sends a marketing manager to sign a 10 million dollar contract Florin.
There are drug trafficking parties on this island. Evelyn Wever-Croes and Andin Bikker cut off nose to damage it face of Poicial Body and of Aruba,” he expressed challenging the prime minister to bring the figure that shows that by the time the helicopter flies, crime has plummeted. “Any day we will be able to debate about what you left, what we were do. Come with a list and tell me what crimes this helicopter has solved and I come with a list of which ones the police solved what crimes and if you named him or I designated them” this is how the opposition mp finished saying.
