On Thursday morning, the parliamentarian, candidate and member of the Aruban People’s Party (AVP) gave his first press statement after all the developments in recent weeks. In his characteristically sharp manner, the politician laid out his reaction to what had happened over the past three weeks to yesterday. Croes also appealed to the press to give him time to sit in his lap and come to a decision about his political career and specifically his AVP affiliation.
He began to indicate that what had happened last Monday at the Beach Party House was a “partijbieenkomst” and not a “partijraad”, which he attended and left disappointed. Among other things, because on the same day he held a meeting with most of the members of the faction of which he was unaware. Croes considers this a great lack of respect, given that he is the one who for the last two years has been acting as the leader of the faction. “It is unacceptable to me that you can function in a faction where you come carrying and fighting and shouting for the party, but you are not told that meetings take place in closed offices”, he declared.
Later, Croes received a call from party leader, Mr. Mike, please sit at the table with him. Based on what he said during the meeting, the politician asks the community and the press for time to allow him to return to his ranks. This, according to Croes, is the group he has never left on the streets since he entered politics six years ago, for which he also thanked them for their unconditional support in recent weeks. She understands the press’s desire and the public’s desire to know where Gerlien Croes stands, but she needs to feel supported by her family to see if a decision needs to be made. He immediately confirmed that he was still a member of the party and the AVP faction.
Croes: In life we may have differences of opinion and often each side has emotions attached, but that does not exclude that we are politicians, that we are adults who must respect each other. That’s why I’m so disappointed that there was such a lack of respect for me. He further stated that decisions should be made rationally and not based on emotion. So again I say that there was a conversation yesterday and I have to go back to my chest to clarify the reassessment of my position. Meanwhile, Croes feels that he cannot comment on, nor question, the decision taken by his colleague last Tuesday, indicating whether he believes the justification for this varies in public opinion.
Moreover, he continues to work as a member of the Green Party since he fulfills the responsibilities that the people have given him and he is paid to do. He believes that internal party affairs should not interfere with presenting at work.
Regarding the verdict of fellow parliamentarian Benny Sevinger, Croes acknowledged that as a colleague and human being, he is happy that the decision was more in Sevinger’s favor, but at the same time there are aspects in the judge’s verdict that cannot be ruled out for the future of politics in Aruba. As much as it celebrates the right to fight for justice and appeal, it must recognize that there is an immense distrust in the image of all political organizations. That is precisely why he entered politics in 2017, on behalf of a generation that thinks differently and yearns for things differently.
Politics also means that sometimes you have to compromise, you have to reach out to each other; you can’t ignore each other’s opinions because they may be younger, they may think differently, they may be critical or have their own opinions. You can’t rule this out when you sit at the table and talk about topics that are extremely important for the organization, but at the end of the day, for the people of Aruba”, said Croes.
She is convinced that decisions like the one before her now cannot be made based on who convinced others, because they impact, not only on her person, but people, communities and a generation of people who for years have been asking for a voice in politics in Aruba; a generation that is asking for change, to bring different goals.
I believe that all people deserve to have a different voice, deserve to have a high, meaningful politics and that’s where I stand. I will not let my supporters fall, I will not let the people be left with the emptiness of a person who has Aruba in his chest and is doing his best to bring about a change in politics; in any case to start the way we conduct politics in Aruba, the politician declared on Thursday morning in the press.