It is good to remember that the job of a Parliamentarian is among other things to control the Government, and to certainly draw their due attention respectively when something is not going as it should.
Parliamentarian Miguel Mansur (ACCION21) addressed a letter to the Prime Minister, Evelyn Wever-Croes – in charge of personnel management of the Government of Aruba – with a character of urgency and also of great concern. The ACCION21 faction has a request for clarification of a delicate situation regarding the issue of integrity in our governmental apparatus, specifically related to the Department of Human Resources (DRH).
A LOT OF POWER GIVEN
Parliamentarian Mansur underlines that recently in his capacity as a member of the Parliament of Aruba, he took note of the circular ‘maatregelen tegen niet-integer gedrag’ – measures against not having an integral behaviour (18 July 2023, DRH no. 59787, 995/23) signed by the Minister-President and also (in correlation to said circular) of a decision of the Common Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius (GS-183, 15 December 2005).
“In the circular mentioned above, a lot of power is given to the Director of the Department of Human Resources (DRH) regarding disciplinary actions and also to deal with the non-integral behavior of public workers”, the Parliamentarian explains. The Court of Appeal notes that a person who complained against the current Director of DRH was pursued as a reprisal. A case report was filed accusing the current Director of DRH of apparently committing punishable and/or not integral acts but the Court of Appeal could not oblige the Public Ministry to pursue the case.
‘SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT’
Looking at the basis of the correlation between the circular and the above-mentioned Court decision, the ACCION21 faction finds that the real feeling exists that the current Director is not the best person to be involved in the advice and execution of decisions regarding integrity. “Our faction wishes clarity and explanation from the Minister-President as to the example a person with a dubious reputation may have for the execution of the Government’s policy on the issue of integrity”.
GIVING ADVICES AGAINST THE LAW?
Considering the facts of the case, the Parliamentarian questions how many advices the department under current direction has formulated that is also against the law? The ACCION21 faction stands firmly behind the fact that people who lack integrity cannot be in charge with integrity management. Mansur: In English there is a saying, “the fox guarding the hen house”, which describes the current situation in DRH.
Parlamentarian, Miguel Mansur to Prime Minister:
Finally, in the letter addressed to the prime minister, the faction would like to know whether the prime minister has plans to reestablish confidence in the Department of Human Resources, or Mrs. Wever-Croes agrees that a questionable person can continue as Director of a government department?
The ACCION21 faction hopes to receive a response from the president as soon as possible on these issues which are very serious in terms of integrity and its implementation.
