Perhaps you do not know but Raiz has been conducting sessions on Good Governance for a while, focusing on various subjects.

In session 7, the invited speaker was Miguel Mansur with a super interesting presentation, on Democratic Reform.

The Academia di Bon Gobernacion sessions are open to the public at no charge and are held at the Botica Oduber building.

Mansur’s presentation of just over one hour, was very professionally researched and supported by data. It outlined a proposed democratic reform focused on the electoral system, analyzing historical changes and their impact on resulting government formations.

The core principle of the presentation is the “equality of the vote,” which means not only that every vote has the same weight but also that each vote has an equal opportunity to influence the election’s outcome.

This is best achieved through a proportional representation system, which allocates seats to parties in approximate proportion to the votes they receive.

The document details the historical evolution of methods for allocating “residual seats” (the remaining seats after the initial allocation). It is the one practiced on Aruba.

From 1917 to 1933, the Largest Remainder (LR) method was used.

Since 1933, the d’Hondt method has been in place, which the presentation notes resulted in less proportional outcomes, favoring larger parties, and leading to a decrease in the number of people represented.

(Which you recall is exactly what happened last year, where three parties were thrown out and all their votes lost. Mansur’s presentation shows 9,166 voters in our community that ended up without a representation, including me.)

The presentation questions whether the historical shift to a less proportional system was politically motivated, noting its effectiveness in facilitating parliamentary majorities and ensuring the parliament’s operation, as evidenced by a significant reduction in small parties.

(The system sacrifices small parties, for the love of a broader and easier to form coalition.)

A major concern raised is whether these changes led to a vulnerable two-party system. The presentation lists several disadvantages of such a system, including limited political diversity and voter choice, misrepresentation of voter preferences, high barriers for independent and third-party candidates, increased influence of money and partisanship, limited political debate and innovation, and ultimately, voter disillusionment and a decline of trust in politics.

The presentation asserts that a multi-party system is a key criterion for evaluating a state’s level of democracy. It cites a 2024 academic study of 44 European countries, which explored factors contributing to multi-party states, such as parliamentary governance traditions, economic development, religiosity, education levels, and political participation.

The document references the legal framework for elections, mentioning the Kiesverordening (Electoral Ordinances) for the Dutch Caribbean. It finds its origins in 1917, in the Netherlands, and it was imported to the Netherlands Antilles in 1954, then instituted in Aruba in 1987, which really drive home the argument that we need to change the system, to make it more democratic, in the name of Equality of The Vote.

As it stands today, looking at the 2024 election, government support shrunk, and the portion of the opposition included the no voters, the invalid votes and the non-represented, is BIGGER, at 64% of the voters, than the government share at 36%.

According to Mansur various attempts were made in Aruba to reform the election system to make it fairer and more democratic. The first time in 2017, when Dangui Oduber and Evelyn Croes, then the opposition party, attempted to reform the system, but when MEP took over the government, they lost their appetite for change. Then parliamentarian Tevreden was rumored to take it over, but nothing happened, and when it came to a vote, the MEP/Raiz coalition voted against it.

In March 2022, Micheline Raymond, Raiz, picked up the issue, with the goal of making it easier for smaller parties to get through, then Mansur did some more work on it — it is almost ready, but both bigger parties will never play along. They do not mind that one third of citizens are not represented. They are guarding their seats, and their two-party system.

Anyone from both sides of the aisle wishing to tackle the issue, the proposed law is waiting.

Terra by Chef Jeremy Ford, warmly welcomes guests at the Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/terra-by-chef-jeremy-ford-warmly-welcomes-guests-at-the-bucuti-tara-beach-resort/

Cas di Cultura, CDC, fund-raising towards complete renovations

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/cas-di-cultura-cdc-fund-raising-towards-complete-renovations/

Former Minister Ursell Arends about RDA

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/former-minister-ursell-arends-about-rda/

ARUBA FASHION WEEK 2025 ANNOUNCES FULL PROGRAM AND INTERNATIONAL HEADLINERS December 11–14, 2025, JOIA Aruba by Iberostar, Eagle Beach, Aruba

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/aruba-fashion-week-2025-announces-full-program-and-international-headliners-december-11-14-2025-joia-aruba-by-iberostar-eagle-beach-aruba/

Four Important Decisions

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/four-important-decisions-made/

Genuine business connections and collaboration at CUA’s Business Brew, 2025

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/genuine-business-connections-and-collaboration-at-cuas-business-brew-2025/

Comerciantenan Uni Aruba, CUA, hosted a business brew at the recently renovated Anna Catharina Building, Nieuwstraat z/n, on Wednesday. It was the last business brew for 2025, and it was very well attended.

Lindy, Frans, and Francis promised no speeches, just genuine business connections and collaboration, and they delivered.

A bit of history first for those who forgot.

Frans Ponson of the General Store, and Francis Saladin of Frasa International Trading NV, formed a new merchant association five years ago. Then the pandemic interrupted. But the island recovered, and they were back at it, talking to their members via an efficient APP.

(C.U.A. Comerciantenan Uni Aruba in the APP store)

Members are encouraged to promote their businesses within the APP, enhance their profile and visibility and most of all discover and connect with like-minded other merchants.

Originally, CUA was created as a form of grass root protest, when GOA decided to bundle all taxes, namely, BBO/BAZV/BAVP, into the total price on the bottom of the consumer’s receipt. The merchants then sent a collective petition, July 4th, 2019, to the then minister of finance, asking her to reconsider and postpone the implementation of that ruling until such time when the complete upcoming tax reform was revealed.

They wanted to keep the BBO/BAZV/BAVP on the receipt, until then, for the sake of transparency.

You know what happened.

No one listened to them. Their requests were ignored.

So, they decided by become more vocal, organize, talk to press members, until GOA was willing to actually read the formal petition, but remained totally unprepared to take any suggestion into consideration.

So that’s history. Since then CUA has tackled issues with the tax department and the ministers, especially the introduction of BBO at the border, some successfully, some less fruitfully, but they remain a leading advocacy organization representing the interests of the Aruban businesses.

CUA has been in touch with dozens of government agency about a myriad of issues in 2025, discussing labor laws, hosting ILO, the International Labor Organization, talking to the Central Bank of Aruba, they lobbied parliament, commented on the rijkswet, the kingdom law for financial supervision, had meeting with current and former government, with political parties, with the Dutch representation, VNO, and addressed all issues their members care about.

Frans, Francis, supported by Lindy, finally felt they needed help navigating the road ahead, thus they started recruiting board members. They identified a respectable number of candidates, then a total of three were voted in by the membership. The vote winners, Serge Mansur – Caoba Real Estate N.V.; Jane Vermaas – Application Software Aruba N.V.; and Aldwin Kock – XA Technologies VBA, will share the responsibility of protecting the interests of local businesses.

In their own words: “Together we can weave a network of collaboration and innovation driving a prosperous future for Aruba‘s economy.”

New board members were warmly received by the membership.

The first item on their upcoming agenda, the refusal of the Department of Economic Affairs to grant a permit to a new e-commerce business, wishing to start grocery deliveries. The department turned down the application for a permit with the flimsy excuse prices could not be controlled, which is nonsense, since everything is posted online, but the department is still unsure about e-commerce, which puts Aruba light years behind the rest of the world.

The lovely, fully restored Anna Catharina building was the perfect setting for the Business Brew, over cocktails and snacks. It brought the issue of Oranjestad’s urban revival into focus.

According to develop Antonio Caralps, who undertook the building’s restoration, future growth is only possible in Oranjestad since Noord, Palm Beach and Eagle are already densely developed.

The Alba Quarter Monument across the street from Anna Catharina was then introduced to the membership by developers of  Interior & Architectural Firm INARCH NV. Alba Quarter, also on Nieuwstraat, is a 26-room, mixed use property with event space, opening in about 6 months. Alba Quarter occupies a 125-year-old mansion now being restored similarly to Anna Catharina which underwent rebirth and is now full rented as commercial space with a coffee shop, a pizzeria, and a bathing suit store.

Success to new board members, and see you at the next business brew in 2026.

Botica di Servicio is pleased to announce that the 8th Annual Diabetes Run & Walk 2025 is officially SOLD OUT.

Participants who have already completed their online payment are invited to pick up their shirt and BIB this Friday, November 14th, from 5pm to 8pm at Botica Eagle, as indicated in our latest announcement.

The Diabetes Run & Walk—organized in collaboration with Punta Brabo Diagnostics, CMB, and Subway—will take place on Sunday, November 16th, 2025. For the third consecutive year, funds raised will support Jump18’s cohort program, which focuses on empowering children living with obesity or at risk of diabetes. Led by Dr. Busari and his team, the program uses workshops and practical activities to inspire long-term, healthy lifestyle changes for children and their families.

With diabetes affecting nearly twice as many people in Aruba compared to the global average, this event continues to play an essential role in raising awareness, encouraging healthier habits, and strengthening community support.

Botica di Servicio extends a heartfelt thank-you to everyone for the overwhelming response. We look forward to welcoming all participants on November 16th for another impactful and inspiring edition of the Diabetes Run & Walk.

Balanced Use of Beaches

The courts just found the Aruban beach policy reasonable regarding condominium complexes NOT being eligible to their own pida barranca, their own beach.

The judge stated that granting condominiums their own beach is contrary to the law that was enacted in 2014 and went into effect in 2015, designed to maintain public order and safety as well as protect the environment.

The judge explained that condominium owners may move with their own chairs and umbrellas from beach to beach and thus the complex must not be granted privileged access to its own beach portion, unlike hotels and timeshares.

The authorities in Curacao and Bonaire were also called to make policies regarding the balanced use of beaches by locals and visitors.

Kingdom law accepted

Monday night in a marathon parliamentary meeting of 9 hours the Kingdom Law, proposed and promoted by the AVP party, was finally adopted with a majority of 11 votes pro. Mike de Meza, an AVP MP abstained.

Finally, it is done. The opposition wasted much time debating on the subject eager to delay and sabotage. Former minister Ursell Arends was recorded in an excellent clip, defending the Kingdom Law, liking Aruba’s debts to a mortgage that must be paid to the lender. Aruba owes more than 900 million to the Netherlands, for the corona loans alone, and it makes more sense to pay the amount back at a reduced interest rate, under the kingdom law, instead of the customary interest percentage that is much higher.

The MEP party conducted an extensive negative campaign against the Kingdom Law in past weeks, though it was signed originally under their own government, and forgotten due to political amnesia. Finally common sense prevailed, and parliament got it done.

The extensive negative campaign against the Kingdom Law, is going on this week, compliments of MEP.

Stealing the thunder

During his short visit to Aruba, Dutch premier Dick Schoof announced that the Kingdom is granting 53.6 million Euro to Sustainable Energy Production and Climate Transition Incentive Scheme, in Aruba. Curacao is grated 62.9 million Euro and Sint Martin 33.46.

He said the following: We are supporting Aruba in its energy transition and are handing over €53.6 million available to strengthen the Aruban electricity grid. The goal is to enable it to handle more solar and wind energy.

That is great news. Schoof also complimented Aruba’s premier for the decision to dismantle the mothballed refinery.

The following morning, its political amnesia cured, MEP shared a press release attempting to steal the thunder, reiterating that the millions were pledged under the former government, of MEP in 2023, and that it was NOT the current AVP government that managed to secure the endowment but its MEP predecessor.

Whoever did it, thank you!

It is time to wake up, and abandon the illusion

During the last decade, the delusion of reopening the refinery won a few elections on the island of Curacao and in Aruba where the empty promise of more high-paying jobs, blinded voters into believing pipe dreams.

In a joint statement with the Dutch premier, Aruba’s premier was moved to announce that RDA is closed permanently, and the Netherlands then promised to help with dismantling. The old rust bucket will be taken out of its misery, and the location will be repurposed, which is a huge challenge for a small island, according to Aruba’s premier. Schoof praised the decision as a “courageous and visionary.”

Former Minister Arends said: This is a reckoning. A come-to-Jesus moment for our island. The refinery did not just stop working—it died a long time ago. We have simply refused to bury it.

What as former-Minister I am forcing us to confront is the uncomfortable truth: Governments of Aruba have kept feeding a horse that died ten years ago.

The Lago Refinery was once one of the largest in the world, and during World War II one of the main suppliers of fuel to the Allied forces. After owner Exxon withdrew in 1985, the complex was already partly dismantled. Since then, the refinery has had several owners. Despite an overhaul in 1990, the complex became obsolete. A portion of it is used for oil storage.