A Guide to the Confused

Today is a most important day for our democracy, in which political parties are presenting their lists of candidates to their voters and the registry, making the lists official, and eligible for election.

The timetable is the following, and you may watch on social media, and on the online news services. The list presentation is usually accompanied by fanfare and parades, but probably not this time.  RAIZ, a political party that almost slid into parliament in 2017, already announced it is presenting its inventory of future leaders, digitally.

9am Accion 21 – New political party, under the leadership of Miguel Mansur, and diligent parliamentarian Daphne Lejuez. The party list includes some fresh, educated candidates. I did not find out how many candidates will be listed, from a maximum 29, but they are out to improve Aruba.

9:30am PPA – One of Aruba’s oldest parties recently taken over by businesswoman turned pastor Lisette Malmberg, out to transform the island into a more just, sustainable society. She is guaranteed the support of her church members, and made it into the race when she last minute took PPA over. She intended to register a political party, but was caught in the unfinished process when the government fell. Luckily, PPA presented an opportunity, and a leadership vacancy. PPA was hibernating since the death of its leader, and received a new lease on life with Malmberg.

10am Pueblo Prome – Headed by so called leader Michael Williams, I have nothing good to say about that.

10:30am Red Democratico – Headed by controversial, angry parliamentarian Ricardo Croes, and even more controversial interim minister of education Rudy Lampe, also one woman with fantastic cleavage. They delivered in 2017, riding on the promise of legalizing marijuana, but did not make much progress over the past three and a half years. Did they die in the water, or do they still have a pulse?

11am UPP – This marginal party recently received a fresh leader, a woman, Seraida Pemberton, unknown to me, and I wish her luck.

11:30am MEP – The list was presented last night at a festive socially distanced press conference. I hear there was a lot of bickering and arguing about the positions on the list because usually only the first 10 candidates, #1 to #10, get a chance to serve their country. From what I understand 7 political leaders dropped off the list, and were replaced. Interim Minister of Transportation Chris Romero who was travelling for the past 3 years, when he wasn’t spearfishing, got out of the way, thus allowing 3 candidates to move a notch up: shin-kicking Rocco Tjon to #5, populist Glenbert Croes to #4, and ambitious Dangui Oduber to #3. Romenro must have demanded a top spot and was turned down. We won’t miss him. Dr. Arthur Vallejo, jumped from the bottom, from the honorary #29 position, to #6, making most gains, and indicating he is our next minister of pubic health. At the head of the party, capable interim premier Evelyn Wever Croes and her noisy counterpart, #2, Xiomara Maduro

12or noon CURPA – This is a religious party, not very active or vocal.

1pm MAS – This political dinosaur was recently taken over by the dynamic Marisol Lopez Tromp, the ousted Minister of Infrastructure. According to me, she lost political momentum by taking her time to announce her comeback, but she is an important player, and I hope she lands back on her feet and in parliament as the feisty voice of the opposition.

1:30pm POR – Parliamentarian Allan Howell will be heading this list which is amazing, after all he is a suspect in a criminal investigation. POR also lost the Interim Minister of Justice, Andin Bikker, who announced retirement along with another bumbling junior member. I don’t know where this is going. My guess? Nowhere. The party established by a suspect in a criminal investigation, Otmar Oduber, is doomed to oblivion.

2pm HTC – The equivalent of a Citizen’s Protest Movement, young, inexperienced, anti, with naïve and unrealistic list of wishes.

3:30pm AVP – Aruba’s largest and most disappointing party. This king is definitely naked. Party leader Mike Eman with endless resources of chutpa positioned himself at the helm. Which is beyond my understanding. The party also let go Richard Arends, a young, educated parliamentarian which in the land of the blind was one-eyed. How did they propel parliamentarian Mike de Meza to #2? His light weight floated him to the top. Suspect of a criminal investigation parliamentarian Benny Sevinger, was relegated to #29, if he drops off, nothing happens.  They did manage to recruit two good candidate intellectual Rycond Santos Do Nacimento, and Dr Celene Kock, otherwise their list is a big yawn. And outrageously, Mike Eman used the launch of his official party list as a platform to crown Benny Sevinger, the victim of political persecution.

 

Share on:

May 07, 2021
Rona Coster