I met lawyer Arie Swaen at the opening festivity of Canwood Law, the law practice just established by Doris Canwood, in Rancho. Doris deserves compliments for moving into an old, recently refurbished building in a neighborhood of ill-repute, thereby greatly contributing to a grass-root movement of urban revival in the heart of Oranjestad. Ok, it’s just behind the court-house and super convenient, but an office a couple of streets over would have saved her a few florins in security, but no, she wanted the character and the style of Rancho, to add to her mystic. So thank you Doris, smart move.
I checked with the so-called retired Swaen about this and that, we know each other for a long time over a series of chance-meetings in the supermarket on Saturdays. We chatted, and I sent greetings to his brother a former Minister of Finance & Economic Affairs in the MEP government, Nilo Swaen, #6 on the list for the 2009 election which was lost. In early 2016, Nilo told me he is entertaining the idea of returning to politics. He might make a good professional minister. Just a thought.
Arie Swaen is a man with a moral compass and impeccable credentials, a member of the old guard, and I mean that with the utmost respect. I believe he did not know then, at the opening of Kenwood Law, how busy he will become as the Informador, the go-between the coalition partners, the magician who with spit and glue, maybe even chewing gum, will be tasked with the patchwork of our upcoming government.
The leader of MEP declared there is plenty of time, we’d better do it right, she says; the leader of POR, supported that wish by stating the coalition must last four years, but I think the longer it take to divide the pie, and assign the portfolios, the more surprises they might find, such as permits signed, and licenses granted by the SITTING government while coalition talks are ongoing. So don’t take too long, national treasures are being signed away.
While declaring there is plenty of room for agreement, both MEP and POR desire the same lucrative posts. MEP calls them Tourism, Finance and Justice. POR calls them Justice, Economy and Public Finance. Same thing.
MEP walked away with 22,061 votes in the September 22nd election. POR landed just 5,531, do you think it is an even playing field?
No way.
MEP is definitely in the driver’s seat, but alas, it cannot govern without coalition partners.
What would you do? Would you give key positions away or would you hold your ground?
I think someone had better call Shareen Luidens, at CENSO, and ask her how fast she can get the ball rolling for another cycle of elections, forcing a decisive majority rule.
Do you think the next election round would turn out differently?
