Most people I know are pleased we only have 12 weeks to go until December 6th. The process of free and democratic elections here is a futile attempt to refresh government, because it is all on the surface, a pretend preoccupation with the future of the island when all parties wave flags energetically reciting catch phrases about integrity, prosperity and well-being, having no clue how to fix Serlimar, Arubus, our environmental liability, and our super expensive healthcare, when in power.
They have no specific plans either, beside promising pension increases and more opportunities for kids and youth.
It’s sad but true that to fix the island’s challenges we need grownups, thoroughly professional, highly educated people, strongly committed to the cause. But those are in full employment in the private sector, paving the way for opportunists, motivated by power and influence.
I recently looked at a list of registered parties in Aruba. There are 23, including four new ones, out for the first time. Partido FuTURo, led by Gerlien Croes, Partido Lucha pa Reforma, LpR, founded by Rycond Santos do Nascimento, Partido Movemento Indigena Arubano, MIA, with Helena Croes at the helm and Partido Direccion Politiea, PDP, by a university student, Leonardo Figaroa.
FuTURo, note the writing of the party name, wanting to say it’s inclusive, and welcoming. The head of the party, a young politician, a mother of two, 37, has been a member of parliament on the AVP list, twice, getting 982 votes for her first foray, in 2017, #18 on the list, and 1,92, in 2021, #4 on the list.
Last year she left the party and became an independent member of parliament citing blatant irregularities within the AVP party.
Up until then, there was talk, that the AVP party will eventually be handed to her when the geezers with the old mentality retire. That was only unofficial talk, apparently, nothing was ever discussed but we were under the impression that she is the future of the party.
My friends-in-the-know call her Feisty. She has a master’s degree from a Dutch university, in Globalization and Law, with a specialization in International Economic Rights, according to media reports.
Her political debut party last weekend, was nicely attended, she said she stands for transparency, unity and representation, then added, also equality, opportunity and well-being. We are polite and sweet, so no one asked for specifics.
I imagine she planned to spread her wings next year, founding her own party, but with the recent coalition collapse, she was forced to declare her readiness now.
Another new party, Partido Lucha pa Reforma, LpR, founded by Rycond Santos do Nascimento, a constitutional law scholar, was announced at the same time.
Why couldn’t these two form an alliance, share a party? If they really wanted to offer a political alternative, they would have sough alliances, instead of splitting votes. In our system, all ‘left-over’ votes, under the magic number required for one seat, Electoral Quotient: 2,792, in 2021, are added to the larger voting blocks, and thus a vote for a small party is often a lost vote
Rycond has very religious views, we found out, when he voted against same sex marriages. Initially the AVP party was impressed with his credentials and potential and awarded his #5 position on the list. He delivered 214 votes. Recently, he has been courting the MEP party, hoping perhaps to get a spot on its list, since he abandoned AVP last year, also citing blatant irregularities within the party.
Partido Movemento Indigena Arubano, MIA, with Helena Croes at the helm, advocating for Aruba’s Indigenous people, goes hot and cold, sometimes active sometimes not. I am unclear how many among us consider themselves Indigenous. All I know is that Aruba is a melting pot of over 100 nationalities.
Partido Direccion Politiea, PDP, under the guidance of Leonardo Figaroa, split from ACCION21. He defines the new entity as a social-liberal-progressive political forum and declares that the new generation entered the arena. That was four months ago, nothing since, his political philosophy of forming a democratic government working for the general interest, of the Aruban People, in vague, all parties say the same, then do what’s convenient for their voters. Leon is a university student studying law at the Universidad di Aruba.
Why doesn’t he want to form an alliance, share a party? Everyone wants to be their own boss.
One more new face, that of Stephanie Sevinger, premiered on the stage. She a political unknown, the daughter of convicted politician Benny Sevinger — scamming, bribery, embezzlement and abuse of function. She was summoned last week to arrive in Aruba, re-register officially in the population registry to assume her father’s spot on the AVP party list, since dad must stay away from public office for 6 years.
The AVP party finally realized they had to let the man go, he was heading to jail, but wanted to save some of his loyalist votes, 1,614 in 2021, as #29 on the list, which is an honorary position, since he already had some legal challenges at the time.
Stephanie, an educated millennial, was summoned to return from the Netherlands, to fill her father’s shoes.
Quite shocking in view of the fact that Stephanie might have had a full life in the Netherlands, and she needed to drop it all and show up here. Upon arrival, party leader Mike Eman welcomed her in his signature side hug and wide grim as if she was his long lost cousin. I am pretty sure, they hardly know each other. Stephanie has been studying abroad for a number of year.
And what if she had to leave her boyfriend or cat behind?
Will she attract the votes, traditionally ‘belonging’ to her father??
Will she want to work as parliamentarian, post-elections?
Was it her life’s dream to become an AVP party member, and spend time with the old guard?
She is sacrificing so much. Why?
And how can she be helpful to her country?
