First Wever-Croes cabinet

First Wever-Croes cabinet

10th cabinet of Aruba
Date formed17 November 2017 (2017-11-17)
Date dissolved20 September 2021 (2021-09-20)
(4 years, 76 days in office)
People and organisations
MonarchKing Willem-Alexander
GovernorAlfonso Boekhoudt
Prime MinisterEvelyn Wever-Croes
Deputy Prime MinisterOtmar Oduber (2017–2019)
Andin Bikker (2020–2021)
No. of ministers8
Member partyPeople's Electoral Movement (MEP)
Proud and Respected People (POR)
Democratic Network (RED)
Status in legislatureCoalition government
History
Election2017 election
Outgoing election2021 election
PredecessorSecond Mike Eman cabinet
SuccessorSecond Wever-Croes cabinet

The first Wever-Croes cabinet (Papiamento: Gabinete Wever-Croes I) was the cabinet of Aruba from 17 November 2017 to 20 September 2021. It was formed by a coalition government of the political parties People's Electoral Movement (MEP), Proud and Respected People (POR) and Democratic Network (RED), and was led by Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes. It was the country's first coalition government in sixteen years and the first cabinet to be headed by a woman.

The cabinet served during the late 2010s and the start of the 2020s. Notable issues during the first Wever-Croes cabinet included the COVID-19 pandemic in Aruba, and the corruption case Flamingo. The cabinet fell on 30 March 2021, after an investigation had been launched into the possible embezzlement of public money by coalition party POR.[1] It continued to serve as a demissionary cabinet until 20 September 2021.

Formation

Shortly after the 2017 general election, the parties MEP (9 seats), POR (2 seats) and RED (1 seat) agreed to form a coalition government, thereby excluding the Aruban People's Party (AVP), which had received the most votes. Although the coalition parties initially wanted to form a government consisting of seven ministers, they ultimately compromised at having eight, with five ministries going to MEP, two to POR and one to RED. The position of Minister Plenipotentiary also went to MEP.[2]

The cabinet's coalition agreement was titled "Together for Aruba" (Papiamento: Hunto pa Aruba).[3] The parties agreed that the most important issues that needed to be addressed were the financial situation, political integrity, and the wellbeing of Aruban citizens.[4] The cabinet was sworn in by Governor Alfonso Boekhoudt on 17 November 2017.[5]

Notable events

Resignation of Otmar Oduber

On 12 December 2019, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Environment Otmar Oduber resigned from his position, stating health, family and personal reasons.[6] In June 2020, judicial authorities conducted a search of Oduber's house in relation to the corruption case Flamingo.[7]

Dismissal of Marisol Lopez-Tromp

In July 2020, tensions ran high within the cabinet when Minister of Justice and Immigration Andin Bikker and the POR party withdrew their confidence in Oduber's replacement as Minister of Infrastructure and Environment, Marisol Lopez-Tromp [nl]. A Parliament meeting that had been organized to discuss a motion of no confidence in Lopez-Tromp was postponed at the last minute to allow for a mediation attempt in the Prime Minister's office.[8] POR threatened to let the government lose its majority if Lopez-Tromp would not be dismissed.[9]

On 22 October 2020 Lopez-Tromp was dismissed from the cabinet, as the majority of the cabinet, as well as a majority in Parliament, stated they did not support her anymore. Prime Minister Wever-Croes took over her portfolio. Wever-Croes stated that having Lopez-Tromp in the cabinet led to an "unworkable situation" and a loss of citizens' confidence in the government.[10] Lopez-Tromp stated that her anti-corruption policy and the continued influence of former minister Oduber within the government were the main reasons she clashed with her party, the cabinet and Parliament.[7]

Composition

Prime minister and Deputy prime ministers in the first Wever-Croes cabinet
Title Minister Term of office Party
Start End
Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes Evelyn Wever-Croes 17 November 2017 Incumbent[i] MEP
Deputy Prime Minister Otmar Oduber Otmar Oduber 17 November 2017 12 December 2019[ii] POR
Andin Bikker Andin Bikker 2 January 2020 20 September 2021
Ministers in the first Wever-Croes cabinet
Title Minister Term of office Party
Start End
Minister of General Affairs, Integrity, Energy and Innovation Evelyn Wever-Croes Evelyn Wever-Croes 17 November 2017 20 September 2021 MEP
Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Culture Xiomara Maduro Xiomara Maduro 17 November 2017 20 September 2021 MEP
Minister of Infrastructure and Environment Otmar Oduber Otmar Oduber 17 November 2017 12 December 2019[ii] POR
Evelyn Wever-Croes Evelyn Wever-Croes (ad interim) 12 December 2019 28 January 2020 MEP
Marisol Lopez-Tromp Marisol Lopez-Tromp 28 January 2020 22 October 2020[iii] POR
Evelyn Wever-Croes Evelyn Wever-Croes 22 October 2020 20 September 2021 MEP
Minister of Education, Science and Sustainable Development Rudy Lampe Rudy Lampe 12 December 2019 20 September 2021 RED
Minister of Tourism, Public Health and Sports Dangui Oduber Dangui Oduber 17 November 2017 20 September 2021 MEP
Minister of Transport, Communications and the Primary Sector Chris Romero Chris Romero 17 November 2017 20 September 2021 MEP
Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Glenbert Croes Glenbert Croes 17 November 2017 20 September 2021 MEP
Minister of Justice and Immigration Andin Bikker Andin Bikker 17 November 2017 20 September 2021 POR
Plenipotentiaries of the first Wever-Croes cabinet[iv]
Title Minister Term of office Party
Start End
Minister Plenipotentiary Guillfred Besaril Guillfred Besaril 20 November 2017 1 July 2022[i] MEP
Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative to the European Union Eddy Paris Eddy Paris 1 January 2018 1 January 2022[v] MEP
  1. ^ a b Retained this position after dissolution of the cabinet.
  2. ^ a b Resigned from this position.
  3. ^ Marisol Lopez-Tromp was dismissed as Minister of Infrastructure and Environment on 22 October 2020.
  4. ^ Not formally members of the cabinet.
  5. ^ Ad interim from 20 September 2021.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Kabinet Aruba gevallen, premier Wever-Croes heeft ontslag aangeboden". NOS (in Dutch). 30 March 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  2. ^ Rasmijn, Ariën (16 November 2017). "Nieuwe regering Aruba staat klaar" (in Dutch). Caribisch Network NTR. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Regeerprogramma Kabinet Wever-Croes" (in Dutch). Gobierno Aruba. November 2017. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Wever-Croes: met trots, respect en visie" (in Dutch). Antilliaans Dagblad. 16 November 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019.
  5. ^ "Aruba has a new cabinet". The Daily Herald. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ "Minister Otmar Oduber treedt af" (in Dutch). Government of Aruba. 17 September 2019. Archived from the original on 29 November 2019.
  7. ^ a b Henriquez, Sharina (4 November 2020). "Ontslagen minister: 'nog steeds ministers in deze regering die corruptie in doofpot willen'". Caribbean Network NTR. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Regering Aruba probeert scherven te lijmen" (in Dutch). Antilliaans Dagblad. 31 July 2020. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Nog geen motie van wantrouwen voor Arubaanse minister Lopez-Tromp". NU.cw. 2 August 2020. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020.
  10. ^ Henriquez, Sharina (25 October 2020). "Ontslagen minister: 'werkelijke reden is mijn gevecht tegen corruptie'" (in Dutch). Caribbean Network NTR. Archived from the original on 2 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Ady Thijsen naar Europa". Aruba.nu (in Dutch). 2 November 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.