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.
First Wever-Croes cabinet | |
---|---|
![]() 10th cabinet of Aruba | |
Date formed | 17 November 2017 |
Date dissolved | 20 September 2021 (4 years, 76 days in office) |
People and organisations | |
Monarch | King Willem-Alexander |
Governor | Alfonso Boekhoudt |
Prime Minister | Evelyn Wever-Croes |
Deputy Prime Minister | Otmar Oduber (2017–2019) Andin Bikker (2020–2021) |
No. of ministers | 8 |
Member party | People's Electoral Movement (MEP) Proud and Respected People (POR) Democratic Network (RED) |
Status in legislature | Coalition government |
History | |
Election | 2017 election |
Outgoing election | 2021 election |
Predecessor | Second Mike Eman cabinet |
Successor | Second Wever-Croes cabinet |
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
editShortly 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
editResignation of Otmar Oduber
editOn 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
editIn 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 . 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
editTitle | Minister | Term of office | Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start | End | |||||
Prime Minister | Evelyn Wever-Croes | 17 November 2017 | Incumbent[i] | MEP | ||
Deputy Prime Minister | Otmar Oduber | 17 November 2017 | 12 December 2019[ii] | POR | ||
Andin Bikker | 2 January 2020 | 20 September 2021 |
Title | Minister | Term of office | Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start | End | |||||
Minister of General Affairs, Integrity, Energy and Innovation | Evelyn Wever-Croes | 17 November 2017 | 20 September 2021 | MEP | ||
Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Culture | Xiomara Maduro | 17 November 2017 | 20 September 2021 | MEP | ||
Minister of Infrastructure and Environment | Otmar Oduber | 17 November 2017 | 12 December 2019[ii] | POR | ||
Evelyn Wever-Croes (ad interim) | 12 December 2019 | 28 January 2020 | MEP | |||
Marisol Lopez-Tromp | 28 January 2020 | 22 October 2020[iii] | POR | |||
Evelyn Wever-Croes | 22 October 2020 | 20 September 2021 | MEP | |||
Minister of Education, Science and Sustainable Development | Rudy Lampe | 12 December 2019 | 20 September 2021 | RED | ||
Minister of Tourism, Public Health and Sports | Dangui Oduber | 17 November 2017 | 20 September 2021 | MEP | ||
Minister of Transport, Communications and the Primary Sector | Chris Romero | 17 November 2017 | 20 September 2021 | MEP | ||
Minister of Social Affairs and Labor | Glenbert Croes | 17 November 2017 | 20 September 2021 | MEP | ||
Minister of Justice and Immigration | Andin Bikker | 17 November 2017 | 20 September 2021 | POR |
Title | Minister | Term of office | Party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start | End | |||||
Minister Plenipotentiary | Guillfred Besaril | 20 November 2017 | 1 July 2022[i] | MEP | ||
Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative to the European Union | Eddy Paris | 1 January 2018 | 1 January 2022[v] | MEP |
References
edit- ^ "Kabinet Aruba gevallen, premier Wever-Croes heeft ontslag aangeboden". NOS (in Dutch). 30 March 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ Rasmijn, Ariën (16 November 2017). "Nieuwe regering Aruba staat klaar" (in Dutch). Caribisch Network NTR. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019.
- ^ "Regeerprogramma Kabinet Wever-Croes" (in Dutch). Gobierno Aruba. November 2017. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020.
- ^ "Wever-Croes: met trots, respect en visie" (in Dutch). Antilliaans Dagblad. 16 November 2017. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019.
- ^ "Aruba has a new cabinet". The Daily Herald. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Minister Otmar Oduber treedt af" (in Dutch). Government of Aruba. 17 September 2019. Archived from the original on 29 November 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Regering Aruba probeert scherven te lijmen" (in Dutch). Antilliaans Dagblad. 31 July 2020. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020.
- ^ "Nog geen motie van wantrouwen voor Arubaanse minister Lopez-Tromp". NU.cw. 2 August 2020. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Ady Thijsen naar Europa". Aruba.nu (in Dutch). 2 November 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.