ARUBA--Aruba’s new MEP/POR/RED coalition government was installed by Governor Alfonso Boekhoudt. MEP-leader Evelyn Wever-Croes is the country’s first female Prime Minister since “status aparte” in 1986.
MEP as the coalition’s biggest party with nine seats in Parliament has five ministers, POR (two seats) two and RED (one seat) one. The former Eman Cabinet had only seven members, but Wever-Croes (General Affairs, Integrity, Energy and Innovation) said the Council of Ministers’ expansion to facilitate the portfolio division won’t increase cost because there will be fewer policy assistants.
MEP’s other four Ministers are Glenbert Croes (Social Affairs and Labour), Xiomara Ruiz-Maduro (Finance, Economic Affairs and Culture), Dangui Oduber (Tourism, Public Health and Sports) and Chris Romero (Transport, Communication and Primary Sector).
POR’s two cabinet members are Deputy Prime Minister Otmar Oduber (Infrastructure and Environment) and Minister Andin Bikker (Justice and Immigration), while RED has Minister Armando “Rudy” Lampe (Education, Science and Sustainable Development).
MEP’s Guillfred Berasil is the new plenipotentiary Minister in The Hague, while party colleague Ady Thijssen will become President of Parliament, where Rocco Tjon takes over as MEP fraction leader.
Eight new Members of Parliament were also sworn in to succeed those becoming ministers. Entering the legislature for MEP were Setty Christiaans-Yarzagaray, Endy Croes, Thijsen, Sue Ann Ras and Shailiny Tromp-Lee. POR’s elected representatives are Alan Howel and Marisol-Lopez Tromp, while RED’s only seat went to Achelino Vrolijk.
