Eugene Rhuggenaath of Curaçao (left) will host the summit of the three prime ministers in Willemstad today, Monday. Prime In the centre Evelyn Wever-Croes of Aruba and Leona Romeo-Marlin at right.
WILLEMSTAD/ORANJESTAD--The three prime ministers of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten will meet in Willemstad today, Monday, to discuss an array of current topics, including the Venezuela crisis and integrity in government.
Prime Ministers Evelyn Wever-Croes of Aruba on Sunday evening announced the meeting with her colleagues Eugene Rhuggenaath of Curaçao and Leona Romeo-Marlin of St. Maarten the following day, Monday.
Wever-Croes was very positive about that meeting. “We are much stronger in facing our challenges when we do things together.” Eleven points are on the agenda of the summit in Curaçao, but Venezuela is the most prominent one.
Discussed will be, among other things, the impact of the illegal migration from Venezuela to the islands. Wever-Croes said in a press release that integrity in government was also a cardinal issue for her government. She said it was important for the three countries to work together in this process and to assist each other.
Wever-Croes said it was not easy to find experts and personnel in the area of integrity. She said Aruba was confronting problems to find someone capable to head the new Integrity Bureau, which has slowed down the plans to step up integrity in government. “It is important to create a group of experts of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten so they can divide the work and share the work load.”
The three prime ministers agreed last year, when they held their first summit, to meet on a regular basis to discuss mutual challenges and to strengthen cooperation between the Dutch Caribbean countries.
