Dear San Nicolas inhabitants, we are at a crucial point this election where we can continue to put San Nicolas on a path of economic progress and equal opportunities within our Aruban democracy or we can change political leadership and end up with more adventures like we have seen in the past. I am confident in Mrs. Evelyn Wever Croes, current Prime Minister of Aruba and leader of the Electorate Movement of the People (MEP) will continue giving me the support as a member of this political organization to represent our district and Aruba in general in the following parliamentary elections this September. Cabinet Wever Croes period was a very challenging one. Aruba’s public finances were at its worst that we have seen it the last 35 years as an Autonomous country in the Dutch Kingdom. There is no need to cry over spilt milk but look forward for a better future for all of us as citizens of Aruba. I have been a political candidate from 2013 and this parliamentary election I am once again asking for your political support to become an elected parliament member for Aruba during the period of 2021-2025. By 2030, we will know whether we’re on the path toward a better planet and Aruba can’t be left behind.
San Nicolas historically has been an industrial town since the 20th century and was the envy of all other Caribbean Islands with the establishment of the LAGO Oil refinery for most of the century until its closure March 1985. Since then San Nicolas has kept going in a slower state of progress compared to the rest of Aruba and around 2014 we finally collapsed. San Nicolas experience a closure of 95% of its businesses with all the negative consequences of such. We have our entire population working on the other side of Aruba having less social time for their families and loved ones. We can point fingers and discuss on many topics why we haven’t successfully gotten our fair share as Arubans, which at this point is useless. We can only hope we have learned of our shortcomings and have the courage to fight collectively for a better tomorrow. When we look at periods when MEP was in government, San Nicolas had periods of measured progress: When the late Betico Croes (national hero) led the MEP party we upgraded the neighborhoods of the Village and Naked City known today as Esso Heights, these areas were in dire poverty and still the MEP party never got majority support in the elections of 1985. During Cabinet Nelson O. Oduber I & II we opened the Coastal refinery (19 October 1989) and still lost the following election. During Cabinet Nelson O. Oduber III & IV we built Setar Teleshop, Station Arubus San Nicolas, Skol di Arte, Centro Medico San Nicolas, Warda di Polis San Nicolas, Casnan di pueblo na Rooi Congo, Renobacion Esso Heights, Renobacion Village, Construccion Centro di Bario Lago Heights, Construccion Centro di Bario Brasil, Oficina nobo di SVB, HAVO School na San Nicolas, Construccion Biblioteca San Nicolas, Construccion Centro Cuido pa nos Grandinan na Palisiaweg na San Nicolas, Construccion di Planta di Purification na Zeewijk, Renobacion y Ampliacion di KIA, Visibility Team, Lusnan di Caya na San Nicolas y Vecindario, Teamnan Districto Social di San Nicolas, Construccion y Renobacion di Cayanan na San Nicolaas, Savaneta y Pos Chiquito, Construccion Turistico na Seroe Colorado, Construccion di Oficina di FCCA na San Nicolas, Construccion Transformator San Nicolas, Proyecto di Biento di Molina na Vader Piet, Renobacion Graf van Zinzendorf School na San Nicolas, Renobacion Maria Regina School na San Nicolas, Renobacion di School di Polis (Edgar Watty Vos) na San Nicolas, Renobacion di Pieterboerschool na San Nicolas, Renobacion di Baby Beach na Seroe Colorado, yet we lost the subsequent election.
We are in the year 2021 Cabinet Wever Croes have governed with no money, public finances were at its worst in our political history. We inherited most government departments in default, social degradation at its highest point and yet we have managed to bring Aruba back to reasonable standards in the Dutch Kingdom. We had before the coronavirus pandemic our national budget was at a surplus of 41 million from a 400 million deficit. The work that has be done is truly extraordinary to say the least. Now is time we manage to get out of the pandemic to reconstruct Aruba for its citizens and visitors alike. Cabinet Wever Croes during 2017-2021 expanded Instituto Medico San Nicolas (IMSAN), We have lost three years to get out of the disastrous and failed contract with Citgo and finally signed a Letter Of Intent (L.I) last december 2020 with Quanten Consortium Aruba LLC. Government signed in January 2021 with Eagle LNG for a terminal in San Nicolas and by this March we should have a definite on Quanten Consortium Aruba LLC refinery in San Nicolas. We have done many other projects like: Oficina di gobierno Edison Briesen (bringing government services closer to our people), Proyectonan di Deporte despues di skol IBISA San Nicolas, Renobacion Tourism Information Center San Nicolas, Renobacion Setar Teleshop San Nicolas, Renobacion Arubus Mall San Nicolas, Island Festival San Nicolas, Introduccion di AREA pa Comercio di San Nicolas, WiFi pa Promenade y Caya Principal San Nicolas, Renobacion Cura Cabay Beach, Polis di Bario Mabon, Renobacion Baby Beach y Rodgers Beach, Secrets Hotel San Nicolas, Atencion pa Infrastructura. Its time San Nicolas voters give the MEP party the popular vote. Your support this coming September is crucial. Let’s give the Electorate Movement of the People (MEP) a majority vote and I ask you to give your servant a popular vote to get elected in parliament to continue working for a more progressive San Nicolas. “It’s better to die on your feet than to live on your knees.” Emiliano Zapata