On December 1, 2022, the Government of Aruba, Arubahuis, and the Haagse Hogeschool organized an information session in the Netherlands called Our Diaspora.
The encounter held at the Haagse Hogeschool was attended mainly by Aruban students. The Prime Minister of Aruba, Evelyn Wever Croes, Minister of Finance Xiomara Maduro, and Plenipotentiary Minister Ady Thijsen addressed all present.
The Prime Minister talked about the financial situation in Aruba and the CAFT relations and shared current compared to pre-pandemic data. The Prime Minister addressed the challenges since taking office. She indicated that these were difficult times for the Government since the pandemic significantly affected our island.
The IMF expressed its concerns at the beginning of the pandemic that Aruba would be one of the countries most affected by the pandemic due to its dependency on tourism. Now the same IMF is positive to see how Aruba has recovered very quickly compared with other countries in the region. Our tourism is booming, and the economy is recovering. The national debt is decreasing but still high due to the recent loan by the Netherlands during the pandemic.
The Prime Minister shared the plans of the Government on a variety of aspects, including energy diversification, environment, climate change, investment in education, healthcare, senior care, etc.
A concern expressed by the students was employment. They wanted to know what the Government would do to guarantee work in Aruba for those who return after graduating. The Prime Minister stated that the Minister of Labor, Glenbert Croes, and Arubahuis are working on a “Job Bank” to offer job vacancies to students based on their education.
The students who attended had many other questions, and the Ministers took the time to explain and answer these questions. Nos Diaspora was a success, and the Government is glad to see the number of students who attended this session to obtain information about the situation in Aruba, its finances, and how Aruba is on the path to recovery and becoming a strong and resilient island.
