THE HAGUE - Dutch Member of Parliament Peter van Haasen (PVV) has voiced skepticism regarding Aruba’s efforts to address public sector integrity, following a recent announcement by State Secretary of Kingdom Relations Zsolt Szabó about Transparency International's upcoming audit of Caribbean countries within the Kingdom.
Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes of Aruba expressed her displeasure this past weekend, reacting strongly to Szabó’s decision to engage Transparency International without notifying her or other Caribbean leaders beforehand. Wever-Croes cited previous measures taken to combat corruption, including a National Integrity Study conducted two years ago, as evidence of Aruba’s commitment to integrity.
However, Van Haasen criticized the local measures, advocating for an “independent international body” to conduct such evaluations. He argued that local audits risk being biased and insufficient, likening them to a scenario of “advising oneself.” The Dutch MP dismissed Wever-Croes’ objections as an unconstructive “tit-for-tat” response, stating that deflecting criticism detracts from the central issue of reliable governance. Van Haasen added, “In reality, the European mainland hears more about corruption than effective governance on the islands. We must ask ourselves: what is there to fear?”
In response to Szabó’s announcement, Wever-Croes reiterated Aruba’s commitment to transparency, indicating openness to any support in reinforcing anti-corruption efforts. The planned intervention aligns with PVV’s broader goal to promote good governance across all six Caribbean islands of the Kingdom.