AVP Lawmaker Carlos Bermudez Reaffirms Commitment to Beach Access and Economy

AVP parliamentarian Ing. Carlos Bermudez has issued a second statement continuing his evaluation of key issues raised at the opening of Aruba's new parliamentary year. Bermudez is highlighting free public beach access as one of the central commitments he is actively pursuing in his legislative work. The right to unrestricted beach access is a recurring and sensitive issue in Aruba, where tourism development and private interests have at times created tension with public coastal rights. Bermudez's public remarks signal that the AVP party intends to keep pressure on this issue as a legislative priority. By issuing a follow-up statement, the parliamentarian indicates that this is part of a broader agenda he plans to address throughout the parliamentary session. The announcement serves as both a political commitment and a signal to constituents that their access to Aruba's coastline remains a protected right worth defending.

The Court of First Instance of Aruba has issued a ruling confirming that the mandatory retirement age for notaries on the island remains 65 years old. The decision came amid a significant legal debate over whether the current policy should be changed, and the court sided with maintaining the existing standard. The ruling brings clarity to a contested legal question that had been under scrutiny within Aruba's judicial and professional community. Notaries in Aruba are public officials who play a central role in legal transactions such as property transfers, wills, and corporate formations, making their professional regulations a matter of public interest. The decision effectively closes the door, at least for now, on any push to extend the working age for notaries beyond 65. The judgment was recently published and is expected to guide policy and any future legal challenges on the matter.

The Aruban Bond van Werknemers in Verplegende Instellingen (ABV), the union representing workers in nursing and healthcare institutions, held an urgent meeting on Friday afternoon with Public Health Minister Mervin Wyatt-Ras to raise serious concerns about the hospital's financial situation. The union is describing the current state of affairs as a 'noodsituatie' — a state of emergency — and is calling on the minister to intervene immediately. The meeting signals a significant escalation in tensions between healthcare workers and government leadership over how the hospital is being managed financially. The ABV's decision to go public with this warning suggests internal efforts to resolve the crisis have not been sufficient. The financial instability at Aruba's main hospital poses a direct risk to healthcare delivery on the island, making the stakes for both staff and patients considerable. Minister Wyatt-Ras now faces mounting pressure to take concrete action to stabilize the institution.