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POLITICAL PLATFORM of SUMMUM BONUM
Most people in Aruba are decent folk, good-willing, humbly proud and always ready to assist those in need.
On the other hand we are far from a well informed people and our society shows a great inertia and severe conservatism coupled with
a tendency to copy without understanding.
A great many of our citizens display an alarming (and shameful) ignorance and/or indifference as to the structures of our state and our
civil society, in particular regarding our constitutional human rights and civil rights.
We mostly persist in opinions and sentiments based on myths and other fallacies that are bereft of any bearing with present reality and
certainly not the manner our society has changed (and is still undergoing substantial change) nor the composition of the population.
This contributes to the factors that have allowed our society to be dominated and abused by a narrow-minded, shortsighted and
corrupt political class which has hijacked the organs and institutions of public governance in order to serve solely its own interests and
those of the reigning entrepreneurial corporate sector at the expense of the common good.
In order to hold on to this usurped power, this political class uses all sort of deceit to keep the public instate of functional ignorance
and dependence, including attempting to seduce, incorporate and corrupt any genuine talent that arises out of the general populace.
Ironically, use is made of schooling, education and public misinformation to generate and sustain among the youth and the weaker
societal groups a mentality of dependence and ignorance with attention solely for fashion, gambling, show business, sex and drugs.
One the most important principles of a modern democracy should be the embracing of universal human rights, civil rights and
political rights as well as the concept is that all aspects of public governance and all elements of state power should be subject to the
PEOPLES WILL.
SUMMUM BONUM maintains that public governance should and may only serve the interests of the citizen as central and focal
point of society, enjoying equal rights and equality before the law.
The citizenry should at all times have the ability and the right to check and monitor his//her public representatives and governing
executives and to call them to account and especially, when so deemed necessary and/or desired, remove them from office or replace
them in a legal and reasonably expedient fashion.
There has to adequate opportunity and possibility of access to information by the general public as well as interchange of ideas,
discussion of (public) issues and consultation among the citizens in order that the PEOPLES WILL can be formed and developed in
an informed fashion.
In addition there should be ample institutional facility within the national context for the PEOPLES WILL to find frequent practical
expression and to be experienced with the highest diversity and emphasis possible within our society.
Only then would conditions exist that would allow for acceptable probability of the public governance actually being subject and
responsive to the PEOPLES WILL.
PUBLIC GOVERNANCE does not only consist of parliament and the government, but also includes all those public organs and
institutions (companies, foundations, authorities) that can exercise public authority and/or take decisions that affect our civil rights
and daily lives.
All public committees installed by the government and all institutions founded, funded and controlled by the government also form
part of public governance;
By now we all should be aware that there are many things awry in our so-called democracy; to name but a number if them:
our constitution begins with declaring that discrimination on any basis whatever is not permitted, but nevertheless
discrimination daily manifested in systemic, systematic and institutional form in public governance as well as other layers of our
society;
no wonder that our preferred national pastime is the violation of legal regulations, from human rights to traffic rules;
in Aruba the citizen can only pass judgment on public governance once every four years, while in the Neth Antilles this
minimally twice and in the Netherlands the citizen has four chances per four years;
our electoral legislation display a shameful amount of antidemocratic and discriminatory articles;
according to our Election Ordinance one does not even have to be Dutch or resident of Aruba to stand as candidate in the
parliamentary elections, although one must comply with these conditions to actually become member of the Staten;
the so-called restzetel ruling in the Electoral Ordinance gives undue preference and advantage to parties achieving major
number of seats by stipulating a.o. that votes cast for a candidate can be counted as being cast for an opposing list, even if a list
gathers more votes than needed for all the listed candidates to be elected;
our legislation allows for a parliamentary majority be formed that can boast less than six percent of the votes cast;
our legislation also carries major blame that regularly 65% to 75% of the voters does not have any representation in
parliament;
some legislation again give undue advantage to parties with seats in the Staten over other parties (a.o. Electoral Ordinance,
Ordinance on political parties, Ordinance on TV and radio transmissions) other form of institutional discrimination;
when the citizenry is dissatisfied with the actions/policies of parliament, individual representatives, the government or even
elements of the judicial system, there is no legal recourse, although theoretically elected officials can be ousted in general elections
once every four years, but as then the choice actually comes down to the same candidates, there is no real possibility of removal or
replacement of governance executives to speak of;
there is no public discussion of any sort among the citizenry on current societal or political issues, moreover neither in the
Staten or in the mass media does such discussion, relevant access to information or exchange of ideas and opinions take place;
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a well-informed peoples will, developed in consultation and idea interchange, can not come into being and express itself;
parliamentary control is impossible as representatives cannot be independent of political parties or party discipline;
generally the citizenry considers itself to be dependent on and subservient to the public governance, while the reverse should
be the case, namely that all power resides with the people and that public executives and representatives at any and all levels derive
their authority solely on the basis of public consent;
there is scarcely any transparency in public governance, it is extremely difficult and often impossible for the citizen to
access information, no account is given to society and a infuriating indifference and insensitivity is displayed to the citizen;
the totality of public governance is unduly dominated and monopolised by one societal group excluding all other citizen
groups;
all positions of influence , authority, prestige and high remuneration in management and supervisory boards in public
governance are reserved for this one group and it is impossible to find any reflection of the particular composition of the society at
this time;
other ethno-cultural groups, notably the black and colored population, is visibly present in the lower and middle ranks of the
security forces, health & personal care givers and teaching professional;
apparently these groups are good enough to take care of the security, health and education in our society but still cannot be
accepted and treated as fully equal citizens;
The following abbreviated list demonstrates how deeply institutionalised discrimination has become in pubic governance here:
01
RAAD VAN ADVIES
02
ALGEMENE REKENKAMER
02
CENTRALE BANK VAN ARUBA
03
ALGEMEEN PENSIOENFONDS
05
ALGEMENE ZIEKTEVERZEKERING (AZV)
06
SOCIALE VERZEKERINGS BANK (SVB)
07
ARUBA INVESTMENT BANK
08
OPENBARE MINSTERIE
09
GERECHT IN EERSTE AANLEG
10
HOF VAN JUSTITIE
11
SOCIAAL EKONOMIESE RAAD
12
(FCCA)
13
FUNDACION LOTTO PA DEPORTE
14
DR HORACIO ODUBER HOSPITAAL
15
CENTRO MEDICO SAN NICOLAS
16
UNIVERSITEIT VAN ARUBA
17
INSTITUTO PEDAGOGICO DI ARUBA (IPA)
18
SERLIMAR
19
SETAR
20
TELEARUBA
21
ARUBA CABLE TV
22
ARUBA AIRPORT AUTHORITY
23
ARUBA PORTS AUTHORITY
24
ARUBUS
26
WATER- EN ENERGIEBERDIJF (WEB)
27
(ELMAR
28
UTILITIES ARUBA
29
FONDO DI DESARIYO ARUBA (FDA)
30
FONDO NACIONAL DI GARANTIA
31
FUNDACION PARKE NACIONAL
32
ARUBA TOURISM AUTHORITY
33
ARUBA FREEZONE
*
More than 50 government departments, notably a.o. DINA, DOW, DOPV, P&O, the Judiciary, Arubahuis, Ministries;
*
More than 70 committees installed by government;
*
All foundations established, funded and controlled by government;
*
School boards of ail types of education in Aruba;
*
The boards of labor organisations and commerce organisations;
Our community must acknowledge that much of our so-called common knowledge or conventional wisdom is without basis in actual
fact or reality, that many of our structures and institutions are antiquated or obsolete and that especially the manner of representation
and public governance form obstacles to real and sustainable progress, socio-economic security and justice in our society.
Small adjustments are woefully inadequate to bring about and secure sustainable change or progress because the forces resisting and
subverting change are so multiple, varied, potent and persistent that society would quickly ( be forced to) slide back into the old
harmful ways and structures.
SUMMUM BONUM is convinced therefore that far-reaching, innovative and structural measures are needed to redefine and reestablish basic civil rights as well as to defend and strengthen the functioning of our democratic national structures.
SUMMUM BONUM advances the following programme as an integral and comprehensive system of suggestions and proposals that,
consisting of structurally significant and innovative measures, makes such giant steps in the direction of a new and just democratic
society that the possibility of falling back into the old dangerous and damaging habits of old is rendered highly unlikely.
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COMBATING DISCRIMINATION.
1.1. legislation ( a.o. constitutional) to further describe, indicate and define discrimination (especially racial, ethnic, age, gender,
origin, disability);
1.2. legislation including sanctions and penalties for the prevention, combating and penalizing of discrimination in the public
sector and the corporate arena;
1.3. establish and operate an anti-discrimination office to handle charges of violation of the ant-discrimination laws;
1.4. establish an information bureau and conduct a sustained public information campaign about discrimination;
2.
SOCIETAL EQUALTY AND EQUITY.
2.1. recognize and acknowledge that our society consists of various and diverse ethno-cultural elements, that there is no majority
ethno-cultural group, that no ethno-cultural grouping may totally predominate in all public governance, and that a society is
only as strong as the most disadvantaged or weak element;
2.2. legislation that recognizes, acknowledges, realizes and guarantees the principle of the right of every citizen and
societal grouping to a worthy equitable, respected and appropriate place in society, especially public governance and
socio-economic life;
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2.3. establish an information bureau and conduct a sustained public information campaign to promote understanding of and
compliance with this principle and legislation;
3.
PEOPLES CONSULTATION.
3.1. DETERMINING REFERENDA for all issues of great general, national and/or kingdom importance when and if the
options and alternatives are clearly distinguished. These referenda may be preceded by sounding referenda;
3.2. SOUNDING REFERENDA for issues as the foregoing when ever the parliament and/or the government needs clear
indications of the public feeling(s) and view(s) regarding critical national policy matters;
3.3. referenda may take place on national level and within the PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICT;
3.4. referenda will be obligatory on determining issues pertaining to basic human, civil and political rights as well as
constitutional and souvereign status;
4.
PEOPLES REPRESENTATION.
4.1. legislation (a.o. constitutional) so that a can only take office by being elected actually, individually and directly;
4.2. legislation (a.o. constitutional) so that a can individually be recalled from office by the voting citizenry;
4.3. legislation (a.o. constitutional)to establish a system of PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICTS, in the same amount as there are
or will be parliamentary seats;
4.4. a PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE shall have to receive a minimum of 50% of valid votes cast in order to be elected, there
may be subsequent runoff rounds if necessary for any candidate to reach the required minimum;
4.5. there shall be a grace period ( one year or somewhat more) before a write in procedure of recall can be started, which can
trigger a recall. If needed a by-election for the remainder of the parliamentary period will be held. at this by-election the
same rules apply and the same (recalled) person may participate;
5.
TASKS OF THE PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE
5.1. establish and sustainable operate a OFFICE where the citizen go to for all sorts of affairs regarding representation , the
authorities and public governance (especially for information and complaints);
5.2. to have frequent and regular consultation hours for the population of the PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICT;
5.3. to hold at least six times yearly a series of ACCOUNTABILITY MEETINGS whereby in a structured fashion the reports
and gives account to the voters of his/her activities as PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE;
5.4. ACCOUNTABILITY MEETINGS are open to all voters of the district, are announced properly and timely, are held at
convenient times at easily accessible locales. These meetings are formal, with agenda, minutes, proper reporting, meeting
rules, meeting officials, in which any voter of the district may speak and a guided discussion may take place. The citizenry
has the opportunity to discuss with each other and their representative and also inform the representative of the concerns,
feelings and opinions of the electorate;
5.5. represent (as proxy) the voters/shareholders of the PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICT in the;
5.6. to see to it that in the totality of the decision making and decision influencing bodies and entities in the whole of public
governance and VOTERS CORPORATIONS there is a viable and transparent representation of all ethno-cultural elements
of society truly reflecting the composition of the populace;
5.7. to organize and lead the meeting(s) in the PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICT where the use and allocation of the
PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICT FUND is discussed and determined;
5.8. each PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE shall be allocated the same budget to comply with the tasks of the function, with all
expenditures made through a corporate credit card of which the records are open to the voters of the district and accounting
for the expenditures shall be a fixed item to be dealt with at the ACCOUNTABILITY MEETINGS;
6.
PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICT FUND
6.1. establish a PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICT FUND which consists of a fixed or variable percentage of the total national
budget as determined yearly by Parliament and which is divided evenly among the;
6.2. PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICTS do not get the actual monies, but decide and determine how the funds allocated;.
6.3. in this fashion the population in the PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICTS is much more independent of the government and
the people can get together and decide how and where to spend in order to realize priorities that they feel and determine;
7.
PEOPLES PROPERTY.
7.1. all so-called government corporations (overheids NVs) and all other legal entities and state organs which manage,
administer, supervise and/or operate the peoples properties shall be transformed into (e.g. SETAR, WEB, AAA,
TELEARUBA, ARUBUS, FCCA);
7.2. all other public properties (real estate and possessions, rights to goods, capital and services) be also transformed as much as
feasible and possible into VOTERS CORPORATIONS;
7.3. all eligible voting citizens shall be joint owners and shareholders of the VOTERS CORPORATIONS;
7.4. these rights are bound to voter eligibility and is as such inalienable;;
7.5. the PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVE of the PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICT in shall function as proxy for the
voters/shareholders of PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICT with regards to the VOTERS CORPORATIONS;
8.
GOVERNMENT.
8.1. legislation to elect a PREMIER through a general national ballot analogous to the procedure of electing a PEOPLES
REPRESENTATIVE (minimum of 50% of valid votes cast with run-off possibilities);
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8.2. election of the PREMIER shall be independent and separate of but simultaneous with the general elections for Parliament;
8.3. the PREMIER appoint his cabinet, but each minister is subject to approval by Parliament, any minister shall leave office
whenever (s)he does not enjoy the confidence of Parliament and when the PREMIER leaves office so do all other ministers;
8.4. yearly Parliament shall entertain a mandatory motion of confidence in the PREMIER and each minister individually;
8.5. Parliament elects a new PREMIER for the remaining period if a predecessor leaves office prematurely for whatever reason;
8.6. PREMIER en ministers may not be PEOPLES REPRESENTATIVES;
8.7. PREMIER may be recalled from office by the general voting citizenry analogous to the recall of a representative;
8.8. in addition to the PREMIER, who shall hold the portfolios of General Affairs and Finance, the cabinet may count Ministers
of Justice, of Human Infrastructure, of Physical Infrastructure and of Economic Infrastructure:
8.9. each minister shall have an equal budget for the bureau of the Minster to cover all costs relevant to complying with his/her
tasks, including personnel, equipment and operation, ministerial advisers may only be appointed for the duration of the
period that the minister occupies office;
8.10. the Governor may be appointed by an open application process stipulating a desired functional profile and requirements;
9.
TRANSPARANCY.
9.1. all of public governance should be as transparent as feasible and possible and the records of public governance should be
easily and fully publicly accessible;
9.2. adapt legislation on access to information and public governance transparency clearly outlining sanctions and penalties in
order to prevent noncompliance of these laws and to enforce them regardless of perpetrator or victim;;
9.3. to reverse the old civil service adage that everything is secret unless otherwise stated so that everything would be publicly
accessible unless stated with viable reason that such should remain confidential(for the time being);
10.
DEMOCRATISATION OF SOCIETY.
10.1. establish legislation regarding the establishment and functioning of CITIZENS ASSOCIATIONS to advance and defend
mutual and common interests;
10.2. establish an office to promote the CITIZENS ASSOCIATIONS and compliance with the laws concerned;
10.3. within local context or of the parliamentary district and on federated national level;
10.4. CITIZENS ASSOCIATIONS may be organized on the basis of mutual interests of e.g. general consumers, housing renters,
mortgage holders, public transport users, utilities consumers, etc; political parties and labor unions would also be included;
10.5. CITIZENS ASSOCIATIONS will have to comply with strict principles of democratic association and transparent practices
in the setup, structure, access of information and other areas of operation;
11.
CIVIC DEFENSE
11.1. establish an information bureau and conduct a sustained public information campaign to educate the general citizenry about
basic civil and political rights and the basic obligations of each citizen as well as other relevant and important rights and
obligations of the citizen;
11.2. provide easy access for the general citizen to all legislation as well information concerning the public governance of all
three branches of state power;;
11.3. establish an (OMBUDS)BUREAU to assist the individual citizen in the defense against abuse of power and other excesses
by public authorities and the corporate sector;
11.4. legislation (a.o. constitutional) to guarantee that aforementioned bureaux (combined or not) are sufficiently administratively
and financially independent of government or political intervention to be able function actively and forcefully;
12.
NATIONAL POLICY
12.1. establish forms of on important socio-economic issues including general citizenry and the organized corporate sector,
organized labor and the government;
12.2. can (first)take place at district level and (subsequently) also on national level;
12.3. PUBLIC CONSULTATION can form a basis for national policy on the most occurring issues of national importance such as
human and civil rights, education, public health, labor, sustainable development, tourism, pensions and aging, integration
and discrimination, science and technology, national souvereignty etc,;
13.
CIVIL SERVANT CORPS.
13.1. lead to a small, highly flexible, highly skilled, highly motivated and highly ethical corps of civil servants;
13.2. restrict the government apparatus as much as possible to generating policy alternatives, advising on policy, monitoring of
the execution policy and evaluation of policy. Executing policy should be outsourced to special entities (cooperatives or
other) specifically setup to do the actual servicing of the public human and physical infrastructure;
13.3. execution of policy and rendering of service to the public should be done very professionally and in a very client-friendly
manner, which can be achieved by proper training as well as fiscal and other incentives;
13.4. the objective is to make the delivery of public services more efficient, more economical, closer to the citizen and certainly
more easily accessible for the citizen in terms of locations as well as opening hours (it is time for 24/7 public services or
close to that);
14.
FISCAL REGIME.
14.1. legislation and other preparatory measures to lead to a gradual but rather quick (four to five years) transformation to a fiscal
regime that will assure an appropriate ratio (fixed or adaptable) between public income and gross national product;;
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14.2. intention is to eventually (quickly) eliminate income tax, capital tax and profit tax but maintaining (digital) registration,
recording and checking of these elements; ;
14.3. the old manner of taxation should be replaced with a system of taxing all transactions of goods and services as the present
state of operable and affordable technology and computing power already allows to implement the necessary secure
processing of persons and enterprises and the transactions conducted;
14.4. the basic principle being that government has the stewardship of the complex societal and physical infrastructure that serves
to underpin the orderly, efficient, effective and fair trade in goods and services and the social interactions of our society.
The costs of maintenance of that infrastructure must be an integral part of the cost of conducting all these transactions;
