Analysis: Yes, the government must clean Aruba, but it must also strengthen our care system

By Tito Laclé

Some government decisions receive a great deal of public attention, while other important issues that directly affect the well-being and safety of our community deserve a much greater sense of urgency. One example is the National Clean-Up Day. Every day, we are flooded with stories about who is participating and how the initiative will unfold.

Don't get me wrong. A National Clean-Up Day is a positive initiative. Aruba has a genuine litter problem, and there is a real need to change our collective mindset about caring for our island. A community that respects its environment is a community that protects its future. Promoting cleanliness, encouraging citizen participation and fostering shared responsibility should never be underestimated. And yes, I have personally criticized how littered Aruba has become.

However, good governance becomes stronger when visible action is combined with structural solutions. A government cannot focus only on the problems that are easy to see—such as litter along the roadsides. It must also confront the less visible issues that can have much deeper consequences for people's lives and dignity.

The real question is not whether a National Clean-Up Day is good or bad. The question is: are we giving enough attention and priority to all the risks threatening our society? Take a moment to think about that.

My mother always taught me: if you are going to do something, do it well. Don't do it just to say you've done it; do it in a way that truly serves its purpose. The same principle applies to the government: every action should be accompanied by quality, continuity and accountability.

This concern becomes evident when we look at some of the current situations in our care sector.

Not long ago, we were confronted with the heartbreaking case of a child who was forgotten inside a vehicle belonging to a childcare center. Fortunately, the child recovered well, but the incident left important questions behind. How could something like that happen? Was the system of supervision and oversight adequate? What has changed to prevent it from happening again?

Now we face another concern involving elderly care, where allegations of possible negligence and insufficiently trained staff have emerged. This is not merely an administrative issue. It involves vulnerable people who depend entirely on others for their safety, medication, nutrition and dignity.

Each incident may appear to be an isolated case, but together they reveal structural weaknesses: insufficient oversight, too many inadequately trained employees, a lack of clear protocols, and a lack of decisive action and regulation by the government after the Aruba Health Inspectorate conducts its regular inspections. It seems there is no system focused on preventing problems, only one that reacts after damage has already occurred.

VISIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The government's main challenge should not simply be organizing a clean-up campaign. Its challenge should be maintaining the right balance between initiatives that generate public participation and the structural work that may receive far less public attention but is equally—or even more—essential for creating a safe society.

A responsible government must be capable of doing both: encouraging citizens to care for Aruba while, at the same time, building strong public systems that protect those who depend most on the state and on care institutions.

The danger arises when society sees constant communication about highly visible activities while perceiving little progress on the issues that require greater effort, investment and oversight.

WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE?

First, the government should establish priorities based on risk. Problems that threaten people's lives and safety deserve attention proportional to their potential impact.

Second, every childcare center and elderly care facility should undergo regular professional inspections. Inspection findings, including deficiencies and corrective measures, should be communicated transparently.

Third, there should be clear requirements for the education, training and certification of caregivers. Those entrusted with children, older adults and other vulnerable people must possess the qualifications necessary to carry out these responsibilities.

Fourth, every serious incident should be investigated independently, focusing on identifying structural causes and preventing future occurrences—not merely on finding someone to blame.

Fifth, Parliament must continuously exercise its oversight role by receiving regular reports on the quality of care, inspections, complaints, incidents and corrective actions.

To be fair, some of these efforts may already be taking place, but they are not being communicated to the public. Publish them as well. Let the community see that meaningful work is also being done in these areas. This is a government that publishes nearly every meeting it holds, even when those meetings are simply part of its daily work rather than actual news. Then also publish the results of those meetings, the progress achieved and the improvements made. Be fully transparent.

What I mean is that the government should communicate structural solutions with the same energy it devotes to public initiatives. The community does not merely want to see activities; it wants evidence that the systems are actually working.

Aruba can become both a cleaner island and a safer island. These are not competing goals. They are part of the same responsibility: taking care of our environment while also taking care of our people.

The true measure of good governance is not how well a government organizes a large public event, but how effectively it protects those who cannot protect themselves.

As I said before: if you are going to do something, do it well—and do it completely.

C'est la vie.