9 years later, Government again promises renovation of former gas station

ORANJESTAD – On Thursday, the Government presented the renovation of the former Lagoen gas station in downtown Oranjestad as part of the revitalization of the capital. But if the news sounds familiar, there is a reason for that. Archives from nearly nine years ago show that the very same building — ironically under the same political leadership — had already been presented as a renovation and revitalization project. The comparison raises an unavoidable question: what makes the 2026 project different from the promise that was already on the table in 2017?

One difference is that this time the project falls under Minister of the Future Geoffrey Wever, although AVP ministers Rene Herde and Mike Eman quickly took the lead in publicly promoting it.

HERDE

Infrastructure Minister Rene Herde said the renovation of the former gas station forms part of a broader vision to revitalize Oranjestad and create conditions for economic development and investment. But this is not the first time the building has appeared in a revitalization plan.

An article published on June 8, 2017 carried the headline: “Young local entrepreneur contributes to revitalization of downtown Oranjestad.” Above the headline it also stated: “Building where the ‘Lagoen’ gas station used to be is being renovated!”

According to the article at the time, local entrepreneur Erasmus of Muscles & Lungs Crossfit was renting the building with plans to establish a gym and a healthy café. The publication reported that the Government intended to reconstruct the building, use one part as an office for a “city inspector,” and rent out another part to create economic activity in downtown Oranjestad.

The project was presented as a concrete contribution to the revitalization of the city center.

The article included statements from Prime Minister Mike Eman and then-minister Benny Sevinger. In other words, in 2017 this was not merely being discussed as a future idea. The public message was that the building was being renovated.

AGAIN

Now, in 2026, the Government has once again placed the former gas station within a revitalization plan. The difference is that almost nine years have passed.

That leaves a number of questions that the Government still needs to answer: What exactly happened to the 2017 project? Was the agreement with the local entrepreneur ever implemented? Was the building renovated according to the plan presented at the time? How much public money, if any, was invested in the project over the years? Why did the plan not result in permanent use of the building?

And, most importantly: what is different now?

The comparison becomes even more relevant because Mike Eman, who was prime minister when the project was announced in 2017, is once again Prime Minister of Aruba.

Naturally, a government can revive a project that stalled. Circumstances can change, projects can fall through and priorities can be revised. But when the Government presents the same building once again as part of the same broader goal — the revitalization of Oranjestad — the earlier history cannot simply be ignored.

CAN THE PUBLIC TRUST THAT IT WILL REALLY BE RENOVATED THIS TIME?

The question is not whether the Government has the right to try again. The question is why the public should trust that, this time, implementation will actually follow the announcement.

SKEPTICISM

On social media and in public discussions, reactions reflect skepticism: Is this a real project that will now move forward, or is it another political announcement that will disappear once public attention shifts elsewhere?

The doubt is not surprising.

A citizen who sees only today’s announcement may believe this is an entirely new initiative. But anyone who looks through the archives can see that almost nine years ago, the building was already being presented as one that was in the process of being renovated.

And the internet preserves that contrast.

REMOVE THE IMPRESSION OF A STUNT

The easiest way for the Government to eliminate the impression that this is a “stunt” is not through more promotion, but through concrete information.

What is the current budget? What is the exact scope of the project? Is there an approved design? Is there a tender procedure? Is there a date for construction to begin? Is there a projected completion date? And what will the building ultimately be used for?

But the central question remains: what happened between the 2017 announcement and the 2026 announcement?

If the Government can present a clear timeline and demonstrate that the current project has financing, accountability and concrete deadlines, the comparison with 2017 may lose some of its force.

If not, the archives will continue to speak for themselves.

The Government can present an announcement as new. But the internet does not forget that the same building was already “being renovated” almost nine years ago.