ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- It's business as usual in Aruba following the
June 18 collapse of the Cabinet Eman III coalition governing the
island, according to Marcial Ibarra, director, North America, of
the Aruba Tourism Authority.
The collapse followed the resignations of Lile Beke-Martinez,
minister of tourism, and Glenbert Croes, minister of
transportation.
Both were members of the Aruba Liberal Organization party, which
along with members of the People's Party, made up the coalition in
power since December 1998.
The collapse came as a result of disputes over how quickly to
make the island's key tourism ministry a semi-private agency.
Former Prime Minister Henny Eman supported making the tourism
ministry a semi-private agency as soon as possible, while
Beke-Martinez maintained that the privatization could take up to
one year.
A new election will take place on Sept. 28, until which the
coalition will remain in office to handle current affairs.
However, no new business initiatives will be implemented.
According to Ibarra, tourists will not be affected by the
governmental collapse.
"The outside world won't even notice anything has happened," he
said. "It will be business as usual."
Campaigning will take place on the island prior to elections,
and according to Ibarra, "the only things tourists may see are
public meetings" by campaigners and homes and cars decorated to
support the different parties.
The island originally was scheduled for new elections this
December.