Luydens: Registration demand at Censo has exceeded capacity

ORANJESTAD – Census Aruba Director Sharin Luydens says the department is experiencing unprecedented demand, resulting in longer waiting times for appointments and public services. According to Luydens, population growth and the sharp increase in applications for services such as registrations, passports, identity cards and other official documents have exceeded the department's current capacity.

NOT UNIQUE IN ARUBA

She noted that the issue is not unique to Aruba, as longer waiting times for passport appointments are also being experienced across the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Luydens said Minister Dowers was informed of the situation early this year and has approved the recruitment of additional staff, as well as special projects aimed at reducing backlogs and expanding service capacity.

CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR

She also pointed to customer behavior as a contributing factor. Thousands of appointment holders either fail to appear or do not cancel their appointments. While the number of missed appointments remains high, the percentage has declined to about 20% as the total number of appointments has increased.

LACK OF DOCUMENTATION 

Another challenge is that many applicants arrive without the required documentation, such as apostilled birth certificates, original marriage certificates when applicable, or valid passports, preventing their applications from being processed. Luydens added that recruiting new employees remains challenging because Census requires highly trustworthy staff capable of handling sensitive public records.