Mike de Meza weighs whether he still wants to become minister

ORANJESTAD – Parliamentarian Mike de Meza has not yet decided whether he wants to join the AVP-FUTURO cabinet as a minister, now that the tax-related case that blocked his appointment for more than a year appears to be behind him. In his first reaction following the announcement of his agreement with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, during an interview with 24ora.com, De Meza said he must carefully assess whether he still agrees with the government’s current direction and whether a ministerial post is the best way for him to serve the country.

De Meza explained that the political situation today is different from when the AVP-FUTURO government was formed. At that time, the parties were discussing the government program, priorities, ministries and candidates for ministerial posts. Now, after roughly a year and a half of government, he said there is enough information to evaluate how the administration is functioning in practice.

“Now you are talking about a government that has already been in place for a year and a half. You have a complete picture,” De Meza said. According to him, he must carefully determine whether he wants to enter the current “constellation” and whether he agrees with the direction the government is taking.

The parliamentarian emphasized that a person does not necessarily need to be a minister to contribute to Aruba’s wellbeing. As a member of Parliament, he said, he can remain critical and continue working in the general interest. If he concludes that joining the government is not the best option, he believes someone else could take on the role.

De Meza also referred to his previous experience as Minister of Finance between 2009 and 2017. He recalled that during that period Aruba faced serious financial problems at various institutions, including the pension fund, SVB and AZV, as well as uncertainty surrounding the refinery.

According to De Meza, governing should not be based solely on popular decisions or initiatives designed to win votes. He maintains that a politician must be prepared to take difficult and unpopular decisions when they are in the country’s interest.

“You do not govern only for nice things and parties,” the parliamentarian said, stressing that the responsibilities of government also include decisions that may not please everyone.

FRUSTRATION WITH THE PROCESS

De Meza did not hide his frustration with the way his case developed. He described how difficult it is to feel that something is unjust while at the same time having to respect the legal process.

He used the Dutch saying “Geduld is een schone zaak” — patience is a virtue — to describe the period he went through.

However, De Meza went further and expressed concern about the way public power can be used against citizens. He said his own experience made him think particularly about people who do not have his position, resources or ability to defend themselves.

He argued that if a parliamentarian with resources and access can go through such a process, the question is what can happen to a marginalized citizen with far fewer means to defend himself.

De Meza said this was one of the aspects that troubled him most during the case, alleging that in his experience power had been “used, abused and misused,” not, according to him, for political reasons but for personal ones.

HIS PRIORITY WAS THE CASE

During the interview, De Meza also said that in recent weeks his priority had been resolving his case, while other political matters were secondary.

“You fight one battle at a time and you choose which battle you fight,” he said, noting that even in government a person has to establish priorities before making decisions.

Now that the case appears to be reaching an end through the agreement with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, De Meza faces another decision.

The question is no longer simply whether he can become a minister.

The question is whether, after everything that has happened and after watching the government operate for a year and a half, Mike de Meza still wants to become one.