Reaction of Aruban Parlement

 

Mrs Désirée Croes, member of the Aruban parlement, has read my book and taken the time to mail me everything the government has done since I left the island, end 2010:
 

1.       Introduction "Dutch national meldcode"(Dutch code to report child abuse). Status: almost done

2.     Implementation of protocols to combat domestic violence and child abuse. Status: ongoing 

3.       Project  Good parenting. Status: ongoing

4.       Triple P, Positief pedagogisch Programma. Status: has started

5.       Tienda di educacion (education shop). Status: ungoing

6.       Project Teen preganancies  Status: ungoing

7.      Child Care Center Imelda Hof  open on weekends :  Status: done

8.       Raise of age limit  Child Care Center Casa Cuna   Status: done

9.       Expansion "Famia": Family planning institute  Status: ongoing

10.    Investigation UNICEF about condition on children and women on  Aruba: Status: done

(But publication is awaiting results from other islands)

 

 Let me comment on these issues:

1. The minister of Social Affairs Michelle Winklaar and Minister Visser of Sport and Public health as well as several Foundations for the protection of children wanted to introduce urgently the "Dutch Meldcode" which would oblige people to  report child abuse, end November 2010. Up til today this code has not been accepted by the Minsiter of Justice, Artur Dowers. Which means nobody has to report child abuse and medical doctors are not allowed to report child abuse. If they do so, they risk imprisonment because of breaking their medical confidentiality. Even if the "Dutch meldcode" gets accepted I have serious doubts whether childabuse will indeed be reported as  fear and corruption is still reigning the island.
2. 3. 4. 5. 6.  are good  to raise peoples conscience about what to do.
7. Together whith the Council for Child protection and several foundations I have been fighting two years to assure that the Child Care Center Imelda Hof also opens on weekends. Just before I left, end 2010, the government agreed. Finally te children did not have to return to their abusive families in the weekends.
8. and 9. are certainly good initiatives.
10: When Unicef was on the island they did not bother to interview me or the pediatricians on the situation of the children on Aruba. Now they show much interest in my book "Boa, Aruba in the stronghold". They say they want the book to be considered in their report to be send subsequently to Unicef Panama to deal with it. Panama? Isn't Aruba still in many legal and military ways connected to The Netherlands?

Apparently Mrs Désirée Croes  thinks that what has been done is largely enough and that if I had known this I wouldn't have been compelled to write my book. She is very concerned that my book will put Aruba in a bad light internationally. Her speech from 12 .07.2012 has been published in 24hora. More than half of the people have reacted by saying that the problem is much bigger than what I wrote in my book (Its the top of the iceberg) and that the government of Aruba has to act in order to improve the legal situation instead of being concerned about the good name of the island. As long as incest and child abuse is not prosecuted, as long as people are afraid to go to the police, the situation remains unchanged and stringent.