Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes has strongly condemned the recent decision to close Reina Beatrix International Airport due to a malfunctioning air conditioning unit, expressing significant frustration over the potential financial losses and damage to Aruba’s tourism industry.

On Friday, the airport was shut down completely for almost 24 hours, forcing the diversion of 30 flights and the displacement of hundreds of tourists. Many were either sent back to their home countries or had to be accommodated in hotels elsewhere in the region. The Prime Minister, also the leader of the MEP party, voiced her anger at what she described as an unjustifiable action, especially given the significant economic repercussions for the island.

“I am very angry, it is unacceptable that even at this point, we had to close the airport for an air conditioning problem,” Wever-Croes said in a public statement. She questioned the necessity of closing the entire airport, suggesting that there were other ways to manage incoming visitors without such drastic measures.

The closure came on the heels of another incident where the airport faced disruptions due to a taxi drivers’ strike, further compounding the situation. The decision to close the airport following the air conditioning failure has drawn criticism from various quarters, with many questioning the management’s approach.

Wever-Croes has called for a meeting with the airport’s management team to discuss the events leading to the closure. While acknowledging that there may have been multiple issues contributing to the situation, she emphasized that the decision to shut down the airport remains unacceptable to her.

A member of the airport’s management recently admitted to being unaware of the specific air conditioning issue that caused the closure, raising further concerns about the level of oversight and management at the facility. The Prime Minister’s comments highlight a broader concern about the accountability of government officials and the maintenance of public infrastructure.

In her statement, Wever-Croes urged that those in leadership positions must take full responsibility for the operations within their departments, emphasizing that they should be fully aware of the conditions and issues within the buildings they oversee. She pointed out that it is unacceptable for directors to remain unaware of maintenance issues within their own facilities, and if necessary, they should publicly call out the government for failing to provide adequate maintenance funds.

The Prime Minister’s remarks underline the need for greater accountability and better crisis management to avoid similar incidents in the future, especially in critical sectors like tourism, which is vital to Aruba’s economy.