PHILIPSBURG:--- For the first time in history, all the countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands have an ombudsman, and for the first time, they convened in Aruba.
Since 2015, the ombudsmen of the countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands have met annually. Until 2024, these gatherings included the Ombudsman of Curaçao, Keursly Concincion, the former Ombudsman of Sint Maarten, Dr. Nilda Arduin, and since 2019, the present Ombudsman, Gwendolien Mossel, as well as the National Ombudsman, Reinier van Zutphen. However, in October 2024, the fourth country in the Kingdom, Aruba, appointed its first ombudsman, Jurima Bryson.
Ms. Bryson faces the formidable task of establishing the ombuds institution from the ground up, a challenge she will undertake with the support of her counterparts across the Kingdom. The nature of this collaboration, along with other matters pertinent to the ombuds institutions, was a key focus of their annual meeting. Topics on the agenda included migration, the rights of children, and the further development of children’s ombudsman services – a shared priority for all four institutions in the years ahead. As it currently stands, Sint Maarten is the only country in the Kingdom without a dedicated Children’s Ombudsman.
The group also discussed the right to clean water, a particularly pressing issue for small island states where access can be at times a significant challenge. Notably, Aruba’s ombudsman legislation stands as the most advanced within the Kingdom. The Ombudsman of Aruba has the unique authority to investigate services of general interest provided by private entities with public authority, in accordance with Article 13 of the Venice Principles.
To mark the importance of the establishment of an ombuds institution in Aruba a well-attended public meeting was held at the University of Aruba, in which each of the ombudsmen spoke on the topic of the role and task of the institution. The ombudsmen also had the opportunity to meet with the Governor of Aruba, His Excellency Alfonso Boekhoudt and the Deputy Prime Minister Xiomara Maduro.
