ORANJESTAD — Three instead of four streetcars will ride from the cruise harbor to the inner city at the end of this year, said Marlon Croes of the Department of Public Works (DOW). Last year, the minister of Infrastructure, Environment & Integration, Benny Sevinger (AVP) said there would be four instead of three streetcars, as announced earlier.Croes can’t explain this decision for three streetcars. “That’s up to the government”, he said. Although Croes doesn’t answer the question whether this is possibly due to a budgetary measure, he hints it could very well be possible, considering one streetcar costs an estimated 1.5 million dollars. For that matter, the government is yet to invite tenders (most likely a private contract) for the streetcars. Croes explains there only a limited number of builders in the world delivering custom-made streetcars. “We have contact with two American, one Dutch and one East-European company.” For this reason, DOW advises a private contract.

Two other contracts have been allotted in the meantime; one to Nedeximpo for the rails for 2.6 million florins, and the other to MNO Vervat for constructing the rails for almost 7 million florins. The first shipment of rails has arrived on the island. The curves are being manufactured and expected to arrive late March. During the first call for tenders to construct the rails, there had been a huge difference between DOW’s budget (6 million) and MNO Vervat’s quotation (13 million). DOW succeeded in lowering the amount to 6.9 million by changing the specifications (deleting the surrounding embellishment of the rails and clinkers, which means these will be allotted in a separate contract).

According to Croes, the total budget for the streetcar project still amounts to 18 million florins. With this amount, minus the money already used, one is to purchase the three streetcars, build the streetcar depot, the paving and the embellishment of the street landscape along the streetcar route. If everything runs on schedule, the first streetcar could drive through the inner city before Christmas, says Croes.

Objections

Opposition party MEP is still very concerned about the streetcar project. According to the party, there’s no guarantee whatsoever that numerous cruise tourists will take the streetcar to the shopping street. In the meantime, many millions are invested in the project, while it could have been done cheaper. MEP wonders about the necessity of a special streetcar on rails. “Why not go for a streetcar like the one in Key West, Florida?” This open streetcar brings tourists from the cruise terminal to the inner city every day, but the main difference, according to MEP, is that this streetcar has normal tires instead of expensive rails. “Is that also the case on Aruba”, the party wonders, “and if not, who will take the tram besides tourists?”

According to the yellow party, for the amount of one future streetcar, the government could have easily purchased six streetcars. In conclusion, MEP states the streetcar project will leave an empty development fund FDA behind for the next government.