The Aruban Ministry of Public Health, Elderly Care and Sports and VANEPS recently organized a two-day seminar ‘Good Governance in Health Care and Sports in Aruba’. This seminar was inspired by the newly launched and well received ‘Dia di Fundashon’ in Curaçao, that was attended by 200 people this March.

During the seminar on Aruba, directors of foundations and associations in the field of health care and sports were given the opportunity to engage with various corporate governance experts. In one morning, the participants could attend four workshops, of which one plenary. This unique concept turned out to be a gap in the market in Aruba as well.

The first meeting took place on Saturday 7 May. In his opening speech, the Minister of Public Health, Elderly Care and Sports, Carlos Alex Schwengle, explained the challenges and perspectives of foundations and associations in health care and sports. Subsequently, attorney Frank Kunneman spoke to the participants about the question what good governance means for their organizations. Robbert Kroon, counsel Corporate Governance at VANEPS, presented ‘the ten commandments of good governance’. After that, the participants were divided in teams and got to work themselves. Together they defined the challenges and opportunities and strengths and weaknesses of health care in Aruba, and especially how the management of it could be improved.

After gaining this basic knowledge, the participants were ready for a more in-depth sequel that took place on Saturday 4 June. Here, they were given the opportunity to attend interactive workshops and learn more about various disciplines in the field of corporate governance. For this purpose, a total of eight experts were brought together. In small groups, the participants were updated by the experts of their choice regarding topics such as budgeting, meeting techniques, taxation and avoiding liability. Moreover, practical tools were provided that could be used right away to professionalize the corporate governance of their foundation or association. Thus, the common goal of the Ministry and VANEPS was achieved: to provide the foundations and associations in the field of healthcare and sports, that are so important for Aruba, with specific tools and help them make another step forward.