This week, the Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Primary Sector, Geoffrey Wever (Futuro), together with the Prime Minister, fellow Ministers, Members of Parliament, the Arends family, Mrs. Anne Witsenburg, and the entire team of Monumenten Fonds Aruba, the Department of Economic Affairs, Commerce and Industry, and other invited guests, celebrated the opening of Cas Veneranda.
The opening of Cas Veneranda marks a major milestone in the revitalization of downtown Oranjestad. One of the goals of the AVP–Futuro Cabinet is to bring life back to Oranjestad and San Nicolas. With the relocation of government departments into historic and monumental buildings in downtown Oranjestad, the national heritage continues to be appreciated and preserved in a modern way.
Minister Wever highlighted that three years ago, during his first term as Minister of Economic Affairs, he worked together with Stichting Monumentenfonds Aruba to achieve this project, and allocated funds from his own budget to invest in the initiative. Part of the building will be occupied by the Department of Economic Affairs, Commerce and Industry, while another part will become a restaurant where Aruban hospitality will continue to shine.
This relocation will help achieve the goal of attracting more visitors and traffic to downtown Oranjestad, creating positive benefits for commercial establishments in the area. Minister Wever also noted that the government has introduced several fiscal incentives that came into effect as of January 2026, such as the investment and revitalization incentive policy for Oranjestad and San Nicolas, the Starters Regulation to stimulate entrepreneurship, the Expat regulation to attract Aruban professionals abroad to return to Aruba, and FreeZone incentives to make Aruba more attractive for various businesses.
Together, these fiscal incentives form an attractive package with benefits that facilitate entrepreneurs and contribute positively to Aruba’s economy. Minister Wever emphasized that Cas Veneranda is more than just an example of revitalization and investment in Oranjestad. “It is symbolic. The building used to be a home of an Aruban family where generations were raised and created memories. We decided to bring it back to life—not only restore it, but transform it into a place where history and the future meet.”
According to the Minister, the journey to restore Cas Veneranda was a long one, starting with a clear vision to revitalize Oranjestad. From dialogue with the Arends family, collaboration with Stichting Monumentenfonds Aruba, to structuring financing with partners such as Nationaal Restauratiefonds and APFA, each step was taken with care and responsibility. After the agreement, a technical phase followed involving research, design, and preparation for the restoration.
Minister Wever emphasized that the government alone cannot revitalize Oranjestad. Achieving this goal for Aruba requires close collaboration with the private sector, which believes in this vision and, through concrete steps like today, is turning that vision into reality.
