This week, Bonaire International Airport (BIA) announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Maarten van der Scheer, has decided to retire and will step down from his position. His departure comes after three years of successful leadership and progress at the airport.
As soon as the news became public, efforts began to find a new director — with a clear focus on candidates from Aruba. At least two Arubans received offers, and meetings were even held with BIA’s Supervisory Board to explore whether a deal could be reached.
Salary limits in Aruba make recruitment difficult
One of the key challenges in Aruba is the Landsverordening Normering Topinkomens (LNT), a law that limits top salaries in the public sector. For example, the Prime Minister of Aruba earns Afl. 329,000 per year. The three current directors of Aruba Airport Authority (AAA), all Aruban, had to accept pay cuts last year to comply with the law.
Professionals are being asked to take on more responsibility for less pay — something that naturally makes these high-level positions less attractive.
More flexibility in Bonaire
Bonaire operates under a different law — the Dutch Wet normering topinkomens (WNT). Similar in purpose, it also caps top officials’ salaries at 130% of what the Dutch Prime Minister earns, which amounts to €216,867 per year (around Afl. 460,167). This gives Bonaire more flexibility than Aruba in compensating top executives.
More importantly, the Dutch law includes specific exceptions for airport directors. For example, the CEO of Schiphol Group is not bound by this salary cap and can earn more than the legal limit. This exception makes leadership roles in the airport sector far more attractive — and it’s now being used as a way to recruit Aruban professionals who may be looking for better financial opportunities.
Concerns in Aruba
Meanwhile, Aruba’s government — through Minister Wendrick Cicilia — is in ongoing talks with the Royal Schiphol Group to finalize a new contract for the continued operation of AAA. One of the conditions under discussion is whether an exception can be made to the LNT law for AAA’s top management. Although the negotiations are progressing, nothing has been finalized, and no official announcement has been made. As a result, uncertainty remains.
Because of this, some professionals at AAA — or in other public institutions in Aruba — are reportedly considering job offers elsewhere, including in Bonaire.
Frustration with the salary cap law
The LNT law, implemented by the previous MEP-Raiz government and now inherited by the AVP/Futuro Cabinet, has generated frustration among many directors. Some have even started legal proceedings. They argue that former Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes acted unilaterally — without discussion or even responding to their formal objections — when she enforced significant pay cuts.
At the time, there were already fears that Aruba would lose experienced professionals to the private sector or to jobs abroad. Now, with Bonaire offering better financial conditions and more legal flexibility, those fears are intensifying.
In fact, several prominent Arubans in the energy sector have already left the island for positions in Curaçao. The concern now is that Aruba may face further brain drain if the legal uncertainty surrounding the LNT law continues.
Many are now urging the Aruban government to bring clarity to the situation as soon as possible.
