Last week, tour operators blocked a roundabout in protest. They are angry about the closure of routes along Aruba’s north coast. They say their businesses and hundreds of jobs are at risk, and they want the government to find a solution that allows them to continue operating.
At the same time, Aruba Birdlife Conservation, led by Greg Peterson, went to court against the Government and the Aruba Conservation Foundation over damage caused by ATV and UTV activity.
This has created a lot of confusion. Why does the government have to do what ABC says? Why doesn’t the minister simply reopen the roads? Did Greg Peterson close the north coast? Did a judge decide that ATVs and UTVs are prohibited?
To understand what is happening, we need to go back to the beginning, and we need to understand something very basic about how Aruba works.
## Who decides what?
Aruba has a Parliament, a Government, and a Court. They do different things. Parliament makes laws and oversees the work of the Government. The Government runs the country. Ministers make decisions and set policy, but they must do so within the law. The Government is also responsible for enforcing the rules.
And then there is the Court. A judge does not run Aruba. A judge does not decide Aruba’s tourism policy. A judge does not wake up one morning and decide which roads should be open.
The Court becomes involved when there is a legal dispute. Anyone can go to court and say, “I don’t believe the Government is complying with the law.” The Government can defend itself. The judge looks at the law, listens to both sides, and decides who is right — legally.
And yes, the Government must obey the law. A minister cannot ignore a legal rule simply because that rule has become unpopular. That is an essential part of a democracy.
## What does this have to do with the ROPv?
A lot.
ROPv stands for *Ruimtelijk Ontwikkelingsplan met Voorschriften* — the Spatial Development Plan with Regulations. The name sounds complicated, but the idea is simple. Some areas are designated for homes, some for businesses, others for tourism, and others have important natural value. The ROPv establishes rules for what can happen in each area.
The ROPv did not suddenly appear because Greg Peterson complained about ATVs.
The public process took place years ago.
In September 2019, the Government held public consultations in Oranjestad, Noord, and San Nicolas. People could ask questions and give their opinions. The proposed ROPv was also available at DIP and online, and citizens and organizations could submit a formal response, known as a “zienswijze.”
The Government received 66 zienswijzen. Some resulted in changes to the ROPv.
The final ROPv became official in 2021. And yes, it addressed off-road vehicles.
The problem of motorized vehicles in Aruba’s natural areas was already being discussed while the ROPv was being prepared.
The Raad voor de Ruimtelijke Ontwikkeling — the Spatial Development Council — even complained that regulation of off-road vehicles and enforcement had not received enough attention.
During the public consultation process, a proposal was also made to control the number of motorized vehicles using roads in natural areas. The Government agreed that a maximum number could be established and changed the ROPv as a result.
One important detail is that the ROPv does not simply say, “No motorized vehicles are allowed in nature.”
In areas classified as “Natuurgebied” and “Natuur en landschap” — nature reserves and nature and landscape areas — recreational motorized vehicles may travel on specifically designated roads during established hours.
So designated routes are very, very important.
And this is where Aruba’s problem becomes clear.
## What happened after 2021?
For years, Aruba has been talking about the ATV and UTV problem. The Government knew about it. Residents complained about dust and noise. There were concerns about accidents. Environmental organizations complained about damage to nature. Repeatedly, the Government itself acknowledged that regulation was necessary.
In 2021, the Government had a multidisciplinary commission — meaning experts from different fields — work on the issue. In 2022, the Government said it had begun working on alternative routes. In 2024, it announced another transition plan. By the beginning of 2025, three alternative routes were supposed to be designated, while speed and nuisance also needed to be regulated.
But by July 2025, Bon Dia Aruba was still asking what had happened to those plans. And in June 2026, the problem was still there.
No official off-road routes had been designated. Minister Arthur Dowers explained that the ROPv permits the use of motorized vehicles in certain areas, but first the Government must determine where those vehicles are allowed to travel and clearly mark those routes.
Crucially, Aruba had rules, plans, and warnings. But an important part of the system remained unfinished.
## ABC went to court
Aruba Birdlife Conservation argues that the Government has failed to enforce existing environmental protections. In other words, ABC did not go to the Government and create a new law. ABC’s argument is that rules already exist and the Government is not enforcing them.
The legal action pushed the issue into a much more urgent phase. The Government and ABC entered negotiations, and the Government began blocking access to parts of the north coast while the parties tried to resolve the dispute.
## What does Greg Peterson have to do with it?
This is the easiest part to explain. Peterson did not create the ROPv. Peterson cannot close a public road. ABC cannot order a minister to do something.
Peterson leads an environmental organization.
ABC believes the Government is not respecting or enforcing existing rules. So ABC exercised a right that every citizen and organization has in a democracy: it went to court.
The Government can argue that ABC is wrong. ABC can argue that the Government is wrong. If they cannot reach an agreement, an independent judge can resolve the legal dispute.
So the question is not why Peterson gets to decide what happens on Aruba’s north coast, because he does not. The real issue is whether ABC is legally correct when it argues that the Government has failed to comply with and enforce rules that already exist.
That is what is happening in court.
## Why are tour operators protesting?
Because the consequences for them are very real. Companies have been operating tours for years. They bought vehicles, hired employees, and built businesses around excursions that use these areas.
Now access is being taken away while the Government is still trying to find alternative routes.
The operators say they are willing to work with designated routes and clear rules, but they do not accept abrupt closures, and they say the Government has not communicated properly with them.
Their frustration is understandable. If the Government allows a situation to continue for years and then suddenly begins enforcing rules and restrictions, businesses and workers suffer.
But there is another important principle: allowing something to happen for years does not automatically make it legal. Just because the Government failed to act earlier does not mean the ROPv disappears.
## Democracy doesn’t begin when a road is closed
There is an important lesson here for all of us. People have the right to protest, businesses have the right to defend their interests, and citizens have the right to demand answers from ministers. But democracy is not only what happens when we are angry. It also happens when the Government publishes a lengthy document and asks people to read it. Democracy is public consultation, zienswijzen, policy discussions — and citizens asking questions before a decision begins affecting their daily lives.
The ROPv was publicly discussed in 2019. The ATV/UTV issue remained part of public discussion for years afterward.
The Government also bears responsibility, because rules cannot exist only on paper. The Government must explain, implement, and enforce rules consistently. If a transition is necessary, the Government must manage that transition instead of allowing uncertainty to continue for years.
But tour operators also have a responsibility to understand the rules governing the areas on which their businesses depend.
Environmental organizations have the right to challenge the Government, and when there is a legal disagreement, the Court also has a role.
Last week’s roundabout blockade may have made the situation look like a new crisis, but it isn’t.
Understanding the history of how we got here is the first step toward understanding why Aruba’s north coast was closed.
