{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = His Excellency | name = Felipe Tromp | image = File:Felipe Tromp Commissaris Nederlandse Antillen op schiphol, Bestanddeelnr 904-0645.jpg | caption = Felipe Tromp (1950) | office1 = 1st Governor of Aruba | term_start1 = 1 January 1986 | term_end1 = 12 March 1992 | predecessor1 = ''Office established'' | successor1 = Olindo Koolman | monarch1 = Beatrix | office2 = Minister of Education in the Netherlands Antilles | term_start2 = 1958 | term_end2 = 1962 | birth_name = Felipe Benito Tromp | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1917|10|15}} | birth_place = Aruba | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1995|08|12|1917|10|15}} | death_place = Aruba | party = Aruba National Union (UNA) }} '''Felipe Benito Tromp''' (15 October 1917 – 12 August 1995) was the first governor of Aruba after Aruba received a ''status aparte'' within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He worked as a teacher prior to becoming governor and served as Minister for Education in the Antilles (1958–1962). He took office as governor on 1 January 1986 and left office on 12 March 1992. He was succeeded by Olindo Koolman.
==Biography== Felipe Tromp was born on 15 October 1917 in Aruba. After finishing his ULO (junior high school), he moved to the Netherlands for his teaching degree. In 1945, he returned to Aruba and started to work as a teacher. In 1949, he was first elected to the Estates of the Netherlands Antilles. On 17 October 1948, Tromp was one of the founding members of Aruba National Union (UNA).<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Alofs |first=Luc |title=Onderhorigheid en separatisme: Koloniaal bestuur en lokale politiek op Aruba, 1816-1955 |date=2011 |degree=Doctoral |publisher=Universiteit Leiden |url=https://archive.org/details/BNADIGARUBIANA3236/page/n205/mode/2up |language=nl |via=Internet Archive |hdl=1887/17992 |hdl-access=free |page=206}}</ref>
Between 1951 and 1955, Tromp was elected to the Estates of Aruba, and participated in the round table conference about the future of the Netherlands Antilles. Between 1958 and 1962, he served as Minister of Education. In 1978, Tromp retired.<ref name="amigoe" /> In 1986, Aruba broke away from the Netherlands Antilles and was granted a status aparte within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This resulted in the new position of Governor of Aruba being created.<ref>{{Cite book |page=21 |title=Dictionaries of Contemporary Politics |year=2021 |author=Various |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781317269977}}</ref> On 1 January 1986, he was appointed as the first governor of Aruba and served until 1992.<ref name="amigoe">{{Cite news |date=16 May 1992 |title=Felipe Bonita Tromp |language=nl |at=''Napa'' supplement |work=Amigoe |url=https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010644048:mpeg21:a0190 |access-date=29 April 2021 |via=Delpher}}</ref>
Tromp swore in the first self-governing Aruban cabinet under the new system, which initially envisaged Aruban independence in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/01/02/world/around-the-world-aruba-self-rule-begins-cabinet-sworn-in.html|title=AROUND THE WORLD; Aruba Self-Rule Begins; Cabinet Sworn In|date=2 January 1986|work=New York Times |accessdate=2026-05-01}}</ref> After he left office in 1992, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau and a new trophy named the "Governor Felipe B. Tromp Jeugdbeker" was created to be awarded to a young Aruban whom had excelled in sport or culture, to be awarded anually every ''Koningsdag''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://coleccion.aw/show/fulltext/?BNA-DIG-DOCUMENTACION-004607|title=EX GOBERNADOR DI ARUBA FELIPE TROMP A FAYEGE |accessdate=2026-05-01|publisher=Coleccion Aruba|language=spanish}}</ref>
Tromp died on 12 August 1995, at the age of 77.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Overleden - Felipe B. Tromp |url=http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/5009/Archief/archief/article/detail/2731262/1995/08/15/Overleden---Felipe-B-Tromp.dhtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130222171111/http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/5009/Archief/archief/article/detail/2731262/1995/08/15/Overleden---Felipe-B-Tromp.dhtml |archive-date=22 February 2013 |access-date=25 August 2012 |website=Trouw.nl |language=nl}}</ref>
==Honours== *Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (12 March 1992)<ref name="amigoe" /> *An elementary school in Noord was named in his honour.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 April 2012 |title=Club di Movimiento honra cu Copa Hubenil Gobernador Felipe B. Tromp |url=http://www.24ora.com/local-mainmenu-5/46581-club-di-movimiento-honra-cu-copa-hubenil-gobernador-felipe-b-tromp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033910/http://www.24ora.com/local-mainmenu-5/46581-club-di-movimiento-honra-cu-copa-hubenil-gobernador-felipe-b-tromp |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=25 August 2012 |website=24ora.com |language=pap}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-new|creation}} {{s-ttl|title=Governor of Aruba|years=1986–1992}} {{s-aft|after=Olindo Koolman}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tromp, Felipe B.}} Category:1917 births Category:1995 deaths Category:Governors of Aruba Category:Government ministers of the Netherlands Antilles Category:Members of the Estates of the Netherlands Antilles Category:Members of the Estates of Aruba Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau