{{Short description|Aruban politician}} {{BLP one source|date=June 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder |honorific_prefix = |name = Fredis Refunjol |image = Gouverneur Aruba Refunjol bij Koenders (cropped).jpg |caption = |order = 3rd |office = Governor of Aruba |monarch = Beatrix<br>Willem-Alexander |prime_minister = Nelson Oduber<br>Mike Eman |term_start = 11 August 2004 |term_end = 31 December 2016 |deputy = |predecessor = Olindo Koolman |successor = Alfonso Boekhoudt |order2 = Minister of Education & Administrative Affairs |monarch2 = |term_start2 = 3 October 2001 |term_end2 = 11 August 2004 |predecessor2 = |successor2 = Frido Croes |term_start3 = |term_end3 = |order4 = Minister of Welfare |monarch4 = |term_start4 = 12 January 1986 |term_end4 = 7 November 1989 |predecessor4 = |successor4 = |order5 = Member of Parliament |monarch5 = |term_start5 = 12 January 1986 |term_end5 = 7 November 1989 |term_start6 = 29 July 1994 |term_end6 = 3 October 2001 |predecessor5 = |successor5 = |birth_name = Fredis Jose Refunjol |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|12|19|df=y}} |birth_place = Aruba, Netherlands Antilles |spouse = Clarette Lopez |children = 3 |party = People's Electoral Movement (1983–2004) }} {{Politics of Aruba}} '''Fredis Jose Refunjol''' (born 19 December 1950) is a retired Aruban politician who served as the third governor of Aruba from 2004 to 2016. Originally a teacher, he has served as a government official for the past twenty years, starting as a member of the Parliament of Aruba.
== Early life == Fredis Jose Refunjol was born in Aruba, Netherlands Antilles, on 19 December 1950.<ref name="cv">Refunjol, Fredis. [http://www.kabga.aw/pdf/20060524_cv_governor_en.pdf Curriculum Vitae] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224145632/http://www.kabga.aw/pdf/20060524_cv_governor_en.pdf |date=2012-02-24 }} Accessed 16 June 2009.</ref>
Refunjol obtained his Junior High School (mulo) diploma in 1968 and his college (havo) diploma in 1970. Three years later, in 1973, he graduated from the Aruba Teacher-Training Academy and was certified as a teacher.<ref name="cv"/>
Upon graduation, he secured employment at the Heilige Hart College in Savaneta as a teacher. He taught there for eight years before becoming principal in 1981.<ref name="cv"/>
== Career == Refunjol joined the People's Electoral Movement (MEP) in 1983. The next year he became the party's vice president, holding that position until 1987, when he was named as the party Secretary General (effective 1988).<ref name="cv"/>
While serving as party vice president, he stood as a candidate in Aruba's first parliamentary elections in 1986, where he was elected to the Parliament of Aruba.<ref name="cv"/>
In 1989, he was the informateur during both the formation of the first cabinet of Prime Minister Oduber (Oduber I) and that of the second cabinet (Oduber II) formed in 1993. After the first cabinet was formed, he was named Minister of Welfare, serving until the MEP lost the 1994 Aruban general election.<ref name="cv"/>
Following his party's defeat in the 1994 election, Refunjol became a member of the Parliament of Aruba once more.<ref name="cv"/>
After seven years in the opposition, the MEP won the 2001 general election, after which Refunjol served as formateur for the third Oduber cabinet (Oduber III), and consequently became its Minister of Education and Administrative Affairs, in addition to becoming Vice Prime Minister.<ref name="cv"/>
In 2004, the term of Governor Olindo Koolman expired; restricted by term limits, he was not reappointed by the Queen. Due to the extent of his government experience, Refunjol was appointed by royal decree as Koolman's successor, assuming the office of governor on 1 May 2004.<ref name="cv"/> During his nomination proceedings, he enjoyed the unanimous support of the parliament for his candidacy. As a result of the apolitical nature of his office, he was required to tender his resignation from both the parliament and his party, immediately upon taking office and was barred from politics until his service as governor was complete.
==Awards== On 8 December 2016, Refunjol was promoted to Commander in the Order of Orange-Nassau.<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2016/12/08/gouverneur-refunjol-bevorderd-tot-commandeur-in-de-orde-van-oranje-nassau |title=Gouverneur Refunjol bevorderd tot Commandeur in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau |language=Dutch |publisher=Rijksoverheid |date=8 December 2016 |accessdate=12 December 2016 |archive-date=28 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180628182328/https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2016/12/08/gouverneur-refunjol-bevorderd-tot-commandeur-in-de-orde-van-oranje-nassau |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Personal life == He is married to Clarette Maria de Lourdes Refunjol-Lopez. Together they have two daughters (Cheryl and Zanette) and one son (Fredis).<ref name="cv"/>
==See also== * list of governors of Aruba
==References== <references/>
==External links== * {{Commons category-inline|Fredis Refunjol}} * {{Official website|www.kabga.aw}}
{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=Olindo Koolman}} {{s-ttl|title=Governor of Aruba|years=2004–2016}} {{s-aft|after=Alfonso Boekhoudt}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Refunjol, Fredis}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:Commanders of the Order of Orange-Nassau Category:Governors of Aruba Category:Government ministers of Aruba Category:Members of the Estates of Aruba Category:People's Electoral Movement (Aruba) politicians