RSSAfter Millions Spent, Aruban Tourism Still Floundering; Increase of 0.6% in April, 2007
After all the millions spent on marketing tourism, after all the attempts to spin bad publicity and after all the attempts to shift blame on to other in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, Aruba’s tourism is still in shambles.
As reported in Amigoe and The Aruban Central Bank, Aruban tourism was up 0.6%. With all the recent efforts made to market tourism, that can only be looked at as a total failure. Aruba also on the tourism horizon has the release of Beth Twitty’s book, Loving Natalee: A Mother’s Testament of Hope and Faith. The October 2, 2007 release will once again shed light and attention on the fact that Aruba has done nothing to provide, Justice for Natalee.
In April 67.825 tourists visited Aruba. That’s merely 0.6 percent more than in April 2006.
The Easter period saw a decline in both years for the month of April. The foregoing Semana Santa usually brings a lot of southern neighbors to our island, but this year it was quite less. Also the number of American tourists declined by 1.6 percent.
A decline from the northern cities of Chicago (Illinois) and Detroit (Michigan) was registered, as was the case with the most important air traffic junction Atlanta in Georgia.
The tourism from cruise ship’s is also down drastically.
Tourism Authority show that, when compared to the corresponding month of 2006, the number of cruise passengers shrank considerably, i.e., by 53 percent, despite a 42.9 percent increase in ship calls in June 2007. (CBA)
Amigoe: August 13, 2007: Marginal growth tourism in April
ORANJESTAD – In April 67.825 tourists visited Aruba. That’s merely 0.6 percent more than in April 2006. Striking was the decline of the amount of Venezuelan visitors by 3.4 percent. In the month of March the amount doubled compared to the previous year. The Easter period saw a decline in both years for the month of April. The foregoing Semana Santa usually brings a lot of southern neighbors to our island, but this year it was quite less. Also the number of American tourists declined by 1.6 percent. These figures on the month of April was publicized by the Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA).
Even though the figures per country are often relatively small, the South American market as a whole is still on the rise. The amount of visiting Argentinians and Brazilians grew in April by 40.9 percent and 14.4 percent respectively. In the first for months of this year the figures were 10.6 percent and 13 percent respectively.
While the amount of American visitors declined, new growth from the traditionally strong northeastern corner of the United States was seen, in which Massachusetts and New York played the most important role.
The amount of visitors coming from Massachusetts slightly declined, but this was made up for by the inhabitants of the state of New York; their amount increased by 14.4 percent compared to April 2006.
A decline from the northern cities of Chicago (Illinois) and Detroit (Michigan) was registered, as was the case with the most important air traffic junction Atlanta in Georgia.
With the exception of Spain, traffic from Europe drastically declined. Belgium, the German speaking countries and Scandinavia produced less than in the previous year. The figures do not show whether this has anything to do with a lower seat availability of the KLM on their mid-Atlantic routes.
The traffic on route to Curaçao is, however, clearly on the rise. With 2.200 passengers a growth of 79.8 percent was realized.
The figures of ATA show a slight decline (-3.7 percent) of passenger transport of American Airlines on route to Aruba. Price competitor JetBlue is aggressively active in the market and brought 4.347 passengers to the Reina Beatrix Airport in April. Continental Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines all suffered passenger loss; only USAirways brought in more passengers than in the previous year. The figures of ArkeFly and Martinair can not be compared to 2006 as yet. It is clear, however, that these airline companies are far from compensating the lower passenger amount of KLM in the month of April. As expected, Tiara Air, DAE and Insel did well on the routes to Curaçao and Bonaire. The amount of passengers arriving by private jet saw a decline of 18.8 percent compared to the previous year. The first four months did see a growth of 22.3 percent in this segment.
Posted August 13, 2007 by Scared Monkeys Amigoe, Aruba, Economy, Natalee Holloway, Travel | 118 comments |
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118 Responses to “After Millions Spent, Aruban Tourism Still Floundering; Increase of 0.6% in April, 2007”
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There are 5 more shows this year, guys please let me know if you can attend any…VolunteersforNatalee@gmail.com There is a show in Chicago on Sept 25,26 and the 27th. Then there is one in October on 27th and 28th in Minnasota,The pa show in November 17th and 18th ,one in Ft lauderdale that I will be going to at the end of November and one in Vegas in December. Lets really show them about tourism…and get the word out No justice for Natalee no tourism for Aruba.
Gonna have to work on the NY thing.
Free Advice to Aruba Tourism:
Justice for Natalee
Two years ago and still today
Justice for Natalee
Are you dense?
One more in Atlantic City October 30th and 31st…Trump Taj Mahal…
Boycott those skuzzbags into their graves
for the pain and torture they have inflicted on
Natalee Holloway’s family. Don’t you dare
let up, not for one minute.
Carpe, can you email me please? thanks
I’m glad tourism is suffering for Aruba. They caused it themselves.
All over the world people go missing, get murdered/raped etc, but it’s not so much the crimes that are committed that scare tourists away as it is the way investigation into finding answers and bringing the perps to justice is handled. This is what is making Aruba suffer…their own ineptness and/or disinterest in what becomes of people who visit their island.
Aruba took their One Happy Island monaker a bit too far when they tried to leave the impression Natalee was having fun just before she went missing….drinking it up and having sex on the beach etc and maybe even went hiding out so she could keep having fun. With them it was all about Happy when something quite sad had just happened to a once happy young lady. They totally missed the sadness of what had happened to Natalee and her family, and they missed it from the very beginning. They did not even consider it an option!
Any reasonably sane and concerned cop force would have gotten a warrant to seize the Kalpoe mobile straight away as soon as witnesses said Natalee was last seen getting into it. They would also have gotten warrants to seach the premises of those who were in the car with her. But instead, to recap what we all know, the cops took the word of J2K that they were not the last ones with Natalee – the security guard was- so no need to bother J2K anymore.
Then they started playing the ‘wasn’t me’ game to where all anyone had to say was ‘wasn’t me, it was *fill in the blank*’ and they let this game go on and on unable to know for certain who really was the last one with Natalee.
But it doesn’t matter who was really the last one with Natalee. As any sensible investigation goes, it only matters who she was last seen with by witnesses who have no motive to lie about it. Of course, that excludes J2K as reliable witnesses. Yet, ALE took the word of the only unreliable witnesses they had in the early hours of Natalee’s disappearance as reason to look for her elsewhere and not search for her anywhere near anything J2K.
Whether this was a coverup in progress or just plain stupidity does not matter as far as lost tourism goes. The result of whatever made them take the course they did in bungling this case into nonsense is what makes people choose somewhere else to go on vacation other than Aruba.
People know bad things happen. They also know when it does the only thing left is to find out how and why so the family can complete the story of the life of their loved one and set it to some sort of rest. In the process if that brings in a ‘who’, then coping with the tragedy by family relies on that ‘who’ being brought to justice. Natalee’s family has gotten none of the above for over 2 years, and no one else wants that to happen to them or their loved ones. No one wants to be left dangling with no form of closure on the story of their loved one’s life.
So yeah, Aruba…you did this to yourself. No one helped you. It was all your own doing, or should I say -undoing.
Corporations are run by P and L statements. Each hotel location has a budget and cost center. Perhaps when these divisions meet to discuss the reasons for a decline in profits for Aruba hotels; the lack of tourist dollars could be used for leverage against the ALE and Dutch Investigators. Investors want to know why dividends are declining during the annual stockholders meetings. It is necessary to make these corporations aware that Natalee Holloway’s disappearance on Aruba is one of the contributing factors. It is only going to be a matter of time until the proverbial manure hits the fan and questions are going to have to be answered.
Apparently Paulus has so much dirt on prominent people that they are sacrificing an Island’s economy to protect a few perpetrators. Perhaps the corporate heads can influence the ATA to pressure the Aruban government to reconsider why they are protecting the Van der Sloots, the Van Cromvoirts, The Wevers, The Dompigs, The Gottenbos and Van der Straaten and why they continue with the corrupt cover up concerning Natalee.
Here is a start::::::::::::::::::;
Hit them in the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Westin (Starwood Hotels)
1111 West Chester Ave
White Plains, NY 10604
Holiday Inn (Intercontinental Hotel Group)
3 Ravinia Drive
Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30346-2149
Hyatt Corporate Offices
71 South Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
Best Western International, Inc.
6201 N. 24th Parkway
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Marriot International Inc.
10400 Fernwood Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
Radisson Corporate Headquarters
701 Carlson Pkwy
Minnetonka, MN 55305
Wyndram Worldwide
Cendant Corporation
7 Sylvan Way
Parsippany, NJ 07054
Blame Aruba, corrupt government and judicial system, police department and most of all Paulis VDS, sumbag son Joran, and his “pimps”, Depak and Satish, Freddie, and the rest of them…….
Until there is justice for Natalee, they will suffer.
“ORANJESTAD – In April 67.825 tourists visited Aruba. That’s merely 0.6 percent more than in April 2006…….”
For Arubans this is wonderful news! Declining in tourists stopped despite the negative news of last 2 years. Aruba is also very optimistic for the next months and the high season months December/March 2008 in view of the recent developments in tourism. We can’t complain!
Interesting. .06% rise over April of 2006 when tourism was taking a major slam – which means they are way down from April 2005.
Gosh, here it is August and Aruba already has the tourism numbers from April – they must have switched from beads to plug in calculators.
Awww, ain’t it a shame (NOT!!)? Aruba is getting its ‘just dessert’
BOYCOTT ARUBA AND HOLLAND!!
JUSTICE FOR NATALEE
Vicki,
When is the Travel Show/ATA coming to Birmingham, Alabama?
Maybe they need a wake up call????????????
http://www.aruba.com/about/contact.php
#13- hahahhaha Susan I would drive to that one if it ever happens…but they dont want to end up like NAtalee, now do they???
You know. some DISGUSTING EVIL garbage must of taking place 2 years ago that they are so scared of it coming out… It either is Mafia related or its the porn films they would upload after drugging and raping the girls…I think that is what they are trying to hide…we have mr Pin, whi is really gretamal…Paul Broughs, running the porn movies…than we have the owners of bangabus..in Miami…getting the porn movies….I believe in my heart, that they didnt realize Natalee wasnt waking up, they ran to the computer and uploaded it to bangabus… and then realized Natalee wasnt coming awake…and now bangabus Inc has a movie with a missing american girl…this coverup goes high…with Posner the POS at the top….BOYCOTT THIS EVIL PLACE
Aruba I hate you!!!If Aruba was on fire? I wouldn’t piss on them to put them out!!!
Susan#13- hahahhaha if it comes to bama I will drive there myself….that would be a humdinger….
Now is everybody so happy here because the increase is ONLY 0,6? As a result of this massive boycott from the States?
____________________
SM: It has absolutely nothing to do with any boycott but due to the negative image ALE, the Government of Aruba, the Van der Sloots and the Kalpoes have given the island. People simply choose not to go to a corrupt island on vacation. (klaasend)
Well I was never good at math but as I read the message 0.6 % MORE people went to Aruba.
____________________
SM: This is an American blog. Per Amigoe “Also the number of American tourists declined by 1.6 percent” (klaasend)
Nishika,
I’m happy.
I will be happier when the KLPD and ALE do their jobs and bring the perps – INCLUDING PAULUS VAN DER SLOOT – in, arrest and jail them.
Seems to me though, the KLPD doesn’t want to act against Paulus…why not KLPD? Are you trying to solve this or just create the illusion that you are reviewing the investigation?
It is quite simple and is going on one year of my recommendations KLPD:
1) Retract the Karin Janssen letter stating Paulus wasn’t a suspect.
2) Reverse/Void the Conflict of Interest decision releasing Paulus made by one of his black robed buddies.
3) Arrest Paulus
4) Try Paulus
5) Throw away the key for 15 years.
md
I will never, never go to aruba. There’s a good chance I might not ever be seen again. Now does anybody really feel safe going to aruba?
I’ll boycott aruba forever. We know by now who is in power on the mafia island of aruba. Island of criminals. No, thank you, THEY can have it. THEY can have all the sloots and their cohort’s. In fact they can all rot in that special place.
Mafia aruba, forget about it.
#18-take your head out of your butt…we could give a rats behind about LIERUBA…I personally only ever thought of it as in a song…..but now?????disgusting place…dirty, over run with garbage…lowlifes on every corner..stupid keystone cops, corrupt Gov officals that were so disgustingly UGLY to a mother and father of a missing person… the rape of the 16 year old in FREAKIN CLASS…my goodness..oh and please dont forget the dispicable PROTEST that you fellow arubians decided to do against the holloway/twitty familys….Please sign me up NEXT….right…
#22 Just to set the record straight… I’m not Aruban and have never been there… I’m Dutch and my head is usually not in my butt. We actually have something in common… I’ve never been to Aruba and have no intention of doing so in the near future. But that’s only because I prefer to visit other countries… not because I think Aruba is a disgusting place. Why do you keep insulting people from Aruba?
By the way… the number of tourists grew with 15.5% in march this year… with a more than 10% increase of visiting nationals of the U.S. –same source– Amigoe. http://www.amigoe.com/cgi-bin/artikel/exec/view.cgi?archive=83&num=31485
So I guess the Americans choose to visit in March rather than in April…
nishika:
I am afraid you do have a very serious and terminal condition commonly identified and with no known cure.
Its’ medical term is rectal cranial sysndrome.
We are not insulting the people of Aruba.
We are insulting the ALE and KLPD.
“No Body; No Case-No Natalee; No Tourist”
Four left Carlos and Charlie’s
Three made it home.
Natalee did not,
where is Natalee???
.0006 (ie .06%) is not statistically significant. That numbers have decreased from US and Europe means that revenue from those most likely to spend has decreased. The economic impact must be a continued reduction in cash spent, of significant proportions. As I have pointed out in the past, the expected down turn for the economy of Aruba should be expected to last for years and years (10 years a minimum). Hay is Paulis and Co worth it?
Well thank you for wishing me a very serious, uncurable and terminal condition. I feel some posters here ARE insulting the people from Aruba. And if I knew where Natalee was, I would have told the police a long time ago…
The only way I would ever accept a free trip to Aruba – THE LAND OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY KILLERS- is if it was to wipe out Joran and Paulus Van der sloot with a direct lethal tactical strike.
No other reason on God’s green Earth would
be worth it, or could justify the trip
otherwise.
Doggone it! I’m so disappointed that ATA won’t be able to make it to the Travel Show in Birmingham this year (let’s get a rumor started (haha))! I’m not sure if Birmingham hosts that sort of thing anyway. It would take some mighty big balls for those savages to show up in Birmingham for anything don’t ya think, Vicki?
Do you really think Natalee could have been filmed for the company that produces the ‘Bangbus’ porn films? If that were true, I bet the company destroyed the film when they realized who it was.
So many theories out there…
BOYCOTT ARUBA AND HOLLAND!!
JUSTICE FOR NATALEE
Carpe – I suggested invading Aruba sometime back
I think the entire island should be wiped out!
(klaasend)
________________
SM: Don’t you think that’s a little over the top? I’d be satisfied to see the case solved and justice for Natalee. I know you must be exaggerating out of frustration
Not to worry about joran & co. the mafia takes care of its on
nishika:
I did not wish any ill will to you.
That was an observation based on your attitude.
I’m impressed. It’s like David and Goliath. They are spending millions of dollars to try to boost their economy and win back their market share but it’s not coming back. An increase of slightly over one-half of one percent doesn’t even cover the cost of paper towels used at the travel shows.
It’s amazing what ordinary, everyday people can do when they set their minds to it. All the planning, merchandising, advertising and promotions that the ATA has done has been for nothing.
Vicki keep up the good work. You did a great job in Miami and really got the ball rolling with your creativity to compliment what the Boston 5 got started. It just keeps getting better and better.
One-half of 1% – AWESOME!!!
Boycott Aruba
[...] After Millions Spent, Aruban Tourism Still Floundering; Increase of 0.6% in April, 2007 [...]
Yep, klaasend, sometimes I do go a little over the top
I really don’t want to see any harm come to the innocent people of Aruba 
We could invade, kidnap the perps, torture them, etc., etc., etc…. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
BOYCOTT ARUBA AND HOLLAND!!
JUSTICE FOR NATALEE
#27,
Don’t bother telling them where she is. The SOBs
already know. And yes that goes for ALL the arubans that are supporting the ALE and think everything has been done. You are plain STUPID!!!
Paulus says I will do anything to protect my son.
What a father to protect up to murder. What a mother! Their lies your problem! Just a bunch of friendly Dutch and Arubans,etc.Deepak and the pimps gang.
What I want to see is Natalee alive or her remains to make sure the scumbags in Aruba did not sell her, this is imperative to me.
My concerns are no slips where her remains could be found 2 years later.
Has that Dutch trash in Georgia-Gottenbo’s talked yet? Do the school kids in Georgia associate with them? Does the school parents know they were part of the pimps?
PS I don’t care what happens to Aruba. Remember you ranting and raving about Beth plus apology. To hell with you untill you tell Beth you are sorry.
All this pity from Aruba we didn’t do anything wrong? nishika Get real. When Beth was there it was time to clean this mess up and demand ALE do their job.
>>>nishika on August 13th, 2007 2:18 pm
Now is everybody so happy here because the increase is ONLY 0,6? As a result of this massive boycott from the States?>>>>>>>>>>
In a word, Nishika, speaking only for myself: YES!
As far as the link you posted claiming a 15.5% increase in March:
1. We don’t read dutch
2. Since it’s close to German, I can make out a bit – but for gosh sakes, don’t trust a think Aruba tells you. They’ve lied before and they will lie again Demand the raw numbers because I sincerely don’t believe it.
susan: when it comes down to taking an eye for an eye then the world becomes blind. Read #8:
Hitting the big boys in the pocketbook is the only way pressure is going to put on the ALE to tell the truth and rearrest all involved. I think they still have one still arrested.
It is only a matter of time before Aruba self impldes from the tourist $ vacuum; and then soon after we will know the truth. I still get the chills when I see the video of Natalee in Byrd’s van and then realize against all odds, she most likely is dead.
I can’t help but laugh. Remember all those people that were saying that they had been doing all these renovations and adding a new “luxury” hotel? Huuuuum… All those MILLIONS!!!
If it, truly, is the Mafia running that island, and I don’t doubt that it is; they sure are stupid to sell out their investment for a pimple-faced psychopath and his degenerate father. If I were them, I’d be trying to FIX it.
Where is Natalee?
We want her back!
One more post:
Quote from Above:
The tourism from cruise ship’s is also down drastically.
Tourism Authority show that, when compared to the corresponding month of 2006, the number of cruise passengers shrank considerably, i.e., by 53 percent, despite a 42.9 percent increase in ship calls in June 2007. (CBA)
____________________________
Remember the big bribe for the downtown property where they are planning on putting in a new port of call and a huge shopping mall?
Guess what?…
Nobody’s coming!
(those figures are staggering)
Personally, I don’t care if Aruba has 150%+ growth in tourism. I don’t care if all their hotels are full and the waiting list to get a reservation is a year wait. As long as those who go there know the truth about where they are going, then let the risk takers go there.
My problem with Aruba is that their own stand in shadows, fake who they are and what they really represent in order to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists. I would not trust my drink in any restaurant there much less in any bar. For that matter I wouldn’t trust the food I was served. I also would not trust the rooms not to be bugged with cameras, nor would I trust my possesions in the room when I was gone, and I certainly wouldn’t trust a cop if he said, “you have to come with me”.
I would not trust any taxi driver to deliver me to my chosen destination. And I would never never use my debit or credit card in Aruba.
I believe we owe it to our traveling brothers and sisters to keep what happened to Natalee in the news so they might be forewarned even if they do chose to go there anyway.
I don’t particularly wish bad on Aruba…there are many innocents there who are probably as captive as a slave for fear of pizzing off the wrong people….I just don’t wish them well, that’s all.
Well now, if there will be a show at the Taj Mahal in late October…..I will make it my business to attend. The ‘fridge calendar is already marked. Perhaps leaflets dropped around the Casino slot areas demanding Justice for Natalee will work well. Asking hall and lobby patrons entering the show area if they are aware of the un-American situation can disuade people from going into the room. A few other legal but revealing ideas being formulated presently will have the desired effect.
I am not bashfull when engaging in ‘polite debate’. The show reps are in for a big New Jersey surprise. Guaranteed.
I only want one thing and that is the thing that should have been done over two years ago. I want the authorities to return Natalee to her family, whatever her condition, and those responsible for her condition to be arrested and convicted; including the ones that have kept her hidden from her family this whole time.
Van der Straaten knows she’s dean, he says, because he has seen the evidence. Why don’t the authorities haul his fat ass back to Aruba and make him explain himself. What he is admitting in his statement is MAJOR obstruction of justice and he was their Police Commissioner, he can’t plead ignorance.
Instead of buying all these fancy police units, they should clean the ones they already have and stick them in the clink until they talk, like they do their AVERAGE citizens. I guess that’s two things…
Jan, the man should be first.
You GO Bob!
#44 Correction:
DEAD is what he said (WPOS)
And as long as I’m taking up the space for a post, I’ll tell you something else he said to the family: “If you don’t like the way we’re handling the investigation, we can just shut it down” {paraphrased} while at the same time he was refusing to let the F.B.I. or any other American agency get involved. He told them to go home, that HE could handle things.
Isn’t it funny that he was at the Paulus’ house the day of Natalee’s disappearance, probably before the “missing person” report was put out on the police wire… or was it put out on the police wire? Beth had to run all over town to find out which station had taken the report…
Yep… he handled things, alright.
He is the King Cobra of Snakes and probably one of the elders, as well…. a long-term friend of the family. A dirty, slimy snake that crawls on his belly and eats dirt. He should be arrested and kept in prison for the rest of his life for the dirty tricks that he played to fool Aruba and keep a mother’s child from her. Everything from his mouth was poison, deadly, filthy lies.
If there is one person I hate, it is Jan Van der Straaten because, above everyone else, he had a duty to protect. The people of Aruba depended on him and he, above all, in my opinion, is responsible for the Boycott. He is the one with the knowlege of how to keep the police at bay, instead of searching for Natalee for three days. He is the one with all the friendly advice to assure that no one be held responsible for what they did to Natalee… from the VERY beginning.
It must be cheaper to pay for marketing, then to tell the truth. Sorry Aruba, I don’t think you will ever be the same again. I hope those you have covered for are well worth it.
WE Americans will NEVER forget.
#46…“If you don’t like the way we’re handling the investigation, we can just shut it down” {paraphrased}
What? He said that? What did he think, he was doing the family a FAVOR? Maybe so since they don’t seem to investigate much on that island anyhow.
Perfunctory Cops…that’s what they are in Aruba.
I Love Jersey!
LOL~
And Suprises!
Am i happy?
You Betcha~
All Your Post’s Are Great!
They invigorate me.
Allan K……what you said about Natalee is exactly how i feel. Her remains, truth and the guilty doing time is the only thing thats going to stop the hounding & the boycott.
I”m 99% sure Paul & Jurine killed Natalee but that
1% thinking she could be alive & held captive
somewhere is even more haunting. We can’t forget
about Natalee and we won’t Aruba.
I would not let my dog go to aruba. If a child of
mine wanted to go there I would hide or burn their passport.
If any one has the statement,Natalee is dead ive seen the evidence please email it to Bill oreally .Either he has forgot about that statement or does not care enough to investigate it,which he should after the slander he stated recently.
Patti and Ben…you two are on to something. Who does have evidence of Van der Straaten saying this? Video, written??? It needs to be posted as a quote on a poster with Van der Straaten’s face and put all over America and elsewhere.
Frankly, I feel time is the enemy now and that there will probably be no resolution…unless all us people seriously beef up the action to find Natalee.
From space aruba looks like that little speck in a pile chicken shit.
How can the people in aruba even wake up in the morning and go on with there day knowing what happened to Nat ???
It has been brought up by poster LoRain on BFN that
the Natalee thread of the Diario forum is filled with
vile and filthy posts against Natalee and her family.
The moderators and admins are letting people post whatever
trash they want. Jossy might not know how bad it is–please contact him at the link below. It helps to put “ATTN: Jossy”
in the subject area. Thanks!
http://www.diario-aruba.com/2007/8/14/
Someone who is familiar with the hellhole, please tell me how it is that whenever I check out Bucuti/Tara beaches, there are always just a handful of people any time of the day. Are ALL these Many tourists not allowed there?
Perhaps they are not the main beaches at all and that’s where we would possibly find all the nice people who are still not afraid to go to Aruba.
As I’ve mentioned several times, we cruise usually twice a year; we usually also invite friends. This year we decided to go back to the Caribbean with friends. Of course first instruction to our travel agent was: “nothing that goes to Aruba or Jamaica”. These are the only two destinations that we’ve ever specified where we will not go. Usually if we simply don’t care for a destination, we just stay on the ship and make it a rest or laundry day.
It would appear from Amigoe’s own mouth that many others are giving their travel agent’s the same instruction regarding Aruba.
#55 connie long:
That statement by van der straaten was posted over two years ago and it was said during and interview.
I will try to find the link.
56.
Because Aruba is also run by
that little speck of chicken
shit.
Aruba fans. Why are we so down on Aruba? It’s because the officials of Aruba know what happened to Natalee. The only reason this case has not been resolved is, your officials won’t allow resolution. JQK, What have you done for us lately? You’re working on something right? B.S. Joe T. is so kicking your ASS. IMO
# 39 – 1906
I really don’t care how Natalee and her family get justice, just as long as it happens (REALLY SOON WOULD BE SO NICE!)
Hitting ‘em (the Aruban savages who call themselves law enforcement officials, ATA and the perps) below the belt where it hurts, a vigilante lynch mob, torture by well trained Viet Cong, or justice the way it was meant to be. Whatever it takes to bring Natalee home and closure to her family
WHO THE HECK IS BYRD? DID NATALEE GET IN A VAN IN ARUBA? I THOUGHT SHE GOT INTO DEEPAK’S CAR…
BOYCOTT ARUBA AND HOLLAND!!
JUSTICE FOR NATALEE
#58, according to arubans who say they’re in the know on these things, the female tourists are all out dressing, dancing, and talking like sluts at c&c, or they’re buying drugs from the nearest street vendor, or trying their best to get raped and killed by the pc’s of aruba who have declared that they like it and deserve it. the older tourists are busy fending off pickpockets, chollers begging for handouts, and trying to file accident reports or auto theft reports on their rental cars. there are just so many new and exciting events on aruba for the tourist to participate in, it just boggles the mind. and in case you’re looking to (ahem) rid yourself of someone, take them to aruba. they specialize in vanishments and non prosecutions.
dennisintn
joe t. is too busy trying to keep jvds’ mouth shut to be of much nuisance value to jqk. after joe’s bragging about the sporter not being a drug user and being l of only 3 prisoners who passed a piss test, jvds reveals in his book that he had cheated on the piss test by using someone else’s sample. he sounded like he was so proud of his accomplishments in regards to beating the system and having his own way. go to the happy island, land of the pariahs of the caribbean. your survivors will be so proud of you.
dennisintn
tacojoe#62 isnt good enough to lick JQK’s little toe….tacojoe has no dignity or class…
Jan said he had seen the evidence that Nat was dead. That does not have to mean he actually saw her body.
I wonder what other sorts of evidence he might have seen then? Did someone anonymously mail him pictures?
It makes no sense that he would make such a huge mistake of saying he had seen evidence she was dead and then not produce the body if he’d actually seen the body. I mean, if he was going to hide the whole thing, there would be no reason at all for him to say he had seen the evidence.
By the time he claimed to have seen the evidence, he already knew his best bud’s kid was knee-deep in it. Why would he deliberately cause Joran and Paulus a worse problem by admitting Nat was dead? He’d have just kept quiet about it and pretended she ran away or something.
Jan definitely needs his feet held to the fire as to what evidence he saw. Maybe that’s for the court if a trial should ever happen. Who knows?
I just don’t believe, no matter how crooked they are in Aruba and Holland, Jan could make that statement that Nat was dead and then there be no follow up on it. It just got dropped like it never was said.
THere’s also the possibility thatJan may have also been mistaken about it even being Natalee and spoke too soon. All blonde tourists look and act alike as far as they’re concerned so maybe there is another blonde girl who was found dead…maybe that’s the one they thought was Natalee up by the Lighthouse. Maybe they just don’t want anyone to know there was more than one girl who got in trouble that night. Maybe she wasn’t even blonde.
Some have pondered that perhaps Nat was killed (shot in the head) because she witnessed something she shouldn’t have. Could Nat have been killed because she saw another girl murdered? Or could Natalee be in a witness protection program over it?
I’m not saying these are theories or anything…I’m just throwing things out there to consider a fresh path to what may have happened to Natalee based on that I don’t see how Jan could have seen an actual body of Natalee and then not have to go any further than that with it. Looks like the US government would get involved if he really did see Natalee was dead and would not produce the body. She is an American citizen and after a foreign country finds the body they are obligated to return it to the US via the FBI.
Nishika, why would anyone want to travel to an island where A. the police are incompetent or B. Corrupt.
I choose to believe it’s both.
From the start the FBI were standing by to help, most became frustrated and came home. Why not include outside sources such as FBI, Interpol etc if for nothing else, but to get rid of the appearance of the buddy system? They are excluded, yet Van Der Straten is allowed to investigate his own friend’s son? Paulus stated, he worked with all of them for quite a few years and he knew them all well. Why is Dompig on this case with rumours of being related to the Kalpoes and Boeti and his son is a friend of Joran’s. His son was seen looking for female tourists too until he spotted Dave Holloway and took off. Arlene Shippers related to Guido, yet she is sent out on tv as a paid liar. Not to mention all the paid liars who were sent out before and after her from the AHATA or ATA.. How about judges who are friends of the main suspect’s father? Yet, the FBI had to sit on the side and do nothing, when the victim was a citizen of the USA. Noone searched the 3 main suspects property or bodies for 9 days. 9 days, the last 3 seen with Natalee.. Straten came in handy many times, huh?! Meanwhile they are meeting to get their stories together and Deepak is cleaning his car repeatedly and 2 security guards are woke up at dawn on the 5th, searched, paraded around on tv and arrested for kidnapping and murder. Why did Straten name a narcotics cop, Dennis Jacobs, to Natalee’s case?
Paulus, if they have no body, they have no case.. Why is Natalee a body a couple days after she’s missing. Paulus called her a body. Mickey Johns in prison, Deepak told me the Dutch guy(Joran) and the Dutch Guy’s father and us sat around the pool and made up the Holiday Inn story. Deepak, I told John, Natalee put her hands down my pants to throw an investigation off.. They didn’t just lie about where they left Natalee. Joran made himself a victim of Natalee, as did Deepak. Natalee put her hands down my pants, Natalee asked me to win money back for her she lost, Natalee asked me to come to CnC, Natalee asked me to dance, Natalee wanted me to do a belly shot, Natalee asked me to get her a drink as we were leaving, Natalee forced her way into the car and said I’m going with you. Natalee fell when she got out of the car and pushed Joran when he tried to help her and said I can do it myself. Natalee wanted to have sex with me. Natalee looked like a slut, she said she was a virgin and a lesbian.. she said she had slaves and lived on a plantation, she said her mom was related to Hitler. Joran never did nothing unless he wanted and all at once we are suppose to believe Natalee was just bossing him around all evening.. Right!
Why in the world would you slander and lie so much about a missing 18 year old girl who has lead a remarkable and accomplished life like Natalee had. I’m so tired of hearing, some people lie just to lie.. No, people lie to deceive others and to hide things. I’m guessing with all the lies these guys told, they must be hiding something big. His reasons for all those lies plus others, I didn’t want my father to know I sneaked out, I had a gf and didn’t want her to know I went out. Someone please explain to me how those lies would keep his father from knowing he sneaked out or keep a gf from knowing he went out? No logic whatsoever..all Bogus BS.. Natalee had no history of narcotic use, so why is her family being sent out in harm’s way with bogus bs to crack houses to look for their daughter when they arrived in Aruba? I thought that was the cops job. I can’t imagine any family watching all this and saying oh yes to their daughter now, go to Aruba and have fun.
Looks like they make up the laws as they go along to fit the situations. More bogus bs, just like the bogus bs that an 18 year old girl asked to be left on a dark beach at 3 am in a foreign country to look at stars.. And Peter Pan was real..
Van der Straten told a dutch reporter when asked, that he believed Natalee was dead around June 5th, When asked why he said because I have seen the evidence, you haven’t.. Now where did that evidence go? .. That was when the security guards were arrested. Helen Lejuez also was reported in Dave’s book as saying Straten had been involved in a cover up on the island before. Obuder said I am sick of this case over a year ago.. Rudy Croes said he didn’t rule out shutting Beth up in the future. Jacobs referred to women using a slang for the b word when Natalee’s family was in his office, he was complaining about his coffee and needing frosted flakes and a shave, he asked Dave how much money he had right off, he told Dave to go have a beer at CnC, but watch his drink it might be spiked. Dompig whined and said the mother forced him to arrest the suspects to early and now it’s the FBI who did also.. This after stating on tv the 3 are guilty as hell.. Paulus worked with Karin Janssen.. Steve Cohen who said 2 of the boys had sex with Natalee and he believes they are guilty and expects them to be arrested and charged with rape and murder, also said the prosecutor did. Renfro who said the 3 are witnesses and that the cops have good solid evidence against the 2 guards. Aruba caused the boycott themselves, not anyone else. More bogus BS with no logic, just like the 3 suspects stories, No corroboration at all..
3 guys went out , 1 girl went out. The one who didn’t return , the female had no money, no passport, was a tourist, no clothes, no phone, no transportation, no personel items and never seen again, Highly suspicious to me and someone went to a lot of trouble to keep her from telling her side of the story.
susan:
you have to catch up a little bit.
a VIDEO of Natalee was shown to be in a van driving back from some social in Alabama. Frances Ellen Byrd was thought to be the driver of the van in that video. Frances Ellan Byrd was one of Natalee’s roommates. Frances Ellen Byrd was one of the classmates Natalee went with to C and C’s on May 29th, 2005. Frances Ellen Byrd left C and C’s with Madison and Lee around 11:00PM May 29th, 2005
dennisintn; if this were not so tragic it almost sounds like we could develop some type of board game about Aruba.
disgustedmom: I like your angle that Natalee could have been eleminated because she witnessed something she should not have.
Interesting aspect. But then again; that would get the sporter off the hook?????
Nice Post Maggie!
Disgusted Mom:
There were no other blonde girls missing that day and Jan the Man knew exactly what case he was being questioned about. The family had BEGGED for his help, as Police Commissioner, explaining to him that Natalee wasn’t a drug user and, despite their pleas, he REFUSED to get involved. I mean, since when do you have to beg the Police to help find a missing girl? All he did was allow more precious time to go by without any real attempts to question the suspects or to search their homes. When Equi-Search arrived on the island, he was the one that refused to allow them to search Paulus’ property.
He wasn’t protecting the innocent, in fact, he was hindering an investigation that may have resulted in the death of an innocent girl. He wasn’t protecting Aruba from a known psychotic rapist and murderer, he was keeping the truth from his own people and allowing a boy that he knew was involved in the disappearace of a girl to walk the streets, free to commit crimes against others. He wasn’t protecting the right that every citizen has for liberty, freedom and justice; he was protecting his OWN interests and that of his friend, Paulus Van der Sloot.
Maggie:
What were the circumstances of the other cover-up that he was involved in?
Justice for Natalee!
1906 – Yes, I know who Frances Ellen Byrd is. I was hoping that was who you were referring to
Okay, I take back what I said about not wanting to hurt “innocent Arubans”. I don’t think there is any such thing, except for maybe the babies and children. Those Arubans who were not directly involved obviously have not put enough pressure on their elected or appointed officials to do something this tragedy!
BOYCOTT ARUBA AND HOLLAND UNTIL HELL FREEZES OVER!!
JUSTICE FOR NATALEE ANN HOLLOWAY
Patti …. page 185 Dave’s Book.. chapter 12
While still on my October trip to Aruba, Art accompanied me to see Beth’s attorney, Helen Lejuez. She informed us that Jan ver der Straten had been responsible for a previous cover-up on the island. She also said she felt her cell phone was being monitored. I let her know that I had been feeling the same way. I wondered what had happened to the 3 girls who came forward claiming Joran had raped them. Helen said they dropped their cases. She knew one of them, so she called the girl to find out why. The girl was going to come in to talk to Art the next day and them they why she did not go forward with her case, but she cancelled her appointment. We later learned that after she talked to Dennis Jacobs, she decided to drop her case.
Thanks, Maggie!
So they both (Van der Straaten AND Dennis Jacobs) knew that Joran had been accused of raping at least three other girls.
See what I mean Disgusted Mom? The cover up started even before Beth arrived on the island with Van der Straaten front and center. Prepping the perps and preparing the island for a “no-show”. Just imagine… a missing persons report was filed that morning and that night and in the wee hours of the morning the next day, every police station that Beth went to didn’t even know that such a report was filed. Who has enough power to see to it that the police NOT follow procedure and release a missing person report to all law enforcement on the island? Only one person that I know – Van der Straaten.
Aruba:
Now do you understand why we are boycotting for justice? And once we have justice for Natalee, hopefully your island will be a safer place for you to live and the police will be people you can trust to protect your rights as a victim of crime, instead of someone you fear.
I wonder, how many other girls did Joran rape that either were Americans leaving the island the next day or were Aruban girls afraid to persue rape charges. Here in the U.S., they estimate that only about 10% of rapes are reported.
And missing persons? They are logged on to a computer system that covers the whole U.S. If the disappearance looks suspicious, then SPECIAL reports are issued and local officials start searches, question suspects and witnesses, and don’t waste anytime in allowing the trail to grow cold. THAT’s what should have been done, instead of a suppression of the report and the preparation of a victim assassination campaign that gave the guilty to clean up the crime scene, dispose of evidence and cook up their stories and alibi’s… lies.
Let there be justice in Aruba, once and for all!
10061906 #8 – Actually, the starting point should be the people that are promoting Aruba in the USA:
Quinn & Co.
520 8th Ave, Floor 21
NY,NY 10018
Attn: Carla Caccavale Reynolds
She is responsible for the promotion of Aruba in the USA.
Oh, and she also happens to be Natalee Holloway’s Aunt and Beth Twitty’s sister-in-law. Go figure…
If Natalee is in the sea let’s just hope Tim Miller can and will find her……they do believe they know where she is…….he’s going back because he has a reason…they think Natalee is 2 to 3 miles out and 800 to 1000 feet deep. They will be using the most sophisticated equipment available.
It’s been said that Officer Halle reported finding a body in the sand dunes on 06-05-05. He was called a crooked policeman…..maybe he was the only straight one in the bunch….he died!!!!!!!!
Aruba authorities never ever counted on anyone pursing the case of Natalee to any extent. They had to lie, falsify records, loose documents, shut-up and cover-up.
If Tim can find Natalee it’s a new story….a body…a case
I don’t we should be attacking Carla Caccavale Reynolds….the family has had quite enough!!!!
The starting and finishing point is Straaten!!!!!!
#76…edit…I don’t think we should be attacking
Carla Caccavale Reynolds!!!!
I wonder if they’re going to spot any other bodies out there??? You never know how many girls they did this to… by that I mean girls brought to the island under fake work permits.
It sure seems fishy that they didn’t want any
one digging around or using sonar equipment in
the sea around them. I’ve never, ever seen such a thing in all my life. Usually, government officials are cooperative with each other and do anything they can to help families find their missing children. I mean, some openly admit that they can’t afford an extensive search, but they never stop the family or volunteers from conducting searches.
Remember Mr. Holloway saying that they had planes that followed his plane around. I wonder what they would have done had Mr. Holloway spotted something… eerie.
And then someone going and recovering the areas that had already been dug up, so they had to re-dig the same area up again?
What is it that they are hiding and why did all those people die suspiciously during 2005, as if there were secrets that they didn’t want to take a chance of having revealed.
Jan, the Man…. What did you do during your spare time? Are you a sporter, too?
Yo Yo:
We’ve heard that before. You know as well as I do that people do whatever they want. Not everyone lives by the same set of rules… besides, she is not a direct relative of Natalee. But if it bothers you so much, why don’t you ask her. No one here is going to know her reasoning.
Yoyo, give it up….Quinn and Co had nothing to do with Natalee being missing. Your point is null and void…just like your….ok, nevermind that.
Yo Yo:
Isn’t it more interesting to speculate why the Police Commissioner refused to help out or become involved in the Natalee Holloway investigation? Wouldn’t you think that the Police Commissioner would want to have the number one suspect interviewed earlier than nine days after the disappearance of a girl that was last seen with him? I mean how much further can you go seeking help in searching for your daughter and wanting to know where she was last scene. Don’t you think that would have been useful information?
Why did the police treat Joran and Company so differently than they did the security guards, who were aggressively arrested with a search warrant in the wee hours of the morning?
Joran made an appointment…
Gee, I wonder exactly what kind of relationship Joran had with “Uncle Jan” that he would risk so much for him? I’m sure that all the islanders acknowleged the difference in the way the two were treated. Certainly, it’s not just that they both are Dutch… it had to be something else?!?!? What would make a Police Commissioner be involved in covering up a rape, and then a disappearance, and then, according to him, a murder? He saw the evidence…
Personally, I find that much more intriguing.
#56,
**From space aruba looks like that little speck in a pile chicken shit.
How can the people in aruba even wake up in the morning and go on with there day knowing what happened to Nat ???
** Simple, Sherlock the same way Americans went to work today and their daily routine having read this headline http://tinyurl.com/3y97r7
Compananzi:
I appreciate your post as it shows the chaos that exists in Iraq and the conditions under which our service men have to work in an attempt to leave Iraq at peace with itself. The violence that is being raged against various segments and religious groups of the population is the result of centuries of hate. I don’t know that there will ever be a solution to the civil unrest in that region of the world.
As for Aruba, it is a small island and the crime that was raged against Natalee was not an act of war; she was a civilian, a visitor, a guest of the island; that became a crime victim. We are not calling for war against Aruba, nor them against us; we are simply asking for justice for the violent crime that was committed against her and that she be returned to her family.
Every country in the world makes an effort to keep it’s tourists safe and when there is a crime, especially a violent crime committed against one of them, there is an attempt to solve the crime and bring those responsible to justice. In the case of Aruba, this was not done.
We support our troups in Iraq and all over the world and pray for their safe return. We regret and strongly oppose the terrorist acts that do not fall under the rules of engagement or convention of war. It makes our allies more difficult to defend and is, in and of itself, a crime. We pray that these segments can make amends and we pray for peace in the Middle East… and for the safe return of the brave Americans who so proudly serve under those conditions. We haven’t forgotten about them.
#82
That was Iraqis #1 blowing up other Iraqis #2 in an attempt to ‘persuade’ them#2 into wanting the Allied Troops to leave so they#1 can blow up their fellow Iraqis#2 some more without interference from the USA close at hand until they #1 can usurp power in Iraq and claim legal rights to blow up their brothers #2 all they#1 want to.
But you knew that. You just had a brain-pfft. Right?
#78
You make a good point about the water search, Patti. Maybe they are afraid of how many bodies might be found on the ocean floor.
But unless there’s a particular spot where they are sure bodies will not ever wash up to shore, I still don’t believe disposing of a body in the ocean is such a good reliable idea.
If Natalee never left the island then I’d be more inclined to believe disposal was at some incinerator or the pet cemetary.
Of course, there’s always the option too that she might be buried on someone’s private land. The Mafia here in the US is known to buy large parcels of property and let one of their own live on it for free just so they can use it to bury bodies on. The ‘one of their own’ is always an upstanding citizen in the community that would never be suspect in any crime and the connections to the Mafia are secret between just a few. When they have a body to dispose of, they send it with innocents who don’t know they are carrying a body…the innocents go for a visit with and old friend. Said ‘old friend’ gets the body out of the transport vehicle while the guests are distracted….the body is hidden temporarily until the guests leave and then it is buried on the property.
Makes one wonder what Paulus brought with him to the US early in this case when he came to visit old friends.
Adding to my 9:58 post…
I wonder if 2K’s relatives in Suriname got a large package?
There are so many ways a body could be secreted off the island. There are as many places a body could be secreted to.
Who left Aruba first, after May 29, 2005, headed for Holland? Was it M. Posner? I don’t recall.
Were any cars shipped out shortly after May 29, 2005?
What about any other sort of large order?
Just where and on how much land to the Gottenbos’ live in America now? Did they bring their furniture etc with them when they moved?
Mabye one of you sleuths could find out where the Gottenbos’ live….see if they have a tall privacy fence around their property….see if some fresh concrete was poured just after they moved in. You never know. The kid is peeing the bed for a reason.
One more option possibility for getting a body off the island….
Where does Aruba ship it’s hazardous waste?
That one guy who was found in a 55 gallon drum barrel….hmmm….nice use of transport of hazardous waste?
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:IwwZXsB5XlEJ:www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/data/br05/bgm-basic.pdf+hazardous+waste,+aruba&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=11&gl=us
Seems Aruba has a code, G64, when shipping hazardous waste to the USA. Ohio is one place it could go. There are others, I think Illinois and Michigan…could be more.
Maybe a good idea for the FBI to check out organic waste sent from Aruba during the past 2 years or so. Where did it go?
Not that it’s feasible to assume anyone would go digging up hazardous waste or that if Nat had been disposed of that way she could ever be found…but it could be used as a tracking tool to question people who work with hazardous materials in ARuba who may have seen something strange or maybe someone who worked with sending hazardous materials off Aruba who might have gotten a sudden windfall of cash? Might be a lead to something. Maybe another connection between the key players?
disgustedmom: The Gottenbos lived in Malmok:
They have sinced moved to the USA I believe they are in GA.
1006….do you know where in Geogia? It’s easy to check courthouse records for real estate purchases if one knows the city/county. That is, of course, if they purchased real estate and if it was purchased in their name.
Do you know the full name of the Gottenbos parental units?
Their old residence in Malmok might be an interesting dig as well.
1006….helpful also would be the time frame in which the Gottenbos moved to GA. Any ideas there?
Vicki, it sounds like things on the old VolunteersforNatalee@gmail.com address are going great! Congratulations for tracking down those upcoming shows where Aruba Tourism Authority thinks it can walk in and lure Americans.
We’ve countered them before and will, I hope, continue to do it.
Hope that things are going well. As I said before, right now my computer is in storage in Vermont (along with all the rest of my stuff) and I’m in Denver, so access to this forum depends on the good will of the local library.
Mayan Moons … do you remember the Elizabeth Smart case? Where she was seen walking down the road by an alert neighbor, and her first reaction was to deny that she was Elizabeth Smart?
And do you remember the case in Missouri (Shawn Hornbeck, I think the name was), where one teen boy had been kidnapped five years earlier, another one had been kidnapped by the same pervert some two weeks before he was found … and the first victim had been so indoctrinated that he actually helped guard the other one?
And do you remember that he also had been seen in public, had had access to the Internet, and had even ridden in a police car … all this without asking for help or revealing who he was?
And, of course, we all remember the photos of Amy Bradley that were shown on the Dr. Phil show. (Except we’ll be told that human trafficking is a myth, so she couldn’t still be alive.)
When my regular Internet access is restored, I want to finish off my piece on Tara Calico. I also want to write about my interview with Noreen Gosch … I met with her while driving from Vermont to Colorado.
It was her son, Johnny Gosch, who was kidnapped while on his paper route in (I believe; am typing this from memory) in 1982. Two years later, Noreen told me, she was testifying at an FBI hearing at which she saw a book of photos of boys around the country.
They were not victims of pedophiles … not yet. The book, which she saw, handled, and looked at, was a catalogue of possible victims.
In other words, and it’s hard to believe (certainly for me it was and is), there were (and still may be) criminal gangs that took photos of potential victims. If they found ‘buyers,’ they would then abduct the boys.
Sound impossible to believe? It did to me … but three days after Johnny went missing, a neighbor of Noreen Gosch told her that she had seen a man with California license plates taking photos of Johnny from a car.
Do we know that a gang of this type was involved? One of the participants, then a 17-year-old, later ratted on the gang and testified about his experiences in grabbing Johnny and other boys.
The federal judge in charge of the case ruled that his testimony was truthful. A psychiatrist said likewise, apparently.
My point? We’ve seen from the Elizabeth Smart and Johnny Hornbeck (if that’s the name) cases that victims often have been subjected to different pressures than we know.
Anyway, I am not giving up on the idea that Natalee might have been sold into slavery.
(By the way, Noreen Gosch told me that some years later, her son did visit her and urged her to be careful about what she had to say. He is still alive and in hiding, apparently.)
91 – Disgusted Mom,
Not positive of the city, but fairly positive the county is GWINNETT.
Richard and Vicki here is the rest of the info for the Taj in October.
Hmmmmm mischief night and holloween???????
http://fall.homebasedagentshow.com/
http://fall.homebasedagentshow.com/ExhibitorDetail.aspx?id=5503
Floor plan 909 ATA
http://fall.homebasedagentshow.com/FloorPlanShow.aspx
Questions to all of you that support the Aruba boycott.
How would you feel or what would you say if this case gets solved and turned out that Aruba was all along telling the truth!
Would you feel obligated to apologize?
Would you admit to being wrong?
Would you feel the need to say something at all?
Due to the given facts, I know it is highly unlikely that the story is any different from what we all think. I too think that there have been many cover ups and lies, but I would never boycott a whole country Island over it.
I do like Aruba, I have been there many time and my next visit is coming up soon ( with me saying/admitting this I am probably a great target for you)
Please don’t start attacking me with verbal assaults, as I am not attacking any of you.
I really just am curious as to how you would handle the outcome if it were not as you expected/thought!
Frances:
I’m not proud, I can eat crow. But seriously I don’t think I will have to sit next to minnesotadad to share it with him.
But since you asked, I’ll have to add.
The show from Haunting Evidence was nothing but a d and p show driven by the ATA to distract from Montana.
And I am sincere; please do have a nice, safe vacation.
#96…..Frances…but what is the truth?
What other outcomes of this case would you be referring to? As you are curious, likewise!
Have a good trip Frances and I hope and pray you have a good trip, because if you become a victim of a crime.. You have seen what you get.. by tomorrow morning you can be a lesbian, a crack addict, a drunk, a slut, a racist, an alcoholic, all in one night from being a tourist in Aruba. Your family will become the anti-Christ.
Why would anyone go to this place to visit.. and if Aruba was telling the truth all along???? Which version of the truth do you mean? They’ve all told so many lies to cover up the actual truth.. Some people don’t care about nothing until it hits their own back door.
Yeah, I wanna know what truth too?
Not even Aruba has a truth to be right about that is any different than ours. They have come up with nothing but accusations against J2K and P…just like we have on here…so if there is any truth for Aruba to be right about isn’t it the same thing we are saying happened?
Personally, I believe that she is either on the island, I suspect in the region of the turtle caves or at sea. I don’t think that anyone has shiped her off the island, unless she was alive. Just like many of you, I have that little part of me that is hoping that her death was staged and that she is still alive out there somewhere.
I wish more than anything that there be closure, one way or the other, for the sake of her family and friends. Until then there will be a boycott.
Frances:
There are lots of beautiful places to visit in this world, Hawaii, Fiji, the French Riviera, not to mention all the other islands in the Carribean. It is out of respect for our fellow country woman, a child from Alabama, that we choose not to go to Aruba. Expand your horizons and try visiting other islands, as well. You may find somthing you like even better.
P.S.
I think we all ready know the truth.
Frances: You ask us if we would feel inclined to apologize if we were wrong. Let me ask you, would you feel obliged to apologize if you weren’t wrong? Beth Holloway had the humility to apologize to a whole island of people even though what she was asking for was right… She was fed up with the lack of response that she was getting from the authorities in searching for her daughter.
We are not proud people, we can admit when we’re wrong and apologize for the betterment of the situation and for peace; just like Beth did. But a short time later, when she was requesting to be kept in the loop with the district attorney (who is supposed to be the attorney for the victim) she was told that if she didn’t cool her heels, so to speak, she would be kept completely OUT of the loop; which as it turns out she was. This is a mother wanting nothing more than to find her daughter and bring her home.
Mr. Twitty, her husband said, “we don’t care what happened, we just want to bring out daughter home and you (Aruba) can do whatever you want. We will leave the island and never return. All we want is our daughter”… how much more desperate can you feel than that. And… THAT’s the truth… Two years later, their daughter is still not home.
If you like to read, a good book to take with you on your vacation would be the book written by Mr. Holloway which is an account of his experience in dealing with the law enforcement agencies of Aruba and the many things he did in search of his daughter. He is a minister and has no reason to lie. Beth Holloway also has a book coming out that speaks to the emotional side of losing a daughter and her search for the only daughter that she had. Both are good reading and, again, are the truth.
God be with you…
#101 Patti – I was with ya till this: “If you like to read, a good book to take with you on your vacation would be the book written by Mr. Holloway which is an account of his experience in dealing with the law enforcement agencies of Aruba and the many things he did in search of his daughter. He is a minister and has no reason to lie. Beth Holloway also has a book coming out that speaks to the emotional side of losing a daughter and her search for the only daughter that she had. Both are good reading and, again, are the truth.”
Since when did Dave Holloway become a minister? Are you saying ministers don’t lie? And saying “Both are good reading and, again, are the truth.” means you have read Beth’s book. Summarize each chapter for us ’cause last I heard it comes out in October. How’d you get an advanced copy? When you dropped those whoppers at the end it sure made it tough to believe anything above it. advise – next time end it early.
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SM: I think she may have been referring to Dave’s brother (klaasend)
Yo Yo:
I said that Beth has a book coming out.
I was mistaken when I said that Dave was a minister, I’m sorry, his brother is the minister; but he still doesn’t have a reason to lie and most of the things that are revealed in the book are backed up by various interviews and news coverage.
What do you mean you were with me til this? Sadly, I think that you are with me only when my opinion serves your purpose. When I make a mistake or when my opinion goes against your grain, well, you know.
Thanks for the correction.
#99, you did an admirable job of hitting all the high spots of why people should avoid aruba. no matter how good a person you are, if something happens to you down there, you’re going to be held responsible for it. you asked for it, and you were a disgraceful example of the human race and deserved whatever happened. aruba is not responsible and none of their residents are responsible for anything they do.
dennisintn
Patti – saying “Both are good reading and, again, are the truth” implies that you have read both books. But thank you for clarifying the fact that you have not read Beth’s book and Dave is not a minister. What I was saying was that other than that paragraph your post was solid.
I agree with you, Beth’s book will be excellent reading. She kept daily diaries of what went on in Aruba.
Dave’s book tells of many suspicious things going on. Page 21 .. says Oduber was in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, when this happened and as soon as Oduber heard about it he called for Jan van der Straten to be removed from this case and the FBI brought in to take charge.. Apparently this was the type of investigation he didn’t want to see in Straten’s hands,,,Dave says. Oduber didn’t have the authority to remove him however..Still Oduber didn’t come back to Aruba until 10 days after Natalee disappeared. Biggest thing that ever hit the island and he’s off in Florida for 10 more days..Page 27 Anita is saying that Joran changed his story because he was scared about sneaking out that night. Read all the lies he told at that time..and no way do they have anything to do with someone trying to hide they sneaked out that night. Where he goes on and on about sexual things on the way and at the lighthouse even describing her personel body parts and underwear. He told all that because he was scared about sneaking out? Cuckooo…
Page 28 talks about them coming to arrest Paulus..Anita calling Straten…and Paulus was allowed to drive to the police station instead of riding with police. Paulus was being held on suspicion of complicity to premeditated murder, complicity to premeditated kidnapping and murder, and kidnapping., His statements made to the press,didn’t match what he told police.
Page 8, when Dave first arrived in Aruba and went to Noord police station he said,, I’m Dave Holloway and I need to talk to you about my missing daughter., Someone stood up in the back and said How much money do you have.. that is how Dave met Dennis Jacobs. Jacobs also told Dave , he thought the 3 boys statements were consistent in that they dropped Natalee off at Holiday Inn.. what Jacobs didn’t tell Dave is …what Dave found out, that Beth already watched with them the tapes and told them Natalee didn’t return to the Holiday Inn..
Dave talks about the drugs page 16 and 17..everywhere they witnessed and said where else could you go and use drugs for a weekend with no fear of being arrested for buying or using drugs.
The book is worth reading twice.
Oduber telling them Straten was not to be in the police station at all,,however they witnessed Straten going in and out of the police station and meeting with Jacobs.
Page 120.. Former police commissioner Stanley Zaandam said.. that the nomination of certain police commissioners, including Dompig, was against the law and the hierarchy of the KPA(police corp), and that there were “serious consequences for the intergrity and quality of the work in the KPA” due to that. He continued, saying, ” This is how van der Straten was appointed to this case” He maintained that Natalee’s case was not the type of work in which Van der Straten should have been involved. However, he says the biggest blunder was how the 3 boys were questioned saying their lies allowed them to roam free for 12 days. He went on to say, 2 days after Natalee disappeared her body may have already been found and the police commissioner looked the other way to do a favor for Paulus.He continued that ” to exculpate the son of Paulus, the police commissioner and the fiscal chief Prosecutor made a false arrest of 2 security guards calling this a tactical maneuver.
It’s a nightmare what Natalee and her poor family have had to endure for over 2 years.
GREAT POST, Maggie!!!
Thanks, Yo Yo!
I’ve been pretty irratible lately because of my divorce. I’m sorry for being offensive. You know that I don’t hold any ill feelings toward you and, again, I thank you for the correction.
I think I need a vacation…. majorly!
Patti – sorry to hear about the divorce. In the end it’ll make you a stronger woman.
Just remember, not all men are bad (wink).
#91, when they first moved to GA, it’s seems that I remember it being Lawrenceville. But you should find them in Gwinnett County.
Yo Yo:
Yeah? Where are they? I went with a guy that was
a pitcher for the Oakland A’s for about three years… and thought he was the bomb, but he turned out to be a dud, instead. I haven’t been with any one else, for two years, trying to heal and afraid to open up again.
I may never be with anyone again.
(Note: My divorce took eight years)
It may be worth pointing out here that the parents of Amy Bradley went through exactly the same scenario when they went to Curacao to look for their daughter: being tailed by the authorities, getting all kinds of doubletalk, and being told at one point by an authority, “Look for your daughter all you want, you’ll never find her,” or words to that effect.
I don’t think that the Natalee Holloway case is as simple as it’s been made out to be. And I think Aruba is a more dangerous place than the “just one girl” people will admit.
8yrs? Wow. I see where your comin’ from.
Richard:
I believe you but at the same time it is UNBELIEVABLE that authorities would treat a family of a missing, disappeared person that way.
I always that that when Dave Holloway was told to go to Carlos and Charlies, he was basically being told the same thing – go have drink and forget it, if she comes back, she comes back; and then adding the little bit about the spiked drinks was a rude way of saying, “you don’t know what you’re dealing with”.
That has always been one of the things that has bothered me the worse. It was as if these officials were laughing in the face of the family members, which affirms my gut feeling that there is something majorly wrong going on there.
I’m sorry, a friend came by…
But one point that I wanted to make is that they blatantly flaunt their depravity right in the faces of the crime victims and their families as if they want you to know this is not the U.S. you’re dealing with and we aren’t going to do any special favors for you.
And then the secrecy that surrounds the islands when the families are searching for answers as if they, themselves, are the criminals or are in cahoots with them. They were not willing to speak to the managers of the Holiday Inn about video tapes and then acted put off when Beth got the tape on her own initiative.
Maybe it was a sex-slave kidnapping gone wrong, or maybe the WHOLE thing is a hoax and Natalee is still alive. Some people think that the reason there wasn’t an arrest after the investigation at the rocks area was because it was all fake. If it was, why would they want everyone to think that Natalee is dead unless they don’t want anyone looking for her?
Personally, I don’t think that it was fake, I think it was real. But until we know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and until every lie is exposed, we may never know.
It will be interesting to see if the dna in this newly discovered bone reveals that it is Natalee’s. Not that it will answer all our questions, but perhaps it will be a start.
Hope all is going well for you in the Mile High City… If you need any tips on good places to go, let me know. That’s my old stomping ground.
Take Care.
Yo Yo:
My husband is a rich, powerful man who used every trick in the book to cheat me and my children. He did some under-handed, but legal things, that alot of rich men do to their families. Every attorney in town told me that I wouldnt get out of it, but I did with alot of hard work ie motions to the courts, briefs and pleadings.
The final outcome wasn’t as good as it would have been because the judge that had granted my motions and granted a new trial was replaced by a new judge that is young, conservative and is afraid to set precedent. Had the other judge presided over my trial, he would have, literally, thrown the book at him.
I will never forget the words he said to my husband: This is America where we are guaranteed justice. As an American, you have the right to a trial of your peers. (My husband is an ex-patriot living and working in Mexico) He bought off another judge, lied in his discovery, and took me to the cleaners, methodically, covering every base that’s written in the law… just like they all do. Most women give up, but not me. As soon as I realized what they were doing, I fought every step of the way. During which time, my husband fraudulantly sold our house in Washington state without a valid court order. Someday, I may write a book about it to let more women know of the legal tricks that people play when all they’re interested in is the money. But for now,
I’m just glad it’s over.
My fight resulted in over a million dollars in additional assets, plus an undisclosed asset clause which entitles me to any asset that he did not include in his inventory, including personal property, real property and cash. There is no statute of limitations on the clause.
My husband was a greedy lover of money who, when our children would ask him for something, would tell them to go find their birth-parents. He made over $250k a year and never had to pay any of his expenses except food. For over 14 years when we were together, we established a college fund for both kids, which now he says he cashed in.
My son says that when he was staying with his dad, he found marijuana and cocaine in his closet My husband blamed on his girlfriend’s sister. We just found out that he has Hepatitis type B… So I guess, in the end, you reap what you sow. I know one thing, he’s not the man I married… he’s TOTALLY different.
Beth Holloway needs to take heart. If you hang in there and fight for justice, it will come, one way or the other. Bad people are self-destructive and will eventually reap what they sow. I used to pray that God reveal my enemies to me and in the end I knew everything, even though my husband and the Company he works for tried to hide it.
There will be justice in Aruba, even if it has to come from God, himself, the guilty will not go unpunished.
This is for Joran, It may come about that your picture gets blown up and sent around the world with you wearing a dress and a pacifier in your mouth. I think you would look a lot better with bows in your hair as well, you know like a little girl. You are a little girl, right, you can’t possibly be a man, let alone a boy. We all know Mommy didn’t stop weening you till you were, well heck have you ever stopped? I bet your mother likes it and your queer father probably sits by and ponders what he did wrong. No, wait, he probably wanted to ween you off of him, but he was overwhelmed by your talent and hid your pacifier and told you it was ok. You know your being hunted, and the grapevine says you will pay for what you have done. I would so sleep with both eye’s wide open if I were you!! At night when things around you go silent, be scared, silence is not always golden. Time sissy boy, time!!
Definitely believe that which you said. Your favorite reason seemed to be
on the web the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get
irked while people consider worries that they plainly don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top as well as defined out the whole thing without having side effect , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks