Aruba National Clean Up Day … Its not Just about the Litter Aruba.

Taking out the trash in Aruba … Talk about a metaphor.

Who knew, Aruba has an environmental committee. Traveling around the island one finds litter and illegal waste dumps everywhere. The Aruban Tourism Authority praises its clean, white sandy beaches but does not have much to say for its #98 ranking on National Geographics list of cleanest countries in the world.

That is the advice of Astrid Muller, chairman of the environment committee of Ahata.  She indicated that the emphasis is mostly on the consequences of the fast increasing pollution.  Illegal dumps are sources of dangerous diseases.  Mosquitoes that spread dengue lay their eggs, but also boa constrictors find their refuge in these illegal dumps. 

On the National Geographic list of cleanest countries in the world, Aruba is number 98 and Bonaire 5^th.  “We can’t let it be and we have to do something”, says Jan van Nes, chairman of the Aruba Timeshare Association (ATSA).

(Amigoe)

From illegal dumps to oil spills to plastic bags and trash everywhere, Aruba has really begun to be a trash filled island. Why does the Aruban government want this clean up done now? Tourism of course and the attempt to make Aruba appear to American Tour operators to be something it is not. Sound familiar?

Aruba’s income comes from receiving visitors.  There will be a convention of customers of the big American tour operator GoGo in October; the Queen will visit Aruba in November; and the important Caribbean Marketplace with visitors from around the world will be held here in January.   Muller says that it is about time to do something, because many streets have become illegal dump areas.

The most interesting comments comes from former director of the Portuguese Service for Tourism who told Jan van Nes, chairman of the ATSA.

“that compared with his last visit to Aruba, the island is quite filthy”. 

Ever wonder if dealing with filth and trash may not be a metaphor Aruba? While you are cleaning up the superficial problems that your island has in trash dumps and plastic bags maybe you may want to do the same with crime?

Clean Up Day … Metaphor for the real issue in Aruba

(Hat Tip pic: Klaasend, click pn pic to enlarge)

Aruba may have a few more visitors if you actually abide by laws you have on the books, properly investigate and solves crimes rather than worrying about the trash. Although Aruba obviously has a litter problem that it not the issue that has caused Aruba to have a tainted and dingy image by many. People are not boycotting Aruba or refusing to visit Aruba because of your “illegal waste dump” issues.

Aruba, you do have a filth and trash issue. The sooner you clean up the mess the better it will be for you. However, its not the ‘TRASH” you are referring to. You need to deal with the “trash”, and the sooner the better.