Red Cross Says No to Carnival in Aruba … “That would be irresponsible”

Finally some responsibility in Aruba … 

The Red Cross has decided to act responsible and stated that it will no longer help during Carnival. Why should the Red Cross allocate its thin resources to an event like Carnival when there are much more important things to devote their time and resources to. After all, if the government does not think its important enough to help fund, why should the Red Cross. It is obvious that the Red Cross could and should find better ways to spend their monies than “to subsidize the very lucrative carnival events in Aruba”.

Red Cross Aruba has announced that they won’t take part in events related to carnival this coming carnival season.  That would be irresponsible, considering the current circumstances, said the committee.  The organization has decided to devote their already limited means to immediate assistance and calamity control.

This has been a difficult decision for the committee.  They say that they were forced in this decision, because the government has still not committed to structural financial support, like compensation for the many hours and means that the Red Cross has been putting in for years. 

The committee indicated that it is no longer responsible to use the means of the Red Cross to subsidize the very lucrative carnival events in Aruba.

Amigoe:  Red Cross won’t help during carnival

ORANJESTAD – Red Cross Aruba has announced that they won’t take part in events related to carnival this coming carnival season.  That would be irresponsible, considering the current circumstances, said the committee.  The organization has decided to devote their already limited means to immediate assistance and calamity control.

This has been a difficult decision for the committee.  They say that they were forced in this decision, because the government has still not committed to structural financial support, like compensation for the many hours and means that the Red Cross has been putting in for years.  The Red Cross has done this disinterestedly, but that is no loner responsible, considering the limited financial means that the organization disposes of.  They have decided to use all these means to assist as much as possible if and when a calamity takes place in Aruba.  The committee indicated that it is no longer responsible to use the means of the Red Cross to subsidize the very lucrative carnival events in Aruba.

Since the contributions of the SAC (2500 florins per year), the former Tivoli Club (500 florins per ear), as well as the government (no financial contribution) are not at all sufficient to cover the costs of the countless times that the Red Cross gives assistance during Carnival, the Red Cross decided in April of this year to ask the government for financial support for the 2008 carnival.   

The Dutch Red Cross, which Red Cross Aruba is part of, does not structurally help her daughter organization financially, neither does the Dutch or Aruban government.  Thus Red Cross Aruba is totally dependent on donations to cover her service costs, while the organization is asked on a regular basis to give assistance.  The Red Cross has recently assisted the stranded crew members of the Polynesia, and also the homeless after the fire at Dak Riba Cabez, which both are for 100 percent the responsibility of the government.  These two cases were very recent and made publicity, but the Red Cross receives many other requests for assistance that do not make publicity.