Aruba Protests for Higher Wages, but not for Justice for Natalee Holloway … Arriving passengers were troubled

In Aruba a group of 500 to 1000 gathered yesterday morning to demonstrate for salary increases in front of the airport as incoming troubled tourists looked on. Think the protectors caused an inconvenience, you bet. What must tourists be thinking as they see the very people that provide their safety, security and conveniences on strike? Imagine getting off a plane for the first time and seeing this unrest. Think the tourists are asking themselves that they never remember this type of strife being discussed on the travel brochure. Aruba, think those tourists will ever be coming back again?

(Arubans public workers protest at Reina Beatrix International Airport)

After the judge decided last Saturday that the public employees are allowed to demonstrate in front of the airport, a big group marched with banners, drums, and slogans from the Simar-building to the arrival- and departure terminals of the airport.  The arriving passengers were troubled by this, because they couldn’t leave directly for their hotels by taxi.  Spokesperson of AAA, Hendrik Croes, said that the tourists had to wait in the arrival hall for about 45 minutes and they were not very pleased with this.  “The effect of the demonstration was the same as last time, when the intersection in front of the airport was blocked.’

People have asked why individuals are protesting Aruba in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. People have stated that a protest/boycott of Aruba only hurts the Aruban people who are not to blame for her disappearance or death. Aruba, life is not a one way street. Are not the protests by public employees harming all Arubans? Are not the protests harming tourists who have actually paid money to go a peaceful vacations only to have to encounter “troubling” issues.

What is most distasteful about the public employees strike is as follows. Everyone has the right to protest for what ever reason they deem important. However, it is almost unseemly that Arubans would come out in force and protest for higher wages, yet sit idly by on their hands when it came to protesting for “Justice for Natalee”. There is something just so distasteful and wrong about that very premise. Its obvious that Arubans know how to protest. Its also obvious that Arubans do not have an issue with protesting against their government. However, what also appears to be even more obvious is that the very island that begs for tourists to come to their “One Happy Island” also cares little to protest for justice if a tourist goes missing or dies there. There is something to ponder why contemplating a vacation.

New actions has started for this week (Amigoe: April 7, 2008)

Tourists were still troubled by the public employees’ protest march at the airport last Saturday.  The public employees, among whom many teachers, hit the streets again this morning (picture right).

ORANJESTAD – A big group of public employees, about 500 to 1000, gathered again this morning to demonstrate for salary increases.  Many teachers answered Simar’s call for strike.  At the time this paper went to press, we had no idea of how many students didn’t have classes today due to the strike.  None of the schools did close however.

In the meantime, the government and the public servant unions didn’t get one step closer to each other, after the unions made their ‘last proposal’ last Friday.  “We reacted with four options on the proposal: another salary system; reorganization; oriented on performance; and/or core-job analysis to compromise and be able to pay for the indexation.  We have also proposed to them to come with other ideas and/or conditions, to scrape together the money”, said lawyer Anthony Ruiz, who represents the National government.  However, the unions insist that they do not want to come up with solutions; they only want the payment they are claiming.  “The unions do not consider this their problem, thus the deadlock remains”, says Ruiz.

Chances are that government and union will meet each other again in court.  Despite the court verdict of last week, the fire department is also going to join the actions tomorrow.  The court has already considered prohibiting this department to go on strike, due to the fact that the department is already understaffed and the actions may not have consequences for the availability.  “We already foresee problems due to the actions and we are studying the verdict”, says Ruiz, who didn’t want to say whether the government is really going to continue with a lawsuit.

After the judge decided last Saturday that the public employees are allowed to demonstrate in front of the airport, a big group marched with banners, drums, and slogans from the Simar-building to the arrival- and departure terminals of the airport.  The arriving passengers were troubled by this, because they couldn’t leave directly for their hotels by taxi.  Spokesperson of AAA, Hendrik Croes, said that the tourists had to wait in the arrival hall for about 45 minutes and they were not very pleased with this.  “The effect of the demonstration was the same as last time, when the intersection in front of the airport was blocked.’

AAA was a little disappointed with the verdict of the judge in the lawsuit that AAA, ATIA, and AHATA had instituted last Saturday.  “The lawsuit was to prevent a blockade of the airport.  This time around, the demonstrators were not allowed to block the intersection at the airport, but they still hindered the traffic again”, said Croes.  However, as far as he is aware of, tourists have not missed connections with a cruise ship.  AAA is not officially informed about tomorrow’s planned actions of customs, immigration, and fire department.  “We have not received a letter, thus we know nothing officially.”