Look Out Arubans … Looks Like Aruba Tourism in only for the Big Developers

Aruba is supposed to be known according to the ATA for its charm and nice treatment from the Aruban people. However, it would appear that Aruba is more about the large developers and mega-malls when it comes to tourism. So much for all the local shops owned by Arubans in downtown Oranjestad, looks like the powers that be in Aruba care more about the mega-developers. No wonder they are willing to do anything to protect tourism at all cost.

Amigoe; April 4, 2007: Mega-Mall forms a threat for the town center  

ORANJESTAD — Developing a mega-mall near the cruise harbour will lead to unacceptable sales losses for all the stores and kiosks in the town center of Oranjestad.   AVP-party-leader Mike Eman calls the ‘plans’ of APA and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) unacceptable.   Also Benny Nisbet of the non-parliamentary party PPA is questioning the plans.  

Having a shopping center right there at the cruise harbour will hurt all the businesses in the town center.   Why would the cruise tourists elsewhere, if everything they need and want is available right there.   The number of kiosks, shoppes, restaurants, and bars that are being threatened by the plans is big.   The Port of Call Mall has 21 stores; the Seaport Mall has 40; Royal Plaza Mall has 45; there are 32 businesses in the Havenstraat; the Caya Betico Croes (Mainstreet) has 144 businesses; the Shea Mall and Aventura Mall have both 9 stores; there are 8 stores on Plaza Daniel Leo; Bayside Mall has 48; Renaissance Mall has 57 stores; Holland Mall has 9; Wilhelminastraat has 30; and the 20 kiosks at the harbour entrance, and the 17 market halls at the ‘little harbour’.   A total of more than 400 stores and 40 restaurants that are endangered by the realization of this new mega-mall.  

Read more

Aruba: More attention on sexual abuse of handicaps

The following story from Amigoe is just plain disturbing, “More attention on sexual abuse of handicaps.” Obviously this issue would not be brought up if there was not a problem with this that currently existed. Its not just the handicapped they may want to pay attention to, how about all women on Aruba, natives and tourists?

Sexual abuse of minors and mentally handicaps will receive more attention.   That is the result of an assignment in Aruba that Corine Melis finished recently.   Melis is police inspector with the National Police Corps Services in the Netherlands.    

With Posters in Papiamento and Dutch, the attention of the population is fixed on the duties of the Youth- and Vice Squad.   The sexual abuse of minors and mentally handicaps is still a taboo on the island.

Surprise, surprise … the weakest and most vulnerable, the mentally handicapped, are sexually abused. It sounds very much like other scenarios where the weakest and most vulnerable among groups of tourists are chosen as well. What is most amazing is the fact that Aruba claims they had no one qualified to interrogate the mentally handicapped. Seems they have no one able to deal with the non-mentally handicapped either.

There was a need for Melis’ instructions, because the Police Corps in Aruba had no expertise in-house for the interrogation of mentally handicaps.  

Before she joined the Police Corps, she was youth leader in an institution for mentally handicaps.   Once with the police, she became youth- and vice detective.

Read the full story at Amigoe, March 12, 2007

Read more

Aruba: ATM Fraud … Skimming Scam on Aruba

Coming soon to an Aruban bank near you, if it already hasn’t arrived  … ATM fraud. Is there any form of crime that does not exist on this small island? After all there is barely 100,000 people that live there.

ORANJESTAD — The commercial banks in Aruba became the victims of skimming.   The criminals have used this method in Curaçao to withdraw cash.   It is not clear yet how much money they have taken out.  

Earlier this week, the bankers of the Aruba Bankers Association (ABA) reported that money was taken out of their automated teller machines (AMT) with illegally copied bankcards.  

Amigoe; February 26, 2007: Fraud with ATM’s

Read more

Maybe There is Some Freedom of Speech in Aruba … Maybe … DA Loses Law Suit to Diario and To Retire

The Aruban District Attorney (DA), Theresa Croes-Fernandes Pedra, has lost another case against the Diario Newspaper in the court of appeals. The Aruban DA and many officials in general have a difficult time understanding the difference between defamation and criticism.

She brought charges against Diario and two AVP-politicians, Arthur Dowers and Mike Eman, for defamation. 

The Court gave verdict in an appeal that DA Theresa Croes-Fernandes Pedra had filed against the acquittal of Diario.  The articles that Diario had placed rephrased the opinion of the two politicians, about the OM and the DA not being able to supervise the public administration, because they have insufficient independency and distance.  

The DA wanted the Court of First Instance to sentence that she pertinently felt offended by the statements in Diario and that the newspaper will have to rectify.

The DA felt offended? Can one imagine what the US courts would be like if every DA or politician felt offended by what a newspaper or media type stated as an opinion? How thin skinned could one possibly be? What a waste of a law suit with all the issues that Aruba has before it. Not only did the DA lose the law suit, but must pay for legal costs … code for the bill will be paid by the Aruban taxpayers.

With regard to Diario, the judge decided that reporting political opinion is part of the press-freedom.  In the appeal case against Diario, the Court decided to maintain the verdict in the lawsuit.  The DA lost the appeal and has to pay for the legal costs of the defendants.

The DA, Theresa Croes-Fernandes Pedra, will retire on January 1st, 2008. Isn’t this a common occurance of all the players that were once apart of the Natalee Holloway investigation.

ORANJESTAD – After a decision in her benefit on a dispute about her pension scheme, District Attorney (DA) Theresa Croes-Fernandes Pedra will retire on January 1st, 2008.

Attorney General Nico Jörg will temporarily take her place till September 2008, when a new DA is appointed.  In an interview with Amigoe, the DA said that she is relieved. 

Read more

This is Healthy … For Arubans and Tourist Alike, Illegal Dump Moko Burning

I guess one would say that there is no EPA on the island of Aruba. A burning illegal dump burning beneath the surface could not be extinguished. What a pleasant thought the ground is burning and even more pleasant smell for those in the vicinity. The ATAHA claims they are concerned about the litter, really? Aruba knows of its illegal dumps but does nothing about it. Seems to be a running theme.

On Monday morning the environmental police wasn’t even aware of problems on Moko.

They praise their white sandy beaches, but have no explanation for their #98 ranking on the National Geographic list of cleanest countries in the world.

Just what the neighbours were afraid of, the fire that started in the 20 meters deep pit of waste cannot be extinguished.  The fire department and the police cannot do anything other than monitor the fire.  They advised the owner on Saturday to take measures.  The stench and smoke is unbearable for the neighbours.  Several of them have already been evacuated to family or friends. 

On Friday evening around sunset, the fire department received reporting that there was fire on the illegal dump Moko.  At that time, the fire department could already smell that something was smoldering.  The fire caused considerable smoke developments and due to the hard wind, the fire could be smelled in big parts of Noord. (Amigoe)

Does it ever dawn on anyone in Aruba the contaminants that they put into the air or is it simply and out of sight out of mind situation as the wind blows the problem away? Even on a selfish and capitalistic approach, does the ATA ever give it a second thought about how air quality could be affecting tourism? How about the illegal dumping into the ground? Does anyone in Aruba care what they are doing to their own island? With the Valero oil refinery on one part of the island and illegal dumps burning at others, must make for a nice and healthy vacation.

Read more