A recent video posted by #5 on the AVP party list, a longtime member of that party, and now a parliamentarian on its behalf, Carlos Bermudez, gave him much publicity with over 1.3K views and 427 supportive comments, 270 shares, more than the number of votes he received in the last election.

The man was depicted standing on the beach in his street clothes, talking over a gushing, aggressive musical track, lecturing forcefully, almost at a fevered pitch about…. beach palapas.

Ridiculous…. all those who clicked and shared, they want to kill the industry and position themselves as heroes.

E Beach ta di Nos, roared the man who looks like he has not been to the beach since childhood, and perhaps does not even own a bathing suit.

According to him, the Police must get involved frequently when locals try to sit under palapas and hotel security shoes them away. His solution, remove the palapas.

Which reminds me of an old joke in which a man comes home to find his wife with the postman on the couch, and he then furiously throws away the couch.

The information shared by Bermudez is false.

Locals are respectful. The fight is not with locals.

The vacation rental guests and cruise ship passengers who get dumped on our beaches by transportation companies – they are the once trying to occupy palapas meant for resort guests, who are higher paying guests, especially in the high season.

WE JUST HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE ON THE BEACH, and too few palapas. We must reduce the number of beach goers not palapas.

Dear Carlos: Beachgoers need shade. Our visitors come here for the beach, not for our Pan Bati, and they deserved a beach that is ready to receive them, clean, no cigarette butts, well equipped with palapas, etc.

It would be helpful if the government ADDED more palapas in various locations to accommodate the demand.

Your video only had one redeeming feature at the end when you asked people to take their trash with them when they leave the beach.

Otherwise you are a typical out of touch politician. Just like the OTHER member of your party who wishes to see lifeguards on our beaches, which would open the door to lawsuits and questions of liability, falling on the hotel shoulders, beside the exuberant cost.

Why don’t you start regulating, and monitoring the beach watersports vendors, first??

It was an opportunistic video, as if elections are around the corner, designed to draw attention, because very few knew who he was before this. In that aspect, it was successful.

Aruba’s community was shocked at hearing that Julia Renfro, 59, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday.

She left behind three children, Jordan, Amanda and Paris, parents, siblings, and many friends and colleagues on the island, who were shocked and moved by her sudden passing.

Julie arrived in Aruba with windsurfing and the Aruba Hi-Winds competition. The event’s first year success, 1987, helped it gain sanction from the PBA, the Professional Boardsailing Association, for the 1988 World Tour. Julie, a California surfing girl worked for the PBA. She helped promote Aruba as a top-tier windsurfing destination with many of the sport’s superstars breaking record due to the island’s favorable windsurfing conditions.

Anthony Blok, the founder of Hi-Winds writes:  I was a 19 with an idea of creating a windsurfing event in Aruba, and Julie was the “travel desk” at world publications. In the time before Expedia and Facebook. Julie was the sweet bubbly personality on the other side of the telephone that made my travel to promote Hi-Winds, to the remote windsurfing spots, possible, and she had passion for sailing, and fell in love with Aruba, after coming over to help with coverage and the press in the early years of Hi-Winds, Julie and I became friends – I will remember Julie’s smile and goal oriented focus….

You could say that wind blew Julie in, probably around 1989, and she stayed and made a life for her own, getting married, raising a family.

Carla Cavallaro, Jolly Pirates, writes: I remember Julie when she first arrived…full of life, a talented windsurfer so beautiful, her generous smile and a free spirit that found her home in Aruba. Her greatest love was for her children, whom she spoke of with so much pride. She was always very supportive to me and a pleasure to work with during her time as editor at the Aruba Today newspaper, and I will always remember her for that kindness. May her light live on in the hearts of her children, and may she rest in peace.

In Aruba, Julie enjoyed a successful career as a marketing and PR consultant to some of the island’s most prominent businesses, The Allegro Resort & Casino, the Wyndham Aruba Resort & Casino, the Office of Aruba’s Prime Minister, the Minister of Health & Sports, the Aruba Tourism Authority and the Aruba Today, the island’s biggest English language newspaper. She always enjoyed a special relationship with Mr. Marriott, of Marriott international and he insisted Julie would attend all festivities at his hotels here and document them, in writing and in pictures.

Later in her career, Julie turned to photography, full time, especially wedding photography, and was a popular choice among brides and honeymooners.

Toko Winklaar, Aruba’s most senior journalist/Columnist, who worked with Julie at BonDia/Aruba Today, writes, in loving memory: When we first started the newspapers Bon Dia and Aruba Today, we hired a journalist from the Atlanta Constitution. Julie initially came to Aruba to compete in the Hi-Winds International Windsurfing Competition, where she won the ladies’ division. She returned the following year and then again because she had fallen in love with Aruba: its beaches, its wind, and its spirit. Before long, she decided Aruba would become her second home. Looking for work, Julie walked into the office of Aruba Today and applied for a position. After her interview, management offered her a role in advertising sales. She quickly proved her dedication and talent, not only in sales but also in writing. She began contributing articles to the newspaper, and through her passion and commitment, she eventually became Editor-in-Chief of Aruba Today. I met Julie in the 1990s and had the privilege of knowing her for about 25 years. She was a hardworking, caring, and sociable woman, always open to any project that benefited Aruba. One of her most beautiful qualities was her warmth, she was truly a lovely lady who embraced ideas, plans, and people with an open heart, especially when it came to Aruba. Julie’s love for this island and its community was genuine and lasting. She left a meaningful mark on Aruba and on everyone who knew her. She will be deeply missed.

John Chemaly Sr. the owner of the Bondia/Aruba Today newspapers writes: I was saddened to hear about the untimely passing of Julie. Our editor, Toko Winklaar hired Julie, and i can remember that i always liked her. She was friendly, energetic, liked by her coworkers and most importantly advertisers, for whom she was willing to go the extra mile, which made the Aruba Today the most popular and widely read English language newspaper on the island. Her contribution was invaluable. May she rest in peace.

Write Tina Bislick, Island Creative Consultants, who worked with Julie at the Aruba Today: Working as Julie’s right hand at Aruba Today and as a fellow expat, I learned a lot about navigating the island’s journalism landscape as a newcomer and will always be grateful to her for being the trailblazer and creating a path for expat journalists like me to follow. I hope that colorful and whimsical spirit I met so many years ago is free to express herself in beautiful ways now.

Gabe Casey, Manager of Guest Interaction, at Iberostar, the Club, one of Julie’s colleagues writes: While I had likely bumped into Julie on several occasions at random social settings, the first time I was formally introduced to her was at a press event when I was working for a rival newspaper, and she proposed I come over to work for the Aruba Today of which she was the Editor-in-Chief at the time. I enjoyed collaborating with her in this venture. I learned a lot from her about the industry, as well as about living life with a free spirit and a kind heart, as this was the essence she exuded. The love, care and protection of her children were always first in mind for her, another aspect of her that I always admired and respected. Julie Renfro touched my life as I’m sure she did most people she was acquainted with. A good woman with a good heart. She will be missed.

Jeff Lesker. former GM Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino writes: We met while she was the Editor-in-Chief of the Aruba Today newspaper and the cofounder or Island Temptations Magazine. My resort was the magazine’s first client, she sold me the back page, for big bucks, in two seconds flat. She had an infectious smile along with uplifting laughter and was always willing to go out of her way to help a client or friend often times one and the same!

Rona Coster, Bati Bleki, writes: Julie loved animals. she was incredibly loyal to a cute, brown, short rider who followed her everywhere on her last years on the island. During the pandemic Julie cared for abandoned cats in her neighborhood. Before leaving the island to go live in Florida, December 21st, 2021, she made sure her beloved pets, one dog, two cats, are cared for in new forever homes. She sent me a picture of Aruba from the air as the plane was leaving. Her neighbor Maureen Vieira was of great help when Julie decided to relocate.

At Carnival, on parade, all groups are special, they work so hard to dazzle and entertain us, but this year Empire Carnival Group impressed me the most with their mindfulness, innovative twist on history and push to perfection.

A young, talented woman, QueenAnne Bergen, holds the project together with an army of resolute volunteers, each in charge of another aspect of the parade, logistics, design, transportation, band, and bar. Many are entrusted with the tasks of dressing, bedazzling, feeding, quenching thirsts, and inspiring 550 people on the road during several parades, culminating with the 72nd Grand Annual, in Oranjestad.

Empire Carnival Group has a waiting list for next year, it delivers a quality experience, makes it easy and enjoyable for their members, hence, the push to grow, though QueenAnne wants to grow in moderation, not to overburden her team, or dampen the enthusiasm of her target audience, the island’s generation Y professionals, with a sprinkle of X & Z.

The theme for next year was already picked, in a meeting three-hour meeting, two weeks ago, it will focus on strength, togetherness and resilience. Work on Carnival 73 has been put to motion, even before Carnival 72 wrapped up.

QueenAnne explains that for her, group ambiance, an intangible, is most important, her team wants to see people having a wonderful time. And the group delivered. EMPIRE Carnival Group has won Best Ambiance for 8 consecutive years. This year, the team was also rewarded with Champion Group, the highest honor a group can get.

The group on parade presented a tribe, resplendent in olive green, yellow and gold. The fabric design was inspired by the island’s prehistoric petroglyphs. Real feathers were replaced by innovative strings, beads, and iridescent artificial feathers, vibrantly dyed, delivering a bold and luxurious look.

We gave up real fathers for animal cruelty considerations and called ourselves a tribe, in avoidance of Indian cultural appropriation, QueenAnne explains.

EMPIRE has been on parade for 9 years. An offshoot of ELITE the island’s premier entertainment and production group – audio visual services and event management. The beginning was modest. One hundred people presenting an Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden theme. This started a great learning curve where each year the group grew modestly, striving the deliver the BEST Carnival experience to those who signed up. Slowly they built a reputation for excellence, and acquired equipment from toilets to snack truck, to avoid rental charges. They annually shop for wholesale materials in New York and Colombia and pamper their band, BULERIA, who has been with them from the start.

BULERIA carries much of the responsibility for success. They play a variety of music, not just one genre, from Tumba to old road marches to Soca, and are 100% live, from start to finish.

QueenAnne explain she always wondered how come they never won Group of the Year, until one of her team members suggested re-reading the regulations and finding out what was missing in their stellar presentation.

Surprise. The regulation stipulated a queen and at least one float.

They had a queen in 24 hours, the organization’s dedicated PR person Janice Boekhoudt, a popular dancer and a sworn carnavalista. The float took twenty people, and two weeks, but they now answer all requirements and hope that next year they will be snatching the Group of the Year title from TOB a formidable contender, with 1,000 members, phenomenal road pieces, and a priceless stable of talented artisans.

This year, concludes QueenAnne, from the airport, as she was leaving Aruba to go back to Miami, was especially difficult. She now lives in the U.S. to be able to provide her youngest son with medical treatment for a very rare genetic disease. The doctors are optimistic and think he will outgrow the symptoms of the condition, and we are hopeful too, QueenAnne adds.

In talking to designer/philosopher Egmar Irausquin

The theme of the 72 Carnival reflected on the Empire Carnival Group Community. Members know each other and form an exclusive bond as a modern tribe, leaning on ancestral heritage. Egmar reports doing the research for the theme in which the contemporary tribe bring light and enlightenment into the island in the second millennium.

For the Children parade, yes, they also had a stellar representation during Children’s Carnival, they delivered a tribe of indigenous animals, from Aruba, avoiding invasive species, such as goats, that actually endanger the local fauna.

For next year, the discussions have just begun. The theme of STRENGTH, and its related values of togetherness and resilience, are being translated into mood boards. The idea is to educate and change the community/world, infuse it with positive forces, to fight hatred and exclusion. A kind of urban military for the good.

Kids will be presenting sports, as the vehicle with which strength is gained.

And you thought Carnival was just party…no, it is not, it directs fresh content at the community, and carries food for thought.

We recently heard the Minister of Tourism, Transport, and Labor, Wendrick Cicilia, speak.

Instead of the fluffy addresses he usually makes off the cuff, without notes, this one he read from a prepared text. He was speaking to important leaders in the community, and it is a sign of respect to come prepared.

The former Minister of Tourism of yesteryear, Tico Croes, accompanied Cecilia, which was a welcome sign that the minister is recruiting real-life-experience, instead of just relying on his chief of staff.

(Antoinette v/d Berg, a seasoned tourism and hospitality executive, a former VP of Marketing & Sales for Marriott International, tried it for a while, and returned to the private sector.)

The text of the address was not an easy one to get through, it was long, some say too long, and it contained a lot of the catch phrases we have been hearing since 2018, with zero impact to alleviate the pressure on our infrastructure, traffic, and beaches.

The delivery was not flawless. The text contained many tongue twisters.

Our officials have been saying high value, less volume, for almost a decade, with no results, mostly since the former Minister of Tourism, Dangui Oduber, was emotionally attached to volume and measured his success as a minister by arrivals.

Back to Minister Cecilia.

The address presented his vision. He intends to focus on a tourism industry that is regenerative and benefits the whole community, he said. As an example of a regenerative initiative, the minister expressed his wish to discuss the introduction of a monthly “rest day” for the ocean and beach, which means ZERO activity on the water for one agreed day a month, no cruise ships, no snorkeling trips, to allow the ocean which he considers a NATIONAL ASSET, to recover. To achieve that, there will be a dialogue process with stakeholders in the next few months to finalize the vision for Aruba’s tourism for the next years.

That was a bold idea, and we welcome bold ideas, because that is what it takes to make real change, but this idea is doomed to failure because negotiating with EVERY stakeholder from watersport operators to beach goers is an ill-fated move.

We all agree that a strategic shift is necessary for our island, but the ocean is not the ONLY challenge we experience. Aruba must reduce the number of users every day. It is not about closing for one day and getting twice as many people the following day. It is about real reduction, in numbers.

There are many easy wins for Aruba to right the ship, explains one of my readers, but we must find someone with courage to do it. The “rest day” will not work. Sounds great but few will get on board. If we want to reduce congestion on our beaches and the impact on nature, a good starting point is to reduce the number of people who go there. Reducing the number of cruise ships is an easy win and a good start. How can it be done? Raise the head tax. Aruba is one of the cheapest in the Caribbean. If we want to reduce cruise call by 50% raise the head tax substantially! In the Bahamas, cruise ship passengers pay from $90 to $300 EXTRA per person, for beach experiences. Secondly, you might want to reduce the ship size, to no larger than 2,500 passengers and thirdly limit ship calls to one ship in port per day. No three to four ships on one single day! The few who earn income from the cruise industry will initially complain, but eventually adapt. The FCCA, the Cruise Association will threaten and bully, but Aruba needs to stand firm. This is the only measure governments may take for immediate impact. Cruise tourism does not match the high value low impact model.

Dear Minister Cecilia, while we are talking:

You must curb the use of UTVs/vehicles: Impose a ban on new imports and parts of UTVs. Do not allow replacement of those already trashed. Designated certain area on the island where they can be used. Regulate all vehicles, including scooters, bikes, all PMDs, personal mobility devices, or PEVs, Personal Electric Vehicles.

Fix the wastewater treatment plant at Bubali Plas, no band aids, this required a root canal, and please read the Carmabi Report.

Be Bold and regulate the Short-Term Vacation Rental: Introduce registration requirement; Introduce a requirement for rental platforms to list ONLY those that are registered. Enforce laws, such as lodging license, long lease designation and tax compliance. Limit non-residents buying multiple homes.

For the hotel sector maintain/publish policy to NOT provide hotel permits for any projects that have not started construction – except for small boutique properties in Oranjestad and San Nicolas.

Negotiate with developers that have ALREADY received lease land and permits from the government to achieve a delay in building more rooms.

Supervise the enforcement of rules for watersports vendors which will result in the reduction of boating activity, as it will eliminate those who do not comply.

If you tackle all issues on this laundry list you will go down in history as the Most Powerful Rookie, not a minute before.

Forgetfulness is normal, it’s not always pathological

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/forgetfulness-is-normal-its-not-always-pathological/

University Students Deliver a Detailed Report to the Aruba Timeshare Association

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/university-students-deliver-a-detailed-report-to-the-aruba-timeshare-association/

Sarampi = Measles

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/sarampi-measles/

Student Apartments and Social Housing

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/student-apartments-and-social-housing/

Fashion at your fingertips

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/fashion-at-your-fingertips/