From April 2 to June 30, 2026, Garage Centraal is offering customers something beyond the keys to a new car — a chance to step into a moment of elegance and confidence.

Eligible female customers who purchase and take delivery of a new vehicle during the promotional period will be automatically entered into a monthly raffle to win an exclusive Flying Dress Experience.

This experience combines a stunning location, a flowing gala dress, professional hair and makeup, and a fully produced photo and video shoot. It’s designed to capture a powerful moment — celebrating not just a new vehicle, but a new chapter.

Three winners will be selected in total — one at the end of each month (April, May, and June 2026). To qualify, the purchased vehicle must be delivered within the same month as the raffle entry. Entries are valid only for that specific month and do not carry over.

Each winner will receive:

The experience will be scheduled by Garage Centraal and its partners, with the location and timing determined based on availability and weather conditions. The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other services.

By participating, entrants agree to allow Garage Centraal to use photos and videos from the experience for promotional purposes.

Winners will be contacted directly and must respond within five calendar days to claim their prize. If no response is received, an alternate winner may be selected.

Garage Centraal reserves the right to modify or cancel the promotion if necessary. Full terms and conditions apply.

A new car is a milestone. This experience turns it into a memory worth capturing.

I published a blog not long ago, how Goa Benefits from Fuel Increases in which I explained GOA charges a percentage and makes more money when fuel prices increase. One of my readers corrected me. I was right in principle, but the details were incorrect, and once he spelled it out, the facts were even more infuriating:

A little correction, he says, excise is a fixed amount. BBO, twice, is a percentage. Then he goes on to explain, the fuel price of Aruba is based on the PLATTS monthly average based on the daily average of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel and conventional gasoline in the USGC, U.S. Golf Coast. A small amount per liter is added for transport to Aruba. Here the margin of the refinery is added (it is about 8 cents per liter), then the excise tax is added. Then BBO is charged, that price is the wholesale mandated price to the gas stations. On the gas station price another 14 cent per liter is added and then AGAIN BBO.

As I said even more infuriating.

We recently also heard about increased Bunker surcharges on cargo shipment to the ABC islands, which translates to about 25 percent increase in total freight costs. This increase will affect everything we consume, and as importers pay more, we pay more. (More about the subject Blog Lincoln Gomez)

In his blog, Gomez says: When freight costs rise, government revenue rises with it. In Aruba, import duties and the BBO tax at the border are calculated based on the CIF value of goods – Cost, Insurance and Freight. This means taxes are applied not only to the value of the product itself, but also to the cost of transporting and insuring that product. As a local logistics businessman recently pointed out, when shipping costs increase, the taxable base increases as well. This is simple math. The result is unavoidable: the government automatically collects additional tax revenue that was never originally budgeted – not because of growth, not because of policy, but simply because costs increased.

End of quote.

And when the new merchandize comes in at a higher price tag, the existing stock gets an increase price tag, because the store cannot allow the same product to be sold at two different prices.

The following is a communication received from CUA, Comerciantenan Uni Aruba, the local merchant association: We would like to inform you that the Government of Aruba has announced an increase in international fuel prices.…. As a result of its decision, the increase passed on to consumers will be reduced to approximately 24.57 cents for gasoline and 45.20 cents for diesel. We recognize that fuel price increases have a direct effect on transportation, logistics, operating expenses, and the overall cost of doing business. CUA will continue to monitor these developments closely and remain attentive to the impact on our members and the wider business community.

LUCKY for me, I did not go to the concert last month. I saved the cost of the ticket and the expenses on hair, makeup, shoes, a dress some food & beverage. But many of our low-income demographics went, they had a fantastic time, and will find it tough to stretch their pennies to the end of the month.

And…. we have not heard from WEB and/or ELMAR yet. Since the increases on fuel affects their HFO, heavy fuel oil, and Diesel, used to generate electricity and desalinate water. I am not sure they hedged enough, and/or if hedging is at all possible.

Under Chef Urvin’s leadership, Infini is just one of three successful food concepts making guests happy. They are Infini at Blue Condominium, and Poke Ono, with two distinct locations, one at Azul condominium and the other at Renaissance Marketplace. The most recent addition is Caya House on Palm Beach.

Last year Chef Urvin was selected as team mentor for the Aruba Culinary Team representing the island in the prestigious competition, “Taste of the Caribbean 2025,” organized by the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association which took place in Barbados.

Fans of the chef would be pleased to know that Caribbean Impression #15 is a thoughtfully curated dining experience that brings together bold island flavors, refined techniques, and unexpected combinations. Each course served during the evening reflects a moment, a place, or a feeling, interpreted through a contemporary lens. From the brightness of tropical fruits to the richness of slow cooked meats and the freshness of seafood, the menu explores contrast, balance, and storytelling through food.

Rooted in Caribbean identity and shaped by global influence, this experience highlights familiar ingredients presented in elevated and creative ways. Each course is designed to flow seamlessly into the next, creating a journey that is expressive, layered, and memorable.

The five-course tasting menu of Caribbean Impression #15 is priced at US$139, per person, with an optional wine pairing available for an additional of US$90, per person.

More than a menu, Caribbean Impression #15 is a refined interpretation of the region, told through a series of carefully composed experiences.

Infini, into its sixth year of success, launches a different tasting menu every six months. It should be noted that Chef Urvin is a tireless mentor, and his young cooks are enjoying careers in various local restaurants thanks to the good methodology and work habits instilled by him in his own kitchens. Infini’s chef’s table dining experience is limited to just 18 guests. Book your culinary journey with Infini by calling:

+1-305-420-6432 (USA)

+297-280-8869 or +297-699-3982 (Aruba)

Or send an email to reservations@infiniaruba.com

The Caribbean Impressions #15 Menu:

Limpia Man

Batata

Sweet potato • Caviar • Coconut • Jerk spices • Onion • Pineapple

Brioche

Brioche • Curry • Garlic • Thyme • Honey

Koli – Koli

Hamachi • Honeydew Melon • Jalapeño • Lemon • Sansho

Jambo

Chilean Seabass • Octopus • Mussels • Scallops • Okra • Cilantro • Green Grapes

Limpia Paladar

Cube Libre

Stout Stew

Short ribs • Local Pastrami • Stout • Shiitake • Maitake • Carrots

Quesillo

Black Garlic Flan • Pineapple • Plantain • Tamarind • All-spice

Cupcake

Bahama Mama cupcake

We got a press release from RdA, stating Refineria di Aruba N.V., is pleased to share an important announcement regarding the launch of an International Request for Proposal (RFP) for the strategic lease of the Mondi Lora (Zeewijk) Tank Farm assets.

The press release reiterated that given the economic impact and scale of this project for Aruba’s energy infrastructure, RdA believes the information is of high interest to readers.

First of all allow us the correct the press release, the volume of all 17 tanks at the tank farm does not add up to 10.7 million barrels. It adds up to 10.068 million barrels. It is the difference of one big tank. Your calculator made a mistake, or you cannot count.

But that was just the beginning.

The holding tanks were already in horrible condition, 12 years ago.

During the partial renovation of the tank farm initiated by Valero, they quoted an average of US$10 million renovation cost, per tank.

Based on the current prices of steel and labor, the total investment of US$250 million would be on the conservative side, including replacing pipes, valves etc.

The reef berths and the loading arms were in horrible shape, 12 years ago.

All berths and loading arms need full replacement, or at least major reconstruction. Remember it is a deep-water harbor. In deep waters, we are looking at about US$50 million expense. The cost of purchase and installation, per loading arm, could amount to US$1 million.

The minimum investment needed to have the tank farm operational with all the auxiliary equipment and infrastructure is probably US$400 million dollars.

Aruba is ill-equipped for the project. All personnel would need to be imported, plus cranes and barges. Even in full tax-free regime, it is still costly. Coastal and Valero both complained that jobs in Aruba were 25% to 50% more expensive than similar jobs on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Over the years, Venezuela invested in its own tank farms for storage, and it can do a decent amount of ship-to-ship operations offshore, it does not need our tank farm anymore.

At the time when the tank farm was built, it was important, but now its function is obsolete.

The crude pumped by Exxon in Guyana and the future Suriname offshore operation is stored at the source, in FPSO operations, specialized floating production storage and offloading vessels. Then that crude is sold in markets nearby. There is no economic gain in transporting the crude to Aruba and reloading it into bigger ships, here.

Considering the amount of investment and the time it would take for it to come to fruition, in view of the many global uncertainties, this is an unwise gamble, not a sound business proposition.

We should remember that these tanks were built for the refinery, at the time when Exxon concentrated its storage here. Exxon used smaller tankers to haul the crude from Lake Maracaibo to Aruba, concentrating it here, before transshipment to all corners of the world, SIXTY YEARS AGO.

A lot has changed in the world in the last 60 years — production, storage and consumption changed. The tank farm might have had a small chance 15 years ago, had it been maintained. But we are beyond that point now. It is a pile of junk.

AGAIN, we are beating a dead horse. The space can be used by different smaller industries, such as container transshipment, green tech research, vertical farming for food security. That piece of land is way more valuable for Aruba than the disintegrating tank farm.

Our community is going to get hit extremely hard with price increases due to global fuel shortages and price increases. Hit especially hard? Low-income demographics.

We talked about dark clouds a few blogs away; those dark clouds are already here. GOA should not, on top of that, charge us even more….

Yet that is exactly what is happening.

GOA announced it would absorb half of the 50 cent per liter fuel increase by discounting gasoline accijns to the tune of to 2.5 million florins per month. They want credit for that?!

What they are not saying is where that 2.5 million comes from, or why they are collecting accijns tax at all…

GOA does not charge a fixed amount on each liter of fuel. It charges a percentage. That makes the gas tax dependent on price instead of volume.

When the price at the pump rises, GOA’s take an automatic increase, without passing a new law, without any public debate.

The worse the global crisis gets, the more GOA extracts from our community.

That is the 2.5 million they claim to be absorbing. But they have no business extracting any of the extra accijns due to gas price increases in the first place.

The increase in gas price should not provide GOA with more taxes and should NEVER increase the tax burden on our economy.

Instead of doing everything in their power to lower or stop their wasteful spending behavior and prepare for dire times, GOA issues a press release about generosity, trying to talk straight what is crooked.

GOA, in general, weighs heavily on our brittle economy without giving much back in the form of public service basics.

In the coming months and years this will have to change whether they like it or not.

Better get to it sooner than later!