The Holiday Inn resort welcomed a select group of guests from among its local partners for a sunset cocktail party displaying the beauty of its beach and its renovated corporate meetings space, perfectly suitable for business conferences and private events such as weddings, and celebrations.

General Manager Kevin Anderson hosted the evening with Marketing & PR Director Eva Ruiz, Wedding and Social Events Manager, Shulaika Kroos-Isenia, Sales Manager, Rene Croes, and Melissa Bermudez, Sales & Marketing Coordinator, with Executive Chef Alwin Donata hovering in the back to verify our delicious snacks were to our liking!

When I walked onto the pool deck, the familiar place looked different, the sense of space, the unobstructed views, it was all so spectacular, then Eva explained what I noticed but did not understand: That portion of the holiday Inn beach has no palapas, zero obstruction, and all lounge chairs were collected from the beach to allow the incredible panorama to serve as event backdrop, for craft cocktails, starring Canaima Gin, and social networking.

For pool deck events, said Eva, we clear the beach, and allow nature to become the main piece of décor. It was an excellent reminder that the resort’s long-standing relationship with the community is as strong as ever, and that the Holiday Inn team trusted with any function, aims to create memorable events with tropical flair.

Sometimes we forget and it is good to be reminded. Both pool deck and indoor event spaces are elegant and available, most importantly, Sulaika and Rene are there to take care of the business, supported by a super professional team of Food & Beverage specialists.

Holiday Inn has kept a steady presence on the island for almost six decades, same name, same logo, while other hotels rebranded over time, the Holiday Inn, an InterContinental resort, remained a constant on our tourism landscape.

The resort comes with 590 room, and has the most diverse offers, including all inclusive, and EP, in a considerable number of categories, in many markets, with something for everyone, maintaining a solid rating, and an enviable average daily rate, in comparison to the chain’s other regional properties.

The Holiday Inn in Aruba keeps a high return visitor rate and keeps upgrading and improving the room product and restaurants.

According to Kevin Anderson the resort is constantly striving to strengthen and deepen its relationships with guests every day, ensuring personalized unforgettable vacations.

We are currently in the process of creating packages to provide service to our partners, and we will be in contact with all of them when we are ready to accept bookings, reported Melissa, and if they couldn’t attend our event, we hope to see them soon as guests, in any of our outlets.

If any of you need more information or have any questions, please contact rene.croes@ihg.com, eva.ruiz@ihg.com or shulaika.isenia@ihg.com

I have seen the work of artist/portraitist Peter van den Heuvel before, at the Aruba Art Fair and Artisa Gallery, in San Nicolas; some of his early canvases of old Aruba streetscapes were hanging at Fly-Fit Studio charming exercisers with their pastel retro architecture.

I once popped in on one of Peter’s art classes at Artisa and discovered the former Prime Minister of Aruba among his students, painting her beloved grandson from a photograph. She self-confessed to be an enthusiastic weekend hobby painter.

You can also catch up with Peter at the Art Hub, as he sits by the window and paints, on the corner of Columbustraat, across from Checkpoint Color.

Careful, the pigeons on the roof, might drop their stinky stuff on your head.

Peter would like you to catch up with him, because he believe we all hide an artist deep in our souls and should take art lessons, to try free the trapped creative inside.

His wish is to start an island-wide art movement, with the only requirement being the spark, the non-conformist flair.

For the project Faces of Art at Cas di Cultura, Peter collaborated with digital artist/photographer Fernando Vermeer, of Checkpoint Color, and producer/videographer Glen Geerman to produce a full-length documentary accompanied by an art show.

Fernando snapped pictures of eight local artists of different disciplines, curated with the help of Vibration PR’s Maria Silva. She served as creative director for the project.  Peter then sat down with the eight chosen ones for a candid conversation about their art and their life, in front of Glen’s camera. Before, during and after, Peter also looked at the photographs and presented his interpretation of them, in the form of individual portraits.

He did not guarantee 100% likeness, he looked into the faces, and interpreted what he saw in the expression and in the eyes.

You will find the portraits, hanging in the exhibition hall of Cas Di Cultura, they are worth visiting.

For the premier, Sunday, audiences were invited to watch the 90 minute film, edited by Glen’s team first, then they walked over to the exhibition hall to admire the portraits of Kevin Gumbs, a modern kinetic-movement mentor, and dance teacher, Kyle Winklaar, a music professor/composer, Xalsky Schwengle, a chef and a culinary-arts teacher, Mitch Almary, a popular singer, performer, and media specialist, Kim Violenes, a bold, graphic, colorist-painter, Ryan Tromp, a decorated tattoo artist, Paul Wong, a muralist and spay paint artist, and Adriana Cereste, a dancer, coach, inspirational prima ballerina, as seen through Peter’s eyes

All eight contemporary-influencers got to be driven around by Peter, in Fernando’s vintage classic car, 1958 Oldsmobile Super 88, to meaningful locations where the interviews took place, all adding to the attractive visual aspects of the production.

Peter is hoping the success of Faces of Art I, will lead to installment II and III, the Island is brimming with talent he says, waiting to be revealed.

Peter’s daughter, on the team at Cas di Cultura, a cultural, social educator, was happy to help connect between art, culture, education and the community.

Thank you sponsors. They couldn’t have done it without you.

Aruba is gearing up for an unprecedented musical evening with the acclaimed mezzo-soprano Tania Kross and the virtuoso guitarist Chris Kross. More than just musical collaborators, Tania and Chris are cousins, sharing not only a deep-rooted family bond but also an extraordinary artistic connection. This exclusive event, set to take place at Cas di Cultura on April 2 and 3, 2025, promises to blend the grandeur of opera with the vibrant essence of the Caribbean, creating a unique experience for all attendees.

Internationally renowned for her powerful voice and unparalleled charisma, Tania Kross has captivated audiences worldwide with her artistic versatility. Her operatic performance in Papiamento, Katibu di Shon, was a cultural milestone, masterfully connecting history with music. Meanwhile, Chris Kross, a talented guitarist, producer, and composer, has showcased his artistry at prestigious international festivals, collaborating with music legends and leaving a lasting impression with every performance.

This special concert at Cas di Cultura will not only be a celebration of music but also an opportunity to experience an immersive performance filled with emotions and sounds that transcend borders. Additionally, the event will feature surprises and exclusive moments that will make this night truly unforgettable.

Tickets are now on sale, and demand is high. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this historic night. Get your ticket now and prepare for an unparalleled musical experience!

For more information, interviews, and press accreditations, please contact Joraine Lopez at 592-6931.

This event would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors: UNOCA, Het Cultuurfonds voor het Caribisch Gebied, Aruba Tourism Authority, Super Food, AHATA, Marriott Aruba Resort y Vibration PR. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for their commitment to fostering cultural enrichment in Aruba.

Don’t miss out on this unique experience in Aruba! Join us at Cas di Cultura for two unforgettable nights of music and emotion.

This is a legal document anchored by law, that outlines the workload of our just-appointed ministers. I find it very interesting, hope you do too.

Our ministers are indeed very busy people, with sometimes no particular expertise for the office they have been handed, but if they are good leaders, with decent communication skills, inclusive, careful listeners, unafraid to accept feedback from the team members already in place, albeit suspect of supporting another political color, they may be successful.

I welcomed the addition of addiction care (Addiction Care Support Office & FMAA), just the same way that elderly care was added in September 2021, addiction care finally landed on GOA’s To-Do list in 2025.

This is how the Dutch run their country, and I can only repeat what one of my economist friends said in a column a few days ago: Aruba has 108 government departments compared to Curacao’s 47, our government is 60-70% more expensive to administer than St. Maarten’s after adjusting for differences in population and debt levels.

The root cause of our over-bloated public sector can be traced back to a deficient model, we are copying a European model of governance in a small island developing state with limited resources and too small to benefit from economies of scale. It’s time to reflect on what our ideal government should consist of as opposed to copy paste the Dutch model without the economy or population size to support it.

Prime Minister/Minister of General Affairs, Culture, Environment and Nature

Mr. Mr. Michiel G. Eman

Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Kingdom Relations, Education, Youth, Innovation and Sports

Mrs. Mr. Gerlien L. Croes

Pedagogico Arubano (IPA)

Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Primary Sector

Mr. Geoffrey B. Wever

Minister of Tourism, Transport & Labor

Mr. Wendrick Ch. Cecilia

Minister of Public Health, Social Affairs, Elderly Care and Addiction Care

Mrs. Drs. Mervin G. Wyatt-Ras

Minister of Infrastructure, Energy and Telecommunications

To be announced most probably Mike de Meza

Minister of Justice, Integration & Public Transport

Mr. Mr. drs. Arthur L. Dowers

Plenipotentiary Minister in The Hague:

Mr. drs. Rene G. Herde

Farewell to HIAS

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/farewell-to-hias/

The Prime Ministers, a reflection on Aruba’s political history

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/the-prime-ministers-a-reflection-on-arubas-political-history/

Indications the new GOA is ready to launch

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/indications-the-new-goa-is-ready-to-launch/

Observations over the last Interim GOA press conference, part 1

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/observations-over-the-last-interim-goa-press-conference/

More observations over the last Interim GOA press conference, part 2

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/more-observations-over-the-last-interim-goa-press-conference-part-2/

Extra observations over the last Interim GOA press conference, part 2

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/extra-observations-over-the-last-interim-goa-press-conference-part-3/

Further observations over the last Interim GOA press conference, part 4

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/further-observations-over-the-last-interim-goa-press-conference-part-4/

Following a visit to the Safir neighborhood

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/following-a-visit-to-the-safir-neighborhood/

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/people-who-live-in-glass-houses-shouldnt-throw-stones/