At Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Valentine’s Day is not only celebrated at the table or under the stars, but also through the art of meaningful gifting. This season, the resort invites guests and locals alike to discover a different expression of love at Seráfina Boutique, an adults-only boutique curated to reflect the same intimate spirit as the resort itself.

More than a boutique, Seráfina is a destination for gifts that tell a story. Each piece is selected with intention, offering couples the chance to surprise one another with something deeply personal, beautifully made, and often found nowhere else on the island.

From exclusive greeting cards designed especially for Seráfina to soft pillows adorned with playful and romantic quotes, the boutique celebrates love through thoughtful details that feel both personal and joyful. These are keepsakes meant to be cherished long after Valentine’s Day has passed, serving as gentle reminders of shared moments, laughter, and connection.

For couples seeking to deepen intimacy, Seráfina offers a refined collection of romance and wellness-inspired couples’ accessories, thoughtfully selected to encourage closeness, curiosity, and shared experiences. Elegant massage oils, sensual self-care essentials, and interactive couple-focused games are presented with the same discretion, quality, and sophistication that define the Bucuti & Tara experience.

Beauty and wellbeing take center stage with the island’s most extensive selection of K-Skin Care products, known for their luxurious formulas and wellness-forward philosophy. These offerings make especially meaningful Valentine’s gifts for those who view self-care as an essential expression of love.

Jewelry lovers will discover handcrafted pieces by local Aruban artisans alongside refined designs from European talent, available exclusively at Seráfina. Each piece is selected for its craftsmanship and individuality, ensuring every gift feels intentional and anything but ordinary.

The experience is completed with a carefully curated collection of dresses, resort wear, and beachwear that balances timeless elegance with a contemporary edge. Many designs and brands are available only at Seráfina, making them ideal for those seeking something truly special for an upcoming getaway or a romantic evening on the island.

Just like the resort itself, Seráfina Boutique is rooted in authenticity, quality, and emotional connection, offering an adults-only environment where intimacy and discretion are thoughtfully prioritized. It is a place where Valentine’s gifting becomes more than tradition; it becomes a personal gesture, guided by care and intention.

This Valentine’s Day, Bucuti & Tara invites guests and locals to step inside Seráfina and discover gifts that celebrate love in all its forms, quietly luxurious, deeply personal, and unmistakably unique.

The media shared the good news about student apartments in Oranjestad. The former prosecutors’ building on the side of Zara, facing the ocean will be repurposed by architect Raffy Kock and the *FCCA to offer 21 student apartments.

The target audience?

Exchange students of the University of Aruba. The rent will be below market standard, and the income will serve FCCA’s mortgage bank, in its role as a primary local mortgage lender.

Three commercial spaces will be made available street side, designated for businesses catering to the building residents’ social and commercial activities – a cafeteria, a coffee shop, a grocery store?!

All that, in line with the Ministry of Economic Affair and its vision for the urban revival of Oranjestad already in motion with the group promoting renovations on Wilhelminastraat, the one developing Weststraat and the promenade, as well as the upgrades in the Emanstraat / Ellegoogstraat area with Alba Quarters, and Anna Catharina. Also the area around Hotel Centraal, and the former Music Box.

Oranjestad needs people living downtown. Young people inject joy into the bars, restaurants, and shops, creating a dynamic scene. GOA pledged fiscal incentives, I am not sure what these are, but they may help, drive the vision.

FCCA also has plans for the former DIMAS building, for another 21apartments, this year, for which the use has not yet been identified. Flipping the building is an expensive exercise and the FCCA might want to offer it as commercial space, instead of subsidized living quarters.

In talking to Julie Wever of the FCCA about the projects in town, she reported they are also working on social housing in the Kiviti neighborhood, in the St Nicholas area, where 75 town houses are on the drawing board with living quarters downstairs and bedrooms upstairs.

They are also busy with a Cas Paloma project, three story apartment buildings with 120 units. These will be rented at a subsidized rate to the people already registered in the FCCA data base. The subsidize rent is determined by way of a chart and depends on the level of income of the individual asking for housing.

We have been talking about the shortage of houses on the island, and the FCCA is   making efforts in collaboration with the government to find solutions, finance mortgages, and fill the gap in the housing market by supporting low- to middle-income households, promoting homeownership, and boosting community development, under the supervision from the Central Bank of Aruba.

Those of you with good memories remember the FCCA had challenges legally transferring ownership to families who purchased FCCA houses under the lease-to-own agreement.

I have good news, about thirty of the 100 homes have been transferred following the land parceling by DIP which has been on hold 30 years, but they are moving in the right direction and splitting the lots, in preparation for ownership transfer.

The music school donated by the FCCA?

It already has 100 students according to a report by MinPres.

At this point, I must again express my disappointment that the centrally located Caribbean Town ended up in American & Canadian ownership, instead of becoming an affordable local housing project. The terrain was given to the developer for social housing, yet the apartments ended up overpriced and out of range for locals. Lamentably.

Before I go, I must mention that Oranjestad needs a major cleanup. Remove heaps of building debris, clear the weeds, chop up the dead trees. Water all ones that survived all these years without TLC. Fix sidewalks. Fix all foundations or remove them. Dry fountains are depressing. And repair the missing mosaic stones. Look at main street but also at the network of alleys, feeding into the main shopping artery.

Raffy Kock did some work for AVP nine years ago to redesign the street and he can help save it.

Dear Minister of Economic Affairs: By passing a law in which shopkeepers must help maintain their areas clean, we will make hundreds of business-owners our partners in the cleanup. Sweep and scrub the sidewalks in front of your store and pick up the cigarette butts. Listo.

*Fundacion Cas pa Comunidad Arubano (FCCA) is a housing foundation and financial institution in Aruba focused on making affordable and suitable homes accessible to Aruban residents, especially those with limited financial means. It was established in 1979 by the Government of Aruba.

We were recently told by the Department of Public Health that on January 28-29, a passenger on his way to Bonaire stopped in Aruba in transit, and upon his arrival at the neighboring island exhibited symptoms of a disease we thought was eradicated, Measles.

It has been reported that Measles was considered eliminated in the U.S. since 2000, but it is resurging. After years of extremely low levels, cases have surged, regionally and globally. Canada recently lost its measles-free status.

I found a newspaper clipping from 2018 that reports on 1,685 cases, 85% of them in Venezuela. At the time, the disease was already diagnosed in 11 countries and claimed 35 lives.

Measles is highly contagious and harbors the risk of serious complications, such as pneumonia, and brain swelling, encephalitis, that often ends up in hospitalization, and sometimes in death.

What is considered a childhood disease manifests itself in high fever, running nose, dry cough, red, irritated eyes, scratchy throat, tiredness and most famously the red spotty rash. Everywhere.

Why are these outbreaks happening?

Because of low vaccine coverage.

Since the pandemic perhaps before, based on religious considerations, and accessibility, suspicion of vaccines increased – people are hesitant to vaccinate their children, they are mostly misinformed, and the fake news phenomenon has created an anti-vax movement, all over the globe.

That anti-vax movement unites people opposed to vaccines and vaccination programs, while science strongly recommend ONE highly effective weapon, a shot, in two doses, MMR, inoculation against measles, mumps and rubella, at the same time. The MMR provides a strong, long-lasting defense, against the three contagious viruses.

Mumps: A contagious viral disease that swells the cheeks and the jaw area, escorted by many flu symptoms.

Rubella: Also called German Measles. A contagious viral infection. Mild on children and adults but may cause birth defects if contracted by pregnant women.

Recently, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an epidemiological alert due to continued transmission across the Americas and urged countries to strengthen surveillance and vaccination efforts.

Nationwide in early 2026, the CDC reported 733 confirmed U.S. measles cases and multiple outbreaks across many states. Cases have also been linked to specific locations like Disneyland, where recent exposures were confirmed.

Remember vaccination is key. To fend off an outbreak 95% of the community must be vaccinated to protect against an outbreak.

Remember the Herd Immunity concept? Check your vaccination status, you are doing yourself a favor and protecting your community.

Second-year FHTMS students of the University of Aruba recently conducted the third comprehensive visitor survey among timeshare guests, continuing a long-standing research tradition that began in 2008 and was followed by a second study in 2017. This most recent survey was conducted by twenty-five students, in 2025, and gathered responses from more than 3,500 Timeshare owners and some visitors staying at timeshare hotels across the island.

The findings were formally presented during a lunch meeting organized by the Aruba Timeshare Association, held in the ballroom of La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino. The event was attended by members of the Aruba Timeshare Association, university faculty, and honored guests, including the CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority, Ronella Croes. This collaborative effort highlights the strong partnership between academia and the tourism industry, providing valuable insights into visitor demographics, purchasing behavior, usage patterns, satisfaction levels, and sustainability considerations that support informed decision-making for Aruba’s timeshare sector.

The visitor survey revealed timeshare guest composition: The vast majority (93%) of visitors/ owners were from the U.S., 4% from Canada and 3% from other places of origin. The top U.S. feeder states were New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida, and Connecticut. When surveyed regarding satisfaction & loyalty, satisfaction was remarkably high, with over 90% delighted to return to Aruba. A strong loyalty is shown by the fact that many (80%) had visited the island more than 10 times. The survey also established the financial profile, of timeshare visitors: 80 % of the respondents had an annual income exceeding $100K, and a sizable portion (31%) owned a two-week of timeshare, the majority will stay between 8 and 14 room nights on the island.

All students reported long and enjoyable conversations with visitors, who shared their motives for returning to the island in 2025: 1) they regarded Aruba as a quality vacation destination, 2) they valued the physical location of their resort, 3) they felt a specific desire to return to their own, same resort, and 4) they were totally satisfied with the overall resort experience.

Between extremely satisfied (50.9%) and very satisfied, (33.1%), visitors described a very agreeable experience, demonstrating Aruba’s enduring appeal and the industry’s ability to maintain quality standards over nearly two decades.

Among issues explored, the students also surveyed the purchase price of timeshares, marketing strategies, maintenance fees, destination expenditure, expectations, and environmental perceptions.

As a conclusion to their study the students were able to name the three main attractions, bringing visitors back to Aruba year after year, namely the warmth of island people, the lovely beaches, and the ever-reliable climate.

Respondents only had one low perception regarding environmental sustainability and conservation. They scored wastewater management, and recycling effort, a little above halfway, (56.1%) compared to the rest, such as natural and marine areas, which received higher scores.

The students concluded their presentation with a warning, if environmental concerns are not addressed Aruba risks damaging its image, acting now can protect trust and reputation, they added.

For the last item on the survey visitors were asked to evaluate their safety perception. Out of 7 questions regarding safety, the question which scored the lowest (50.9%) concerned beach management in the way that preserves safety. The highest score, 93.7%, was given to the question rating safe walking in popular tourism area.

The students’ added a conclusion that safety perceptions are a key driving trust, loyalty, and repeat visits. Trust is at risk, they advised, if weak areas are ignored.

ATSA was established in 1994, and currently counts the active membership of most vacation ownership properties in Aruba. The association works on a local level as well as government entities. On a regional level, where Aruba continues to receive recognition as a model vacation ownership destination, ATSA has professional ties and benefits from continuous collaboration with ARDA, the American Resort Development Association.

The ATSA Board members: Sulaika Kelly, President, Rina Geerman, Secretary, Pedro Vargas, Board member, Jurgen van Schaijk, Treasurer and Luigi Heredia, Board member.

I recently received an article written by drs. Melva Croes-Yánez, a Neuropsychologist and president of the Alzheimer’s Foundation Aruba (F.A.A.)

It is worth reading, since it explains the difference between Lewy Body Disorder, and Parkinson’s Disease.

Croes-Yánez outlines the difference between two Neuro-Cognitive Disorders, that we erroneously call Dementia / Alzheimer. Both are caused by abnormal proteins, intracellular inclusions in the brain. They two conditions are not the same, but in our rush to explain and/or understand, we call them by the same name, and clump in Parkinson too.

But there is a difference between Lewy Body Disorder, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson, though they originate from a fundamental challenge in the brain — and because symptoms are similar, they are difficult to diagnose.

Which brings me to the latest conversation with Croes-Yanez.

According to her, the elderly in private nursing homes — often living in unregistered and unsupervised homes, are suffering for several reasons. Their issues include abandonment, emotional abuse, financial exploitation — since they lose their pensions to the homes, neglect, physical abuse, and sometimes even sexual abuse. One of the reports I read lists injuries, poor hygiene, lack of food or medical care, sudden weight loss, bedsores, fearfulness, social withdrawal, unusual behavior changes, unexplained bleeding, or infections.

Most homes are staffed with underqualified caretakers who feed their charges their pills but are not really equipped to know what is happening to the elderly under their supervision.

The easiest way to deal with clients, says Croes-Yanez is to sedate them, Benzodiazepine reduces brain activity and induces relaxation. That is the favorite way of dealing with agitated or moody clients parked in front of the TV without seeing anything. Croes-Yánez calls it like living dolls seated in front of the blinking screen.

And often the Benzodiazepine interacts negatively with other medications taken by the patient.

Croes-Yanez talks about a home, at the outskirts of Oranjestad with five clients in a small room, each confined to a bed, no personal effects, nothing to remind them of their past, just blank walls. And some homes ask families to stay away, to allow clients to ‘acclimate’ to the unfamiliar environment.

There is a more complex layer, says Croes-Yánez, when the elderly have assets coveted by family members who rush to inherit. They stoop to telling stories about the elderly forgetting a pot on the stove, and report being unrecognized, to intern the elderly in the nursing home and get them out of the way.

Croes-Yánez explains that often normal forgetfulness is presented as pathological forgetfulness, and it lands the elderly in nursing homes that are inadequate.

We must change the way we speak, she says, it is not always dementia or Alzheimer’s. Not every memory complaint is a disorder or Neuro-Cognitive Disorder: Forgetting a name for a while or taking a little longer to learn something new as age increases is normal. If this does not interfere with your daily life or your independence, it is NOT a neuro disorder.

And most importantly, a correct differential diagnosis is important, because it influences the choice of management, medication, and the type of care that the patient needs for his treatment.