Bakery Tour

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/whose-idea-was-it-to-take-a-bakery-tour-on-a-saturday-morning/

Megan & Valentino, Love at First Sight

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/megan-valentino-love-at-first-sight/

Dialogue with the government

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/dialogue-with-the-government/

16th Aruba International Regatta

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/16th-aruba-international-regatta-2/

Aruba Legislative challenges exposed in the RVA report

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/aruba-legislative-challenges-exposed-in-the-rva-report/

A blog post sent in by Tony Van Veen an Aruban business owner and entrepreneur

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/a-blog-post-sent-in-by-tony-van-veen-an-aruban-business-owner-and-entrepreneur/

Overload

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/overload/

This is a shorter version of an analysis written by journalist Tito Lacle under the title: ANALISIS: Un isla bou presion: Di tragedia di un mucha te un sociedad cu ta perde balansa, I thought he made some good points, worth circulating among my readers.

Aruba has been shaken again by tragedy. The most recent and heartbreaking case involves a 5-year-old child who was accidentally left inside a closed daycare van under the hot sun. The child is now fighting for their life in Colombia. The anguish of the family and the collective shock across the island are profound. However, this incident is not isolated — it appears to be part of a troubling pattern of recent events that raise a larger question: What exactly is happening in Aruba?

Negligence or a Symptom of Something Bigger?

Leaving a child in a locked vehicle is widely considered one of the gravest forms of negligence in childcare — often not due to deliberate cruelty, but because of inattention, overload, routine without safeguards, and weak systems. The real question is not only who made the mistake, but how Aruba’s childcare system allowed such a scenario to occur. Where were the protocols, double-checks, and supervision?

In other countries, similar incidents trigger immediate institutional responses such as license reviews, audits, sanctions, and regulatory reform. Aruba must now ask whether its childcare system is truly safe.

A Series of Tragedies

The child’s case comes amid a series of disturbing events in just a few weeks: murder, suicide, fatal road accidents, a police shooting that cost a driver’s life, and reports of abuse and negligence in elderly care that allegedly resulted in five deaths.

When tragedies accumulate in such a short time, public perception shifts. People begin to feel that the island is “out of balance.” Perceived insecurity can be as damaging as real insecurity because it erodes trust, shapes behavior, and weakens social cohesion.

Signs of Social Pressure

Looking at these events as symptoms rather than isolated cases reveals concerning patterns:

Overloaded Care Systems – Daycares, elderly homes, and social services are operating under staff shortages, financial strain, and limited oversight. When pressure rises without stronger controls, human error becomes more likely.

Normalization of Negligence – A culture of “that’s just how it goes” may allow small lapses in routine and verification to become accepted, increasing the risk of major failures.

Growing Social and Psychological Stress – Suicides, violence, and conflict suggest rising stress levels linked to economic pressure, high living costs, job demands, insecurity, and rapid social change.

Erosion of Trust in Institutions – Each perceived case of negligence or abuse of power further weakens public trust. Without trust, society fragments.

Aruba has long been seen as a safe and caring island. But safety is not only about low crime rates — it also means trusting that children are safe at daycare, the elderly are safe in care facilities, police act responsibly, and roads are not deadly. When multiple sectors show failure at once, collective confidence declines.

What Must Be Done?

Blaming a single individual will not solve systemic problems. These events should be treated as a warning sign requiring structural action:

A national audit of childcare and elderly care sectors

Mandatory double-check systems for transporting children and the elderly

Independent investigation into elderly care facilities

Expanded mental health and psychosocial support

Greater transparency and clear communication from government authorities

A Moment of National Reflection

The image of the child left in the van has become a painful symbol of deeper systemic strain — a society where supervision, care, and responsibility are under pressure.

Aruba is not a violent or heartless island, but even small and close-knit societies can deteriorate when stress increases and oversight does not keep pace.

The most important question may no longer be “What happened?” but rather: “Are we recognizing the warning signs in time — or waiting for the next tragedy?”

The forgotten child is the most painful alarm bell yet.

Aruba Is Killing the Golden Goose — And Calling It Growth

Aruba has been suffering from overdevelopment. Everyone on the island – locals, tourists, even AHATA – the hotel trade association – and the Aruba Tourism Authority agree. The only ones who don’t universally agree appear to be our political class, some segment of which continues to support a numbers game of more = better.

Over the past decade many studies have been done – about sustainable tourism, about UTVs, about waste processing… and more. And while the results of those studies frequently sound promising, they were seldom followed by concrete actions.

In the meantime, severe problems have emerged. For starters, tourists, like rats in an overcrowded cage, are starting to misbehave en masse. Last week a Jolly Pirates ship had to turn back early and call police because a large group of teens misbehaved so badly. There are regular arguments over palapas. Social media is littered with complaints from visitors about how overdeveloped and crowded it is.

Eagle Beach, one of the largest and once most pristine beaches in the Caribbean – maybe the world – has become – frankly – disgustingly crowded on days when multiple cruise ships barf their visitors onto our beaches. Jet skis racing just offshore prevent any last shred of relaxation a beachgoer may aspire to. Arashi was ruined years ago. Let’s not even mention Baby Beach. Tres Trapi is unrecognizable compared to the tranquil cove pictured in our Aruba advertisements – killed by being a UTV tour pee stop… and by its TikTok fame as “turtle beach.”

Water sports and UTV tours are doing wholesale damage to our ecology. And traffic has turned many of our roads into parking lots; a DIMP spokesperson announced this week that Aruba will exceed 100,000 vehicles on our roads by end of year – one for almost every man, woman, and child residing on the island!

And those are just the clearly visible results of overdevelopment. There are also much deeper, more serious structural problems. The excess load of human beings – both tourists and residents – has strained our island’s infrastructure to the max – and sometimes past it. RWZI, WEB, roads, schools, and other critical infrastructure points are under immense pressure.

One of the most damaging long-term impacts of our overdevelopment is an acute and serious housing crisis. There are not enough houses on the island for the local population, and those that are available for sale are unaffordable to residents getting paid in florins. Houses are no longer even priced in AWG… to make it easier for foreigners to know what they cost. To an American, Canadian, or European a $400,000 vacation home in paradise is a bargain compared to the seven figures it would cost them to buy such a home near North Carolina or New Jersey beaches. But the Aruban store manager, taxi driver, or teacher can’t afford the AWG 750,000 that same home costs them in local currency.

This housing crisis was primarily driven by three forces: 1) Too many tourists wanting their own pied-à-terre in Aruba, 2) the easy opportunity to monetize that house as a short-term vacation rental (STVR) on Airbnb when the owner is not on the island, and 3) a complete lack of low income home building (by FCCA) for more than a decade.

Tourists tend to get much of the blame for our real estate crisis, but locals have certainly done their fair share by buying second, even third homes to monetize by converting them into STVRs. Every Aruban has friends, family, or acquaintances who have taken homes off the residential market to convert into rental properties. And to boot, a good chunk of those STVR revenues don’t even hit our shores, and are untaxed.

When a growing local population can’t afford to house itself, inequality builds up. Where are young working Arubans starting families supposed to live? Even the awful Caribbean Town complex, with its “mid-60’s Eastern Bloc chic” architecture nestled between ugly public housing projects and even uglier industrial warehouses, lists prices starting at $400,000 per unit, and has pivoted to targeting the tourist market.

And let’s not just cast blame on STVRs for causing an excess load on the island. The past couple of years have seen a double-digit annual expansion of hotel rooms. Embassy Suites, Iberostar Joia, St. Regis, Hilton and Holiday Inn expansions, Secrets, and many more smaller hotels – not to mention condo and apartment complexes popping up like weeds. These have all contributed to the strain.

Most everyone reading this will agree with the facts I’ve stated so far. The real question is what do we do about it? How do we fix this situation before the damage caused by this overcrowding is irreparable and we’ve killed the goose that lays the golden eggs? Because one thing is for sure: we are actively killing that goose right now.

By allowing continued hotel development and expansion, excess cruise arrivals, and uncontrolled sales of residential properties to convert to rental units, Aruba has become an inferior vacation experience for our visitors compared to how it was just two decades ago.

So here is my Aruban Rescue Plan. It is simple to understand, and implementable before the next elections. But it will require our political leaders to see the need to act, and to take the necessary steps.

For example, non-residents and VBAs may have to pay as high as 100% transfer tax on a house under AWG 300,000, 60% for a house listed between 300,000 and 500,000 florins, 30% for 500,000 to AWG 1 million, 20% for 1 million to 2.5 million florins, and then just 6% for properties over AWG 2 million, where there is such a tiny local market that homeowners are partially dependent on visitors to sell their properties. Of course, the details may be one of the more complex parts of the Aruba Rescue Plan, but I’m presenting the principle here, with details to be worked out.

I recognize the above proposals will cause disruption. Stores and T-shirt stands that cater to cruise tourists will feel it. Employees and guides at UTV/ATV companies will too. That’s a scary thing to contemplate. However, there is such a labor shortage on the island that the disrupted employees will find alternate employment in the hospitality sector before too long.

Indeed, there are many more needs the island has, and many more changes that need to be implemented. But the above proposals I outlined, if executed, will start us quickly on the road to alleviating overcrowding, our real estate crisis, and our distressed environment. The additional costs for enforcement would be covered by the increased taxation revenues from real estate transactions, increased STVR income reporting, and any environmental levies on UTV/ATV tours and rentals.

The next question is: how do we get our government to make these sorely needed changes? While most everyone on the island agrees we are overcrowded, this is not a pocketbook issue that will drive people into the streets protesting. The Aruba Tourism Authority, the main steward of the health of our hospitality economy, has not shown they can get our politicians to stop doing damage to the island.

One powerful lobby that needs to step up and be a force for good? AHATA. Its president Tisa LaSorte recently commented publicly about politicians being the cause of the overcrowding. While I don’t agree with everything AHATA is proposing for STVRs, and its members have certainly contributed their fair share to our overdevelopment, AHATA’s push to stop overdevelopment is welcome and needs to continue.

If anyone has the politicians’ ears, it’s the trade organization representing the island’s largest bloc of private-sector job creation – the hotel industry. We recognize that they are an important stakeholder that needs a seat at the table. But I would also remind our ministers that it is their responsibility to act in the interest of all residents of Aruba. When those interests coincide with our hospitality industry, great. But when they don’t, our ministers must act in the best interest of the island, not in the best interests of the hotels.

One last thought. As I look again at the above policies I proposed, this feels like a winning political platform to me. Residents vote, tourists do not. Every single policy mentioned above benefits our residents, and generates the revenue to pay for implementation.

I hope my Aruban Rescue Plan can be a catalyst – a starting point – for a serious effort to finally address the overdevelopment problem that is negatively impacting our quality of life. It is incomplete, and there are many details to be worked out. So let’s stop studying ad nauseam, and let’s start having serious discussions in the council of ministers and parliament about legislation to make the above proposals happen. The clock is ticking…

All we need is someone to lead the charge.

Tony van Veen is an Aruban business owner and entrepreneur who splits his time between his homes in Pennsylvania and Aruba.

The President of the government’s Advisory Council, RVA, David Kock, and the board secretary, Albert Braamskamp, ​​formally visited our prime minister Mike Eman, just recently, to hand in the council’s Annual Report.

The council is just that, it comments and advises on different developments in the field of legislation and gives constitutional advice. It has been active for the past 40 years, since Status Aparte, and while it diligently evaluates the legislative process, it is not always listened to.

RVA’s main task is to provides independent advice on drafts of landsverordeningen, and landsbesluiten, national ordinances, national decrees, and other regulations. With its advisory role, the council contributes to ensuring legal quality, coherence, and enforceability of Aruba’s legislation.

The 2025 council report reveals that there was a sharp drop in legislative output which is not just a technical detail, but a significant political signal: Aruba is producing fewer laws.

We always suspected that parliament is not really functioning at its best. Here is the proof. In 2015, there were 53 draft laws in process: in 2025, only 24. For a country facing major structural economic, social, and institutional challenges, this suggests stagnation rather than maturity.

The issue is not only the number of laws, but also delays in important reforms — such as laws of privacy, education and labor reform, corporate governance, and administrative law. The drafts often stay in preparation for years without reaching parliament or being enacted after approval. As a result, Aruba runs with outdated legal frameworks, and many reforms stay only on paper.

The report stresses that legislation is the foundation of governance. Updated laws define responsibilities, limit power, and build trust. When the legislative process becomes slow and unpredictable, the country’s effectiveness suffers. Persistent delays threaten the credibility of the legal system — affecting how investors, citizens, and institutions view the country.

The report also warns about the politicization of the RVA, particularly during debates on the HOFA law and its own budget – Kingdom Act on Sustainable Public Finances for Aruba, pertaining the Dutch financial supervision. Using an independent constitutional advisory body as a political battleground undermines its independence and risks weakening the quality of legislation. This raises broader concerns about the balance between political power and institutional oversight.

The board is sending a strong message in its report that Aruba is no longer a young country. After 40 years of Status Aparte, the rule of law should be firmly embedded in political practice. Continued legislative delays and outdated laws raise questions about the true strength of Aruba’s institutions.

The report does not blame one specific government but finds a long-term structural problem: lack of technical capacity, expertise, and realistic legislative planning.

As Aruba approaches 2026, marking 40 years of Status Aparte, the report calls for real reflection. Without serious acceleration of the legislative process — through prioritization, technical ability, and political discipline — Aruba risks becoming a country with much political debate but little modern law. And without modern law, modern governance is not possible.

The warning is clear: the credibility of the state begins with the credibility of its laws. After 40 years, the excuse of “youth” no longer applies.

The Prime Minister tried to defend himself explaining that, despite the reduction in numbers, there are several legislative initiatives currently in preparation. Two bills are ready for evaluation at the board, while a few other legislative processes have been outsourced to strengthen and accelerate legislative production capacity.

The council emphasized that they would continue to watch developments and stressed the importance of quality legislation, which is legally sound and practical.

July 10 – 12, 2026 | Surfside Beach, Aruba

Let’s Set Sail Together; Sports, People and Nature on the same team

The Aruba Regatta Foundation announces the 16th Aruba International Regatta. The event takes place from Friday July 10 to Sunday July 12, 2026 at Surfside Beach, Aruba.

Sailors from Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and the region come together for two days of racing and Caribbean celebration. The regatta is open to all levels, from young Optimist sailors to experienced yacht crews.

Sailing classes include: Optimist, SailQube, F11, Beachcats, Sunfish, Laser, Yacht Racing, Yacht Cruising, Yacht Live Aboard, Multihull, and new this year: Wingfoil.

A special part of the regatta is the Miniatuurboot race, organized by our partner Stichting Rancho. These small handmade sailboats are a proud Aruban tradition and a beloved part of the event for young and old.

The Regatta Village at Surfside Beach is the heart of the event with registration, entertainment, food and drinks under the tent. Friday evening opens with drinks and snacks, music and networking. Racing takes place on Saturday and Sunday on the waters in front of Surfside beach.

Registration opens soon at aruba-regatta.org. Register before April 30, 2026 and get a 10% early bird discount.

CONTACT

Aruba Regatta Foundation

Email: info@aruba-regatta.org

Phone: +297 735 2200

Website: aruba-regatta.org

Instagram: @arubainternationalregatta

TikTok: @arubaregatta