A reader sent me an opinion column and I found it truly relevant because of the events reported in the news this week: A former minister in court for corruption. A 23-year-old suspected of killing his aunt. Three girls arrested for fighting and excessive aggression. An 18-year-old accused of shooting a 73-year-old to death. Shooting in SN result in three arrests. Thirteen drivers detained for drunk driving. A 32-year-old violated a minor. Local drug smugglers on the refinery terrain, one 23-year-old dead. Six locals detained with drugs on Rodger’s Beach. And that is only in the past few days! I think this reader’s opinion is on target.

READER’S OPINION: The World’s Growing Imbalance – Why Character Matters More Than Ever

Recent scandals, fraud cases, ethical lapses, and court proceedings involving public officials from different political parties in Aruba raise a broader question about society itself. In too many cases, the pursuit of money, power, status, or personal gain appears to have taken precedence over values such as integrity, honesty, humility, responsibility, and respect for the public trust. We devote enormous effort to teaching success, achievement, and financial advancement, yet far less attention to developing the character and values needed to use those advantages responsibly. The consequences of that imbalance are becoming increasingly visible.

Every day, we are taught how to become more successful. We learn how to build careers, grow businesses, invest wisely, increase productivity, and accumulate wealth. Financial stability is important because it provides security, opportunity, and a better quality of life, and there is nothing wrong with ambition or the desire to improve our circumstances. Yet one important question receives far less attention: Who are we becoming while we pursue all of this?

Modern society places enormous emphasis on achievement, income, status, and material success. Social media highlights lifestyles and possessions, advertising encourages us to consume more, and professional success is often measured by what we earn, own, or accomplish. As a result, we spend years learning how to make a living but comparatively little time learning how to build character. Qualities such as integrity, honesty, humility, empathy, respect, gratitude, and self-discipline rarely receive the same attention as money and achievement, even though they form the foundation of strong families, trusted leaders, successful organizations, and healthy societies.

Around the world, headlines are filled with stories of fraud, corruption, abuse of power, and ethical failures. Many of the people involved are highly educated, financially successful, and influential. What is often missing is not intelligence, but the values needed to guide the responsible use of success. Money itself is not the problem. The problem begins when it becomes the primary measure of a person’s worth. Wealth can be lost and rebuilt. Careers can recover. Trust is far more difficult to restore once integrity has been compromised.

This imbalance can also be seen in everyday life. Families increasingly compete with smartphones, social media, streaming services, and a constant flow of digital distractions. It is common to see people sitting together while remaining disconnected. Yet it is through conversation, shared experiences, and personal interaction that values, wisdom, and character are passed from one generation to the next. Technology is not the enemy. Smartphones, social media, and artificial intelligence have brought tremendous benefits. The challenge is ensuring that these tools enhance our lives rather than replace the human connections that help shape who we are.

The education system reflects a similar imbalance. Schools devote years to developing academic and professional skills, but far less time to ethics, emotional intelligence, personal responsibility, and civic engagement. Students graduate prepared for employment but often receive limited guidance on navigating the moral and social challenges of adulthood.

The good news is that character is not something we are born with or without. It is developed through daily choices, personal responsibility, self-reflection, and consistent habits. It is revealed in how we treat others, how we respond under pressure, and whether we do the right thing when no one is watching.

As we continue to pursue success, innovation, and prosperity, we should remember that the strength of a society is measured not only by its wealth but also by the values it chooses to uphold. Financial success can improve our standard of living, but character determines the quality of our lives. In the end, the most valuable legacy we leave behind is not what we accumulated, but the principles by which we lived and the example we set for others.

On Friday, June 5, 2026, the Rotaract Club of Aruba successfully hosted the 11th edition of its annual YOU Inc. seminar, an event dedicated to personal and professional development through dialogue, inspiration, and the exchange of knowledge.

From its inception, YOU Inc. has maintained a clear focus on one central theme each year, bringing experts and community voices together to explore relevant topics. Previous editions addressed mental health, entrepreneurship, and tourism, always with the same objective: to empower all attendees, stimulate important conversations, and motivate people to invest in themselves and in their professional careers.

This year, the seminar placed emphasis on the Orange Economy, a topic the Rotaract Club of Aruba believes needs more attention. The Orange Economy refers to the creative industry, encompassing sectors such as art, design, music, film, fashion, digital media, and other creative expressions that generate cultural, social, and economic value. With innovation always in mind, Rotaract completely transformed the event experience by hosting the seminar in San Nicolas, known as Aruba’s art district. Held in the open air, this marked a first for YOU Inc., creating an atmosphere that reflected the creativity of the theme.

The evening began with a dynamic first panel, shifting from the traditional program that usually opens with a keynote speaker. The audience heard honest and real reflections from young creatives actively working within the industry. Mauro Caralps, Rocco Franken, Julissa Ras, and Sharkk Gario shared their experiences, challenges, and perspectives, giving the audience a clear look into the reality of building a creative career.

The first panel set the stage for the keynote address by lawyer and expert Lincoln “Dello” Gomez, who delivered a powerful explanation on the importance of protecting creativity, the intellectual property of all creatives, drawing from his own professional experience. His message resonated strongly with the audience and was summarized in four key words: create, own, protect, and grow.

The seminar concluded with a second panel featuring experienced creatives and agents of change within the creative industry: Edjean Semeleer, Ronchi de Cuba, Tito Bolivar, and Armando Goedgedrag. They shared challenges from both the past and present, as well as their vision for the future of the creative industry, emphasizing that formalizing and strengthening the Orange Economy requires a collective effort among creatives, institutions, and all relevant stakeholders.

The program was directed by Jonathan Trinidad, who guided the audience throughout the entire evening. Both panels were moderated by Derchlien Dijkhoff, a professional with extensive experience working within the creative industry, ensuring deep dialogue and meaningful exchange.

The Rotaract Club of Aruba sincerely thanks all sponsors and partners for their valuable support. Special thanks goes to Aruba Bank, Aruba Tourism Authority, Aruba Airport Authority, Elite Productions, Setar N.V., Pepe Margo Distillery, Total Services, Albo Aruba, Express Events, and Accurate Security for their contributions. A special word of appreciation is also extended to all panelists and speaker whose participation helped make the YOU Inc. Seminar 2026 a success. Finally, the Rotaract Club of Aruba thanks the YOU Inc. committee and all Rotaract members for their dedication and hard work.

For more information and updates, follow the Rotaract Club of Aruba on social media @rotaractaruba.

Built by Aruba and for Aruba, Terra by Jeremy Ford gives back to the island that inspires its kitchen every day, planting native trees alongside Bucuti & Tara to protect Aruba’s land, wildlife, and community for generations to come

EAGLE BEACH, Aruba – June 3, 2026 — This week, Michelin-star Chef Jeremy Ford and his talented Aruban team from Terra by Jeremy Ford, the acclaimed restaurant at Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, traded their chef knives for shovels, kneeling into the island’s warm earth to plant native trees inside The Bucuti Tara – GMC Nature Preserve. The hands-on effort is a heartfelt thank-you to the island that feeds and inspires the restaurant every day, and to the resort it calls home. This is also the first step in a lasting commitment between Terra and Bucuti & Tara to help restore Aruba’s natural landscape at the resort’s nature preserve.

Joined by a spirited group of team members from both Terra and Bucuti & Tara, the planting unfolded within the resort’s protected 130,000-square-meter nature preserve in Noord, where native vegetation is being carefully coaxed back to life to nurture wildlife habitats, biodiversity, and natural carbon capture. Land once at risk of being lost to development now flourishes as living proof that tourism can heal rather than consume the Caribbean landscape. Beneath Aruba’s trade winds and among the freshly planted saplings, the two teams worked side by side, sinking Terra’s roots a little deeper into the island it loves.

Built by Aruba, For Aruba: A Restaurant That Gives Back to the Island

Terra was created with Aruba and for Aruba, and this initiative carries that same spirit straight into the soil. Chef Ford built the restaurant hand in hand with local partners Maurice and Karim Neme, third-generation Aruban hospitality pioneers whose grandfather and father opened the island’s very first hotels. Together with their team, they shaped Terra as a true Aruban venture, one that honors the island’s history, its producers, and its people, and that devotion shows up on every plate. The restaurant sources from local farmers and celebrates the Aruban fishermen who bring in the day’s catch.

What truly makes Terra special, though, is the people who bring it to life each night. In keeping with a cherished Terra tradition, every member of the team is named on the restaurant’s menus and website, a quiet insistence that everyone, from the kitchen to the dining room, shares in the craft and the pride. The kitchen is led by two of Aruba’s most celebrated chefs, Executive Chef Jeanclaude Werleman and Chef de Cuisine Moises Ramirez, alongside Zachary Salomon, Christopher Webb, Dylan Cardona, Jazmin Briones, Jiayi “Nina” Yang, Ariana Alzamora, Giovany Leon, Giovanni Orbino and Juan Manuel Galvan. Out front, the experience is carried by Terra’s front-of-house ensemble: General Manager Jessika Theysen, Zaira Werleman, Yulitza Osorio, Anoushka Geerman, Livan Meritè, Valeria Soto, Jennie Holmer and Cesar Garcia. They are the heart and soul of Terra, and the reason you feel at home when you dine.

Terra has also joined Bucuti & Tara’s food collection program, giving kitchen scraps a second life. The team first reinvents trimmings and peels into cocktails, sauces, and dressings. Whatever is left feeds the herds of local pig farmers instead of rotting in a landfill and releasing CO2 and methane. Planting native trees is the next step, grounded in a simple belief that caring for Aruba means caring for its land, its waters, its people and its future all at once.

“For me, everything begins with the land. Before I am a chef, I am a farmer who believes in growing, nurturing, and giving back. Planting these trees in the Bucuti Tara GMC Nature Preserve alongside my team and our resort partners felt less like work and more like gratitude. Aruba has given us a home, an extraordinary community, and a team whose passion inspires me every day,” shared Chef Ford. “It was also a true honor to plant next to Mr. Ewald Biemans. I’ve never met a human who cares more deeply about the future of his people than Mr. Biemans. Every conversation with him leaves me learning something greater than the last. The level of sustainable development he has created for Aruba is inspiring beyond words. Today, planting trees beside him felt bigger than the moment itself. It was a reminder that protecting Aruba’s green spaces is not just important, it’s part of leaving something beautiful behind for the next generation.”

From Ford’s Farm to Aruba’s Future: Chef Jeremy Ford Plants the Seeds of Sustainability

That farming instinct runs deep. Through his Florida-based Ford’s Farm, Chef Ford has built a culinary philosophy centered on seasonality, thoughtful sourcing, low-waste practices, and a deep respect for the bond between food and the land. He also owns and leads Miami’s acclaimed Stubborn Seed, which has been recognized with both a Michelin Star (for its 5th consecutive year) and a Michelin Green Star, two of the rarest honors a chef can hold at once. Those same values shape Terra by Jeremy Ford, which opened at Bucuti & Tara in October 2025 and quickly became one of Aruba’s most sought-after tables, with Forbes calling it “the most coveted reservation to score.”

The collaboration reflects the shared heart of Terra and Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, the Caribbean’s first and only certified carbon-neutral resort, where hospitality and conservation work hand in hand to protect Aruba’s fragile ecosystems and natural beauty.

Why The Bucuti Tara – GMC Nature Preserve Matters for Aruba’s Future

The Bucuti Tara – GMC Nature Preserve is devoted to restoration, reforestation and habitat protection, and it is protected forever. This land can never be developed, ensuring it will remain a living preserve for Aruba for generations to come. Every native tree planted here helps rebuild biodiversity, strengthen local ecosystems and build long-term resilience for the island.

The preserve is also a refuge for Aruba’s own wildlife, from Prikichis (the brown-throated parakeet) and Wara Waras to the Shoco, the Aruban burrowing owl, along with the pollinators and hundreds of native and endemic species that keep the island’s natural balance alive. Through this ongoing work, the preserve carries conservation beyond the resort’s grounds and into the active care of Aruba’s wild landscapes.

As travelers increasingly look for meaningful, intentional journeys, collaborations like this show how luxury hospitality and environmental responsibility can leave a lasting, positive mark on a destination and its local community.

This first planting is only the beginning. Chef Ford and the Terra team have pledged to return to the preserve season after season alongside Bucuti & Tara, giving back both in the soil and in the kitchen. The restaurant will dedicate special menus to raising funds for the preserve while its team takes an active, hands-on role in the reforestation ahead. Guests and locals alike are warmly invited to join the year-round voluntourism opportunities the resort offers, helping protect Aruba’s natural beauty long after a meal is finished or a vacation ends, so everyone can leave the island a little greener than they found it.

To learn more and to make reservations, visit Terraaruba.com and Bucuti.com.

You may not know but Aruba received recognition as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which aligns with Aruba Conservation Foundation’s (ACF) strategy to shift from managing protected parks to leading conservation efforts across the entire island.

That means that the FREE FOR ALL that is now going on will have to stop because the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status comes with responsibility. Aruba must prove a commitment to sustainability through long-term action, monitoring, conservation, and responsible management.

The job of ACF of protecting Aruba’s natural heritage means anything living, and growing, in the ocean, in the air, plus inanimate assets. It is challenging, and it should continue to be a shared responsibility of the government, organizations, and the community.

ACF decided to pursue that UNESCO designation to help it strengthen Aruba’s conservation efforts. They are hopeful to achieve a collaboration between nature and communities and promote sustainable development nationwide.

Natasha Silva should be proud. They applied for the status, documented their effort and won the certification, which coincided with World Environment Day and World Oceans Day celebrations. By being certified as a Biosphere Reserve ACF is hopeful locals and visitors will see the light and treat Aruba’s natural environment as the island’s most valuable asset, deeply connected to its identity, well-being, and future.

But the losses are piling up. This week I was saddened when a reader asked me to interfere because another W is invading Noord under the phony-baloney slogan Where People and Nature Meet, after developer Giovannie de Veccia yanked out all trees. What can I do besides roll my eyes?

He must have applied for permits five years ago, finally received the green light and now he is building another condo, WAGLO, a name that makes no sense, to add to his chain of pseudo-Indian named condos. By now he is affluent enough, but he ambitiously keeps going. What can we do? The law is on his side, and he doesn’t think we have too many condos in Noord. He will landscape, he says, but meanwhile indigenous vegetation is gone.

So losses are piling up, habitat loss, pressure on limited natural resources, growing effects of climate change.

While the UNESCO designation is not an immediate solution to these issues, it provides a clear framework and direction for advancing conservation and sustainability.

We should pay attention.

One of my friends sent me a post, by pseudo-journalist Norbert Giel.

This ambulance chaser was mad as hell, over the boulders DOW placed at Tres Trapi.

WHY? Because he now must haul his considerable heft a greater distance, when some unfortunate events unfold at that location. To take one of his horrible photographs, he now must walk a few steps further.

This shameless human vulture, then went on to hurl disrespectful insults in illiterate Papiamento, at certain Malmok female residents, including commentary about their state of mind, age, sex life and marital status under the hospices of his rag publication. The fact that he must walk past the boulders got him rattled.

You know how I get, he driveled as an excuse, things like that sacami di mi jimbi (!)

The level of public discourse just took another colossal nosedive with his primitive jabber.

Giel erroneously credits the placement of boulders at Tres Trapi to two female members of the neighborhood, but the credit must go to DOW.

We thank DOW for answering the calls for help in the matter.

FYI: Aruba’s recently obtained Biosphere Reserve status encouraging islanders to look beyond protected areas and integrate environmental, social, and economic considerations into ALL national decision-making.

Don’t say we did not warn you: The UTV and ATV will be phased out by 2030. No new permits will be issued, and it will be prohibited to replace old vehicles with new ones. To minimize the negative impact of ATV and UTV’s only three routes will be available, until 2030, after which this activity will no longer be legal here. Quoted from the official policy of the government, Harmonizing People and Nature, Aruba’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, NBSAP, 2024-2030, page 23, and 39, the policy on these vehicles is spelled out in black and white.

In the future, instead of destruction we should expect continued reforestation and ecosystem restoration projects, as well as the establishment of the Aruba Marine Park.