Francis Ridderstap who is the Leisure Services Manager at Divi and Tamarijn All Inclusive Hotels since February 1994, 32 years 6 month, is retiring at the end of the year.

He can tell some good stories about hospitality in the 80s, as he started his steady career climb up to management positions, He has worked all that time diligently, away from awards and fanfare, in the trenches, front-of-the-house battlegrounds, and he is now going to be a pensioner.

What will the future bring.

He thought about it and about a year ago signed up online for a course, wedding officiant training. He is learning to put on unforgettable ceremonies and turning officiating into his retirement business.

How smart. We know pensions on Aruba are low, and to survive you must supplement your pension income, or face austerity.

He does not wait for the government to save him with false promises, he is initiative-taking, and plans.

Francis, I wish you success, you are on the right track, your charisma and kindness will provide for a dignified fourth quarter!

On an island that lives for the moment, most people find it hard to think about retirement, BUT it is coming. Politicians repeatedly use that dark cloud to lure voters with promises they can never fulfil, instead of raising the red flag that just like the ant and the grasshopper in the Aesop fable, the hardworking ant spent her summer gathering food and storing it for the winter, while the carefree grasshopper spent his days singing and dancing. He did not foresee the future and as winter arrived, he found himself cold and hungry, unprepared for the harsh conditions. I am not going to tell you the end of the story, but it is not good!

In Aruba, the statutory retirement age for the AOV (Algemene Ouderdomsverzekering / Old Age Pension) is currently 65 years. This is not state sponsored, we save for it every month as it is deducted from our salary. The retirement age was gradually increased from 60 to 65 between 2015 and 2024, and since January 1, 2024, the standard AOV pension age has been 65.

APFA covers GOA employees and other government-related organizations, including agencies such as the Aruba Airport Authority, ATA, SETAR, WEB, the University of Aruba, and numerous subsidized educational foundations.

In the private sector, since 2012, employers are required to provide an occupational pension. The retirement age under this mandatory system gradually increased and reached 65 in 2025. It used to be 60.

Most pension plans are so called flexible, and you can retire earlier and collect less money or retire later and collect more.

My source reports: Raising the pension age was part of the landspakket from the beginning. Seeing that Aruba has a double-digit number of elderly immigrants who came to work in hospitality in the 80s, reaching retirement age soon, along with the aging locals, SVB periodically reports it is running out of funds. When the rijkswet COHO was abandoned in favor of onderlinge regeling, mutual agreement, HOFA, MEP-RAIZ consistently postponed addressing the increase in retirement age and pushed it further down the agenda. It is noteworthy to mention that when Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten opted in favor of prime minister’s EWC negotiated onderlinge regeling, 500 million euros were reserved on the Dutch budget, in January 2021 for the islands. However this was reabsorbed into the national budget. Opting for a mutual agreement instead of rijkswet cost us 167 million euro in Dutch investment. Then the director of the SVb produced a plan for multi-year budgets as a substitute for raising the pension age. The politicians bought this hocus focus to avoid the responsible but politically costly decision of raising the pension age. The presentations have varied from the funds going into red in 2028 to now supposedly being solvent into the 2030s. It is apparent that the director tailors his presentations to a political audience rather than sharing information truthfully. In the next five years Aruba will go from having two workers for every person on some type of pension benefits to 1,5 workers per pension benefit receiver. The numbers will not work except for benefit cuts or the increase of pension age. A phased pension reform with white collar workers working to a more advanced age like the Netherlands makes sense. However, the current brand of populist politicians lacks the capacity to implement anything remotely unpopular, which does not work in our favor.

As in most countries in the world the group of elderly is growing. Benefits will shrink, they will never increase, so plan carefully, strategize, and save. Politicians like to play savior, but it is beyond their capacity, only YOU can save yourself.

The process of renewing drivers’ licenses on the island is both old and new. It is required every five years.

Now that you are reading this column, check the expiration date on yours, I bet it is overdue.

On June 1st I started asking around about the process of renewal and my diligent girlfriend Mariza then went to the Censo webpage and made me an appointment, #382083, for the first available opportunity July 22nd, at the L.G. Smith Blvd #66 branch, at 8:01.

I marked it on my calendar. Five years ago, we had to go to the police station on the main drag in Santa Cruz, but things changed.

About one week ahead of the appointment date I had to visit the post office in Oranjestad for a cashless doctor’s form, Awg 8, payable to the clerk.

I parked, I walked in. The historic, monumental building is only partially used. It is well airconditioned, high ceiling and all. I was greeted by some of my old buddies of yesteryears, perhaps at retirement age, who were happy to see me. There seems to be little foot traffic at the post office, and those who venture in get greeted with fanfare. We complimented each other on our good health and unchanged looks.

You cannot get such congeniality by downloading the form online, and paying by APP.

At the doctor’s office the process was efficient. Blood pressure and eye exam, at the wake of a short wait, by a young Doctor’s assistant, then a cash payment of Awg 75, in exchanged for a signed form, and a stamp certifying my fit-to-drive status.

On the designated day, July 22nd, there were no cruise ships in town. Parliament was on recess. I enjoyed a pleasurable drive, convenient parking, minimal traffic to wrestle across the street.

I walked in at 8:01 and was out the door with a renewed license at 8:12am.

The machine spat a slip, my number displayed on the screen, the clerk charged me Awg 70, cashless, gave me a receipt and off I went.

The investment? Two hours, Awg 153.

Sure, it could be more efficient!

CEDE Aruba reports success with over 250 volunteers, for Dia Nacional di Cuida Aruba, on 10 locations. The organization will be better next time, with the inclusion of school children. That is a great idea, teach the young generation to keep Aruba clean, by cleaning it.

Thank you Stichting Hunto for showing up with 20 people! CEDE Aruba is aiming at 4 cleanings a year. That will be the island spik and span.

Back to the ATA report, one more time

One of my friends expressed outrage over the following sentence, from my column on Friday!

“While we are extremely focused on the hotels, and they must ask for permits at every move and report all income and/or construction, the STRs enjoyed a free rein. Developers built, visitors bought, locals got squeezed out of the market, properties became STRs.”

What do you mean free rein, he questioned, they have to pay taxes, just like the hotels, tourist tax, lodging tax and profit tax, they must present at DJZ, the Directorate of Legislation and Legal Affairs, they do not get any tax breaks.

I wiped my tears.

My sources report that less than 50% of STR operators pay room tax. Why? Because the government does not enforce collection, thus the operators can get away with it.

Only 30% of STR listings are managed listings, by agents or companies, and that segment is tax compliant, mostly. The STRs function in a fragmented market, which means that 70% are managed by individuals, on an honor basis. Noncompliance is rampant. Many STR operators pay zero taxes, other than BBO. The law does not specifically require STRs to pay room tax.

It is not about the law. The laws exist, maybe not specific to STRs but it should be self-understood that the law applies across the board. The issue is enforcement.

And registration is necessary to enforce. Registration lists all players and allows scrutiny, but in most cases, we do not know who the players are and thus cannot inspect them.

This whole conversation about tax compliance aims at reducing the grey and black economy on the island.

And just as a foot note the hotels are paying commercial rates for electricity, water, gas, subsiding the local population consumption and keeping the rates down for locals.

The ATA report reveals that the average occupancy among the estimated 6,000 STRs on the island was 57% in June, 66% YTD. What does this tell you? That we have too many.

It also reports that the average daily rate in June was $351, and the YTD $397, which does not sound bad.

But you must remember that the hotel rates are per couple, one room, and the STR rates are often for many more people, more rooms.

The rentals are on average 2.2 or 2.3 room residences. To find the rate per room, we must divide $351: 2.2 = $159.54, a room a night in June. For Aruba, which is low. We will never be able to replace the low spenders by big spenders if we offer such reduced room rates.

But other news is good. Travel from the U.S. is up 4,9%, South America improved its performance by 43.3% — that is the Argentinian influx –and Europe impress with 8.2% growth.

More About Dia Nacional pa Cuida Aruba

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/more-about-dia-nacional-pa-cuida-aruba/

Filling a Gap Year with great content

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/filling-a-gap-year-with-great-content/

Sunshine Rehab Center is its last planning stages

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/sunshine-rehab-center-is-its-last-planning-stages/

The Mystery of Three Burnt Vehicles

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/the-mystery-of-three-burnt-vehicles/

What the Numbers are Saying

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/what-the-numbers-are-saying/

In honor of National Cleaning Day

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/in-honor-of-national-cleaning-day/

I applaud and support every cleaner. The campaign was organized in a rush, but the next one given more time will be successful. CEDE Aruba reports 160 volunteers signed up for 7 locations, and hopefully all locals will clean up around their garden and house.

Why no used our prisoner, as cleaners, in more remote areas. Think about it. Fresh air, rewarding work, light exercise. Next time, empty KIA, put the guys and girls to good use, Benny Sevinger was the minister of Infrastructure, he should organize. We have talent in KIA.

In honor of national cleaning day I would like to address an issue already addressed by my colleague Tito Lacle. This one-time campaign is worrisome. We need an ongoing, systematic initiative to keep the island clean every day of the year.  In the spirit of don’t feed a man once, teach him to fish.

All over the world shopkeepers and business owners keep their entrance clean, pick-up cigarette butts, and wrappers, except on Palm Beach. Why? We have litter laws, why aren’t they respected.

Under the AVP government Minister Mike de Mesa conducted a survey and found that there are 39 illegal dumps on the island. My source reveals that only 50% of the island’s trash gets to the official processing plant, the rest is dispersed all over the island. Take for example Matadera. The illegal Dump of Mataders. (Kill and Bury?)

Property land.

To hell with the neighbors. The owners are defended in court by attorneys Croes, Wever, Ruiz, and for the past ten years while attempts have been made to close the location, the dumping continues undisturbed. No one does anything to STOP the ILLEGAL dumping.

The area used to provide sand for construction, and the excavation left a big hole which the owner of the terrain, filled with horrors and set aflame. From what I understand the terrain belongs to Mario Croes, the owner of Mario’s sports shop, and it is used by two contractors, Dijkhoff Contractor NV from Moko, and Tromp, they dump their construction debris plus the content of the red waste bins they rent out.

A neighbor writes.

There is an illegal dump near our neighborhood that has been burning continuously for the past month. We’ve reported it to the Government, the City Inspector, the Police, the Fire Department, and the Department of Nature, but nothing has been done. Every agency keeps referring us to someone else, and no one is taking responsibility.

This isn’t the first time. About three years ago, our community collected signatures and prepared a complete file that we gave the ministers at the time. The situation improved for a while, but the burning never completely stopped. Then, around the San Juan celebrations, they filled the pit with more waste, and the fire became much worse. It’s now burning underground, and the Fire Department says they can’t extinguish it because of that.

For the past month we’ve been breathing toxic smoke every day. I’m especially concerned because I have a one-month-old baby, and I’m very worried about the health effects on him and everyone else living nearby.

I’m attaching the file we prepared three years ago, along with recent photos showing the current situation. We would be incredibly grateful if you could help raise awareness of this issue or cover this story so that the authorities finally act.

(The file was attached, it’s a horror story)