In the first week of 2026, the island registered 197 accidents compared to 129 last year, an increase of 35%.

KPA published the following message on social media, on Sunday, translated from Papiamento:

Good morning. We need to stop for a moment…In recent days we are confronted with a wave of negativism around us. Many misfortunes, bad news, young people, or older adults involved, houses on fire…families left in sadness and homeless. It is so very sad that it affects us the Aruba Police Force as well…It affects us when we get back home after work…you see families left without homes, without clothes, without their loved ones…that a while ago were there and now no more… ARUBA, Let’s unite… we must stop and take a POSITIVE BREATH…let’s calm down…let’s be gentle and most of all we need PRAYER and UNION…Let’s take a time to dedicate to the Lord, for ourselves, our family, our neighbors, and our brothers… say thanks! Live well with each other, say THANK YOU to the Lord. Help your neighbor…so we can ALL move forward and live peacefully…We are worried, but we can move forward when WE are ALL, TOGETHER like a strong rock in the sea that has nothing to break it, UNITE in PEACE … and tranquility.

Greetings, from your blue family #sundaymessage

Sorry, but this doesn’t seem to be a full plan to combat accidents on our roads and make driving safer. During the first week of the year we lost a great number of people to accidents the deadliest one, in town, destroyed two visitors. They died on impact, hit by a car driven by a speeding, intoxicated young woman, a tragedy on its own, since she is going to jail for an extended period, in the prime of her life.

Why didn’t her passenger interfere? There are many unanswered questions there.

Besides the Sunday message, a previous post did recommend #BAR, an acronym for your responsible friend, what we call designated driver. It was a request to always rely on a non-drinking friend to drive us home safely.

Parliament debated the situation on the road, just recently, it asked the minister to come up with solutions, but from where I sit, the Police is NOT doing enough.

Not enough control, not enough enforcement.

KPA must enforce traffic laws CONSISTENTLY.

Sending quasi-spiritual messages on a Sunday morning is ridiculously naïve and silly.

Do not rely on GOD for help. It is not his department. He doesn’t do traffic.

We have laws, we have cameras, we have rules, but with zero respect for any of those, roads have become deadly. Examples: Many car windshields are dark, the cameras can’t see in, maximum velocity is treated as a suggestion, and there are basically TOO MANY CARS on our SHODDY ROADS.

I asked ChatGPT to come up with a plan to combat accidents, and in two seconds flat I had a solid program, for drivers, which has the biggest, immediate impact, for roads and traffic management, for accident prevention and response, for pedestrians and cyclists, for community and education.

Don’t hire experts, just follow ChatGPT recommendations consistently.

The biggest culprit on the island is alcohol and the way it is used and abused.

I also fault the public, and I am quoting one of my readers:

The most saddening public mind-shift is that accidents feel normal. Accidents no longer shock us, and the way we value life diminishes. Safety on the road, is no longer a shared standard, and in certain circles is has been abandoned.

On New Year Eve, in town, I was APPALLED by the behavior of the gangs of motorcyclists rolling their expensive hogs into the area of the pagara, in front of Lucy’s, gunning their engines mid-crowds, and later departing in smoke, and thunder. Flipping fingers to anyone brave enough to protest, because who cares, they wanted to show zero respect for other people’s quiet enjoyment.

On Christmas eve at a lovely family gathering I met a charming young man, we talked about his love for the sea. As we were driving back home, a motorcycle ROARED past us, on the left, at very high velocity. It was the charming young man I just met. I asked my #BAR to slow down because if he kills himself on the road, I did not want to be the first car at the site of the accident, seeing his strewn pieces on the asphalt.

This loss of respect to life is the real damage. We talk about safety on the road, and respect for others, but according to a friend I met at the supermarket, in line to the cashier, she is a house doctors, parents are asleep at the wheel, allowing their children to be brought up by whatever. They are too worried, distracted and frazzled to pay any attention to their growing up brood. As a society, we now accept accidents as part of life, we shrug, we tsk-tsk-tsk, we used to be much more shaken by them.

Capitalistic Colonialism

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/capitalistic-colonialism/

Henny Eman Boulevard

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/henny-eman-boulevard/

READER’S OPINION about the Prime Minister’s decision to step down from party leadership in September

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/readers-opinion-about-the-prime-ministers-decision-to-step-down-from-party-leadership-in-september/

Henny Eman by Jim Hepple, at the street naming event

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/henny-eman-by-jim-hepple-at-the-street-naming-event/

Tico Croes in the news again

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/tico-croes-in-the-news-again/

Let us have a conference, or two

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/let-us-have-a-conference-or-two/

Aruba loves Argentina, Argentina Loves Aruba

https://batibleki.wheninaruba.com/aruba-loves-argentina-argentina-loves-aruba/

Aerolíneas Argentinas Launches New Direct Service Between Argentina and Aruba

After many years of being identified as one of the priority markets for direct service, supported by steadily growing demand, Aruba has taken a major step forward in its Latin American air connectivity strategy with the launch of Aerolíneas Argentinas’ new direct service between Argentina and Aruba.

We can now go to Buenos Aires, Cordoba or Mendoza direct, and the Argentinians may easily come here.

Did you know that Argentina is now the biggest market in Latin America? Until November 2025, it has grown 155% compared to 2024. Aruba has been promoting itself in Argentina for a long time and just received a “Premio Bitacora” for the best promoted destination there. And Argentineans stay an average of 9 days, which proves that “Aruba ta stima Argentina, Argentina ta stima Aruba.”

The airport reports that the Inaugural flight departed from Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) with all 170 seats fully occupied, reflecting strong market demand and a highly positive response from Argentine travelers.

Mariza Garcia, an Argentinean living in Aruba for more than 30 years single handedly nurtured that market since 2018, later via her FB page, Argentinos en Aruba, Guia de Viaje.

She has privately done more for tourism in Aruba than anyone I know.

She opened the FB page in 2019 because she saw the void of info in Spanish. It was especially useful when the island closed during the pandemic with 36 stranded Argentinians here. It was an excellent way for them to find each other and help.

Lately however, the page took off, with more than 23.000 members posting an average of 20 posts a day. Yesterday 35.

What is on the page? Same usual stuff as the English-speaking groups, restaurants, lodging, beaches, water temperature, palapas, activities, lost and found items, pictures and videos, the visitors love Aruba and complain extraordinarily little.

Mariza posts about local events, information which is usually only available in English — fireworks. Carnaval, official holidays, whatever she thinks is of interest to Argentinians visitors.

She is a tour guide at heart, she likes to find out about everything that is going on in the island, and when she saw her fellow Argentinians, lost in translation and in the dark for information, she decided to share her knowledge through FB.

She recently opened a Tik Tok account and posted a video, in Spanish, answering the same “10 most common questions about Aruba.” That video has close to half million views now, and the Tik Tok channel is open to everyone, not only Argentinians.

On FB she lists moderate priced restaurants, alternative activities, and places of interest. Free of charge, if it fits her target audience, she promotes it.

This is her report from January 8th, inaugural flight reception: I felt immensely proud of the welcome that the Airport put together for Aerolineas Argentinas. Mary Joan Wardlaw oversaw organizing the event. Hilyann Croes served as a charming emcee. Speakers included Minister Cicilia, no notes, then the CEO of the Aruba Tourism Authority, and the airport’s Jo-Anne Arends, Aviation Business Development Executive who is the godmother of all flights!

Congratulations and acknowledgements to all partners involved. Felix Joya, Jose Albornoz from Aerolineas Argentinas and Nelio Gomes da Silva with General Air services, in charge of smooth operation on the ground, Barbara Brown, James Fazio, Sanju Luidens.

They celebrated with a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony and blue, white cake, officially welcoming Aerolíneas Argentinas to the island.

From the airport press release: Originally announced as a two-month seasonal operation, the route’s strong early performance prompted Aerolíneas Argentinas to extend the service through the end of September 2026, maintaining regular flights from Buenos Aires and Córdoba. This represents a highly unique launch, with the airline introducing the new service simultaneously from three gateways.

The airline is operating the route five times per week using a Boeing 737 MAX 8 (170 seats), offering more than 7,000 seats across 43 flights during the initial season. The service represents a strategic step in strengthening Aruba’s presence in Latin America and diversifying its route network beyond North America.

Argentina continues to emerge as a key growth market for Aruba. Based on origin-and-destination data from January to September 2025, Argentina ranks as Aruba’s second-largest Latin American market, accounting for 13.8% of total regional traffic. Buenos Aires (EZE) leads with a 6.5% market share, followed by Aeroparque (AEP) at 3.8% and Córdoba (COR) at 1.7%, underscoring the strategic value of Aerolíneas Argentinas’ multi-city route design.

According to the Aruba Tourism Authority’s November 2025 Monthly Update, visitor arrivals from Argentina increased by 154.9% year-to-date (YTD) November 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Argentina now represents 4.7% of all visitors to Aruba, up from 1.9% YTD November 2024, and accounts for 30.3% of all South American arrivals, nearly doubling its share year over year.

Argentine travelers are also among Aruba’s highest-value guests. The average length of stay increased by 147% year over year, reaching 8.4 nights YTD November 2025, making Argentina the second-highest South American market by length of stay.

Our Prime Minister believes in conferences. He has attempted to organize many over the years, but his conference invitees do not always agree with his agenda, because he is the only one setting it, the sole content decider.

We were again notified that he will be organizing the “Common Good Conference – The Home We Build Together,” for the end of this month (January 30th).

Which is an odd name, since extraordinarily little common good decisions have been taken lately.

For example, the revelation regarding succession, but more about that later.

The conference will be open to all sectors on the island and the purpose of it is to: “explore how government, the private sector, and civil society in Aruba can work together to strengthen social cohesion, dignity, opportunity, and long-term wellbeing.”

That is a mouthful.

The conference wants to plan a session where companies and the government sign MOUs and commit to working together on concrete projects that advance the common good. Examples: financial sponsorship, in-kind support, or employee engagement through volunteering or professional expertise.

In summary, our prime minister wants the private sector to DO MORE.

Which is difficult, because the private sector already carries a lot on its shoulders, while the government is spending and spending, without any cutbacks or austerity plans.

The conference is asking us if we have any specific ideas or projects that we wish to highlight and commit to during this conference – YES, road repair, improved gray water treatment, affordable housing, streamlined tax code, indirect taxation, recycling, vacation rental regulation. Every five-year-old here, can rattle off the list, we do not need to hand it in, the list is public.

The Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association mailed the prime minister’s office the link to its Impact Awards nominee listings, so he can be aware of the common good efforts that companies have already been committed to.

The only MOU I am interested to sign is the one committing public sector reform and savings.

And while we are talking…

The prime minister revealed his wish to see our Minister of Tourism as his successor to the prime ministry.

This would be a serious mistake.

But we recognize the same patterns we have seen before. The same character traits that defined Tico Croes /Otmar Oduber when they entered politics are visible again: Excessive self-confidence, a large ego, limited depth of experience, and strong speaking skills that create the illusion of substance. These are individuals who can speak for hours without saying anything meaningful, let alone delivering tangible results.

By openly positioning Wendrick Cicilia as his preferred successor, Mike Eman, his mentor for the last ten years, is effectively setting him up for failure.

(And he really does not mean it. He just got himself a front man, a marionette, while he stays backstage pulling the strings, without being burdened by constant, excessive visibility. Mike is not retiring, it is not in his DNA,)

Under normal circumstances, before entrusting someone with party leadership, a simple but important question should be asked: What concrete achievements has he delivered as Minister of Tourism that justify this confidence? So far, we struggle to identify a single result that inspires trust.

Cicilia appears to be following the same path as his long-time mentor, focusing on easy, low-impact issues rather than addressing the structural challenges Aruba faces today. Confidence without proven results is not leadership. Ego without accountability is not vision.

What concerns us most is that he seems to have been trained and mentored in an outdated political management style, one that no longer works in a fast-changing, complex world. Aruba needs adaptive leadership, grounded in expertise, execution, and humility, not recycled grandstanding from another era.

We saw this coming. Who in his right minds puts a newcomer, a political stagier, as #1 of his party list of candidates. History has a way of repeating itself when warnings are ignored, this rising star phenomenon feels uncomfortably familiar.

If the party genuinely wants renewal, it must look beyond personal preferences and loyalty and instead demand performance, substance, and results. Anything less risks repeating past mistakes at a moment when Aruba cannot afford them.

In the U.S. they talk about the tragic ICE shooting to avoid talking about the cost of living, inflation, health care premiums, and other unhappy subjects related to the life of ordinary Americans. Here we praise the late Henny Eman, and focus the conversation on his considerable achievements, instead of looking at what needs fixing here and now.

I listened to the recent interview of Tico Croes on NoticiaCla, and it focused on the past, on his time as a minister in the Henny Eman cabinet.

It was interesting to be reminded how Status Aparte evolved, how Henny lobbied for the trade of independence, against independence within the kingdom.

But we cannot live in the past. Financing student loans was a clever move, AZV was a remarkable benefit, but we should pay utmost attention to the present and the future. Stop clinging and idolizing to the past.

What truly matters is using the lessons learned to avoid repeating mistakes and to drive improvement, innovation, and more creative, forward-thinking solutions to today’s structural bottlenecks and challenges.

In the interview with Tico Croes, on NoticiaCla we heard very little acknowledgment of the current CHALLENGES or of how they will be addressed in a practical and realistic way going forward.

Which brings me to Robertico “Tico” Croes, The Minister of Tourism, 1994 to 1998, and the Minister of Finance 1998 to 2001. He left Aruba following an election defeat, as he lost faith in his political career and his professional prospects. After all his last name was Croes, and at a party founded, and managed by Emans, it was a disadvantage.

Having had a successful political career in Aruba from 1986 to 2001, he pushed the reset button, and settled in Florida. He went on to enjoy a solid academic career, when he joined UCF Rosen College, in 2002. He is still there only semi-retired, professor Emeritus, doing special projects, but he publicly reported his plans to return to Aruba in a few years, probably as his young son prepares to go to college.

Going back in time, I remember Tico was the crown prince of the AVP party, he was to succeed Henny Eman as party leader and eventually become prime minister. But AVP lost the election, and the party was disillusioned with him as the new leader.

(Which is a pattern in Aruba. Young politicians’ careers take off brilliantly, then get trampled and destroyed. Some end up in prison.)

That’s when they recruited Mike. An Eman. Mike initially had no plans to go into politics, he worked as a lawyer in Chuchu’s notary office, that’s his sister, and was earning a decent salary never planning to throw himself fully into politics.

He could however not refuse the call to “rescue” AVP and in fact spent 8 years in the opposition before he became Prime Minister for the first time.

Tico who took part in the 2001 election garners 2,515 votes, as future party leader. Just for the sake of comparison, Nelson Oduber the leader of the opposition who ended up the winner, collected 4,891 votes.

Tico at the time was living around Santa Cruz in a lovely area, but Santa Cruz is MEP territory, and he did not manage to charm his neighbors to vote for him. (Which is a pattern in Aruba, being stuck in the old ways.)

There were also credible reports claiming he was involved in questionable financial dealings, and finally he was convicted in connection to a 50-million-florin fraud involving Fondo di Desaroyo Aruba, for which he performed community service – the sentence was converted to a conditional one plus 240 hours of community service due to the long duration of the case.

I asked my friends about it no one remembered. They remembered the racetrack which contributed to AVPs political defeat, and economic losses for Aruba.

What they did remember is that Tico Croes is highly intelligent and educated. He has written several books, and when you look at his LinkedIn résumé, you will be genuinely impressed. Aruba missed out on a good leader, because of power plays and internal party conflicts.

In the NoticiaCla interview Tico shared he is now the president of the Henny Eman foundation and as such will be active in the community.

The 25 year old Robertico Tico Croes story stuck with me as a lost opportunity.  A loss for the country, that perhaps now with him returning, will be atoned, if the sharks and the opportunists will let it happen for the good of the country,

The millennium was a turbulent time on the island, but we should remember that Tico Croes stepped down as AVP leader right after the election loss, taking responsibility for the result and relinquishing the leadership, after which the party leadership transitioned internally, to an Eman.

One of my friends writes: It is sad to say that the only thing many people remember about him is the corruption case. If they look back at history, much of the credit is given to Henny, yet he was the driving force behind much of the success that shaped Aruba into the new Aruba. I still have a great deal of admiration for him, and we stay in contact. Throughout my career, I have collaborated with many impressive executives, and I can honestly say that he stands above them all.