Save ten percent, take a hot shower, party, shoot now, ask questions later

WE WELCOME A 10% REDUCTION IN UTILITIES.  We are grateful for the government’s announcement today regarding the 10% reduction in utilities, now that oil prices are down, which reminded me what I almost forgot, we could have had these reductions many months ago, if the utilities company hadn’t lost a gazillion dollars with their failed, totally ridiculous hedging practices, when they hedged 95% of the island’s need for the year, instead of conservatively hedging 35%, every few months. Anyway, the big announcement was in the works for many months, and it arrived suspiciously on December 30th, escorted by wall to wall ministers in dark suits, against a backdrop of flags, and it smacked of PR, please and appease the voters on the last day of the year. If I were you, I would save the surplus, if any created, for future alternative technology investment, because to become truly green would cost a pretty penny!

HOT SHOWERS AT A PREMIUM. I guess we use a lot of gas at home, operating a stove top and an oven in the kitchen, a gas dryer, right next to the washer, and a 70gallon hot water heater. I usually keep the temperature of the gas water heater low. I am a frugal individual, and I conserve resources that way, but recently it became cooler and the prospect of a hot-hot shower sounded great, so I upped the temperature. Bad decision because the gas finished just before the yearend festivities and I called for another bottle, begged to be included in the delivery route before the holiday craze. Gas was delivered, on time, alright, but at Awg 122 per bottle. It was my 6th or 7th this year and my shameless consumption was penalized by tripling the price of the product. What do you think? Ok, not ok?

LE BLANC CHARITY EVENT, POWERED BY XCLUSIVO MAGAZINE AND GARAGE CENTRAAL. Xclusivo Magazine and Garage Centraal partnered to throw a glamorous party on Tuesday. The stage on which the party unfolded was, believe it or not, the showroom floor at the garage which was totally transformed into a Cirque Du Soleil setting with dancers, acrobats and clowns, all decked out in white and silver, creating the perfect party venue for Jacqueline Wernet and her dream team of artists and designers, Rosetty Elenora and Andrew Curiel, who did an exceptional job decorating, catering and entertaining the group of beautiful people, sipping champagne and fancy cocktails, nibbling on lamb chops and shrimp ceviche served in paper cones. The guests list was super powerful and interesting including lawyers Lalo Croes and  Arlene Ellis Schipper, artist Elvis Lopez, retailers Mary Wever & Jodi Tobman, educators Hellen & Bas Leidekkers, IOC member Nicole Hoevertsz, TV personality Tabitha Fecunda & businessman Robert Croes, marketing guru Jairo Boekhoudt, sales executive Gerard Halley, timeshare authority Bettina Gonzalez, hair designers Favio Lucchi & Joseph Cuozzo, model Vivian Chow, PR Diva Maria Silva, travel specialist Isabelle Welage and wine purveyor Herdy te Lohuis,  bankers Armin Solognier and Pierre Rafini, fashion authorities Andrew Ras and Sohaira da silva, press members Mark Benson and Arien Rasmijn, dentist Marielle Ho Kang You, chief supporters Cristine Hintz and Ligenne Trimon, and partner Alwyn Lin. Jacqueline invited Blanco, a performance artist, to participate in the party and allow himself to become a communal work of art as all party goers participated in the transformation of Blanco into a group painting. The performance had a sexy element about it, as guests collaborated painting the tall mime, in every possible area of his physical self, respecting unspoken boundaries. We are a polite and well behaved bunch. The charity event collected some serious money for the Clown Doctors organization and Peter Balliere was there to express his appreciation. Mich Biegstraaten of Garage Centraal should be proud of the end results, supporting “Be kind and kindness will come back to you,” and Managing Director Rene Knijn should share the fabulous champagne he won with me!

MOVE FIRST, THINK LATER. We have developed a peculiar pattern over the past years that can be described as bash-bam-boom move first, think later. Remember how AZV was introduced in a rush, post elections? And how BBO was ushered in, then tweaked? And how BAZV landed shooting first, asking questions later; And how Aruparking fees were revealed and then reformulated; and how the new profit tax returns filing was legislated, and then rescheduled? And how the cap on ATM cash withdrawal was decreed, and then adjusted? A quote from Forbes: It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn’t.  Generally speaking, Act First, Strategize Later is an unhealthy pattern, ‘cause fixing is more expensive than doing it right the first time. For best business results:  Think first, act later.

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December 31, 2015
Rona Coster