Do little people, caught in bureaucratic limbo, get the service they deserve?
Monday’s column about Dimas was pure frustration, today I have some redeeming stories, some not.
DIMP
Remember I have overpaid DIMP for my license plates, at Diesel rate instead of gasoline, a difference of Awg 640, over two years.
Was I going to let it go? No sirree, certainly not.
I wrote to the recommended [email protected], and received a prompt referral to Omar Maduro, Chef Financiële Zaken, Afdeling Financiële Zaken, Departamento di Impuesto.
That’s pretty high up.
He indeed confirmed I have a credit coming.
His return email reminded me to bring a fresh KVK extract, along with my 2019 & 2020 stamped receipts and a valid ID, in order to claim the refund at locket 1 or 2 — luckily, I save every little piece of paper!
Because I followed instructions, I managed to leave DIMP with cash in my pocket and paid 2021 license plates.
It felt fantastic. Who has ever heard of a little person leaving DIMP with cash?
In order to successfully accomplish Operation Refund, my issue also landed on the very helpful desks of Annette Vrolijk, Ivania Tromp, and Edith E. Gomez, and when my BOI password failed, and my grondbelasting glitched, I was helped nicely by Ayla Geerman, Sander Maduro and Siglane Quandt, to my complete satisfaction.
So basically, we have super helpful people, burdened with a very inefficient way of doing business. My friends tell me THEY don’t get the same level of response, but I think we just make things complicated for our civil servants with the paperwork, the photocopies, the receipts, the proofs and cross references are too much!
Not that they are perfect, I still have a big issue with DIMP, pending since Feb 12th, 2019, regarding 2015/16/17 & 2018, which remains unresolved, but apparently small stuff gets done, and it feels good!
KVK
As a technologically impaired senior I struggled with the KVK website, in quests of a KVK abstract for the above. Apparently, KVK website passwords expire every 90 days, and I naturally tried to enter the new password too many times.
For people who are comfortable around technology, changing a password is a breeze, but for little people, it is a hurdle.
Because it happened over the weekend and the ICT department was off, Drs. Ing. Martijn Balkestein, Director, Aruba Chamber of Commerce & Industry, reassured me that help was on the way, then Sue-Ellen de Freitas Sousa, explained how it works, and Meleny Loopstok, Customer Service Representative, followed up on my request!
You get five stars, but please, don’t make us change passwords so frequently.
Serlimar
I noticed my Serlimar bill — thank you for finally issuing invoices, carried a wrong name, and in my effort to be a perfect citizen of this country I decided to attempt to correct the issue. An adorable elf, at least I think she’s all that, by the name of Charlotte Rosario, called and followed up and gracefully received all documents that attested to the fact that I am me, at the stipulated address, Cedula scan, check, notarial deed scan, check — luckily, I save every little piece of paper.
CMB
I sent the bank an email, asking the experts on the other side to tell me how to download my bank book for the benefit of my charming accountant. A bank employee by the name of Jheannelle Johnson, an Automated Services and Business Support Agent, Caribbean Mercantile Bank N.V., took me by the hand and showed me the way. She first e-mailed, then called, until this old dog, learned a new trick: How to download a company’s bankbook, for the reading pleasure of my demanding tax man!
RBC
And while we’re talking about banks, for MONTHS, I have been trying to get the bank to release some money it is holding hostage, my money, but to no avail. I understand that RBC services big fish, and is busy with under-stress corporate clients during a pandemic, and is only working part-time, or so I was told, but little people don’t feel the love, after having filled their financial profile, down to the nitty-gritty, including my spirit animal.
Setar
My phone, iphone 11pro, has not been working properly for months. It only works with WIFI. It doesn’t function otherwise. Setar assure me all is well, I already got a new SIM card and turned the phone off and on a million times, then I down-graded it to 3G, and it works, but LTE, Lubid. Who has a similar problem?
