Regulating? Over Regulating?
What’s the difference between regulating and over-regulating?
About 3 to 4 years ago parliament passed a law in an effort to raise capital for the central bank, an additional transfer tax, facilitating maximum dollar-flow control.
The new law concerned the island casinos, all 13 of them, because now they were all considered currency-exchange businesses, just like Western Union, for example, and had to apply for a special license, design to beat money-laundering, with a lengthy and expensive vetting system.
More paperwork to fill, more stamps to collect, more fees to pay.
Our larger casinos, were not planning to apply. They belong to publicly traded companies and the long process and the disclosures required were impossible to fulfill.
The smaller properties, could not afford the vetting, and some of them, were unprepared to subject themselves to over-regulation, and admittedly over-scrutiny.
They pleaded with the Central Bank to relent, to no avail. The regulation dragged on, the deadline extended, and finally on July 1st, 2020 it goes into effect whereby the casinos can no longer accept florins, to be changed into dollars — the currency of gaming — and an agreement was brokered with the banks to become the go-betweens.
Local clients will use an ATM, installed and serviced by the banks, to withdraw dollars, with which to play.
The current practice of exchanging florins against dollars, at a fixed 1.80 rate, at the casino cage, is illegal from Wednesday on.
Bank charges. currency exchange fees, service, energy, cleaning, printing, and counting surcharges are to be expected.
Will this move create a healthier casino economy, or will it just become a punishing hurdle, for the local grandmas and grandpas, who use casinos for distraction, excitement, and entertainment, in a naïve attempt to improve their finances, in air-condition?
(What else is there to do on the island for that forgotten demographic?)
The casinos are already a fantastic source of income for GOA, considering the drop tax, GOA takes the first bite, as soon the cash hits the bucket.
Local clients, withdrawing money from the ATM, will now be limited to the dollar equivalent of Awg 1,000 a day, as we have to protect our florin, use it in the economy, and regulate the disbursal of dollars.
I can think of a million ways to circumvent that over-regulation, and certain clients will continue to come in with wads of cash.
Casinos always suffer from a dual reputation, on one hand they are used as cash cows and on the other they are viewed as sinful, problematic dens of addiction, and a source of abundant social problems. While in the early days of tourism here, gaming was an important economic pillar, it has in recent years suffered a downgrade with the growth of on-line gaming, and a more religious-puritanical view of adrenaline-pumping gambling.
“It’s entertainment,” says, a casino executive I talked to, “it’s a service to our guests, same as the spa or the golf course, it should be nurtured, and supported as much as any other niche market. Alas, in Aruba, the gaming industry is the step-child of tourism, taxed to the max, then ignored, neglected and forgotten.”
“My grandma, is all fired up,” said my printer’s traffic-manager, “she already has her dollars in hand, she got them from my uncle, she will be at the casino, Saturday, at 10:55am, making sure she is the first one in.”
Lucky to have the kingdom on our side!
What is this world coming to?
I almost lost all hope when I heard on the news that someone was peeling the green turf off the meridians and stealing them.
That’s low.
What could he possibly use it for?
But then my hope in humanity was restored: See letter at the end of this column.
This week the kingdom loans for Aruba, our lifeline, were under discussion.
Apparently on July 3rd the Kingdom Council of Ministers will decide on the third liquidity injection for Aruba, and the conditions set for this one has become stricter and stricter.
Why do these conditions become stricter? You already know, because we have been spending like crazy, hardly making any structural changes, claiming to follow guidelines and ignoring good advice.
The next loan about to be approved by CAft, our body of financial supervision, would be for Awg 204M, covering the island’s expenses in July, August & September, 2020.
If we don’t get the money, we can start fishing. Or gold mining.
The recent info regarding the conditions for the July 3rd liquidity, was received by GOA, and one could see our MinPres turn pale, but she understands the situation very well, and knows how to handle herself under pressure.
She asked for the conditions in writing, she said she will debate with stakeholders and evaluate the effect on Aruba’s autonomy and economy.
Keep in mind, if we don’t accept we go bust, if we accept we will be getting future loans at 0% interest and the Netherlands will assist us with refinancing, of our astronomical debts.
But the conditions cut deep into our so-called autonomy, and basically we can send parliament home, because all financial decisions will be relegated to the Dutch.
Applause.
Under the new agreement, a new financial entity, on top of CFT will oversee the funds, and how we spend them – on citizens, not on GOA’s employees.
The BIG change: Financial supervision (CAft) for Aruba, will be regulated by a Kingdom law (RFT) instead of an Aruban law (LAFT). This change would make Aruba’s supervision similar to the one set up in Curaçao and St Maarten, giving the Kingdom more freedom to supervision, to assure integrity and transparency.
Meanwhile a letter was published in a local paper, and I am carrying it in its English translation:
Dear Prime Minister, Dear Mark,
The external shock from Corona has hit our very prosperous Netherlands very hard and fortunately we have the means to struggle upwards with great difficulty. Our Caribbean partners in the Kingdom have faced at least three of these external, unaffectable shocks: hurricanes, a completely collapsed neighboring country of Venezuela and the Corona virus over it. And then Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten (CAS islands) are also small-scale island economies, which are already fragile by nature and highly dependent on tourism. Corona literally means that no tourists come to the islands anymore. The social and economic misery on the islands is almost incalculable. Tens of thousands of families live off the food bank, with formal and informal unemployment going up to 30 to 50 percent.
The Netherlands stepped in in the first three months of the Corona crisis and sets firm conditions for its assistance. That is also logical on the islands. There is much to reform and improve in the island societies and economies.
On July 3. the Kingdom Council of Ministers will decide on the continuation of the Corona aid from the Netherlands to the CAS islands. We call on you to make that decision with compassion and a warm heart on the one hand and a cool mind on the other. The compassion speaks for itself, many people on the islands have nothing left. We have to help them. But cool mind is also very important. Conditions are part of this, but let the islands participate in the decision-making process and ensure that in the next elections everyone will appreciate the solidarity and the rule of law of the Kingdom of tires. Organize the aid in such a way that on the one hand the underprivileged on the islands experience the added value of the Kingdom relationship and on the other the economic structure of the islands is strengthened. Positive developments were underway there, such as greening and Unesco / cultural tourism. And there is so much more possible, with both sides in the Kingdom relationship combining business and warm heart.
We make this appeal on behalf of many in the Netherlands,
Jandino Asporaat, Hans de Boer, Roger van Boxtel, Glenn Helberg, Ernst Hirsch Ballin, Tania Kross, John Leerdam, Churandi Martina, Ed Nijpels, Alexander Pechtold, Jörgen Raymann, Paul Rosenmöller, Clemence Ross, Nout Wellink, Herman Wijffels
Michael Lampe & Datapanik – ATARDI featuring Kris Berry & Zoinx
I am an incurable Michael Lampe fan. He released Atardi, a beautiful music video clip Monday evening, and it has been giving me goose bumps, and contracting my throat, since then!
So moving, such beautiful music, what a sweetheart of a musician, farmer, tennis player, a native of Curacao, Rudy Plaate, now 83, recently widowed, having lost his loving wife, now suffering from Dementia.
Some of the most touching scenes of the music video clip and the teaser trailer feature the two aging lovers, he kisses her hand fervently, she leans her gray head on his shoulder, he whisper-sings to her in Papiamento, telling her how much he loved her, and then she marvels at the fact that after so many years, she is still crazy about him.
Wow. The music video clip and the teaser trailer, see link below, left me speechless.
Born across the pond in 1937, Rudy was a prolific musician. He composed some of the Dutch Caribbean’s most favorite songs. While he wrote Atardi about Curacao in the twilight, beautiful and a bit saddened, that the glorious day is ending, we also sing Atardi in Aruba, and in Bonaire. The song is a musical treasure, and Michael in the video clip starts with the original version and ends with Aruba, to complete the circle of island-sisters.
I told Michael who is a member of Parliament here, alas, for the opposition party, to drop politics, abandon parliament, because he can do so much more for us, for our souls, heritage, unity, and wellbeing with one good song, that may live forever. Politicians come and go. Music stays.
Michael insists that he wants to make a difference, make changes from within. You already know what I said: Fuggedaboutit, stick to music, you are a genius.
As I just learned, film maker Selwyn de Wind, has been working for a number of years on a documentary on Rudy Plaate, who enjoyed a stellar career on the islands in the 70s, recording many albums, helping pave his way to an iconic status. Selwyn sought Michael out for sound design of his documentary named Atardi, after the famous song.
Rudy recorded Atardi around 1973. I listened to his version, it has a tinny, steel pan sound.
The new sound, concocted by Michael Lampe, is layered and complex. Vocals were recorded in the Netherlands, beautiful Kris Berry, “Atardi Corsow ta bunita,” and handsome Michael Lampe, here, “Atardi Aruba ta bunita.”
Michael added his own interpretation to the melody capturing the emotion and the beauty of the composition, keeping the original guitar and mandolin and spicing things up with traditional instruments, cuarta, flue, and some improvised percussion, by a new, just-discovered Curacao artist. All that combined with live drums, electronic drums, electronic bass, and analog synthesizer to create a sound Michael calls “Caribbean New Wave.”
Rapper ZOINX, from Curacao, contributed to the production with a new, contemporary segment he wrote, that fits perfectly well.
Vocals: Kris Berry & Zoinx.
Musicians: Marco Dorothea (Mandolin), Sorandy Jacobs (Flauta, tambu, chapi and more percussion), Ralph Durgaram (drums) [the Beat Freak Studio], Selwyn De Wind.
Click below on the preview of what you may expect from the documentary “Atardi”, the story of Rudy Plaate. This teaser trailer was first presented at the Curaçao International Film Festival, in Rotterdam. The documentary will premiere on July 10th in Aruba.
Keep an eye on the Atardi page, it will be updated with news about the upcoming movie!
https://www.facebook.com/PACprodCW/videos/2228343483926991/?v=2228343483926991
A Photo Op With Poodle
A series of press releases yesterday announced the inauguration of the Dog Control Center.
With all due respect, dogs require no control, it’s us humans, that require supervision.
I just hate the name.
Ok, don’t be a stickler to detail, I say to myself, never mind the name. They are paying attention to responsible pet ownership. That’s a positive step.
Then I looked at the picture, and the Disney character mural, which is so inappropriate for what is, and was, the Kill Cage.
The painted Disney characters make light of the deep-rooted, tragic issue of Cruelty to Animals on the island.
And the fancy giant gray poodle with his stylish hairdo
Is that the only dog that was available for the photo opportunity?
A giant gray pedigree poodle, with a pompadour do??
One of my friends, writes: I attended the Plan Nacional presentation two nights ago and listened to a presentation for two hours – I had already seen it a year ago, nothing new – there is no money to do anything, anyway.
In the presentation GOA is asking the PUBLIC to become “buitengewone agenten van politie” a sort of deputized police agents which will help deal with the challenge, but to be deputized seriously, would take a lot of training.
PLUS, three policemen who were there also during the meeting, because of their animal-loving status, will do some work, out of free will, in addition to their day job, at no extra pay, but since the laws aren’t in place, they won’t really do anything, effectively. The laws still need to be written and enacted.
When I asked why they do not just copy/paste the Dutch law, I was given a lecture that Aruba is a multicultural society and that the Dutch laws do not work here.
I almost asked them what the “Ley di Cacho,” is, if not a copy/paste of a Dutch legislation. BUT, I did not want to start a dogfight.
I politely told them that in my opinion the police as a law enforcement entity, already have an imperfect law in place – and it is a start.
I got another lecture about how difficult it is to write laws.
Bottom line: This new attempt will not work, the Policemen are busy, they’re not getting paid and essentially volunteer, and the public is not trained to lend a hand.
IT WAS JUST A PHOTO OP. Someone got paid for a silly mural. No structural changes. Blessings on the heads of the volunteer Policemen!
Nothing will happen as the new kill cage is smaller and only opens certain times, so it will result in more street dogs and more dumped animals.
The Central Bank and its infuriating wasteful ways
We all got a fancy booklet in the mail, “E Serie Nobo Di Biyetenana di Florin 2019,” what a terrible waste of graphic work, printing and distribution.
Printing is expensive, and the Central Bank is apparently loaded with cash, so it can bore us with a total useless document, stuffed into our speechless mailboxes.
WHAT WERE YOUR THINKING??
WHY ARE YOU CREATING MORE WASTE??
And now to the content of the booklet. I read it with zero interest, because it was written by an accountant. Page after page of dull details tracking the process of printing new bills from 2013 to 2019. The first half of the booklet is a TOTAL humdrum waste of time.
The second half of the booklet is a series of stitched together sentences with ZERO flow, or inspiration, explaining the bank note designs, going Green Turtle to Sea Fans, and Gold Mining, without any effort to create a story, or cohesive narrative.
You wanted to educate us?
Fine.
Create an expo.
Hang it in the empty lobby of your Taj Mahal.
Invite school kids to see five PVC panels.
Five? One from each bank note.
Maybe Awg 2,500 for the total project, including graphic design and printing, instead of the $30.000 you currently spent on your lackluster self-promotion.
The Bank Note Series? It is beautiful. You did a good job on that.
Everything we say, we say out of love
The other day, a young local gardener forgot his appointment at my home, Thursday 7:15am, and when I called to remind him, he came up with car problems, as an excuse. I then remarked it was shoddy customer service, and he got all huffed and puffed, that I could not disrespect him this way.
I said, darling, it is exactly because I care for you and appreciate your services that I zundra bo. If I didn’t care I’d let it slide. Because I value you, I am emotionally attached to your green thumbs, I get mad, I want to fix you, it’s out of love, not disrespect.
But being young, he disagreed, I stepped on his long toes, his false-pride was wounded, he hung up, never to be seen again.
How can we teach you that when we speak up, we do it out of love?
(Anybody knows a gardener, with short toes?)
We do it out of hope, that things will change, that you will get message, and improve.
It’s been since March 15th that we have been waiting for some meaningful changes, and the unions are still crying in their beer about 5% and 12.5%, and the private sector is surviving thanks to generous Dutch support.
The government machine is still burdened with huge overhead, and we get no decent, value-based customer service – see license plate procedure, line up for proof of payment, line up for plates, make it as complicated, labor intense and cumbersome as possible.
Because of our unwillingness to change the Rijksministeraad has until July 10th, to come up with effective ways to make us understand that stringent financial supervision is in our favor. That we cannot go on wasting resources.
From what I see and hear, we simply don’t want to hear about the consequences of our mismanagement, and Rocco Tjon is still rudely kicking shins, how do you insult the people who are bailing us out?
If we want to survive, we should keep a very strict diet in the next 12 months, stop spending money, buckle up and one by one improve management of public services, island finances, seriously enforce Dog Laws, Litter Laws, Child Seat Laws, Tax Laws, Tinted Window Laws, RHD Car laws, Talking-On-Cell-Phones-While-Driving Laws, Driving Under Influence Laws, Child Protection Laws, and a million other issues we avoid managing.
We have great laws, a bunch of them, this morning we heard about a new one, Consumer Protection law.
How can we run a country if we avoid managing it?
A little Dutch management will go a long way, and we say this out of love, because we have difficulty managing anything effectively.
Of course we have famously fantastic people, but that doesn’t mean that they can manage anything. We have no choice, but import talent. Help.
Ta Basta
As far as manifestations go, the one on Friday afternoon was a five-star, and I don’t mean it lightly, I am serious, as far as I see it, it achieved 100% of its goals.
It was bigger than expected. It unfolded without incident. Cops and protesters got along. Organizers expressed themselves on a public platform. A good number of demonstrators wore facemasks. The MinPres and other GOA officials were on hand to show support. Dramatic testimonials added color and urgency to the spectacle. Most importantly, the issue of child abuse was represented with dignity, and GOA predictably promised to act, change laws, correct malfunctions.
The Ta Basta manifestation ended with hand-shakes, and pats on the back.
I was proud.
We are a civilized nation.
MinPres is good. We’re lucky to have her. She strikes the right note every time, dressed in black she intuitively knows how to handle a kneeling survivor, and another with blue finger nail polish, at close proximity. That was tough. Poise under fire.
Now to the issue at hand.
As you all know, for the past 30 years, money that was earmarked for social programs went into bridge opening parties, trams, election campaigns and coordinators.
The money was diverted and misspent. We’re all suffering from that social dysfunction caused by unaddressed social issues, and the lack of care, caused by wasted collective resources.
Castigo mas pisa will not solve anything. We must improve the way we investigate and present evidence to the judges so that they can then with a clear conscience impose a heavy sentence. When the investigation is botched and the evidence weak a judge would rather acquit then send a suspect to jail for ten years.
As it stands right now, with UNTRAINED AND UNDERFUNDED police special crime agents, and social workers, we must rely on our judges, to evaluate the evidence. The only reason they impose a light sentence is weak evidence, incomplete story.
Cases of child abuse need to be investigated properly, delicately, professionally, if not, a life is destroyed, and nothing happens. In order to make it safe for kids we need to practice prevention by an optimal, functional social justice chain, from teachers to councilors and child advocates, all trained to recognize even the faintest sign.
That requires resources. As in money.
Resources that are presently being squandered. We are reminding you that GOA’s payroll is 1.3M florin a day!
How much of that goes to welfare and care?
How much goes to a corrective social justice chain?
From a Legal Eagle, a beautifully written opinion: I believe that decisions about sentencing should be made by the courts, taking into account all circumstances of the case. These include not only the seriousness of the offense but also the personal circumstances of the defendant.
Increasing the maximum sentences is in my opinion a cheap populist move by our parliament, since the courts are still going to sentence based on the criteria mentioned above.
I believe it is a social problem that requires more (sex) education of parents and children, more involvement of social workers and creating more awareness of family members and children rather than stricter sentences.
The problem is wider than just the offenders. It is the culture of silence and shame within families on a small island, where women and girls are in a financially and economic position of dependence.
It is indeed shameful.
We, as a society, should look in the mirror and not just project our wrath towards the offender as being the root of all evil.
It takes a family, an extended family, a village and an island to make this better.
Not just harsher sentences, handed down by a judge.
P.S. Without new evidence, one cannot ask the court to reopen the case of Eugene, 3, and Rishandroh, 5, RIP.
