The last column of the year
I probably wrote about 300 columns in 2022, on various subjects, the common denominator is naturally, Aruba.
Yesterday, when looking for some festive shoes at the D Shop, I was greeted warmly by a slim stranger I did not recognize at first, but then realized it was former-minister Otmar Oduber. I was happy to see him, youthfully casual.
Tell me a story, I asked.
You have to admit, he said, that my push to turn ATA into a Sui Generis was opportune, because the pandemic came and went and ATA had the money to promote the island, jump starting our economy. Imagine otherwise, he added.
ATA would have been standing with their hands outstretched waiting for an allocation from GOA.
Thank you, former-minister Oduber, I said. And he responded, don’t thank me, thank ATA.
Then he said he might return to politics, life outside is boring, he explained, Bochincha and the bar on Palm Beach, are dandy, but not very exciting.
I did my best to dissuade him.
No, I said, do us a favor, stay out.
Why would you want to go back, I asked.
We owe the Netherland 1,500 million florin, maturing in 2023, and we will have to eventually cough up the cash.
About that reflected the former-minister, the Netherlands will have to acknowledge they have a responsibility and they will have to eat some. Some will have to be paid back, poco-poco.
Apropos. The Minister of Finance published a piece recently in which she explained she was looking for ‘clarity’ regarding the loans, which in informal language means she is expecting the Netherlands to grant us a deep discount and forgive some.
Before the pandemic we owed 16.1 million to the Netherlands, just 1% of our national debt of 4,300 million florin.
Post pandemic we owe 1,500 million, 25% of our national debt of 5,800 million florin.
The 1,500 breakdown is the following: 916 liquidity support during the pandemic and 523 million to cancel some maturing debts, on the international money market.
This ease with which countries borrow outlandish sums of money is detrimental, because it allows politicians to spend what they don’t earn, and leave the IOU notes to future generations.
In our situation, this ease in securing cash allows our Caribbean politicians to develop Champagne tastes on beer bottle pockets, nurture expensive preference beyond our economic means.
For extra fun: listen to My Champagne Taste and Your Beer Bottle Pockets, song and lyrics by Eartha Kitt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgu-dz8jLOs
Have a happy new year, buy Italian Prosecco, it’s more affordable than French Champagne, sometimes as good.
