It has been a pattern to under-restrict, under-enforce and overreact, all these months, including Christmas, New year, and the recent March 18th
Measures should have been put in place before holidays, but were not. GOA expressed shock, the Chief of Police rattles off threats, then strict measures were announced, much too strict — 0 house visitors? Two diners per table? We cannot possibly live with that.
True to pattern, AFTER the measures were announced, the paddling backwards began, with clarifications, and modification: We meant this, we didn’t mean that.
This exercise erodes the public confidence in the ability of the crisis team to manage the situation, and raises the level of panic among visitors, who don’t understand the nonsense GOA anti-Covi19 measures.
Why can’t you think things through before publication? Run measures by ATA, AHATA, see if they stick, then publish.
Over the last 12 months, we suffered the consequences of hundreds perhaps thousands of people deliberately ignoring restrictions allowing the spread to go on. In Aruba, active cases doubled, in just one week, last week.
The response has always been the same, cracking down on establishments in the tourist sector.
Our tourist sector has done an exceptional job in upholding protocols. Why punish the Palm & Eagle Beach establishments if the local bars in Paradera or Tanki Flip conduct business as usual?
Perhaps it is time to discriminate, give Gold Seal establishments, those who comply with the Aruba Health & Happiness Code certification, a break.
Make sure all others introduce Health & Safety Protocols, too. Aren’t these mandatory?!
Get the Gold Seal establishments off the hook.
Otherwise this whole program is useless, if it doesn’t mean: We trust you to self-govern and do a good job!
