A digital conference with the Dutch Secretary of State
About 250 locals tuned in to the digital press conference this morning. It was supposed to start at 9:30am, but actually began a little later, perhaps the Dutch official received a last minute urgent phone call from the island, we don’t know.
In a formal, polite and minimalist manner, no bombastic flags or symbols on the naked background, the official delivered a message.
The Netherlands is ready to sign an aid-agreement with the island.
No, it is not true that their frugality or tardiness, or rigidity created the famous BURACO, the so-called deficit, touted as the reason for the September 10th announcement that Aruba is obliged to borrow from an alternative source.
If Aruba needed more money, all it had to do was ask through the CAFT channels.
The Netherlands is prepared to help at zero interest, at any time, any amount, once the agreement is inked.
He was surprised, he explained, that Aruba opted to borrow internally from a consortium of local banks, 100M at 5.25%. it is not favorable move for the people of Aruba, he remarked, they have to work to pay it back, at a hefty interest.
Thoughts regarding his presentation:
His economic speech, economic in words, and succinct train of though would have required a local politician three hours in parliament here, with the customary repetitions and reiterations.
His zero waste presentation was admirable.
The Dutch official probably doesn’t understand that by borrowing locally, it creates a business opportunity for the Central Bank and for the lending banks. So what if it is not favorable for the people of Aruba? Since When is anyone concerned with our well-being?
It is clear to us all that the Dutch want to facilitate changes, for the better, not just pay our expenses.
But there is a DEEP MEP stream, within MEP, the one represented in the conference by a MEP newspaper man, filled with Anti-Dutch sentiments.
DEEP MEP is an old fashioned, entrenched, hard core, group-thinking that unfortunately took hold of some decision-makers, affecting our lives, deciding our destiny.
They don’t want change, they want to protect the status quo, optimize bureaucracy, instead of opting for a new way of life.
DEEP MEP, like the Deep WEB, is a conspiratorial place, intentionally hidden and is inaccessible, it shuts us out, and only includes the political elite and their loyal voters who get the crumbs.
