Elections upcoming in less than 3 months
I visited Sabana Liber on an errand, midday Thursday. When I was ready to leave the hood I noticed a beige sedan, hazard lights on, flying an Aruba and an AVP flag, parked mid road. A driver opened the passenger door, and a man whose silhouette we all know, emerged.
He was wearing a black suit, an oddity in the dusty, sun stricken street, as he was peeking behind the fence into a yard, calling for the siesta-loving owners to open the gate and let him in.
He called a number of times, before the sleepy owner stepped out and welcomed Mike Eman into the house, leaving the chauffeur to wait on the terrace, outside.
And that’s to let you know that Aruba’s old fashioned campaign style is well and alive. The man in the undertaker’s suit, who shunned a parliamentarian position in 2017, is again courting voters, door to door, asking for their confidence in 2021.
Wonders never cease
What happened to zero home visits??
Agglomeration
At first I thought it was an April Fool’s Day prank.
Then I realized it was real.
And consequently, what went on in the supermarkets on Thursday afternoon broke agglomeration records. MinFec decided last minute, perhaps it was planned ahead, to shut down commerce Friday, Sunday and Monday and sent us all flying into the markets.
First GOA announced commerce may go on, then it changed its mind at the drop of a hat, which caused massive lines, and drove alcohol sales up, significantly. We were planning to shop on Friday, alas, the crisis team decided differently.
KVK wasn’t happy and called a press conference to protest.
MinFec was not happy with KVK and posted some childish reprimand of her FB wall.
Of course there is nothing wrong here. Closing is based on protection of public health, not on religion.
Now, whether it is necessary and proportional is a matter in which GOA has lots of discretion, even if certain citizens, unions or commerce have a different view.
I don’t think this can be successfully challenged in court, says a Legal Eagle, assuming you can find a judge willing to work during Semana Santa weekend.