This week, #53 of 2020, we will welcome a record-high, post–Covid, number of arrivals, 12,719 passengers are expected to arrive at the airport.
Today, they are forecasting 2,151 passengers, on 21 flights, 18 from North America. The load factor on planes today is 66%, the highest this week, which means airline companies are still losing money, but flying anyway. Thank you.
The busiest day for arriving passengers is predicted to be Saturday, January 2nd, 2021 when the airport is forecast to handle 2,773 passengers.
For comparison, last week Wednesday, we welcomed just 1,286 passengers.
Overall, the island seems much busier, the markets are hopping, the beaches full and traffic congested.
Which brings me back to yesterday’s topic.
Why did MinPres come out on December 29th, with additional measures?
Couldn’t she look into her crystal ball and predict that with the return of the students, the return from vacations and the increased level of arrivals, we will be experiencing a spike of infections??
This last minute scrambled to cancel, reschedule and refund aggravated a great number of visitors, as outlined in an eloquent reader‘s lament on my wall yesterday.
It also showed a total lack of respect toward the private sector, who likes to plan things in advance and not be caught with its pants down, around its ankles.
Another reader, also raised an additional brilliant point.
On December 23rd, GOA published 4 ministerial decrees, #203, #204, #205 and #206, with all rules of conduct between Dec 24th and Jan 4th, spelled out. Businesses were supposed to make operational decisions based on those publications.
On December 29th after the press conference, the legal department did a rush job on another publication, #208, modifying what has previously been decided.
Check out the originals in the Official Gazette of Aruba:
https://secure.overheid.aw/actueel/afkondigingsbladen_46859/
I am not sure about legal implications, says my reader. The law clearly states that the minister can only implement emergency rules for a maximum duration of 72 hours.
We’ve had 4 consecutive decrees, published the same day, that’s plenty of work for the legal department.
Question: Who is liable for damages resulting from the fact that GOA changed the rules POST publication of official afkondigingsbladen?
All above documents outline the CoVid19 case development, then the articles deal with specifics, for example article 2.2 says shops and restaurants can be open between 06:00 and 23:00. Article 3.2 states the number of guests allowed per table, inside 8, outside 10. Article 3.5.3 mentions the number of musicians allowed. Inside 5, 10 in open air. Article 8.1 states this decree will be active (for 72 hours) from December 30, at 0:00hrs
Then it all changed on December 29th, with decree #208, describing modifications to decree #205 and #206, to align the legal paperwork with what was reported in the press conference!!
I asked a number of friendly lawyers, if this last minute shuffle is legal, and they all told me that it would take a constitutional scholar to examine my question, it would take a deep dive they said, meanwhile they had to go out for oliebollen and some bubbly for tomorrow night, as they planned to party till 5am, to the end of the curfew!
(We thank Jo-Anne Meaux-Arends, Air Service Manager at Aruba Airport Authority for compiling such great stats, it’s not easy, she must contact each airline and solicit the info, I imagine it is extremely time consuming.)
