Serlimar, slash GOA, covering its derriere
When the director of Serlimar was hired in 2018, I said: Serlimar is definitely in need of a leader, a leader who is capable of managing people. If this guy has the people skills required, and the management background, then welcome to Aruba.
Now I understand he got canned. That was a fast turnaround.
I totally stand behind him.
Without knowing any of the players or any of the details I can recognize the scapegoat strategy. GOA is covering its derrière, relegating the burden of bad management to the director and his financial controller.
That’s pure BS.
Serlimar bought all that fancy new equipment and ordered these HIDEOUS, new blue/yellow totter on credit, based on the former MinInfra’s conviction that there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and that the Serlimar law will pass, and that the company will be swimming in cash.
That was a ministerial decision, not a managerial mistake.
Now, with the director fired, they can say the culprit is gone, when Dutch inspectors come for a visit.
That strategy is transparent to me, and it will be to the Dutch too. As long as you don’t institute STRUCTURAL CHANGES in the way that half-banked company runs, everything you do is an exercise in futility.
The Umbrella Protest
Yesterday, a few of my visitor-friends called and messaged. I even got a phone call from as far as Canada, to please intervene and reverse the scarcity of umbrellas on the beach.
That was sweet, and a bit naive. As if writing ever made a difference. But it does feel good to put the issues out there, keep readers in the know.
Apparently, in January, on Aruba, the main visitor-concern is shade on the beach, or the lack of it.
Which brings me to the Beach Policy, a three-year old project, which attempted to regulated activities on outr #1 asset, and as far as I am concerned only confused and complicated issues.
Fact. There are more watersports businesses now than ever before, because the Beach Policy was politically used to grant more permits, to those in favor.
DIP inspected the beach yesterday to make sure watersports companies stick to 12 chairs, 6 umbrellas each, no more. Which should be commended. If we have a policy, it should be enforced.
BUT…
On a recent trip to Hawaii I saw that Waikiki beach was completely devoid of permanent shade, not a single umbrella, hut, shack, or pier. Everything is movable. By 6pm, the beach is NUDE, empty, just pink sand, the whole kit and caboodle gets folded and tucked away, until the following day.
So what is the answer? The Waikiki beach model or the clutter of Spring Break in Florida? There must be a happy medium, something comfortable in between.
The current MinInfra has a meeting scheduled with stakeholders, I hear, let’s see what she comes up with her female Solomonic wisdom!
