We’re a country of contrasts: Beaches VS Petrolium

We are a country of contrasts, while one government minister is ballsily undertaking the protection of our beaches; the other one is in a rush to compromise our environment, health and safety in favor of petroleum. All in a day’s work.

As you know, the implementation of the Beach Policy was put into motion this week. We realize that the MinPres and MinInfra would rather poke their eye out, than try to introduce some semblance of law and order on the beach, but the MinTour is determined. It’s one of his pet projects. It is a central issue in his discussions with the Governor and with the MinPres, he wants to see if carried through, and he started the ball rolling. It will not be pretty, and he accepts that fact that there will be law suits down the road, but he is ready to tackle that cow pie head on. You have our blessing. It will be bloody but it needs to be done. We want our beaches back.

So in the next few weeks all watersports companies and hotel properties must apply for all respective permits to operate and exploit Aruba’s #1 attraction. I checked randomly with Divi Resorts & La Cabana Beach Resort & Casino, both properties reported smooth sailing; they will comply with the process and have no illegal construction on the beach.

I did not bother to check with the watersports companies, because there I know, the situation is messier, and we need all the help we can get to curb their appetite for tourist dollars. They will all have to reapply for business permits, and licenses, and will have to present their registrations at the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Affairs. They will have to prove that indeed they are paying taxes as suggested by the government, and that they comply with all tax authority requirements. Amen.

The announcement regarding the requirements were made, DIP & DSA will oversee compliance. MinTour did the dirty work, now MinJust and MinInfra need to pitch in to make it happen!

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The Refinery’s Via Dolorosa

We read the MinEnergy’s winded and wishy-washy explanations about the Definite Participation Agreement, that “E ta mustra bon, pero tin hopi trabao ainda,” needing to go to the ministers, to parliament to the board of CITGO and its Ladder of Command and to the board of Valero and its Ladder of Command. I have to admit I almost feel sorry for the MinEnergy for the via dolorosa he travels, having laid his political future on the line. For what?

“E ta trahando riba dje y ta bayendo positive,” can only go so far! And the MinEnergy seems to be in this alone, not a single expert by his side, not from Shell, nor from Delft University of Technology, or even the Rietveld Academy. Someone. Someone is better than no one. Anyway, if they had one of these experts on board he/she would vote against the move, and tell us to fohgeddaboudit, the reopening of the refinery is baloney.

The MinEnergy seems to be in a hurry to sign something, with an almost bankrupt company. Listen to this: ”The operating assets of CITGO Holding Inc., PDVSA’s U.S. refining subsidiary, are already pledged to creditors. The unit’s $1.5 billion bonds due in 2020 are secured by a 100% percent equity stake in CITGO Petroleum Corp.” (Quote from Bloomberg).

The whole exercise is designed to sooth the voters and avoid actually making tough budget decisions. One of my smart friends writes: “We seem to knowingly undertake enormous financial and environmental risks which someone else will have to clean up in future. Think about the implication of an open yet crumbling refinery as far as environmental, health, safety and many other liabilities.”

I am stating the obvious but the government of Aruba is under tremendous pressure from CAFT and if the refinery start-up will make up for the AWG 50 million shortfalls in the 2016 budget, halleluiah. But it won’t.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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April 01, 2016
Rona Coster