How can our ministers who can’t even balance a checkbook, understand the running of a company the size and importance of AAA?
Don’t take me literally, we no longer have checkbooks — in my youth we diagnosed a boring date as one who balances his checkbook Saturday night.
Yesterday, we saw AAA employees swarm the government building dressed in black, civilized, in a semi-social-distant protest, then Police chiefs arrived, looking for MinTvs – the reporter did mention his fancy Lincoln parked outside, a sure sign he was in. MinTvs placated them all, smoothed all ruffled feathers, saying he as AAA’s owner would not allow any retirements, voluntary or not, then a manifesto was read, and several stories aired about harassment on the job and pressure to leave.
I don’t believe the first. I do the second.
We are in economic trouble. For businesses to survive they must become lean and mean.
Remember what happened to Air Aruba when GOA decided to run it.
True, the airport made a ton of money in recent years but its owners – GOA – spent it.
No matter how much money the airport made in the past, they couldn’t hold on to it for contingency, because the gods demanded more and more offerings.
An airport is also an expensive business to run and Gateway 2030, the sole project that will guarantee our successful future, if we intend to stay in the business of tourism, requires great investment.
The airport must shrink its staff to survive. I am with Red, and the hard working professionals at the helm, calling for the removal of politics from business.
AAA said it more diplomatically, not to hurt MinTvs’ feelings:
“No mandatory leaves in 2020. Packages are fair, just and socially responsible
Before the global pandemic, Aruba Airport Authority N.V. (AAA) forecasted to finish 2020 with a total amount of 1,295,151 Revenue Generating Passengers (RGP). Today, AAA forecasts to finish 2020 with 473,315 RGPs which is 63% less than 2019 and 63% less than what was forecasted before the COVID pandemic. As a result, this translates into an expected loss of revenues of approximately AWG 100 million in 2020 and a loss of Awg. 23 million for the company that was projected to incur Awg. 28 million in profit.”
About the packages offered: “These packages are currently being offered as a part of the re-organization process that AAA has been working on the past months to ensure resiliency and fiscal prudence in the airport’s Covid recovery strategy.”
You heard that, they tell you, they are in trouble IF they don’t pre-empt disaster: “An expected loss of revenues of approximately AWG 100M in 2020 must lead to measures and painful difficult decisions.”
Then Red concludes: “Besides the many uncertainties, we are sure of one thing, the effects of the global pandemic will be felt by all of us for years to come. We can’t pretend that this will not be the case and it’s our duty to protect the company and the important gateway to Aruba’s economy, while providing a generous social plan for those colleagues who will no longer be part of the company in 2021.”
So, minister please, get out of the way, tks
