Thanks: 
Likes: 
I can address some things mentioned in here.
Sewage plant: there are 3 around the island, but that one in Noord is 4 decades old and is processing over 8500 m3. More than double its original capacity of 4500 m3(just goes to show Aruba's enormous growth). In 2020, 4.4 million Florins was invested in the plant to buy critical equipment. The plant received only 1 million the previous decade. This year, 16 million Florins is going to the plant to partially renovate(like reinforcing structural issues) and increase capacity slightly. This is a temporary fix to the critical issues while plans get drawn up for a completely new water purification plant with extra capacity for future growth. This new plant should be completed hand in hand with the upcoming hotels and condos during the next 5 years.
Additional buildings: Unfortunately, when one government decides to give out permits like hotcakes, you can't just break the contracts after they left office. There were some 8000+ new rooms planned a few years ago. Got brought back down by current government to some 3500-4000 including hotels(like st regis and secrets) and condos.
Solar & wind: In a surprising turn of events, the Netherlands has decided to include us(and Curaçao + Sint Maarten) into their government subsidy program where they give citizens an x amount of money to "greenify" their homes or businesses. Think insulation, solar panels etc. Usually we don't enjoy any direct benefit from Dutch programs(as we are separate countries) so the change in attitude is welcome. With wind it's tougher because wind farms require space and space is something we don't have. There's some space left in vader Piet next to the existing windmills. Other alternatives, like Urirama, is too close to residents who don't want a wind farm in their backyard(can't really blame them).
WEB(water and energy plant) signed a deal to transition to liquid natural gas from fuel oil. According to them LNG is cheaper, you need far less of it compared to fuel oil and it will be used as a transition fuel with the idea of continuing on to hydrogen in the future. This should in theory lead to a drop in the prices of water and electricity. How much of a drop? Nobody really knows yet as I haven't seen figures published.
Locals also have a growing challenge of the ever more expensive housing market, because there's been a gradual and increasing trend of foreigners buying up property and renting it out as an airbnb for most of the year. Why is this a problem? Because there are over 9000 locals on the waiting list for land to build a home. The more plots of land sold to people from abroad, the less land available to locals and the prices rise up to the point locals can't afford to live here anymore. In Noord, there are some streets now that are almost fully bought out. It's like a ghost town neighborhood where nobody knows each other. The total opposite of an Aruba experience where people greet each other with a bon dia. Thankfully, this issue hasn't popped off yet, but I imagine the government taking action sooner or later. What that action might be, I don't know. I'm sure they're taking notes from places like Hawaii and Amsterdam where it's already a big problem.
As for corruption, I'm confident that our judicial system will prevail. With several people and ministers from the previous AVP government either already indicted and/or facing trail. Same with the POR party, where 2 members are being investigated. Any news that comes from this corner I always take with a massive grain of salt because boy do they play the divide and conquer playbook to a tee. Maybe went too specific, but once you start talking about local issues, you need to call it how it is as well and understand "who's who".
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by flpctc
