Natalee Holloway - Case Discussion Extended Thread 17

[Canadian Outrage]

Yes, I agree with all that you have said. The time for raging at them is over. Just a stack of matter of fact REFUSALS to ever trust them as a vacation destination and remind them that we are not supportive of buying their products either. I have stuck to NOT buying the things that I used from there. It's easy now, I'm used to not using them. As far as travel, FORGET it Aruba, and any other Dutch Antilles island or Holland itself.

[Canadian Outrage]

I heard on Greta tonight that the "suspects" re-questioning was, get this, VOLUNTARY!! What a complete and utter FARCE!!

[Canadian Outrage]

Pffffffffffft - I didn't hear that part. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense doesn't it. Natalee, 5'1" attacking Joran 6'5"!! Probably 120 heavier than her also. Not to mention the other two. Arubadirtypolice indeed. But this actually underscores the stupidity of their mock investigation!! It makes them look worse than ever.

[shebacal]

and hunting them down via that path...anyone aruban i attempt to emphasize that this is NOT going away, will only grow in proportion to their rationalizing no arrests or active prosecution, and that it is already expanding to dutch products and other boycott venues here in the united states...

This is an excellent idea. I am working on my letter to start sending to Aruban officials, starting with Mr. Edison Briesen, Minister of Tourism and Transportation, e-mail: minvscs@setarnet.aw

and Aruba Tourism Authority, e-mail: ata.aruba@aruba.com

Here is a website with Aruba Tourism Authority offices addresses, phone #'s, FAX #'s and e-mail addresses in Aruba, major cities in the USA, Canada, So. America, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Scandinavia:

Aruba.com

[penowa]

I caught a little bit of Greta talking with Robin Holloway on the phone. She said she spoke with Karen Janssen by phone today and the 3 will not be re-interviewed after all. Reason - When the judge released them, he didn't specify that they could be questioned any further. If they choose to come in for questioning, then and only then can the police ask anything of them. Isn't this different from what we were told the judge said before?

Did you have a chance to read Hyscience? Any ideas about what they are up to? I'm still drawing a blank, but will try to make time tomorrow to look around and see what others who are talking about it, if they are, think it means.

[Canadian Outrage]

Good for Joe!! I'd love to hear Mark Furhman on the pre-authorized questions??? My God, if it weren't so sad, it's laughable. This police force makes the keystone cops look like crack detectives!! Sickening really.

[Canadian Outrage]

Thanks for the email addys Sheba.

[penowa]

Thanks, Sheba for the good idea. Will get on with writing letters tomorrow too. Do you have any idea what the post about the group that bought the Curacao bank that you posted the other day means to the NH investigation? I'm puzzled.

[shebacal]

http://www.diarioaruba.com/diahuebs/noticia/index.html
Diahuebs, 29 December, 2005

BOYCOT DI ALABAMA TA VIOLA UN SENTENCIA BIEU DI CORTE SUPERIOR

Translation: Boycott of Alabama is in violation of Superior Court
----------------------------------------------------

Diario has a report that claims that Alabama's boycott of Aruba is apparently in violation of the Supreme Court ruling in June, 2000 that affirmed the judgment of the First Circuit Court of Appeals, which had struck down the Massachusetts Burma Law (which prohibited contracting with companies doing business with Burma unless there were no comparable bids).

The case was CROSBY, SECRETARY OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE OF MASSACHUSETTS, ET AL. v.

NATIONAL FOREIGN TRADE COUNCIL

The District Court permanently enjoined the state Act's enforcement, and the First Circuit affirmed.

Held: The state Act is preempted, and its application unconstitutional, under the Supremacy Clause.

http://www.justia.us/us/530/363/case.html

The Mass. Burma Law officially boycotted businesses that did business with Burma (also known as Myanmar), from doing business with the state of Mass (unless there were no comparable bids).

www.sfgate.com

Alabama's governor has called for an informal tourist boycott of Aruba, which does not seem to me to be the same as the official Mass. Burma Law boycott was.

[shebacal]

Do you have any idea what the post about the group that bought the Curacao bank that you posted the other day means to the NH investigation?

Only what I wrote before, that there are some big guns represented in this (banking) report, and they pack quite a bit of clout. (IMO) They certainly would not want Natalee's case to stay prominent and disrupt their big plans (development) for the area (much better to sweep it under the rug).

When I think about all the business interests and big money represented by this bank purchase and their combined might, (such as putting across their point of view in conversations on the golf course, at consular dinners, at the State dept, at business meetings, etc. with the movers and shakers), then the death of one American tourist seems to not have much chance of generating equal force.

I have another darker thought about the banking industry in the caribbean. It is know for drug money laundering and all kinds of income tax shelters. All perfectly legal of course, uh huh. I wonder how many respectable Americans have some shady money interests in these very caribbean banks where they do not want any spotlight shone to rock the boat? Maybe I am too suspicious. The other thing that interested me about the banking report was the juxtaposition of the names of American politicians and major businessmen with the names of those who had been in the Aruban government.

[justche]

*waving back*

Did you guys hear Robin on Greta tonight? Karin actually spoke to her on the phone - I wonder how she gets through and Beth doesn't?

[LucyT]

Can't provide a link, but during the past week posted on FR, someone was quoting from the best selling book, Do As I Say (Not As I Do), Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy, by Peter Schweizer, that the Kennedy family has five hundred million dollars in Carribean and Fiji banks, (set up in trusts so they pay no taxes.)

[penowa]

Lucy, I don't know where it came from. I don't think it was on FR. I think I heard it on the radio (maybe on Quinn, but couldn't swear to it) and your post reminded me. Soros has most of his $ in a bank on CURACAO! Wonder if it is the bank this group bought?

[deetch]

Funny isn't it?

I hope it is illegal, what are they going to do about it?

It's perfect justice until they realize that murder is illegal let's keep breaking laws and use the island for target practice.

Aruba is firing water pistols

[penowa]

Sheba, It never occurred to me that the banking group had plans for development, at least as far as tourist trade. Aruba looks to be approaching fully developed with the stuff that we've heard is already on the drawing boards unless they plan to rip up some of the older stuff and replace it. I suspected that the bank was purchased for laundering purposes and of course there is the draw of no taxes and secrecy. Curacao doesn't have the beaches that Aruba does and has had plenty of big hotels with casinos for ages, but it just doesn't have much in the way of natural attractions for tourists. Has a good airport and deep port and has a giant old oil facility. I remember the place as being unattractive, crowded, and industrialized (and kind of grimey) from way back when. I also wonder if Bonaire might have anything to do with tourist development. 30 yrs. ago there was nothing there. You had to hire a boat to take you there and there was no place to stay, eat, etc. The Dutch tried to keep it "pristine," and undeveloped claiming they didn't want the environment destroyed. Now it apparently has some development, but I have no idea how much or who is behind it. I don't believe it has any big hotels, etc. It's been sold as a draw for nature lovers and divers with all sorts of species of ocean life, etc. If I remember correctly, it's also the smallest of the 3 islands. Maybe I'm just dense, but I still don't see much of a connection between the new group buying the bank and NH.

[penowa]

Tourism is faltering while a little group in the MEP government continues to fill their pockets and the last loan of 84 million will let them continue their party for some time, until the time that the elastic patience of the people breaks and the weight of the charge on the back of the people becomes too much to bear.

This is the last paragraph of an article entitled "Tourism is Faltering," 12/30/05 from Getagrip's translation on SM today from Diario. Wonder who made the 84 million loan? Could this be what the tie-in is with Aruban govt. if the loan is from the group who bought the Curacao bank?

The rest of the article says tourism is not off, it's down the tubes. Some of the highrise hotels have 60% occupancy where they normally have 100% over the holidays. It lists all the hotels that are really hurting and says that the reason the the numbers for July, August, September have not been released is to hide the damage. In addition to the bad numbers here, the article says the cruise lines stopping in Aruba have fallen off also. The govt's plan is to raise taxes again on imports (that's everything) to cover the losses.

http://www.diarioaruba.com/diabierna/politica/news2.html

You will have to pardon me if I don't feel any pity for the inhabitants of Aruba. Somebody on that cockroach infested island knows something that could break this wide open and I know many are afraid to come forward, but too many have no pity for NH's family and their only concern is for their pocketbook. Let them feel it in the only place they have any feelings!

[presently no screen name]

Thanks Penowa, great news, great post!

[shebacal]

www.scaredmonkeys.net

Posted: By Getagrip - Fri Dec 30, 2005 6:38 pm

Aruba losing its tranquility?
FTA worried with messages received by repeat tourists
http://www.diarioaruba.com/diabierna/noticia/news3.html
12/30/2005

ORANJESTAD (AAN) – In a press conference on Thursday morning, Anselmo Pontilius referred to the lack of tranquility in recent times, that tourists come to look for in Aruba, that it’s going backwards, and this can bring consequences to our economy.

Pontilius underlined that Aruba ketobay [¿] is in demand, despite the problem known worldwide, and tourists who visit our island pay their money to find peace. Nevertheless, in the press F.T.A. read in the news about a mugging on a tourist couple, which could simply be a bad symptom.

He also said that visitors invest to have a good time enjoying our beaches, but if they find a congestion from the airport until their hotel, it can take almost an hour because of traffic, then they cannot enjoy the tranquility when they have to be on the street.

Aside from this, he has encountered another type of problem in the manner of itinerant addicts, which is one of the gravest situation in our country; also, he has noticed a situation where the service is not the same that tourists are accustomed to, and a beach which is full of people, which they doesn’t care for because they comes in search of tranquility, and our tourism can go backwards.

Pontilius mentioned that tourists known in our country, because of their many long years of visiting Aruba, are sending messages to hotel employees daily.

For this reason, F.T.A. is convinced that only via a process of permanent dialogue, solutions can be found.

[note: FTA = Federacion Trahadornan di Aruba = Aruba Federation of Workers]

[shebacal]

www.scaredmonkeys.net

Posted: By Getagrip - Thu Dec 29, 2005 4:23 pm

According to veteran policeman he will restructure the Bonaire force

Jan van der Straten will serve as High Commissioner for 6 to 12 months.

He has an agreement with the Bonaire police union so he doesn’t understand the conflict.
Bon Dia - 12/22/2005

ORANJESTAD – As long as the country decision is not signed and in his hands, Jan vd Straten does not plan to start his new job in Bonaire as High Commissioner of the island of flamingos. Jan vd Straten said this to Bon Dia Aruba yesterday in an exclusive interview.

He confirmed the Bon Dia Aruba news that he will be the next chief of police of Bonaire and said that while he accepted this job, Aruba remains his home.

REQUEST FOR VD STRATEN
It was 2 to 3 years ago that the Antilles made the first attempt to seek vd Straten to work in Bonaire. “But my contract (in Aruba) was to end in August 15, 2005, so there wasn’t a possibility to go”, vd Straten said to this publication. He will procure to finalize this re-organization in Aruba first. After the invitation from the current Minister of Justice of the Anitlles, David Dick, he accepted the position. It was after two months passed that he spoke to his colleague and current Bonaire police chief Gerold Daantje.

WORKING TOGETHER
Here, they spoke about how they’re going to work together to see how vd Straten can work in Bonaire to prepare the police force in a new way and establish a relationship with Holland. While Daantje shared his opinion about the functioning in Bonaire, he expressed his preference to continue to study IT via a study task of the government of the US. As such, he came to an agreement with Minister Dick to leave Bonaire.

COUNTRY DECIDES
Once the country decision is made and in vd Straten’s hands, in what relates to his new function, he has to write a letter to Holland to postpone the payment of his pension for 6 to 12 months, which is the duration of his contract with Bonaire. The reason is that during this time, vd Straten will prepare the position for another person who has to assume the role as commissioner. The intention is to work on some project that will procure more security for the people of Bonaire, something that vd Straten considers an assured challenge.

UPSET IN THE FORCE
The fact that there is mention of an upset among members of the Bonaire police force with the arrival of vd Straten, is no very comprehensible for the former police commissioner of Aruba. This is because, according to the veteran policeman, he had a good understanding with the Bonaire police union. “It has always been my opinion that you have to care about these things that are very regulated for my colleagues. Then vd Straten will come”, the former commissioner continues to say. “That is an agreement with the union that they said to me 2 months ago. They assured me that they didn’t have a problem with anything”, vd Straten continued to say, reiterating that these issues have to be solved. “Van der Straten will not go work in a place where a colleague is already sitting as police chief”, vd Straten said.

STARTING DATE
The initial date mentioned for the police veteran to start his new position in Bonaire, according to Minister David Dick, is the 1st of January, 2006. But in practice, it seems that this will be a little later. “This is the main point. But everything has to be settled” vd Straten continued to say. He will not base it on a verbal agreement nor on a written one, but on a country decision.

“It is on a letter from the Minister that they will be in full agreement, but for me it has to be a country agreement to delay my pension”, vd Straten said. About the question that if he is asked to extend his permanency in Bonaire after a year, he categorically said no. “I am willing to work between 6 and 12 months in Bonaire. However, do not forget that I am retired. And my heart is in Aruba. I like working in Bonaire, but until now I live very well in Aruba” vd Straten finally said.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

It occurs to me that a letter-writing campaign from individual Americans to the commom Aruban people might be the way to get something done. I mean the actual Arubans, not business associations, govt officials, etc. I sincerely believe the latter propagandize the common Arubans and misdirect their hopes and espirit de corps. Lets face it, the place is a plantation and needs a revolution, and the Natalee matter could be the spark. I am sure that 99% of the common Arubans have more interest in each others well-being than loyalty to their masters who are already talking about expanding their operations elsewhere, as can be seen by this talk of other "developments".

I'll bet that a few thousand such letters sent by an equal amount of DIFFERENT American writers, EACH LETTER DIFFERENTLY WORDED with the same basic message would have more effect than the many thousands already sent to the rulers. But they should not be form letters in any case......the Arubans themselves will take care of circulating them and discussing them......to date, all they know is what their rulers have put into their heads. The letters would need to be sincere, compassionate, and non-threatening, IMO, and call on the integrity and human decency of those who would receive them.

The Aruban white pages or some other address book is all that would be necessary.......I'm not sure if the average Aruban households all have telephone service.....