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http://www.hasibokos.com/hbknews/default.asp?view=day&blogDate=6/10/2005

Latest developments in Aruba (Wednesday): Hasibokos.com followed an interview with the government spokesman of Aruba Ruben Trappenberg on Tuesday. He was asked if Aruba is noticing substantial drops in tourist arrivals and increase of cancellations during the Holloway case. Trappenberg indicated that the arrivals and cancellations are still at a normal levels, but he expects a negative short term effect to be noticeable within a month whilst the Holloway case remains unsolved. According to Trappenberg, the international media is certainly not helping. He gave some examples of how the media covered unrelated (negative) issues at times when there was no breaking news to be reported in the Holloway case. During the times when there was no breaking news the media went on to dedicate attention to drug related issues, as they reported that drug cartels are active on the island .They media also visited the slums and reported on prostitution in Aruba. Trappenberg went on to explain that he understands that television programs and news reporting are very expensive, but this doesn’t justify the coverage of negative (unrelated) subjects. According to Trappenberg the fact that the media in America is showing only reruns right now in the low season is putting pressure on the producers to come up with material to fill their slots. Trappenberg also said that the media has been coming to their offices and demanding to speak to the prime minister, Nelson Oduber, personally. When they where informed that this was not possible, they threaten to go a find something negative in Aruba to report on if their request/demand for an interview was not granted. Trappenberg went on to talk to then himself to satisfy them.

Till this day it’s not totally clear why the Natalee Holloway case has been getting so much attention. We’ve been receiving many e-mails with opinions and noticed various comments in forums on this issue. Some of them suggesting that if Natalee was Black or Hispanic-American and/or poor, there wouldn’t have been so much media coverage. It has also come to our attention that in Alamaba alone there are numerous persons missing right now and the authorities have not been unable to solve those cases. We can only hope that the media is also dedication attention to those cases as well, because as we see it they deserve the same media coverage that Natalee has been getting. The search volunteers from Texas are supposed to arrive in Aruba on Friday and there is high hopes that they will be able to find Natalee, some evidence or at least some leads. Considering that the Cub Scout that had been missing in Utah was found by a group volunteers, the hopes are high that this group of search experts from Texas will find something.