Aruba asks the Netherlands for help
Amigoe
11/03/2005

ARUBA – Prime Minister Nelson Oduber (MEP) has asked Minister Ben Bot (CDA) of Foreign Affairs to please exert his influence to restructure the downward publicity spiral, in which Aruba has landed due to the Natalee Holloway matter.

“The American media-campaigns have discredited the Aruban judicial system and its integrity”, said Oduber. He hinted that the Netherlands also gets drawn in this. “The call for a boycott is not exclusively for Aruba, but also for the Netherlands.” Oduber indicates in his letter that the call for a boycott mainly rests on an incorrect interpretation of the judicial system of Aruba and the Netherlands. They insinuate that the judicial system of Aruba is not integer, but corrupt. Oduber requests Bot to do what needs to be done to restore the bad image of Aruba, like involving experts in the field of media and communication. The American Justice Department and/or the FBI can be asked to issue an explication [explanation] that would inspire confidence regarding the functioning of our judicial system. Also the American media can be asked for equal broadcasting time for the Aruban/Dutch case. Oduber indicated that the Aruban government appreciates the assistance of the Netherlands in the form of F-16 fighter jets and a declaration of the Dutch ambassador in Washington. The absolute figures do not show a negative influence on the image of Aruba as a safe tourist destination. But professional market research shows a less bright image for the future. 51 Percent, of the interviewed persons, of which 33 percent are directly involved with the Holloway case, said that they are not interested in going to Aruba. 21 Percent of the travel agents are less inclined to recommend Aruba as vacation destination. The biggest concern is the fact that 27 percent consider Aruba to be an unsafe place to go to. Aruba has dropped from the second to the seventh place on the list of safe vacation destinations and is now almost at the same level as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. In his letter to Bot, Oduber points out the disastrous consequences that the continued negative reports can have on the tourist industry as well as on the investment climate of Aruba.

[English language original text]