Merchants in Aruba are upset
Arubans considering taking Dr. Phil to court in the U.S.
Want to sue for damaging our island’s name
DIARIO Aruba
11/18/2005

ORANJESTAD(AAN): Thursday, on the Dr. Phil show, presented around the U.S. via syndication distributed by King World, the theme was “Sex Slaves”.

In the beginning, as well as at the end of the show, Dr. Phil repeated his message for everyone to stop traveling to Aruba.

Although the probability is great that the Alabama student is no longer of this world, a small percentage exists that they wanted to check out the probability that she is still alive.

DIARIO also had taken this into account from the beginning and on the basis of various ‘leads’ we have received, checked all corners for this story. In the background, DIARIO continues to investigate and check all details received. Only some of this investigation is made public, but no all.

It is true that a DIARIO reporter kept quiet that he went to check one of the tips that Natalee is alive, but because he did not find confirmation (‘hard facts’) of this probability, he opted to not go public with it.

However on Thursday, Natalee’s mother decided to divulge this to a big audience. Nevertheless, reporters continue to work on every detail and tip that is received.

NOW ABOUT CURACAO

The case of Amy Bradley also found a big spotlight on the Dr. Phil show, because it focused on young women that are abducted on other countries to be used as ‘sex slaves’.

Amy disappeared from a cruise ship when it first entered the port of Willemstad. Many believe that she fell of the ship and drowned in the Caribbean sea. However, from that time, her family thinks that she disembarked in Curacao without being noticed and that she is being held as a slave.

Dr. Phil even let a crew go to Curaçao and film the “Mirage” (formerly Campo Alegre) spy-video style, How did they do this, seeing that Mirage has their doors wide open to get coverage for their business? But Dr. Phil’s show portrayed it as if it were a very hidden and ‘secret’ place, even though it is a place that even has a website to promote itself.

MERCHANTS’ LAWSUIT

Some merchants are quite upset with the latest developments surrounding the case of Natalee Holloway, and expressed on Thursday that they are preparing a case against the complete production of Dr. Phil in the U.S.

This deals especially with the merchants whose business interests is that they do a lot of business with the U.S. The latest statements from this TV host is inflicting and continues to inflict damage to our island.

Thursday they were in contact with at least one very popular law firm in the U.S. in order to evaluate a possible lawsuit against Dr. Phil. It seems that the lawyers in the U.S. are convening to give the merchants from Aruba an answer about their questions if there is space for said lawsuit.

The lawsuit will be based on the fact that the name of Aruba is unfairly being dirtied, launching the whole economy of a country into trouble, without valid justification to do so.

Worse still, is when Dr. Phil on his own show insinuated that Natalee Holloway could possibly be in Cancun, Mexico. The question remains whether Natalee is not in Aruba, then how can he continue to promote a boycott against Aruba?

They also said that Mexico has slavery in the prostitution underworlds, and that would pay millions for Natalee Holloway, because she is a very popular young woman now…then how can Aruba be boycotted?

We are speaking here of a lawsuit which could run into the millions of American dollars if Aruba can prove that our economy and revenues of certain merchants go down because of the whole boycott which he is promoting against our island.

The intention is to look for more local merchants to lend a hand in the high cost of lawyers in the U.S. Many are thinking that if such a case would be worth it, then it has to be done to put some finality to the low manner in which the American press is treating our island, without giving us the chance to reply.

[translated by Getagrip]