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.
12.21.2005
According to American prosecutor
Aruban investigative team is very professional in the gathering of evidence and interrogation
DIARIO Aruba
12/21/2005
ORANJESTAD(AAN): After the Aruban delegation met with American Congressman Spencer Bachus and Shelby county prosecutor Robby Owens and David Barber of Jefferson county, Barber said to the American press that he offered Aruba his help to obtain interviews win Natalee Holloway’s classmates.
For this to happen, however, according to the prosecutor, certain international protocols must be taken into account so that the information is legally obtained and is able to be used in court.
Congressman Bachus continues to say that it is Aruba’s intention to continue forging ahead and not close this case, which has 14 investigators working on it.
Prosecutor Owens said that Aruba lacks experience in homicide cases, because there are hardly ever any homicides [in Aruba], but he said that Aruba is very professional in the gathering of evidence and interrogation of suspects.
“I feel better about the investigation, after meeting with them.” This according to Congressman Spencer Bachus, after his meeting with the delegation from Aruba.
Aruban investigative team is very professional in the gathering of evidence and interrogation
DIARIO Aruba
12/21/2005
ORANJESTAD(AAN): After the Aruban delegation met with American Congressman Spencer Bachus and Shelby county prosecutor Robby Owens and David Barber of Jefferson county, Barber said to the American press that he offered Aruba his help to obtain interviews win Natalee Holloway’s classmates.
For this to happen, however, according to the prosecutor, certain international protocols must be taken into account so that the information is legally obtained and is able to be used in court.
Congressman Bachus continues to say that it is Aruba’s intention to continue forging ahead and not close this case, which has 14 investigators working on it.
Prosecutor Owens said that Aruba lacks experience in homicide cases, because there are hardly ever any homicides [in Aruba], but he said that Aruba is very professional in the gathering of evidence and interrogation of suspects.
“I feel better about the investigation, after meeting with them.” This according to Congressman Spencer Bachus, after his meeting with the delegation from Aruba.
12.20.2005
According to attorney Schipper and Commissioner Richardson in regards to the case of Natalee Holloway
American Congressman Spencer Bachus is willing to help Aruba
DIARIO Aruba
12/20/2005
ORANJESTAD(AAN): As it is known, a delegation from Aruba travelled to Washington to meet with American member of Congress Spencer Bachus and two prosecutors from Alabama to explain to the American Congress, how the investigation of the case of Natalee Holloway has gone so far and what the intention is for the continuation of the investigation in order to arrive at a solution to this case.
Commissioner Dolfi Richardson, who said that the trip was very fruitful, where on behalf of Aruba, he and attorney Schipper succeeded in raising various important points.
According to Richardson, the American member of Congress said that if Aruba needs any help with this investigation, he can request and get it.
DIARIO also conversed with attorney Arlene Schipper, who said that when they arrived in America at around 8 pm Thursday, they met with the consultants they are working with, to prepare for the meeting with Congress, this meeting ending at around 2 am.
Thursday morning at 9, they met with the Congressman Spencer Bachus, along with two prosecutors from Alabama, one of whom is from the same part of Alabama as Beth Twitty. This happened in the well known Capitol Hill in Washington.
The delegation from Aruba explained in detail the manner in which the police force and other investigators in Aruba worked on this case and are working still, to demonstrate that they have not and are not doing a bad job.
According to Schipper the meeting was to last one hour, but it went well and Mr. Bachus and others in the American delegation had so many questions that the meeting lasted 2 hours.
In what has come out in the American press, the Congressman said that he knows how the press works and that there are many things that have come out in the press that he doesn’t believe.
Congressman Bachus also said to the representatives of Aruba that he is willing to help with anything in this case.
The Aruban delegation took the opportunity to speak about the fact that Aruba handed over some time ago a request for ‘Rechtshulp’ (legal advice) from America, and never heard about it again.
This is very important, for example, for the interrogation of Natalee Holloway’s classmates.
Bachus told the Aruban delegation that will procure that the process is undertaken so that the investigative team can find the opportunity to get information out of the students, which may be relevant to this case.
According to Mrs. Schipper, the whole meeting progressed in a pleasant manner and after the meeting, one of the prosecutors gave a press conference, where he expressed that he is convinced that the manner in which the investigation is going in Aruba is very professional.
One of the most important things to come out of the meeting, according to attorney Schipper, is that Aruba and the Twitty/Holloway family have to reconcile, because both parties will benefit from solving this case.
American Congressman Spencer Bachus is willing to help Aruba
DIARIO Aruba
12/20/2005
ORANJESTAD(AAN): As it is known, a delegation from Aruba travelled to Washington to meet with American member of Congress Spencer Bachus and two prosecutors from Alabama to explain to the American Congress, how the investigation of the case of Natalee Holloway has gone so far and what the intention is for the continuation of the investigation in order to arrive at a solution to this case.
Commissioner Dolfi Richardson, who said that the trip was very fruitful, where on behalf of Aruba, he and attorney Schipper succeeded in raising various important points.
According to Richardson, the American member of Congress said that if Aruba needs any help with this investigation, he can request and get it.
DIARIO also conversed with attorney Arlene Schipper, who said that when they arrived in America at around 8 pm Thursday, they met with the consultants they are working with, to prepare for the meeting with Congress, this meeting ending at around 2 am.
Thursday morning at 9, they met with the Congressman Spencer Bachus, along with two prosecutors from Alabama, one of whom is from the same part of Alabama as Beth Twitty. This happened in the well known Capitol Hill in Washington.
The delegation from Aruba explained in detail the manner in which the police force and other investigators in Aruba worked on this case and are working still, to demonstrate that they have not and are not doing a bad job.
According to Schipper the meeting was to last one hour, but it went well and Mr. Bachus and others in the American delegation had so many questions that the meeting lasted 2 hours.
In what has come out in the American press, the Congressman said that he knows how the press works and that there are many things that have come out in the press that he doesn’t believe.
Congressman Bachus also said to the representatives of Aruba that he is willing to help with anything in this case.
The Aruban delegation took the opportunity to speak about the fact that Aruba handed over some time ago a request for ‘Rechtshulp’ (legal advice) from America, and never heard about it again.
This is very important, for example, for the interrogation of Natalee Holloway’s classmates.
Bachus told the Aruban delegation that will procure that the process is undertaken so that the investigative team can find the opportunity to get information out of the students, which may be relevant to this case.
According to Mrs. Schipper, the whole meeting progressed in a pleasant manner and after the meeting, one of the prosecutors gave a press conference, where he expressed that he is convinced that the manner in which the investigation is going in Aruba is very professional.
One of the most important things to come out of the meeting, according to attorney Schipper, is that Aruba and the Twitty/Holloway family have to reconcile, because both parties will benefit from solving this case.
12.19.2005
Editorial: Complexes and Envy: a bad combination!
DIARIO Aruba
12/19/2005
In Aruba, everyone is aware that there is a big quantity of complexed people, and still more envious ones. What many people do not know is that the combination of both is twice as repugnant. An Aruban, for example, doesn’t have the same grade of acceptance for his merits like any citizen of other countries do, because the theory of the hemchi [basket?] full of crabs exists on our island.
If one of the crabs wants to grab them rim of the hemchi [basket?] to come out, the others pull it down! For them, it’s better to be mediocre than for any one of them to be successful! This is part of the mentality that is an obstacle to the total progress of Aruba.
The case of Natalee has categorically emphasized this concept. Those who have no opinion, or who do not want to give the opinion that they have, or are convinced that their opinion is worthless, refuse to voice it, but on the other hand criticize those who have to courage to do so.
It is the eternal negative human factor, without prosperity and without remedy. Instead of letting those who can contribute to a solution of the case, or at the very lease avoid the worst for Aruba, do their work in peace, the complexed and envious people employ their tongues as a destructive weapon that gives no respite or rest.
What they do not understand, because it cannot penetrate the small alley of their brains, is that a confrontational attitude is not going to help solve Natalee’s case, nor avoid a boycott against Aruba.
The People of America do not care one bit for the comparison of Natalee with the many thousands other cases in the US of youngsters who have disappeared. It is this case, the one of Natalee in particular, which has captured their attention, not the others, amen if they will be solved or not.
Are they by any chance not aware of them? The American People are very well informed as to what happens in their country and do not need anyone to remind them of all the cases that they seriously lament.
I feel for the families of these youngsters, and because there is nothing worse than losing a child, but the case of Natalee is the one that has the actual emphasis in the American media, along with others in similar or worse situations.
Closing your eyes to this reality is demonstrative of a level of stupidity more profound that can be imagined, and to go in a confrontation to try to bury that of Natalee comparing her with thousands of others that are missing in the US, proves this level.
With the three suspects having admitted that they had sexual relations with Natalee when she was temporarily unconscious, is categorical and in the Police records.
At such a time where a person is unconscious, they don’t have the capacity to consent to anything. And in our law, if I’m not mistaken, any sexual act that does not have the consent of both parties, is punishable by law. And this is just what happened with Natalee, who was submitted against her will (because she was unconscious) to sexual acts imposed upon her. That is to say, she was raped. There is no defense lawyer who can argue to the contrary.
I’m not going to waste time with envious people, and even less with complexed people, nor with their criticisms, and if they are looking for a debate for me to give them the importance that they do not have, let them lose hope because this is not going to happen.
The dogs can bark as much as they want; the caravan is destined to continue its way without interruption. I consider my time to be too valuable to lose one second with the people who do not even deserve my attention. As the Persian savant (Omar Khayam) said so many years ago in a paragraph of his Rubiyat:
And so the rooster sang, to those standing in front
In the tavern the shout “Open the door then!
“You know how little time we have left,
“And once we are gone, we will never be able to go back.”
DIARIO Aruba
12/19/2005
In Aruba, everyone is aware that there is a big quantity of complexed people, and still more envious ones. What many people do not know is that the combination of both is twice as repugnant. An Aruban, for example, doesn’t have the same grade of acceptance for his merits like any citizen of other countries do, because the theory of the hemchi [basket?] full of crabs exists on our island.
If one of the crabs wants to grab them rim of the hemchi [basket?] to come out, the others pull it down! For them, it’s better to be mediocre than for any one of them to be successful! This is part of the mentality that is an obstacle to the total progress of Aruba.
The case of Natalee has categorically emphasized this concept. Those who have no opinion, or who do not want to give the opinion that they have, or are convinced that their opinion is worthless, refuse to voice it, but on the other hand criticize those who have to courage to do so.
It is the eternal negative human factor, without prosperity and without remedy. Instead of letting those who can contribute to a solution of the case, or at the very lease avoid the worst for Aruba, do their work in peace, the complexed and envious people employ their tongues as a destructive weapon that gives no respite or rest.
What they do not understand, because it cannot penetrate the small alley of their brains, is that a confrontational attitude is not going to help solve Natalee’s case, nor avoid a boycott against Aruba.
The People of America do not care one bit for the comparison of Natalee with the many thousands other cases in the US of youngsters who have disappeared. It is this case, the one of Natalee in particular, which has captured their attention, not the others, amen if they will be solved or not.
Are they by any chance not aware of them? The American People are very well informed as to what happens in their country and do not need anyone to remind them of all the cases that they seriously lament.
I feel for the families of these youngsters, and because there is nothing worse than losing a child, but the case of Natalee is the one that has the actual emphasis in the American media, along with others in similar or worse situations.
Closing your eyes to this reality is demonstrative of a level of stupidity more profound that can be imagined, and to go in a confrontation to try to bury that of Natalee comparing her with thousands of others that are missing in the US, proves this level.
With the three suspects having admitted that they had sexual relations with Natalee when she was temporarily unconscious, is categorical and in the Police records.
At such a time where a person is unconscious, they don’t have the capacity to consent to anything. And in our law, if I’m not mistaken, any sexual act that does not have the consent of both parties, is punishable by law. And this is just what happened with Natalee, who was submitted against her will (because she was unconscious) to sexual acts imposed upon her. That is to say, she was raped. There is no defense lawyer who can argue to the contrary.
I’m not going to waste time with envious people, and even less with complexed people, nor with their criticisms, and if they are looking for a debate for me to give them the importance that they do not have, let them lose hope because this is not going to happen.
The dogs can bark as much as they want; the caravan is destined to continue its way without interruption. I consider my time to be too valuable to lose one second with the people who do not even deserve my attention. As the Persian savant (Omar Khayam) said so many years ago in a paragraph of his Rubiyat:
And so the rooster sang, to those standing in front
In the tavern the shout “Open the door then!
“You know how little time we have left,
“And once we are gone, we will never be able to go back.”
Joran van der Sloot returns to Aruba today
DIARIO Aruba
12/20/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Although sources said that his visit to Aruba is to spend “Christmas and New Year’s” with his family, there is an indication that local authorities want to speak with him again, after officials have reviewed all evidence months back.
Sources showed that Joran’s ticket had already been purhcased and he’s leaving Cold Land to come to Aruba. The news that he is leaving Holland for vacations was also noted by the American media.
DIARIO Aruba
12/20/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Although sources said that his visit to Aruba is to spend “Christmas and New Year’s” with his family, there is an indication that local authorities want to speak with him again, after officials have reviewed all evidence months back.
Sources showed that Joran’s ticket had already been purhcased and he’s leaving Cold Land to come to Aruba. The news that he is leaving Holland for vacations was also noted by the American media.
12.16.2005
According to Internet Blog
There is a big chance that Natalee Holloway was pregnant when she was in Aruba
DIARIO Aruba
12/16/2005
ORANJESTAD(AAN): Recently, on one of the ‘blogs’ on the Internet, where people around the world discuss the case of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, there was an interesting discussion about this case.
They started to discuss the reason that Natalee could have decided to disappear. Those on that blog, assumed for a moment that Natalee is not dead and that she decided to run away. According to the person who runs the blog, there are indications that Natalee was pregnant and under stress because of her pregnancy.
He/she said that if one compared a picture of Natalee when she went to the prom on the 3rd of May to the photo of Natalee when she was here in Aruba, one can see that she is around 10% heavier than when she was in the US.
This does not necessarily signify that she was pregnant, but the indications are strong that this was the case, and according to that person, the young American was between 4 and 5 months pregnant.
Another indication that she was pregnant is that Joran said that Natalee was hysterical when on the beach at the Marriott, which could be a sign that this is the case and because of this she wanted to remain on the beach and not go back to the Holiday Inn.
According to the person from the blog, it is very regrettable that Natalee’s family have done everything in their power so that no one can see the pictures of the students in the time they were in Aruba so that they cannot comment much on what they did in Aruba. He/she continues to say that there could be some of the students who know that Natalee was indeed expecting a child and by who.
The person continues to say that probably Natalee’s classmates could have helped her escape and get back to the US, in a hidden manner, due to the shame and scandal that it would be for Natalee and the father of her supposed child, when the families found out.
The question remains, how Natalee and her friends could have succeeded in getting Natalee out of Aruba, without the help of locals. Because if it is indeed the case that Natalee left Aruba alive, it is difficult to believe that no one in Aruba knows about it.
If Natalee left Aruba, it is also difficult to believe that the three suspects, Deepak, Satish and Joran are aware of this, because it is not logical that three youngsters who love to go out and enjoy life will sacrifice their freedom for so long, for a person they hardly knew.
What does make this matter very interesting is that this is not the first time that a possible Natalee Holloway pregnancy has been spoken about. There have been different versions circulating, where at one time it was spoken about a doctor who said to Natalee approached him about an abortion.
Another version says that Natalee is pregnant by a person very close to her mother, and that she will be giving birth in January and that after this, she will come forward to clear everything up.
Now there is the latest version which appears on a blog that says that when Natalee came to Aruba, she was 4 to 5 months pregnant. Like they say: where there’s smoke there’s fire.
Looking at how many times a possible pregnancy of Natalee Holloway has been mentioned, perhaps this is the truth. One thing is for sure, if this is true and Natalee came forward, this would be good news for Aruba in what relates to the boycott.
There is a big chance that Natalee Holloway was pregnant when she was in Aruba
DIARIO Aruba
12/16/2005
ORANJESTAD(AAN): Recently, on one of the ‘blogs’ on the Internet, where people around the world discuss the case of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, there was an interesting discussion about this case.
They started to discuss the reason that Natalee could have decided to disappear. Those on that blog, assumed for a moment that Natalee is not dead and that she decided to run away. According to the person who runs the blog, there are indications that Natalee was pregnant and under stress because of her pregnancy.
He/she said that if one compared a picture of Natalee when she went to the prom on the 3rd of May to the photo of Natalee when she was here in Aruba, one can see that she is around 10% heavier than when she was in the US.
This does not necessarily signify that she was pregnant, but the indications are strong that this was the case, and according to that person, the young American was between 4 and 5 months pregnant.
Another indication that she was pregnant is that Joran said that Natalee was hysterical when on the beach at the Marriott, which could be a sign that this is the case and because of this she wanted to remain on the beach and not go back to the Holiday Inn.
According to the person from the blog, it is very regrettable that Natalee’s family have done everything in their power so that no one can see the pictures of the students in the time they were in Aruba so that they cannot comment much on what they did in Aruba. He/she continues to say that there could be some of the students who know that Natalee was indeed expecting a child and by who.
The person continues to say that probably Natalee’s classmates could have helped her escape and get back to the US, in a hidden manner, due to the shame and scandal that it would be for Natalee and the father of her supposed child, when the families found out.
The question remains, how Natalee and her friends could have succeeded in getting Natalee out of Aruba, without the help of locals. Because if it is indeed the case that Natalee left Aruba alive, it is difficult to believe that no one in Aruba knows about it.
If Natalee left Aruba, it is also difficult to believe that the three suspects, Deepak, Satish and Joran are aware of this, because it is not logical that three youngsters who love to go out and enjoy life will sacrifice their freedom for so long, for a person they hardly knew.
What does make this matter very interesting is that this is not the first time that a possible Natalee Holloway pregnancy has been spoken about. There have been different versions circulating, where at one time it was spoken about a doctor who said to Natalee approached him about an abortion.
Another version says that Natalee is pregnant by a person very close to her mother, and that she will be giving birth in January and that after this, she will come forward to clear everything up.
Now there is the latest version which appears on a blog that says that when Natalee came to Aruba, she was 4 to 5 months pregnant. Like they say: where there’s smoke there’s fire.
Looking at how many times a possible pregnancy of Natalee Holloway has been mentioned, perhaps this is the truth. One thing is for sure, if this is true and Natalee came forward, this would be good news for Aruba in what relates to the boycott.
12.14.2005
Due to Minister’s reply being satisfactory
Investigative team will continue on Natalee’s case
DIARIO Aruba
12/14/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): After the police union explained their concerns related to the investigative team putting the case on hold, they now decided to continue on with the investigation.
It is known that the matter of justice getting involved [is valid] as long as it’s something serious. Any [conflict?] can cause much damage in any investigation, in particular when a person who is not qualified is involved in the matter, who was not involved in the interrogations or the investigation [to begin with].
Since the beginning, a way has been sought to push and pull, and make heads roll as if it was a chess game that they’re playing. While it deals with a very serious case, in particular the country of Aruba being at stake.
More still, when the steps are closely followed by people abroad. Recently, the government requested assistance from Minister of Justice David Dick, if the Aruban Public Prosecution could arrange to have the assistance Mr. Angela, an Aruban prosecutor that practices his profession in Curaçao.
They came to a good agreement and Mr. Angela traveled to Aruba apparently to reinforce the investigative team.
However, as days progressed, those in charge of the investigation said that he didn’t speak with them, he wasn’t in contact, and he took documents to read and study. While these actions which seem suspicious and reached the police union management. After having analyzed the situation, the union decided to stop the investigation and put it on hold so that the minister in charge could provide some clarity as to what prosecutor Angela is doing in Aruba.
Tuesday, a report came in that the union was notified that the prosecutor in question is analyzing the documents in order to give a ‘second opinion’.
On the basis of this report, they provided SPA representatives and finally the members of the team decided to resume the investigation, and this is now the second time that the team can’t concentrate due to interference. It is hoped that this will be the last time that a mandatory interferes with such an important investigation.
Investigative team will continue on Natalee’s case
DIARIO Aruba
12/14/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): After the police union explained their concerns related to the investigative team putting the case on hold, they now decided to continue on with the investigation.
It is known that the matter of justice getting involved [is valid] as long as it’s something serious. Any [conflict?] can cause much damage in any investigation, in particular when a person who is not qualified is involved in the matter, who was not involved in the interrogations or the investigation [to begin with].
Since the beginning, a way has been sought to push and pull, and make heads roll as if it was a chess game that they’re playing. While it deals with a very serious case, in particular the country of Aruba being at stake.
More still, when the steps are closely followed by people abroad. Recently, the government requested assistance from Minister of Justice David Dick, if the Aruban Public Prosecution could arrange to have the assistance Mr. Angela, an Aruban prosecutor that practices his profession in Curaçao.
They came to a good agreement and Mr. Angela traveled to Aruba apparently to reinforce the investigative team.
However, as days progressed, those in charge of the investigation said that he didn’t speak with them, he wasn’t in contact, and he took documents to read and study. While these actions which seem suspicious and reached the police union management. After having analyzed the situation, the union decided to stop the investigation and put it on hold so that the minister in charge could provide some clarity as to what prosecutor Angela is doing in Aruba.
Tuesday, a report came in that the union was notified that the prosecutor in question is analyzing the documents in order to give a ‘second opinion’.
On the basis of this report, they provided SPA representatives and finally the members of the team decided to resume the investigation, and this is now the second time that the team can’t concentrate due to interference. It is hoped that this will be the last time that a mandatory interferes with such an important investigation.
12.13.2005
Business life hardly notice a boycott
Amigoe
12/13/2005
ARUBA – A small, non-scientific founded investigation amongst people in several business sectors organized by the Chamber of Commerce gave the impression that the economic consequences of the Holloway-affaire are hardly noticeable for the business life outside the tourist sector.
The hotels do experience cancellations, but they do not want to attribute this to the aftermath of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The hurricane season has also caused cancellations. There are some concerns though on the question whether the cancellation will be compensated with new reservations. The business life was optimistic about turnover increase in 2006. Edwin Roos, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce is of the opinion that the Strategic Communication Action Task Force that is in charge of the external communications on the Holloway-affaire, have to give more information. “They have already done something in that direction by appointing a spokesperson for the international media. We also have the website http://www.arubatruth.com, but we need a spokesperson for Aruba self; that would be nice”, said Roos. He continued saying that a boycott of Twitty does not contribute to anything.
Amigoe
12/13/2005
ARUBA – A small, non-scientific founded investigation amongst people in several business sectors organized by the Chamber of Commerce gave the impression that the economic consequences of the Holloway-affaire are hardly noticeable for the business life outside the tourist sector.
The hotels do experience cancellations, but they do not want to attribute this to the aftermath of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The hurricane season has also caused cancellations. There are some concerns though on the question whether the cancellation will be compensated with new reservations. The business life was optimistic about turnover increase in 2006. Edwin Roos, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce is of the opinion that the Strategic Communication Action Task Force that is in charge of the external communications on the Holloway-affaire, have to give more information. “They have already done something in that direction by appointing a spokesperson for the international media. We also have the website http://www.arubatruth.com, but we need a spokesperson for Aruba self; that would be nice”, said Roos. He continued saying that a boycott of Twitty does not contribute to anything.
If a new investigative team comes in, it’ll take a lot of time for them to go over everything in the investigation
According to Eric Zaandam, in regards to Beth Twitty’s request which is madness
DIARIO Aruba
12/13/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): SPA president Eric Zaandam said that we have to be careful with the madness that Mrs. Twitty is requesting and saying, among others the fact that there has to be a new investigative team come in, in the case of the disappearance of her daughter.
This because his tactical and technical experience shows that if a new team comes in, they can’t obtain clarity In 6 months, to read all documents of what has happened in the case of Holloway.
It will take at least one year, in order to afterwards start with their investigation.
According to Zaandam, the time has come for the Public Prosecutor’s Office or the chief of police to start relating to the press what work has been done in this case and not do this in a global way, but to give specific information about what the investigative team has done.
Zaandam said that he was astounded when he saw the extensive work that the team has done, where they are investigating various different scenarios, in regards to the disappearance of the young American.
DIARIO asked Mr. Zaandam what is happening with the delegation that is thinking of going to the US, where he explained that attorney Arlene Schipper and Commissioner Dolfi Richardson will travel to Washington next week, for them to speak with an American senator, to give information about the case.
According to Zaandam, as long as this case is not solved, American show producers will continue to look for strategies to come up with bombs for Aruba.
According to Eric Zaandam, in regards to Beth Twitty’s request which is madness
DIARIO Aruba
12/13/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): SPA president Eric Zaandam said that we have to be careful with the madness that Mrs. Twitty is requesting and saying, among others the fact that there has to be a new investigative team come in, in the case of the disappearance of her daughter.
This because his tactical and technical experience shows that if a new team comes in, they can’t obtain clarity In 6 months, to read all documents of what has happened in the case of Holloway.
It will take at least one year, in order to afterwards start with their investigation.
According to Zaandam, the time has come for the Public Prosecutor’s Office or the chief of police to start relating to the press what work has been done in this case and not do this in a global way, but to give specific information about what the investigative team has done.
Zaandam said that he was astounded when he saw the extensive work that the team has done, where they are investigating various different scenarios, in regards to the disappearance of the young American.
DIARIO asked Mr. Zaandam what is happening with the delegation that is thinking of going to the US, where he explained that attorney Arlene Schipper and Commissioner Dolfi Richardson will travel to Washington next week, for them to speak with an American senator, to give information about the case.
According to Zaandam, as long as this case is not solved, American show producers will continue to look for strategies to come up with bombs for Aruba.
Police Union president confirms that
Holloway case investigation has officially stopped
Until the government explains what exactly the role of the new prosecutor will be
DIARIO Aruba
12/13/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Monday, the police union (SPA) held a press conference to clear up certain matters that are still pending with the police force. According to SPA president Eric Zaandam, there are some things that are going in a troublesome route and because of this he felt it would be good to hold a press conference.
According to Zaandam, he noted that letters that were sent to the police force, to indicate that certain persons cannot speak with the press anymore, etc. Also, in the Public Prosecutor’s Office, certain people cannot speak to the press, which makes everything fall upon the police force, on its employees.
According to the SPA president, it is now enough and they have to explain to the press what is taking place, so that the press can see what is going on.
Zaandam said that he wants to elaborate on the matter of Commissioner Dompig, where he has been prohibited from speaking to the press and that the Minister of Justice said that Dompig speaks too much with the press and because of this he has forbidden him from doing so.
According to Zaandam, 2 months ago Dompig was approached by AHATA’s CEO, who is a member of the Communications Task Force, Jorge Pesquera, to become spokesperson of the task force.
The reason was that a few consultancy companies in the US showed that the message on the part of Aruba was not reaching in a clear and strong manner internationally using the spokespersons that they were using.
The consultancy companies counseled the Task Force to get a person who knows the legal process and knows about investigations in Aruba and so they decided to approach Dompig to do this.
The arrangement for Dompig’s interviews was that all questions that were to be asked of Dompig, among others for the magazine ‘Vanity Fair’, were first screened by the consultancy companies so that Commissioner Dompig could give the appropriate answers. All this took place according rules and wording, with the Prime Minister’s knowledge who gave the OK for this.
Now that everything has come out in Vanity Fair and that the American producers have come out with another strategy to attack Aruba, all of a sudden Dompig has become a person who speaks too much.
The Minister of Justice came into the game, as if there was no communication between the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice, and now all the press knows that the Minister of Justice prohibited Commissioner Dompig from speaking.
These dirty games are unacceptable, according to Zaadam, who said that, for example, no one from the Task Force has come forward to say that they gave Commissioner Dompig the OK themselves, and that they have screened everything and that all was done in a correct manner.
The Prime Minister also can come forward to say that the Minister of Justice was at fault for prohibiting Dompig from speaking. This, according to Zaandam, who said that he wants to bring this type of thing forward to show how the police is being played by all other institutions.
All these games are for one sole objective that is unacceptable for the police, where for example prosecutor Karen Janssen was also prohibited to speak. After some time, now the Minister of Justice has expressed that prosecutor Angela from Curaçao has come to Aruba to conduct an investigation of the team of investigators.
According to the SPA president, Angela has come to Aruba to do this and not to assist in the investigation. This cannot be, according to Zaandam, who said that there can never be and investigation in an investigation.
After that SPA met with the team of investigators, they agreed that they are going to have everything on hold, until they are able to find out exactly what prosecutor Angela has come to do in Aruba. When they asked chief prosecutor Karen Janssen what prosecutor Angela came to do in Aruba, she said that she doesn’t know, that it’s something she can’t.
Prosecutor Angela hasn’t been in contact with the investigative team either, about for example, certain documents that he has related to the case, to see in detail what is taking place.
According to Zaandam, prosecutor Angela is sitting in an office at the Attorney General’s, is looking at the investigation files, which is something that cannot take place, and because of this they have stopped the investigation of the case, temporarily. Zaandam said that he realizes that this is a very troublesome decision, but it will be taken until they find more clarity about this.
He continued to say that now the American Senate has asked for more information on the case of Holloway and the intention of the government to send Arlene Schipper and Commissioner Dolfi Richardson to Washington.
Zaandam said that this is after three Commissioners that they added to the investigation of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. This way people’s attention is diverted.
This, according to the SPA president, who said that it is a public secret that there is a problem between the Attorney General and chief prosecutor Karen Janssen, and this is just something that cannot go on in the police force. According to Zaandam, he wants to avoid any division within the police force, that they government and others are trying to create.
First there was the supposed clash between Commissioner van der Straten and Commissioner Dompig, where van der Straten retired and things calmed down. Now Dompig took over the case, where they involved Dolfi Richardson in the game, to see if there was a clash.
SPA advised the two Commissioners that there is no clash in the police force and they expressed together that they are behind the investigative team, that they are together in this and that they speak together in respect to the team and the case. It is clear that if there is a separate power who wants to divide this team, they can forget about it.
According to Zaandam, the investigative team is doing a tremendous job and this has also been expressed by the Dutch colleagues, who were also in Aruba for the investigation.
These Dutch experts expressed in an FBI magazine that they could not have done a better job than the Aruban investigative team, however the Minister of Justice indicated that there will be an investigation of the investigative team, on the part of prosecutor Angela (whom he has respect for, according to Zaandam), who has barely 2 years as prosecutor, compared to the 15/16 years of experience of the prosecution’s office.
According to Zaandam, it’s best if they brought a prosecutor or expert from Holland, for example, who has a lit of experience in this area, for them to come do their investigation.
Zaandam said that the police of Aruba even listened to the FBI agents in Aruba speaking to their superiors in the US, saying what a good job the Aruban investigators are doing and do with the resources they have.
Holloway case investigation has officially stopped
Until the government explains what exactly the role of the new prosecutor will be
DIARIO Aruba
12/13/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Monday, the police union (SPA) held a press conference to clear up certain matters that are still pending with the police force. According to SPA president Eric Zaandam, there are some things that are going in a troublesome route and because of this he felt it would be good to hold a press conference.
According to Zaandam, he noted that letters that were sent to the police force, to indicate that certain persons cannot speak with the press anymore, etc. Also, in the Public Prosecutor’s Office, certain people cannot speak to the press, which makes everything fall upon the police force, on its employees.
According to the SPA president, it is now enough and they have to explain to the press what is taking place, so that the press can see what is going on.
Zaandam said that he wants to elaborate on the matter of Commissioner Dompig, where he has been prohibited from speaking to the press and that the Minister of Justice said that Dompig speaks too much with the press and because of this he has forbidden him from doing so.
According to Zaandam, 2 months ago Dompig was approached by AHATA’s CEO, who is a member of the Communications Task Force, Jorge Pesquera, to become spokesperson of the task force.
The reason was that a few consultancy companies in the US showed that the message on the part of Aruba was not reaching in a clear and strong manner internationally using the spokespersons that they were using.
The consultancy companies counseled the Task Force to get a person who knows the legal process and knows about investigations in Aruba and so they decided to approach Dompig to do this.
The arrangement for Dompig’s interviews was that all questions that were to be asked of Dompig, among others for the magazine ‘Vanity Fair’, were first screened by the consultancy companies so that Commissioner Dompig could give the appropriate answers. All this took place according rules and wording, with the Prime Minister’s knowledge who gave the OK for this.
Now that everything has come out in Vanity Fair and that the American producers have come out with another strategy to attack Aruba, all of a sudden Dompig has become a person who speaks too much.
The Minister of Justice came into the game, as if there was no communication between the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice, and now all the press knows that the Minister of Justice prohibited Commissioner Dompig from speaking.
These dirty games are unacceptable, according to Zaadam, who said that, for example, no one from the Task Force has come forward to say that they gave Commissioner Dompig the OK themselves, and that they have screened everything and that all was done in a correct manner.
The Prime Minister also can come forward to say that the Minister of Justice was at fault for prohibiting Dompig from speaking. This, according to Zaandam, who said that he wants to bring this type of thing forward to show how the police is being played by all other institutions.
All these games are for one sole objective that is unacceptable for the police, where for example prosecutor Karen Janssen was also prohibited to speak. After some time, now the Minister of Justice has expressed that prosecutor Angela from Curaçao has come to Aruba to conduct an investigation of the team of investigators.
According to the SPA president, Angela has come to Aruba to do this and not to assist in the investigation. This cannot be, according to Zaandam, who said that there can never be and investigation in an investigation.
After that SPA met with the team of investigators, they agreed that they are going to have everything on hold, until they are able to find out exactly what prosecutor Angela has come to do in Aruba. When they asked chief prosecutor Karen Janssen what prosecutor Angela came to do in Aruba, she said that she doesn’t know, that it’s something she can’t.
Prosecutor Angela hasn’t been in contact with the investigative team either, about for example, certain documents that he has related to the case, to see in detail what is taking place.
According to Zaandam, prosecutor Angela is sitting in an office at the Attorney General’s, is looking at the investigation files, which is something that cannot take place, and because of this they have stopped the investigation of the case, temporarily. Zaandam said that he realizes that this is a very troublesome decision, but it will be taken until they find more clarity about this.
He continued to say that now the American Senate has asked for more information on the case of Holloway and the intention of the government to send Arlene Schipper and Commissioner Dolfi Richardson to Washington.
Zaandam said that this is after three Commissioners that they added to the investigation of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. This way people’s attention is diverted.
This, according to the SPA president, who said that it is a public secret that there is a problem between the Attorney General and chief prosecutor Karen Janssen, and this is just something that cannot go on in the police force. According to Zaandam, he wants to avoid any division within the police force, that they government and others are trying to create.
First there was the supposed clash between Commissioner van der Straten and Commissioner Dompig, where van der Straten retired and things calmed down. Now Dompig took over the case, where they involved Dolfi Richardson in the game, to see if there was a clash.
SPA advised the two Commissioners that there is no clash in the police force and they expressed together that they are behind the investigative team, that they are together in this and that they speak together in respect to the team and the case. It is clear that if there is a separate power who wants to divide this team, they can forget about it.
According to Zaandam, the investigative team is doing a tremendous job and this has also been expressed by the Dutch colleagues, who were also in Aruba for the investigation.
These Dutch experts expressed in an FBI magazine that they could not have done a better job than the Aruban investigative team, however the Minister of Justice indicated that there will be an investigation of the investigative team, on the part of prosecutor Angela (whom he has respect for, according to Zaandam), who has barely 2 years as prosecutor, compared to the 15/16 years of experience of the prosecution’s office.
According to Zaandam, it’s best if they brought a prosecutor or expert from Holland, for example, who has a lit of experience in this area, for them to come do their investigation.
Zaandam said that the police of Aruba even listened to the FBI agents in Aruba speaking to their superiors in the US, saying what a good job the Aruban investigators are doing and do with the resources they have.
12.12.2005
Bob Riley’s wide [sic] condemns Aruba
Amigoe
12/12/2005
ARUBA – Patsy Riley, the wife of the governor of Alabama, pledged to keep supporting the family of the missing Natalee Holloway for ever. “Realizing that a country turns her back on you”, said Riley crying. “The residents of Alabama will never turn their back on you.”
She said this during a prayer service for missing children in their home in Montgomery, Alabama last Thursday evening. Of course, the mother of Natalee Holloway Beth Twitty, her husband Jug Twitty, and a whole lot of friends of Holloway from Mountain Brook, where the Twitty’s live were there. The service was also attended by families of four other missing children. One of these families said that the service was more dedicated to Holloway, but that it didn’t matter, because the service was also for them very consolatory.
Currently, there are around 40 children and young adults missing in Alabama. “Another country is involved in Natalee’s case, which makes it a different crisis.” The collection during the service was for the Holloway family. In October of this year, the governor of Alabama made an appeal to boycott Aruba. He thought that the governors of the remaining 49 states would follow his example, but up till now, only the governor of Arkansas answered his appeal.
Amigoe
12/12/2005
ARUBA – Patsy Riley, the wife of the governor of Alabama, pledged to keep supporting the family of the missing Natalee Holloway for ever. “Realizing that a country turns her back on you”, said Riley crying. “The residents of Alabama will never turn their back on you.”
She said this during a prayer service for missing children in their home in Montgomery, Alabama last Thursday evening. Of course, the mother of Natalee Holloway Beth Twitty, her husband Jug Twitty, and a whole lot of friends of Holloway from Mountain Brook, where the Twitty’s live were there. The service was also attended by families of four other missing children. One of these families said that the service was more dedicated to Holloway, but that it didn’t matter, because the service was also for them very consolatory.
Currently, there are around 40 children and young adults missing in Alabama. “Another country is involved in Natalee’s case, which makes it a different crisis.” The collection during the service was for the Holloway family. In October of this year, the governor of Alabama made an appeal to boycott Aruba. He thought that the governors of the remaining 49 states would follow his example, but up till now, only the governor of Arkansas answered his appeal.
12.09.2005
Writ against public speaking for chief of police Dompig
Amigoe
12/09/2005
ARUBA – Chief of police, Gerold Dompig, who is in charge of the investigation on the missing Natalee Holloway, is no longer allowed to speak to the media. Justice-minister Rudy Croes has sent him a written order.
The letter came shortly after it became public that Dompig had given a interview to the American magazine Vanity Fair. He told the magazine that the family Holloway / Twitty had obstructed the investigation from the beginning. Consequence to this article, Beth Twitty is again being interviewed in several American TV-shows. She said in The Early Show on CBS that it is very difficult for her to even react on the suggestion. “Everybody knows that we have always respected the Dutch judicial system and we have collaborated with them, until it became very disadvantageous for Natalee. That’s when it became necessary for us to seek help.” Dompig talks too much. Recently, he told the Amigoe how the investigation team was busy doing a profile investigation. Attention is not being focused on the possible suspects here, but the victim. By profiling the victim, the police can figure out what type of people would approach her. “From this investigation it appeared that Natalee was not at all the exceptional person that her family made us believe. During her stay in Aruba, she was a party animal and consumed a lot of alcohol. She most probably used drugs and offered this to others. It appeared that Natalee was even after Joran van der Sloot. He didn’t need much persuasiveness to get her.” According to Dompig, there are three new analysts investigating the case. They read the file and ask questions. “Important is not to be blind.”
Amigoe
12/09/2005
ARUBA – Chief of police, Gerold Dompig, who is in charge of the investigation on the missing Natalee Holloway, is no longer allowed to speak to the media. Justice-minister Rudy Croes has sent him a written order.
The letter came shortly after it became public that Dompig had given a interview to the American magazine Vanity Fair. He told the magazine that the family Holloway / Twitty had obstructed the investigation from the beginning. Consequence to this article, Beth Twitty is again being interviewed in several American TV-shows. She said in The Early Show on CBS that it is very difficult for her to even react on the suggestion. “Everybody knows that we have always respected the Dutch judicial system and we have collaborated with them, until it became very disadvantageous for Natalee. That’s when it became necessary for us to seek help.” Dompig talks too much. Recently, he told the Amigoe how the investigation team was busy doing a profile investigation. Attention is not being focused on the possible suspects here, but the victim. By profiling the victim, the police can figure out what type of people would approach her. “From this investigation it appeared that Natalee was not at all the exceptional person that her family made us believe. During her stay in Aruba, she was a party animal and consumed a lot of alcohol. She most probably used drugs and offered this to others. It appeared that Natalee was even after Joran van der Sloot. He didn’t need much persuasiveness to get her.” According to Dompig, there are three new analysts investigating the case. They read the file and ask questions. “Important is not to be blind.”
Public Prosecutor reacts to the Amigoe article
PG: Publications do not square with the truth
DIARIO Aruba
12/09/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Thursday, the Public Prosecutor sent a press release to all media, related to an article that appeared in the Amigoe newspaper, where it was published the Attorney General is involved in ongoing cases.
The release says the following: About the level of handling, the Public Prosecutor has decided that it is only the information department of the Public Prosecution that will maintain contact with the press and give information about penal cases.
This is done specifically so that the prosecutor can concentrate only on the investigation and also because in a small community, it is important for the prosecutor to remain outside the light cast by the media.
The information department is equipped with qualified people in the area of information and communications. All workers have to leave them to this handling.
In Holland, all prosecutors have to have them in the handling which was stipulated and it is not tolerated that prosecutors do not do this and do whatever they want. The AG is not involved in cases.
It is not true that the AG involved herself in cases that are ongoing. The AG did not ‘dismiss’ any case either. The AG does not have the authority to do so, only the prosecutor.
The AG does not permit any person or institution to influence the decision of the prosecutor. The AG was not involved in the decision in the cases of two suspects of the governing board office.
The AG does not involve herself in the decisions of the prosecutor, for cases. The AG demands that there is handling of this, and that all prosecutors use the same criteria when taking decisions in penal cases, which now is not the case.
The AG regrets that things that are not true are said about the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The AG emphasizes at all times that all members of the Public Prosecution’s office have to speak the truth at always, because the citizens have placed their trust in them.
What the AG is trying to do, is to make the Public Prosecution Office a well-organized and professional institution. The AG had encountered a Public Prosecution’s Office that is not organized.
When the AG assumed her work, she met a Public Prosecution’s office that was disorganized, where there was no supervision of the work performed by prosecutors, where it was not known how many cases entered, what type of cases these where, and what happened to this cases.
There was never a management plan, where all souls were working on the same yearly summary of four or five pages, where case dossiers were disappearing without anyone knowing where they went.
Cases remained dormant to later be dismissed, because time had elapsed. Work procedures were not fixed and almost no work rules existed for prosecutors.
On this side there was a number of instances where authorities were to conduct a penal investigation and that they wanted to do this, but they were frustrated by disappointing experiences with the Public Prosecution. The citizen complained that he made the complaint and heard nothing else.
The AG is working along with many other good workers of the Public Prosecution’s Office, who have the same objectives ahead of them, to fix all these matters that according to the AG cannot go on in an institution as important as the Public Prosecution’s Office.
The guide for this is the law and what the law prescribes. According to the law, the AG is at the head of the Public Prosecution’s Office and is also responsible for what the prosecutors do in the first instance.
Related to these responsibilities, the AG cannot permit not to work according to the law, saying that the law has to be applied in a creative and flexible way. Examples of bad use of power.
An example of bad use of power is when permission is given to detain a person for a punishable offense, with the objective to interrogate for another punishable offense.
Another example is when dossiers of a case end up (missing?) and after a lot of searching it comes out that the person is responsible is from the Public Prosecution’s Office.
When you let a case dossier be destroyed, along with a sentence card, this is also a bad use o power. Bad use of power is also when the decision of the judge changes and the sentence that the judge imposes is reduced. As boss of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the AG will never permit such practices.
Lastly, the release says that the AG was selected as ‘Woman of the Year’ in the newspaper The News in the year 1998 and in the newspaper DIARIO in 2003. The selection of the newspaper DIARIO was principally because the AG instituted an information department at the Public Prosecution’s Office.
In response to yesterday's Amigo article:
ARUBA – Justice-minister Rudy Croes (MEP) gave the public prosecutor
(OM) till December 17th the time to solve the internal problems. The
conflict between chief district attorney Karin Janssen and Attorney
General Theresa Croes-Fernandes Perna has been going on for six months
already. The minister is now threatening with taking measures against the
chief district attorney, because the Attorney General (PG) is her
superior.
One of the reasons for the conflict is the way the media was
informed in the Holloway-case. Janssen, who is a media-officer in the
Netherlands, is of the opinion that it was not professionally done. The
conflict escalated when Janssen was interviewed by the Nova. The OM then sent
Janssen’s cellular telephone number to all the local and international
media that was present. “Now that she has spoken to one journalist, she
might as well speak to all of them”, said OM-media information official
Mariaine Croes, daughter of the Attorney General. At that moment,
Janssen was up to her ears in the investigation on the disappeared Natalee
Holloway and got in trouble because of this. It was decided shortly
after that the OM would only give written information on this case. Another
reason for the conflict is that Janssen is of the opinion that the
Attorney General is too much involved with current investigations instead
of working on policy level. She resents at the PG interfering
with the case of two suspicious MEP-supporters that made anonymous
threats by phone from the Government office. The PG dismissed this case
without consulting Janssen. Former chief of police, Jan van der Straten
also clashed with minister Croes about this.
PG: Publications do not square with the truth
DIARIO Aruba
12/09/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Thursday, the Public Prosecutor sent a press release to all media, related to an article that appeared in the Amigoe newspaper, where it was published the Attorney General is involved in ongoing cases.
The release says the following: About the level of handling, the Public Prosecutor has decided that it is only the information department of the Public Prosecution that will maintain contact with the press and give information about penal cases.
This is done specifically so that the prosecutor can concentrate only on the investigation and also because in a small community, it is important for the prosecutor to remain outside the light cast by the media.
The information department is equipped with qualified people in the area of information and communications. All workers have to leave them to this handling.
In Holland, all prosecutors have to have them in the handling which was stipulated and it is not tolerated that prosecutors do not do this and do whatever they want. The AG is not involved in cases.
It is not true that the AG involved herself in cases that are ongoing. The AG did not ‘dismiss’ any case either. The AG does not have the authority to do so, only the prosecutor.
The AG does not permit any person or institution to influence the decision of the prosecutor. The AG was not involved in the decision in the cases of two suspects of the governing board office.
The AG does not involve herself in the decisions of the prosecutor, for cases. The AG demands that there is handling of this, and that all prosecutors use the same criteria when taking decisions in penal cases, which now is not the case.
The AG regrets that things that are not true are said about the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The AG emphasizes at all times that all members of the Public Prosecution’s office have to speak the truth at always, because the citizens have placed their trust in them.
What the AG is trying to do, is to make the Public Prosecution Office a well-organized and professional institution. The AG had encountered a Public Prosecution’s Office that is not organized.
When the AG assumed her work, she met a Public Prosecution’s office that was disorganized, where there was no supervision of the work performed by prosecutors, where it was not known how many cases entered, what type of cases these where, and what happened to this cases.
There was never a management plan, where all souls were working on the same yearly summary of four or five pages, where case dossiers were disappearing without anyone knowing where they went.
Cases remained dormant to later be dismissed, because time had elapsed. Work procedures were not fixed and almost no work rules existed for prosecutors.
On this side there was a number of instances where authorities were to conduct a penal investigation and that they wanted to do this, but they were frustrated by disappointing experiences with the Public Prosecution. The citizen complained that he made the complaint and heard nothing else.
The AG is working along with many other good workers of the Public Prosecution’s Office, who have the same objectives ahead of them, to fix all these matters that according to the AG cannot go on in an institution as important as the Public Prosecution’s Office.
The guide for this is the law and what the law prescribes. According to the law, the AG is at the head of the Public Prosecution’s Office and is also responsible for what the prosecutors do in the first instance.
Related to these responsibilities, the AG cannot permit not to work according to the law, saying that the law has to be applied in a creative and flexible way. Examples of bad use of power.
An example of bad use of power is when permission is given to detain a person for a punishable offense, with the objective to interrogate for another punishable offense.
Another example is when dossiers of a case end up (missing?) and after a lot of searching it comes out that the person is responsible is from the Public Prosecution’s Office.
When you let a case dossier be destroyed, along with a sentence card, this is also a bad use o power. Bad use of power is also when the decision of the judge changes and the sentence that the judge imposes is reduced. As boss of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the AG will never permit such practices.
Lastly, the release says that the AG was selected as ‘Woman of the Year’ in the newspaper The News in the year 1998 and in the newspaper DIARIO in 2003. The selection of the newspaper DIARIO was principally because the AG instituted an information department at the Public Prosecution’s Office.
In response to yesterday's Amigo article:
ARUBA – Justice-minister Rudy Croes (MEP) gave the public prosecutor
(OM) till December 17th the time to solve the internal problems. The
conflict between chief district attorney Karin Janssen and Attorney
General Theresa Croes-Fernandes Perna has been going on for six months
already. The minister is now threatening with taking measures against the
chief district attorney, because the Attorney General (PG) is her
superior.
One of the reasons for the conflict is the way the media was
informed in the Holloway-case. Janssen, who is a media-officer in the
Netherlands, is of the opinion that it was not professionally done. The
conflict escalated when Janssen was interviewed by the Nova. The OM then sent
Janssen’s cellular telephone number to all the local and international
media that was present. “Now that she has spoken to one journalist, she
might as well speak to all of them”, said OM-media information official
Mariaine Croes, daughter of the Attorney General. At that moment,
Janssen was up to her ears in the investigation on the disappeared Natalee
Holloway and got in trouble because of this. It was decided shortly
after that the OM would only give written information on this case. Another
reason for the conflict is that Janssen is of the opinion that the
Attorney General is too much involved with current investigations instead
of working on policy level. She resents at the PG interfering
with the case of two suspicious MEP-supporters that made anonymous
threats by phone from the Government office. The PG dismissed this case
without consulting Janssen. Former chief of police, Jan van der Straten
also clashed with minister Croes about this.
12.08.2005
It could have something to do with his declaration on Vanity Fair magazine
Minister Rudy Croes forbids commissioner Gerold Dompig from speaking to the media
This despite that he was appointed to speak by the Strategic Commission
Bon Dia Aruba
12/08/2005
ORANJESTAD – Commissioner Gerold Dompig has been forbidden to speak to the press. It is Bon Dia Aruba’s understanding that it happened this week. It has been only a day since this daily has spoken to the Minister of Justice Rudy Croes, who indicated that certain people speak a lot to the press and that this must come to a stop. On this occasion, he made mention of among others, chief prosecutor Karin Janssen. But now it results that commissioner Dompig is also one of those who was ordered to shut his mouth when it comes to dealing with the press. This despite that the commissioner was one of the ones appointed by the Strategic Committee to take the word. With the arrival of Steve Cohen, this could change?
VANITY FAIR
The fact is that only a few days after the Vanity Fair article was published on the case of Natalee Holloway, where Gerold Dompig made certain very skerpi[?] declarations on the manner in which the investigation was going. There are indications that this did not fall well with Minister Croes who called the attention of the police chief who in turn sent a letter to commissioner Dompig informing him that effective immediately, he is not permitted to speak to the press anymore.
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES
It is Bon Dia Aruba’s understanding that this point could bring about negative consequences for Aruba as well, in the sense that the international media can interpret this as an act of censorship on the part of the Aruba government and the police corps. Especially since it has only been some days that the magazine published its electronic edition. The Vanity Fair edition will arrive on the market this week for part of America and next week for all of America. And already there are measures taken for Dompig.
Minister Rudy Croes forbids commissioner Gerold Dompig from speaking to the media
This despite that he was appointed to speak by the Strategic Commission
Bon Dia Aruba
12/08/2005
ORANJESTAD – Commissioner Gerold Dompig has been forbidden to speak to the press. It is Bon Dia Aruba’s understanding that it happened this week. It has been only a day since this daily has spoken to the Minister of Justice Rudy Croes, who indicated that certain people speak a lot to the press and that this must come to a stop. On this occasion, he made mention of among others, chief prosecutor Karin Janssen. But now it results that commissioner Dompig is also one of those who was ordered to shut his mouth when it comes to dealing with the press. This despite that the commissioner was one of the ones appointed by the Strategic Committee to take the word. With the arrival of Steve Cohen, this could change?
VANITY FAIR
The fact is that only a few days after the Vanity Fair article was published on the case of Natalee Holloway, where Gerold Dompig made certain very skerpi[?] declarations on the manner in which the investigation was going. There are indications that this did not fall well with Minister Croes who called the attention of the police chief who in turn sent a letter to commissioner Dompig informing him that effective immediately, he is not permitted to speak to the press anymore.
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES
It is Bon Dia Aruba’s understanding that this point could bring about negative consequences for Aruba as well, in the sense that the international media can interpret this as an act of censorship on the part of the Aruba government and the police corps. Especially since it has only been some days that the magazine published its electronic edition. The Vanity Fair edition will arrive on the market this week for part of America and next week for all of America. And already there are measures taken for Dompig.
At the Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino
AHATA President and CEO Jorge Pesquera addresses general assembly
DIARIO Aruba
12/08/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN) – At the recent AHATA General Assembly, the president and CEO if the association addressed the assembly. ‘We mean business’, he said when he called a welcome to the members of the association, members of parliament and leaders of the community.
Tourism is the heart and soul of Aruba, he reiterated, and worries everyone profoundly. With a new management team and a strong membership base, AHATA called for a welcome of the new year with much satisfaction for the past achievements and an anticipation of even better things that will come.
According to Pesquera, the coming year will be marked by challenges in respect to airlines and a lot of competition by the surrounding islands. This deals with consumer confidence that waivers due to a weak American economy, high cost of heating, bird flu fears and passport requirements to travel to the Caribbean.
Aside the challenges, Pesquera looked at past and present achievements; he cited two companies that were recently recruited to lend their expertise to Aruba: La Cure and USDM. Both are positioned to become strong contributors in the general category of marketing.
New advertising, a new web site, as well as the destination revision by the conference planners, Aruba’s future is bright, declared Pesquera.
During the last six months, as a result of the disappearance of Holloway, AHATA reacted rapidly and effectively, he explained, by creating the Strategic Communications Task Force, recruiting the NGO’s, exerting media control in America, launching www.arubatruth.com , nurturing relationships with the community and diverting the Dr. Phil boycott in Philadelphia and contracting spokesperson Steve Cohen to work on behalf of the island.
The other aspect of ‘We really mean business’ includes training, education and acknowledgement, three important aspects that AHATA is promoting by hosting international speakers, such as Prof. Chekitan Dev and by continuing with a fruitful consortium with the University of Aruba and Dr. Ryan Peterson.
AHATA President and CEO Jorge Pesquera addresses general assembly
DIARIO Aruba
12/08/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN) – At the recent AHATA General Assembly, the president and CEO if the association addressed the assembly. ‘We mean business’, he said when he called a welcome to the members of the association, members of parliament and leaders of the community.
Tourism is the heart and soul of Aruba, he reiterated, and worries everyone profoundly. With a new management team and a strong membership base, AHATA called for a welcome of the new year with much satisfaction for the past achievements and an anticipation of even better things that will come.
According to Pesquera, the coming year will be marked by challenges in respect to airlines and a lot of competition by the surrounding islands. This deals with consumer confidence that waivers due to a weak American economy, high cost of heating, bird flu fears and passport requirements to travel to the Caribbean.
Aside the challenges, Pesquera looked at past and present achievements; he cited two companies that were recently recruited to lend their expertise to Aruba: La Cure and USDM. Both are positioned to become strong contributors in the general category of marketing.
New advertising, a new web site, as well as the destination revision by the conference planners, Aruba’s future is bright, declared Pesquera.
During the last six months, as a result of the disappearance of Holloway, AHATA reacted rapidly and effectively, he explained, by creating the Strategic Communications Task Force, recruiting the NGO’s, exerting media control in America, launching www.arubatruth.com , nurturing relationships with the community and diverting the Dr. Phil boycott in Philadelphia and contracting spokesperson Steve Cohen to work on behalf of the island.
The other aspect of ‘We really mean business’ includes training, education and acknowledgement, three important aspects that AHATA is promoting by hosting international speakers, such as Prof. Chekitan Dev and by continuing with a fruitful consortium with the University of Aruba and Dr. Ryan Peterson.
Dave Holloway also asks Mississippi for Aruba boycott
DIARIO Aruba
12/08/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Another family member of Natalee Holloway, who in Aruba has always been regarded as one of the ‘most reasonable’ to discuss with, Dave Holloway, on Wednesday declared that he started urging the Governor of Mississippi to join the travel boycott against Aruba.
Dave Holloway is Natalee’s biological father, and is from Meridian, a town in Mississippi. He is urging Governor Haley Barbour to join in the boycott that has been called by those in Alabama and Arkansas.
A spokesman let it be known that the Governor of Mississippi hasn’t had time to consider the boycott, because the Governor is very busy related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina in his state, but that he will check into the matter.
DIARIO Aruba
12/08/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Another family member of Natalee Holloway, who in Aruba has always been regarded as one of the ‘most reasonable’ to discuss with, Dave Holloway, on Wednesday declared that he started urging the Governor of Mississippi to join the travel boycott against Aruba.
Dave Holloway is Natalee’s biological father, and is from Meridian, a town in Mississippi. He is urging Governor Haley Barbour to join in the boycott that has been called by those in Alabama and Arkansas.
A spokesman let it be known that the Governor of Mississippi hasn’t had time to consider the boycott, because the Governor is very busy related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina in his state, but that he will check into the matter.
Minister Rudy Croes brings in Aruba Attorney from Curaçao
A.M. Digital
12/08/2005
“We have managed to convince a tremendous Attorney in Curaçao to come to Aruba and help us in the case of Natalee Holloway, and especially to find out if and where mistakes could have been made. Attorney Angela is Aruba born and is presently stationed in Curaçao” confirmed Minister of Justice Rudy Croes.
Angela already received all documents and the intentions were to have him work from one of the offices of the Public Prosecutor however, Minister Croes prevented this from happening and instructed to provide the attorney with a private office where he could work without any outside influence in order for him to function totally independent.
“I must ask those that like to talk a lot to stop doing that and leave the talking to those authorized” said Minister Croes but he did not mention who he was referring to.
The Justice Executive admitted that many times he heard certain individuals airing nonsense on the “radar” (we guess he meant “radio”) but he did not wish to point the finger at anybody.
In the meantime it seems that the situation is still tense in the Public Prosecutor’s office. Although Minister Croes stipulated a time frame in which he expected everything to be resolved, this did not happen. The Minister of Justice again admitted not to be pleased with the situation and said that by the end of this month a decision will be made on how to solve the situation in the Public Prosecutor’s office. Somebody has to go?
A.M. Digital
12/08/2005
“We have managed to convince a tremendous Attorney in Curaçao to come to Aruba and help us in the case of Natalee Holloway, and especially to find out if and where mistakes could have been made. Attorney Angela is Aruba born and is presently stationed in Curaçao” confirmed Minister of Justice Rudy Croes.
Angela already received all documents and the intentions were to have him work from one of the offices of the Public Prosecutor however, Minister Croes prevented this from happening and instructed to provide the attorney with a private office where he could work without any outside influence in order for him to function totally independent.
“I must ask those that like to talk a lot to stop doing that and leave the talking to those authorized” said Minister Croes but he did not mention who he was referring to.
The Justice Executive admitted that many times he heard certain individuals airing nonsense on the “radar” (we guess he meant “radio”) but he did not wish to point the finger at anybody.
In the meantime it seems that the situation is still tense in the Public Prosecutor’s office. Although Minister Croes stipulated a time frame in which he expected everything to be resolved, this did not happen. The Minister of Justice again admitted not to be pleased with the situation and said that by the end of this month a decision will be made on how to solve the situation in the Public Prosecutor’s office. Somebody has to go?
12.07.2005
If by the 17 of December there’s no solution, Minister will take measures
Internal problems at the Public Prosecutor’s have to be solved soon
“Chief prosecutor (Jansen) has to know that she has an AG ahead of her” – Minister Rudy Croes
Bon Dia Aruba
12/07/2005
ORANJESTAD – Chief Prosecutor Karen Jansen has to know that there is a general attorney and an AG ahead of her. Everything has to do with rank. Minister Rudy Croes gave the Public Prosecution personnel until the 17 of December to solve the internal problems they have. Here he confirmed that there is still a problem at the Public Prosecution where there are certain persons who are looking for problems by undermining the authority of their boss.
He made specific mention of the chief prosecutor who has a problem with the AG. The mandatory said that he is aware of the situation. He is not happy with how things are going in the department and that after the 17 of this month, a decision will be taken of what measures to takle
PROSECUTOR ANGELA
As first confirmed by Bon Dia Aruba some weeks back, Minister Rudy Croes spoke about the arrival of prosecutor Angela from Curacao, who is a respected Aruban in his field of work. His objective will be to conduct an independent investigation of the case of Natalee Holloway. However he will not be located at the Public Prosecution. The mandatory demonstrated that he doesn’t want for prosecutor Angela to be influenced by the Public Prosecution and as such, he will be given all the information for him to work on during his stay here in Aruba. Here he will be able to do work completely independently.
TALK A LOT
The work of the prosecutor will be to help with the investigation and solve this, and where things went badly, to solve this to avoid these from happening again in the future. The mandatory sent a strong signal for those who are talking too much, for them to stop talking a little and let the authorized people speak. According to the mandatory, a few times he has heard people speak nonsense on television.
LINE OF COMMAND
He spoke of a letter that he sent to all departments where they have to follow the line of command. If you a boss, you have to follow the line. If you show a lack of respect for your boss, the Minister cannot accept this from any government department, less still from the Public Prosecution.
Internal problems at the Public Prosecutor’s have to be solved soon
“Chief prosecutor (Jansen) has to know that she has an AG ahead of her” – Minister Rudy Croes
Bon Dia Aruba
12/07/2005
ORANJESTAD – Chief Prosecutor Karen Jansen has to know that there is a general attorney and an AG ahead of her. Everything has to do with rank. Minister Rudy Croes gave the Public Prosecution personnel until the 17 of December to solve the internal problems they have. Here he confirmed that there is still a problem at the Public Prosecution where there are certain persons who are looking for problems by undermining the authority of their boss.
He made specific mention of the chief prosecutor who has a problem with the AG. The mandatory said that he is aware of the situation. He is not happy with how things are going in the department and that after the 17 of this month, a decision will be taken of what measures to takle
PROSECUTOR ANGELA
As first confirmed by Bon Dia Aruba some weeks back, Minister Rudy Croes spoke about the arrival of prosecutor Angela from Curacao, who is a respected Aruban in his field of work. His objective will be to conduct an independent investigation of the case of Natalee Holloway. However he will not be located at the Public Prosecution. The mandatory demonstrated that he doesn’t want for prosecutor Angela to be influenced by the Public Prosecution and as such, he will be given all the information for him to work on during his stay here in Aruba. Here he will be able to do work completely independently.
TALK A LOT
The work of the prosecutor will be to help with the investigation and solve this, and where things went badly, to solve this to avoid these from happening again in the future. The mandatory sent a strong signal for those who are talking too much, for them to stop talking a little and let the authorized people speak. According to the mandatory, a few times he has heard people speak nonsense on television.
LINE OF COMMAND
He spoke of a letter that he sent to all departments where they have to follow the line of command. If you a boss, you have to follow the line. If you show a lack of respect for your boss, the Minister cannot accept this from any government department, less still from the Public Prosecution.
Breaking: On the Larry King Show: Now Dr. Phil believes that Natalee is dead
DIARIO Aruba
12/07/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Tuesday night, the famous Dr. Phil was on Larry King’s program, where he was to come speak about the case of Natalee Holloway, and the general public had the opportunity to call the program and ask questions. Dr. Phil was on the program to promote his book as well, which deals about couples relationships and how one can ‘date’ a person. One of the spectators who called asked Dr. Phil if he believes that Natalee was kidnapped and used as a prostitute.
According to Dr. Phil, this is probably the case and he also said that he believes that Natalee is dead. After he recently said on television that he has leads which show that Natalee is alive, now he is saying that he believes that the youngster is dead.
He didn’t say why, but perhaps he has found certain information. ‘Who knows’. Another person called and said that they always go to Aruba, but now that now, they will wait until the time that the case is resolved to visit the island again.
The person asked Dr. Phil what he thinks about the boycott, where he answered that he believes that Aruba probably doesn’t have sophisticated and necessary resources to conduct a good investigation, in the way that is desired, and this is what caused problems in the investigation.
In regards to the word boycott, Dr. Phil tried to be very cautious to not use this word, but in a fine manner he told the spectators that called, that it’s best to go visit other parts of America that they haven’t seen, rather than to visit Aruba. This shows that Dr. Phil is perhaps realizing that he has to have a little more caution with what he says, perhaps feeling that soon everything will come out, and it is not the fault of the people of Aruba for the whole situation.
DIARIO Aruba
12/07/2005
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Tuesday night, the famous Dr. Phil was on Larry King’s program, where he was to come speak about the case of Natalee Holloway, and the general public had the opportunity to call the program and ask questions. Dr. Phil was on the program to promote his book as well, which deals about couples relationships and how one can ‘date’ a person. One of the spectators who called asked Dr. Phil if he believes that Natalee was kidnapped and used as a prostitute.
According to Dr. Phil, this is probably the case and he also said that he believes that Natalee is dead. After he recently said on television that he has leads which show that Natalee is alive, now he is saying that he believes that the youngster is dead.
He didn’t say why, but perhaps he has found certain information. ‘Who knows’. Another person called and said that they always go to Aruba, but now that now, they will wait until the time that the case is resolved to visit the island again.
The person asked Dr. Phil what he thinks about the boycott, where he answered that he believes that Aruba probably doesn’t have sophisticated and necessary resources to conduct a good investigation, in the way that is desired, and this is what caused problems in the investigation.
In regards to the word boycott, Dr. Phil tried to be very cautious to not use this word, but in a fine manner he told the spectators that called, that it’s best to go visit other parts of America that they haven’t seen, rather than to visit Aruba. This shows that Dr. Phil is perhaps realizing that he has to have a little more caution with what he says, perhaps feeling that soon everything will come out, and it is not the fault of the people of Aruba for the whole situation.
People who talk a lot, have to stop talking and let the appropriate people talk
This according to the Minister of Justice after a question about Dompig’s declarations on Vanity Fair
DIARIO Aruba
12/07/2005
ORANJESTAD(AAN): During an interview with the Minister of Justice, the press asked the mandatory about the fact that an interview with Commissioner Dompig appeared in Vanity Fair, where he said that in the case of Natalee Holloway he arrested people to please the family.
Minister Croes said that there now is a tremendous Aruban prosecutor, who works in Curacao, who has just been asked to come to Aruba to give a hand, to do an independent investigation of the investigation which took place, where she will find all the documents.
According to Minister Croes, the Public Ministry [in Aruba] asked to work with them, however the Minister wants for her to do a completely, totally independent job, to help resolve the case and to detect where things went badly, for us to avoid them in the future.
The Minister said that he asks for people who talk too much, to stop talking a little, in order to let the appropriate people speak.
This according to the Minister of Justice after a question about Dompig’s declarations on Vanity Fair
DIARIO Aruba
12/07/2005
ORANJESTAD(AAN): During an interview with the Minister of Justice, the press asked the mandatory about the fact that an interview with Commissioner Dompig appeared in Vanity Fair, where he said that in the case of Natalee Holloway he arrested people to please the family.
Minister Croes said that there now is a tremendous Aruban prosecutor, who works in Curacao, who has just been asked to come to Aruba to give a hand, to do an independent investigation of the investigation which took place, where she will find all the documents.
According to Minister Croes, the Public Ministry [in Aruba] asked to work with them, however the Minister wants for her to do a completely, totally independent job, to help resolve the case and to detect where things went badly, for us to avoid them in the future.
The Minister said that he asks for people who talk too much, to stop talking a little, in order to let the appropriate people speak.
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