Once a week, on Sundays I publish a recap of the newspaper from Aruba with all the latest information about the island.
Subscribing to my newsletter is an ideal way to stay up to date with what’s going on in Aruba – whether you’re living on the island, miles away or your first visit!
Newspaper From Aruba
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DIMAS Wants To Speed Up Permit Application Process
The department that administers alien policy, admission and integration in Aruba announced that they are working on a plan to speed up the application process for permits.
According to the director, DIMAS processes approximately 5.000 permits every year. It takes a lot of time to review these permits, however, by changing their screening procedures the process will be more efficient.
More information as to what exactly will changes will be announced by the director soon.
Receiving a work permit is not easy, the rules are strict.
Visit DIMAS website for more information on requirements to apply for a permit.
Price Control on Basic Foods
Aruba is one of the most revisited islands in the Caribbean.
Plenty of people fall in love with the island, and end up moving here.
Do you dream of living in Aruba? I’m sure you do!
There’s different factors to consider when living on the island, one of them is the cost of living.
Due to a “free enterprise” system on the island, the prices can be set by shop owners as high as they want, based on supply and demand.
However, certain supermarkets increase the prices on the basic foods and locals are reporting it.
The government took notice and plans to stop overpricing on basic foods with more in store controls. And they also want to add more items to the list of basic goods protected by overpricing.
The main basic goods that are protected are sugar, coffee, powdered milk, white bread, tea, rice, flour, baby food, butter, cooking oil, eggs and fish.
Control of prices for basic goods around the island is done by the department of economic affairs.
Prices for various products will vary on the island.
Items are more expensive near the hotel area.
If you’re looking to save money on groceries, shop more inland. Or at supermarkets like Superfood and Ling & Sons.
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Growing Our Own Fruits & Vegetables
The president of Venezuela closed the frontiers between ABC islands for commercial communications (by air and sea) a few weeks ago.
Since then, there has been a shortage of fruits and vegetables at certain local markets who depend on importation of produce from Venezuela.
There’s still fruit and vegetables being imported from other countries like Colombia and America, but it’s more expensive.
The recent situation in Venezuela is pushing the local government to think about the islands ability to grow its own fruits and vegetables.
Many local farmers have been growing fruits and vegetables for years, but it’s not enough to sustain the island.
The government is starting different campaigns to inspire locals to start growing their own produce, support local farmer, finding innovative ways to use a small area to grow fruits and vegetables.
Aruba will shift from import of fruits and vegetables, to growing its own in a few years.
New Changes For Public Transportation in Aruba
The minister of transport announced new changes in the public transportation company Arubus.
He changed the committee of Arubus, and will also be investing into new buses soon.
Within a short period of time, he also plans to lower the bus tariffs for locals and visitors.
More information will be shared by the minister of transport during another press conference.
Be Aware Of News Gas Price
The minister of finance announced new gas prices, based on the US Marketscan.
As of January 14, 2018 gasoline increased with 7,5 cents (194.3 cents per liter) and diesel with 6,4 cents (168.3 cents per liter).
Changes in gas prices are announced every second Wednesday of the month.
Take note of these changes in gas prices when budgeting for gas. Prices are in Aruban guilders ($1.00 equals 1.75 guilders)
Roundabout Codemsa Floods After Rain
The transport infrastructure on the island is going through some major renovations, with existing roads being fixed and construction of new roads.
One of the newest projects at the moment is Watty Vos Boulevard.
It’s a construction of a new arterial road 2×2 around Oranjestad, between the two intersections at Sabana Blanco and Punta Brabo.
The route begins at the roundabout at Sabana Blanco, through neighborhoods of Meiveld, San Barbola, Sero Patrishi, Tanki Leendert, Ponton, and Bushiri to finish at the intersection of Punta Babo.
All the lanes starting from the intersection at Punta brabo through J.E Irausquin Boulevard to Westin Hotel, a part of L.G Smith Boulevard, Caya Punta Brabo, Dr. Horacio E. Oduber Boulevard and a part of the route of Ponton and Noord will be reconstructed.
Watty Vos Boulevard will realize the following objectives…
- Improve traffic flows, shorten travel times and improve road safety
- Enable and facilitate the relocation of the existing port of Aruba to Barcadera
- Improve the appearance and traffic safety in low-rise hotel zone
When one starts a projects, issues will arise that you didn’t expect, and Watty Vos Boulevard isn’t different.
Unfortunately the drainage system at the roundabout near Cumana doesn’t work as it should after it rains, causing floods on the road making the roundabout inaccessible to traffic.
If you’re driving on the island during the next couple of weeks, be aware of the flooding situation near the roundabout at Cumana, in case it rains.
Weather Report
Aruba has the most sunniest days in a year, compared to other islands. However, there’s a lot of clouds in the Caribbean region and their passing over Aruba too.
For this week the weather will be generally dry and partly cloudy with passing showers during the day and at midnight.
We’ve been alerted by the meteorological department during the past two weeks for strong winds and rough beach conditions.
This week the winds sustained the same level, making the beaches near the north coast of the island, arashi, low rise and high rise hotel area rougher than usual.
Stay alerted for strong currents when swimming or snorkeling in the aforementioned beaches.
Drilling, Hoping To Find Gas or Oil
After signing a gas and petroleum exploration deal more than 5 years ago with the Aruban public oil company, Compania di Petroleo Arubano (CAP), the Spanish energy company, Repsol, finally entered the third phase of oil and gas exploration in 2018.
The director of CAP explained about the 4 phases of the project and what they are working towards during a recent press conference.
According to the director the first two are already completed. They initially did a seismic survey in the southern waters of Aruba close to the Venezuelan maritime border.
Seismic surveys indicates the presence of minerals in the seabed off Aruban shores.
The surveys showed the presence of minerals, so they continued with a second phase, which was a three-dimensional (3D) mapping of the seabed.
Now they are moving to the next phase which is conducting test drilling and should take about 2 years to finish. If the test drills prove to be successful, they should enter the final phase in 2020.
Extra Measures To Conserve The Shoco
Arikok National Park and Aruba Birdlife Conservation achieved another milestone for the conservation of owls on the island, named Shoco in Papiamento.
This time experts were invited to Aruba to give training to 20 local park rangers on conservation of shocos.
In 2011 a campaign was started by ABC to save the shoco from extinction.
After that the shoco was declared a National Symbol of Aruba in 2012 and in 2014 a legislation was implemented to protect the Shoco as intended.
In 2017 the a new protected species list helped to fortify the Shoco’s position one step further.
Long live the shocos!
Be a Volunteer For Aruba Doet!
Aruba Doet will be organizing the biggest volunteer event on the island.
The organization is known to take part in hundreds of community initiatives.
For example, beach clean ups, yard work for elderly at home, repainting school facilities, helping out at elderly homes and different other hands on projects.
The volunteer event was started in the Netherlands and is now being highlighted by 5 other islands, such as CURA Doet (Curacao), BON Doet (Bonaire), Statia Doet (Sint Eustatius) and SXM Doet (Sint Maarten).
Aruba Doet will take place on March 9 – 10, 2018.
Are you going to be on the island during first two weeks of March?
If so, give a helping hand and join Aruba Doet for the biggest volunteer event on the island.
Sign up at www.arubadoet.com
New Tomahawk Steak At Tango Restaurant
One of the best restaurants on the island, Tango Argentine Grill added a giant piece of steak to their menu!
It’s called the Tomahawk steak named after a Tomahawk axe.
This is an exclusive on-the-bone rib steak, cut from the fore rib with the entire rib bone left, served with fries and vegetables.
The price for the tomahawk steak is $125.00
Tango Argentine Grill is located in Arawak Garden, situated on the high rise hotel strip.
It’s open 7 days a week from 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM.
There’s live music from 7:00 PM until 10:00 PM.
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