Page 15 - HOH
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a8    local
                   Friday 9 december 2022

            The blue buoy and platform located at Palm beach undergo restoration



                                                                      ORANJESTAD – On Decem-
                                                                      ber 5, 2022, the Minister of
                                                                      Tourism  and  Public  Health,
                                                                      Mr.  Dangui  Oduber,  an-
                                                                      nounced the restoration of
                                                                      the blue buoy and wooden
                                                                      platform  located  behind
                                                                      the  RIU  Antillas  on  Palm
                                                                      Beach.

                                                                      In  2018,  the  government
                                                                      partnered with the RIU An-
                                                                      tillas  to  renovate  the  blue
                                                                      buoy,  a  landmark  well  vis-
                                                                      ited by locals and tourists.

                                                                      Sadly  the  renovation  did
                                                                      not last long as bad weath-
                                                                      er  and  natural  elements
                                                                      destroyed  all  the  efforts,                             traction  where  visitors  can
                                                                      and  the  landmark  now  For  the  renovation,  the  enjoy  and  take  pictures
                                                                      needs another renovation.  wooden  platform  will  be  and  post  these  on  social
                                                                      This  time,  the  Minister  ap-  built in the shape of an oc-  media, a valuable promo-
                                                                      proached  the  Aruba  Tour-  tagon and will include lad-  tion  for  Aruba.  It  is  a  small
                                                                      ism  Authority  for  funds  to  ders  in  each  corner.  The  project  but  with  a  signifi-
                                                                      give the blue buoy and sur-  government  will  approach  cant impact.
                                                                      rounding  platform  a  com-  local  artists  for  a  stunning
                                                                      plete  makeover.  This  time  art design on the buoy.     Tourism  remains  our  most
                                                                      they will use materials that                              important economic driver.
                                                                      resist the harsh elements for  Once  ready,  this  project  Therefore, we should keep
                                                                      a longer time.               will  become  another  at-   investing in our island.q

            Gold rush! And more about the history of Aruba


            ORANJESTAD       -    Evert  lished  many  articles  on  his
            Bongers,  author  of  several  website  (Historia  di  Aruba)
            publications,  such  as  'Au-  and  in  the  local  newspa-
            gustus scur' and 'The hum-   pers.  After  his  retirement,
            mingbird on the rock: And  he was able to develop this
            more  about  the  history  of  interest  and  passion  and
            Aruba'  publishes  his  next  dedicated  more  time  to
            book titled 'Gold Rush! And  research.  He  can  happily
            more  about  the  history  of  count on the support of his
            Aruba'.                      wife, Heleen Bongers, who
                                         proofreads  and  edits  his
            Library  Director  Mrs.  Astrid  work. "Gold rush! And more
            Britten received a few cop-  about Aruba's history is just
            ies from Mr. Bongers to add  like  'The  hummingbird  on
            to  the  National  collection  the rock', a series of articles
            and public library.          that also appeared in Ami-
            These  books  will  soon  be  goe di Aruba.
            available to the public.
                                         Mr. Bongers has delved fur-
            Evert  Bongers  has  always  ther into some of the topics
            been very interested in Aru-  that  appear  in  'The  Hum-
            ba's  history  and  has  pub-  mingbird on the Rock', such









                                                                      as  the  Native  American  the book, the author writes  Aruba with his wife Heleen,
                                                                      petroglyphs,  the  gold  in-  about  some  popular,  no  and worked until 2005 as a
                                                                      dustry, and the fascinating  longer existing, restaurants.  French  teacher  and  then
                                                                      story  of  World  War  II.  New                           until 2018 as dean at Cole-
                                                                      topics  such  as  the  history  Evert  Bongers  spent  his  gio Arubano.
                                                                      of  the  carnival,  the  migra-  primary  and  secondary
                                                                      tion to Cuba, and life in the  school  days  in  Aruba  and  Evert Bongers dedicates this
                                                                      Lago Colony will appeal to  later studied French. In Au-  book to his father, Huibregt
                                                                      lovers  of  Aruban  history.  In  gust  1977,  he  returned  to  Pieter (Huib) Bongers.q
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