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                                                                                                           LOCAL Tuesday 4 June 2024































            Meet Aruba’s biggest hero

            Boy Ecury


            (Oranjestad)—This  past  May  4th,  to discrimination, and this inspired  of the Nazi regime. In these opera-
            Aruba  as  well  as  The  Netherlands  him to be an activist, to stand up  tions, Boy really stood out for his cold
            commemorated  those  who  sadly  and fight against discrimination and  bloodedness.
            perished during the Second World  oppression.
            War. As is known around the globe,                                       In 1943, he received a notice to be
            this chapter in world history is one of  After seeing the horrific bombings of  placed for work in Germany. This he
            the most tragic yet, and many sol-  Rotterdam first-hand, he decided to  refused, of course, and went into hid-
            diers and rebels have died on the  join the resistance. At the same time,  ing using multiple addresses in mul-  he was questioned. Despite being
            frontline during this time.         he was still studying and living with  tiple cities. Because he was a wanted   given away by an acquaintance, he
                                                family in Tilburg. It was there where  man, he of course could not continue   himself never gave away the names
            One of those rebels who have fought  he met people who printed and dis-  to be active as a rebel. However,   of his comrades. Famously, he told
            against the Nazi regime, was an Aru-  tributed the rebellion newspaper. This  stubborn and naturally rebellious as   his cell mate: “I will die with a smile
            ban named Segundo Jorge Adelber-    would be the first of three rebellion  he was, he always tried to join in on   on my face.”
            to “Boy” Ecury. Born in Aruba on April  group that he would join throughout  the operations regardless.      On November 6th, 1944, Ecury was
            23rd, 1922, Boy spent his childhood  his 4-year service to the resistance.                                   executed. He was only 22 years old.
            on the island, before being sent to                                      In 1944, after his friend Luis de Lannoy,
            The Netherlands by his father when  Boy’s primary task as member of the  a fellow rebel from Curacao, was ar-  Ecury was buried with military honor.
            he was 15 years old to continue his  group was to distract the German  rested and executed, he moved to      In  1949,  the  Aruban  Government
            studies abroad. This was in 1937, three  soldiers while others ran into hiding  Delft, where he joined his third and   erected a monumental bust of him
            years before WWII broke out.        into alleyways. This he was able to  last group in Rotterdam. During this   in front of what is now the linear park
                                                do  because  of  his  skin  color  and  time, he wrote a goodbye letter for   trail, and in 1984 he received the Re-
            During the war, he actively partici-  confronting  demeanor.  Boy  also  his family, possibly knowing the risks   sistance Memorial Cross postmortem.
            pated in the rebellion in The Nether-  participated in the multiple sabotag-  of him being active again in the big   Boy’s life motto was this: “In my fa-
            lands against the Nazi regime, but his  ing operations against the German  cities.                           ther’s house, there is no place for a
            rebellious streak and constant drive  military occupying The Netherlands.  Eventually, he proved himself right. On   traitor.” q
            to fight for justice began even before  These included bombings on German  November 5th, 1944, Boy Ecury was
            the war broke out. Being a person of  military trucks and trains. The group  arrested by German soldiers. He was   Source: “De Kolibrie op de Rots (en
            color with a Haitian heritage living in  also helped people go into hiding,  placed in the “Oranjehotel” prison   meer  over  the  geschiedenis  van
            The Netherlands made him vulnerable  as well as opened fire against allies  in Scheveningen, The Hague, where   Aruba)” by Evert Bongers.


            Aruba Tourism Authority honored loyal visitors at Marriott Aruba Surf Club!


            The  Aruba  Tourism  Authority  recently  had  the  preciation and to say “Masha Danki” to guests  Aruba Surf Club bestowed the certificate upon
            great pleasure of recognizing Goodwill Ambas-   who  have  visited  Aruba  10,  20,  or  35  years  or  the  honorees,  presented  them  with  gifts,  and
            sadors  of  Aruba.  The  honorees  were  respec-  more consecutively.                           thanked  them  for  choosing  Aruba  as  their  fa-
            tively honored with a certificate for their years  The three levels of honor are as follows:    vorite vacation destination, as their home away
            of visits, loyalty, and love for the island of Aruba.  Distinguished Visitor (10>years consecutively vis-  from home.
                                                            iting Aruba)
            The honorary certification is presented on be-  Goodwill Ambassador (20>years consecutively  The top reasons for returning to Aruba provided
            half of the Minister of Tourism as a token of ap-  visiting Aruba)                              by the honorees were:
                                                            Emerald  Ambassador  (35>years  consecutively  •        Aruba’s people.
                                                            visiting Aruba)                                 •       Aruba’s beach.
                                                                                                            •       Aruba’s weather.
                                                            The honorees were:                              •       Aruba’s safety.
                                                            Goodwill Ambassadors                            •        “Excellent Marriott Surf Club Property”
                                                            Mr. Darryl & Mrs. Trina Lawson from Port Sint Lu-
                                                            cie Florida, United States.                     On  behalf  of  the  Aruba  Tourism  Authority,  we
                                                                                                            would like to express our sincere gratitude and
                                                            Mr.  Jorgino  Willems  representing  the  Aruba  appreciation  to  the  honorees  for  their  contin-
                                                            Tourism Authority, and staff members of Marriott  ued visits to the “One Happy Island”.q
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