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LocaL Tuesday 9 augusT 2022
Sociologist and scientist, Leon Berenos

Quality of life is tied to knowledge, not money earned

Leon Berenos is an Aruban not only to listen, but also tries, and not enough on
working around the world, to contribute in certain top- their own country and their
who knows history like the ics related to the physical, own talents. For this reason,
palm of his hand. He is a psychological and social Berenos is of the opinion
scientist and sociologist. He history of Aruba. that we have a lot to learn.
loves history, seeing as he
worked in media his whole In various occasions there Nowadays, information
life, around the world. In had also been different so- is more easily accessible,
sociology there is a field cial cultural activities in San seeing how the digital
related to history, and ac- Nicolas, and this with the world provides a space to
cording to Berenos, he likes goal of bringing life back find a lot of information to
history and his background to San Nicolas, for which learn from. The digital world
is communications. there needs to be interest means that all knowledge
among the citizens to trans- in the world is in the palm of
According to Berenos, fer knowledge from one to your hand, with your smart-
what he likes about his job the other. phone, TV, laptop, there
is that in media you learn are no excuses.
many things. “However, I There is a lot of work to be
came back to Aruba and done for Aruba’s history. If When people are search-
what I realized is that 90% you ask any school child ing for information, be it his-
of our population know who has finished HAVO or tory or other subjects, their
nothing about Aruba, the VWO (higher secondary quality of life increases.
country where we all live, education) and ask them This is why Berenos finds it
and there are so many who about their own country, important for Arubans to
don’t know about their own you can bet nine out of ten know that quality of life is
country.” don’t know, according to tied to knowledge and not
Berenos. Aruba’s educa- the money that they earn.
For this reason, Berenos tion system needs to match Knowledge is extremely
decided to focus on the the Dutch education sys- important, and when you
history for Aruban people, tem, which means we take have it, you can transfer
and he wants everyone to some things on board “and this to your family. Talking
know that Aruba is a great just copy/paste from the and communicating with
island and has a very long Netherlands, which doesn’t others is very important.
history. Our own population fit Aruba.” there is labor there is mon- ernment has a big task of
must know 388 years of our According to Berenos, for Regarding the history of ey, for example, if you get fixing all these aspects, by
country’s history and also starters, a Dutch person slavery between Curaçao promoted from bartender giving information, forma-
how they themselves stand doesn’t know what an and Aruba, the difference to supervisor, and in Aruba, tion, education, and spiri-
as a citizen of this country iguana is, but in Aruba we between the two islands to become a supervisor tual guidance.
in the social economic his- do know about cows and is economy. If economy is you don’t need any spe-
tory. dogs. The situation that going well like on Aruba, cial knowledge, only need Tourists come to Aruba
Aruba finds it in doesn’t ap- government doesn’t pay to know how to serve peo- for the sun, sand and sea,
Berenos recently was pres- ply only to Education, but attention to issues that ple. According to Berenos, which they don’t have in
ent during a night of ex- it applies to everyone who don’t bring in money, for it’s time for the government their country. There are also
change regarding the his- lives on this island. What is example culture, literature, to see this and pay more older adults who come to
tory of slavery at the Nico- a reality is that Arubans are and art. What does bring attention to culture, litera- Aruba to rest because they
laas Store in San Nicolas, too focused on other coun- in money is labor. Where ture, which are intangible are stressed, and a smaller
spiritual aspects that make group that comes for the
people more aware of their culture. The latter group is
place. people who heard about
Aruba and want to experi-
ence what they see digital-
Currently there are many ly, they want to see the real
people that are not aware Aruba, but they are a very
of their history. Aruba im- small group.
ported people from many
other countries, but with But tourists also come for
them, we also imported the people, the Aruban
their customs. Citizens of people are what attracts
Aruba left their own cus- most of our tourist because
toms aside and took over the Aruban is kind and
other countries’. helpful. Arubans make all
There are many factors, tourists feel welcome and
according to Berenos, that at home. This is something
Arubans need to take into positive for Aruba and
consideration, which play something sociological.
a role. Things Arubans do When a tourist comes to
that are not part of our cul- spend money it’s because
ture. This means that slowly, they feel at home. The peo-
the Aruban identity was al- ple is what’s most impor-
lowed to be lost. The gov- tant, Berenos concludes.