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LOCAL Monday 24 June 2024

Paseo Herencia Celebrates Employee Appreciation Night and Work

Anniversaries

(Oranjestad) – Paseo Herencia hosted an Em-
ployee Appreciation Night to celebrate the
dedication and achievements of its staff. The
event, held at TGI Fridays, was a fun occasion
marked by good ambiance and great food.

The celebration honored the hard work and
loyalty of Paseo Herencia employees, with spe-
cial recognition given to three individuals for
their significant milestones:

Clelia Fernandez: Celebrating 15 years of dedi-
cated service as housekeeper.
Jeffrey Richardson: Celebrating 5 years of dedi-
cated service as security.
Sharifa Creighton: Celebrating 5 years of dedi-
cated service as cashier.

These anniversaries underscore the strong sense
of community and longevity within the Paseo
Herencia team. Management expressed their
profound gratitude for the employees’ un-
wavering dedication and exceptional service
throughout the years.

Visit the historic museum at Fort Zoutman!

(Oranjestad)—Located in the middle of down- 5-story, squared tower was not part of the origi-
town Oranjestad, situated right next to the gov- nal structure of the fort, and is actually called
ernment building “Cocolishi”, is one of the old- “Willem III Toren”. Constructed in 1867, this tow-
est buildings of Aruba: Fort Zoutman. First con- er was named after the then-reigning king of
structed in 1796, this site has been used (or left The Netherlands, Willem III. Willem III Toren was
unused) in many ways and have survived eras originally a light tower, but after a request from
of war and attempted dismantling. Lieutenant Governor Jan Helenus in 1866, it also
became a bell tower.
When anyone refers to Fort Zoutman, they
are actually referring to two separate build- The fort itself was originally constructed to pro-
ings that, over the years, have been merged: tect the commerce bay of Paardenbaai from
the fort and the tower. That’s right, the iconic pirates and other disreputable characters
roaming the Caribbean Sea. Unlike the Willem
III Toren, Fort Zoutman had a more tumultuous
past, including the on-and-off reception of un- Despite its small size, The Historic Museum
wanted members of the English military several guards a rich depository of the commercial,
times (The Netherlands was at constant war military and social history of Oranjestad, offer-
with England back in the colonial era). ing a glance into how the social culture of the
town came to be. If you are interested in history
Over the years, both the fort and the tower and want to learn more about Aruba, then Fort
had functioned as different government cen- Zoutman should definitely be included into your
ter points, including a tax and stamps office. For itinerary.
some time these two buildings also housed a
police precinct and jail, and even experienced The museum is open Monday to Friday from
abandonment until the Cultural Center Aruba 9am-6pm, and Saturday from 10am-2pm.
Foundation (CCA) petitioned for its renovation
in 1964, turning the site into the Historic Museum Source: The Old Fort of Aruba by Jan Hartog.
it currently is.