Page 18 - COMBINED DIARIO

PAGINA 18
Dialogo entre Minister Paul
Croes y ATIA lo continua
ORANJESTAD (AAN): Durante curso di siman pasa
un reunion importante a tuma luga entre e organisacion
di comercio y industria (Aruba Trade and Industry
Association) y Minister di Labor drs. Paul Croes. Durante
e encuentro aki ATIA a trece puntonan padilanti cu ta den
nan “position paper” riba varios asunto.
Durante e reunion aki (prome di anja 2015), a keda acorda
cu cada punto treci padilanti lo keda discuti y elabora mas
amplio cu e organisacion. Gobierno semper tin cu trata
na yega na e balance entre Sindicatonan y dunadornan
di trabou. E balance aki ta importante yega na mas
productividad y proteccion di e trahador.
Minister Paul Croes a mustra cu enfasis di su maneho lo ta
dirigi riba mas participacion y mas profesionalismo riba e
mercado laboral. Alabes a comparti cu ATIA di lo kier crea
un structura pa asina por trece nos hobenan profesional
bek Aruba cu funcionan cu nan por eherce. Tin varios
punto cu ATIA a trece padilanti cu mester wordo discuti
tambe cu sindicatonan.
Sr. Michel Henriquez (Presidente ATIA) hunto cu Sr.
Igmar Reyes (Director ATIA), hunto cu nan Hurista tabata
esnan cu a representa ATIA na e reunion aki. Minister Paul
Croes a mustra di lo desea di continua cu e dialogo aki pa
asina por yega na otro riba varios di e puntonan trece pa
dilanti. Minister Paul Croes a agrega na final di ta contento get a few bottles at Pepia Est, on Schotlandstraat, and while you’re there you’d better congratulate
cu e postura pro-activo cu ATIA a tuma e ultimo temponan
pa prepara topiconan di interes pa nan meimbronan.
DITFAeaRlxeIOf5o85n28n-82a5-n657d14i 7
DIARIO DIALUNA 26 JANUARI 2015
BOONOONOONOOS MEMERIES. I recently reconnected with restaurateur Kurt Biermanns
over Dutch pea soup, and great memories, as he is back on the island, having been away a few years.
You must remember him from Boonoonoonoos, which was a charming eatery on Wilhelminastraat,
serving Caribbean dishes, where patrons loved to tour the Caribbean islands’ kitchens without ever
getting off their seats. Kurt categorized his restaurant as a bistroquet, and wrote and served a fondly-
remembered menu which included Jamaican Jerk Ribs made from a 300-year old recipe, curried
chicken a la Trinidad, Keshi Yena from Aruba, Dominican carne con papas, Chicken Barbados with
coconut milk and plantains and also what the menu promoted as Mountain Chicken, which were
in reality stewed frog legs. Kurt is also remembered by many as the creator of the Cellar bar, and I
remember one or two nights where B52s were all I wanted to have at the cozy bar of that no-good
place with Martin Buitenweg on guitar! So he’s back, with Kurti, his youngest son, an accom-
plished IT specialist, who missed the sunshine in the cold Netherlands, in spite of a decent career
he was busy with, he left it all behind, when he bought a one-way ticket to come back home. Kurt
reminded me it was Charles Croes that introduced him to the historic mansion which housed Boo-
noonoonoos, and Kurti reminded me that the bistroquet made the most astounding pumpkin soup,
which many people still talk about! The restaurant went down with the demise of Interbank, and
after that, the family went to Holland where Jacky Biermanns still lives. The gorgeous Nathalie is
an actress who lives in Hollywood, married to a good-looking hunk, and she is talented with hear! I
met Kurti this week hanging out with Tom Wientjes, his cousin, they are both too cute.
CHAMPAGNES ARE AN INVITATION TO CELEBRATE LIFE. It was finally announced this
week that champagne Piper-Heidsieck has been chosen by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts &
Sciences as the “Exclusive Champagne of The Oscars®” for 2015, 2016 and 2017. This three-year
partnership will begin with this year’s 87th Academy Awards ceremony on February 22nd, 2015. So
you know what you must do when you watch the Oscars, right? It’s self understood, you’d better
owner Michael v/d Berg on his recent marriage to an exotic beauty he met on his travels. Struck by
cupid, hard, he then immediately decided to marry her. Well done, Michael.
GARBAGGE IS WHAT GARBAGE DOES. I was driving in town just behind a parade of 12
Serlimar garbage compacting trucks, all honking, raising hell, Friday, a few minutes past 12noon.
The noise was ear shattering. We sympathize with you that your salary was not transferred to your
bank accounts on time, but your behavior on Friday was garbage, which also covers the blocking of
Parkietenbos Landfill and the blazing fire! If you were wondering why ECOTECH trucks where all
lined up on the boulevard across the governor’s mansion on Thursday, the drivers underwent train-
ing at Renaissance, no bad behavior here. P.S. I love my Serlimar people who come by the house
to collect once a week, and I wouldn’t know what to do without them. I find it difficult to reconcile
their Friday behavior with the nice people who drive the gray truck by my house, it’s like the strange
case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
OMAKASE IS WORTH THE VISIT. If you are in search of a quality Japanese sushi bar, head to
the Manchebo Beach Resort & Casino to Omakase, right inside the French Steakhouse, where the
bar was converted into a chill-out interactive center of deliciousness with chef Mayling in charge,
slicing and dicing her way to sushi stardom! She is the undisputed queen of rolls and seaweed salads
and she can do two things at the same time: Talk to her customers explaining the menu while her
hands fly around creating gorgeous presentations such as the Caterpillar Maki with tuna and salmon,
it actually looks like a caterpillar, the Dragon maki with eel and avocado, and the Manchebo Special
with salmon and crab which is a meal onto itself. Her rice, is soft and moist and unlike other places
where it is cooked days ahead, refrigerated and allowed to get hard and dry, her rice sets the stage
for perfect rolls. I totally agree that rice is what separates great sushi places from average ones, and
I also totally agree that the quality of the sashimi is what separates great sushi places from average
ones, and Mayling’s sashimi is divine! Basically, we liked everything she made for us, in the spirit
of Omakase, we trusted her to feed us and it was a total success, down to the fried banana with ice
cream for dessert.
GOOD LUNCH PLACE IN NOORD, STRICTLY TAKE OUT. No Limit catering with Chef
Ludwig Samson opened a tiny location in the wings of the Valero gas station, in Noord, last sum-
mer. Call in your order and come pick it up, nice and easy, and the chef guarantees a healthy alter-
native to fast food, as his philosophy promises, Eat Fit, Feel Great. The tiny place was jamming
as I arrived, I met event specialist Rosetty Eleonora in line, she was sharing lunch that day with
her mom. Having worked with chef Samson on events, she likes his daily special with easy on the
pocket prices, and drops in regularly.
THE MARRIOTT MEDIA WALL BY ARMANDO GOEDGEDRAG. I saw him for the first
time at Arikok Park, where a group of young artists created an event titled: Translucent Moon na
Hofi Fontein. Even in the dark, we noticed he showed some excellent videos . Then I started hearing
his name: Claretta “Aki” Nijhuis bought one of his paintings, depicting our north coast’s crashing
ocean waves to complete the look of her condo. The Minister of Tourism used his sketch for the
Shoco Award ceremony invitations. Island Temptations Magazine interviewed him for a feature:
Where Art Meets Nature. Then the Marriott Aruba Resort & Stellaris Casino unveiled a media wall.
You have to watch it in order to get the concept. This is not just a TV cluster, this is a giant screen in
love with Aruba, its waves, its caves, its flowers, trees, birds and cacti. Aki says it best: Wish I could
live long enough to see what his work will be like at age 50 ‘cause that kid is going places! Armando
shot a full hour of scenery for the Marriott resulting in a gorgeous, detailed and fascinating movie,
and it plays nonstop in the lobby in the Great Room. Go have a drink and watch it. Many Thumbs up
go to general manager Tom Calame and his hotel crew for the much improved casino entrance with
imposing porte-cochere and the contemporary new look of Champions Sports Bar & Restaurant.
Members of the press were entertained this week, at Champions, by the sales & marketing team
with Carolina Voullieme and Stacy Banfield, starting with hors-d’oeuvres and then going straight
through to dinner and dessert. It was a remarkable event!!
NETBANK ENHANCEMENT FOR RBC. This time the bank’s system upgrade went pretty
smooth. Without warning a screen popped up and you had to answer five personal questions, then
the enhancements were announced, basically adding a few layers of security to the RBC net-banking
clients. I liked the fact that I now have to confirm the release of funds for a direct deposit! Pa Bien
RBC, you must have been shaking in your boots, but it seems for the most part, it all went well!!
rc@visitruba.com