Natalee Case Discussion #821 7/13/09 - 7/28/09

[msmarple]

Hi Monkeys, sorry I haven't been around lately. I just wanted to visit  - but I think I'm the Lone Moneky at the moment 

I saw the Lifetime movie this weekend.

Rob Smith retiring ... it's become a regular revolving door at AHTA.

texasmom - Thanks! (You know what I mean.)

[Helen Back]

Hi monkeys,

Haven't signed in for a while, been hanging in the rafters.  Apologies if this has already been posted:

   

Another Aruba scuba diving accident kills Texas educator

by LUTHER MONROE @ CDNN - Cyber Diver News Network

July 10, 2009

ORANGESTAD, Aruba — Less than a week after a young novice diver was critically injured in Aruba by a dive boat propeller, another scuba diving accident there killed a Texas educator.

Authorities told CDNN that Michael Freer, 55, died on July 2 while scuba diving during a holiday in Aruba.

Police declined to release details about the fatal scuba diving accident, which is still under investigation.

Previously, CDNN reported about a young woman who was critically injured in the final week of June while scuba diving in Aruba with Mermaid Divers.

A dive boat owned and operated by Mermaid Divers ran over and nearly killed the woman.

In December, a renowned community leader from Canada died in Aruba while scuba diving with Clive Paula of Dive Aruba.

Natural educator

Freer was a chemistry teacher at Deweyville High School and previously worked for many years as an air quality inspector for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

He was raised in La Marque on the Texas Gulf Coast and graduated from Lamar University with a master's degree.

Described by family, friends and co-workers as a natural educator, Freer taught industry personnel about the state emissions evaluation while working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and was active in the Jason Project in Southeast Texas.

Freer is survived by his wife, Donna Lavine Freer, and daughters Melissa and Ally Freer.
   
http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s090710a.html

Possibly this was the one we saw laid out on the sidewalk near the shop?  So sad and condolences to his family.

Apparently Aruba is also a very unsafe place for divers.


 

[Helen Back]

 

    St. Maarten


Aruba considers
involving UN

THE HAGUE--If talks with the Netherlands to resolve the stalemate don’t yield results, Aruba will take the issue of being overruled in the Kingdom Council of Ministers to international institutions.

Aruba’s Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague Frido Croes stated this in an interview with The Daily Herald on Monday. “We are evaluating steps to see in which way we can involve international institutions like the United Nations (UN) Decolonisation Committee to assess the process of decision taking in the Kingdom Council of Ministers,” he said.

Aruba believes that the Netherlands is not sticking to the rules and wants to ensure that in the future its autonomous position as country in the Kingdom is duly respected.

Croes said a “great error” was committed by using Article 43 of the Charter to overrule Aruba on the draft Consensus Kingdom Law to establish the Joint Court of Justice of the countries Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the public entities Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. Article 43 allows the Kingdom Council of Ministers to overrule a partner in the Kingdom based on the Kingdom’s responsibility to guarantee fundamental human rights, freedom, maintenance of law and order and good governance.

But Croes said he hoped Aruba wouldn’t have to go as far as approaching the UN. Aruba has several meetings planned this week with various Dutch Ministries and the Council of State to discuss the draft Consensus Kingdom Law for the Joint Court of Justice and the process of decision taking in the Kingdom Council of Ministers.

Aruba is objecting to maintaining the seat of the Joint Court of Justice in Willemstad. The island wants the seat in Oranjestad. “We think we have a valid claim to demand the seat. We have been an autonomous country for 23 years, while Curaçao only now becomes a country,” said Croes.

According to the Minister Plenipotentiary, there was an agreement that Justice would become a Kingdom matter, just like Defence. “We want that anchored in the draft law. We didn’t see any of that back in the legislation that the Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles want to push through. We want this law to be a true consensus law,” he said.

Croes, during the meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers last Friday, requested an internal consultation to discuss the issue in a “tranquil” manner. Croes also asked to reconvene the meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers on Monday, which would give Aruba the chance to fly in a member of its cabinet.

The Kingdom Council of Ministers, however, went ahead and approved the draft Consensus Kingdom Law on the Joint Court last Friday. The Netherlands Antilles also voted in favour, because the draft law needed to get to the Second Chamber quickly, so it could be approved after the summer recess. A hold-up of the draft law would have meant a delay of the constitutional process. But, said Croes, “Time should not be an indicator in this process. We need to focus more on reaching consensus.”

Croes said he was “very thankful” for the support of St. Maarten’s Island Council on the issue of the use of Article 43. He said Aruba supported St. Maarten’s efforts to become an autonomous country.

He said the incident during Friday’s meeting again shows the democratic deficit that exists in the Kingdom. “Relations in the Kingdom are supposed to be based on mutual respect and equality. That is not the case,” he said. Friday’s incident has caused a “major dent” in the relations between the Netherlands and Aruba, he added.

Relations were already troubled because of the announcement last month by Dutch State Secretary of Kingdom Relations Ank Bijleveld-Schouten that there would be an investigation into Aruba’s state of affairs. Members of the First and Second Chamber had asked for this investigation.

Croes said Aruba is not against an investigation, but, he added, the investigation has to be based on facts and not hearsay. “Aruba is an autonomous country. The Netherlands cannot simply impose an investigation without our involvement,” he said. Aruba’s Prime Minister Nel Oduber confirmed in a letter to Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende that in principle Aruba is not objecting to an investigation.

The Minister Plenipotentiary suspected that the Netherlands might be playing a “political game,” as the September 25 elections are approaching in Aruba. “Maybe they want to influence the elections. That is not acceptable, because this is an internal Aruban matter. It leaves a bitter taste.”

Aruba is also objecting to the language being used in the Second Chamber to describe members of the Aruban Government. Some members of Parliament have used words like “thief” and “coward” to describe Prime Minister Oduber and Justice Minister Rudy Croes.

“That shows lack of respect,” said Croes, who wrote a letter to Chair person Gerdi Verbeet of the Second Chamber to address this issue. “I have been told that the letter will be discussed in the next meeting of the Permanent Committee of Antillean and Aruban Affairs,” he said.

Copyright ©2008 The Daily Herald St. Maarten

http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/m043/croesm043.html

 

[Anna]

Thanks, Helen Back.  Aruba might be surprised at the response of the UN and what aspects of all this they find interesting.  Do they really want any more attention brought to their coruption issues?  I don't think so.  Sounds like a very empty threat to me.

 

[msmarple]

Hi Anna - You're looking very elegant today!

[klaasend]

http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/printer_59561.php
Aruba
Rob Smith Director Radisson
14 Jul, 2009, 14:30 (GMT -04:00)



 
Rob Smith
ORANGE CITY - Director Rob Smith of Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association (AHATA) resigns. He is about three months to get to the Radisson hotel where the function of chief executive has accepted.

Smith was in 2007 Director of Ahata after he was previously general manager of the Westin hotel and vice-chairman of the owners group of Aruba Hotel Enterprises. In his role as director Ahata he mainly worked on the strengthening of strategic alliances in the toerime sector and the relationship with the government revived. One of his goals he had set two years ago, was the creation of a public-private marketing fund. The latter has never come. He says that under his leadership there has been greater appreciation for the critical role that Ahata position within the industry as the island. He also says as Radisson director again wish to participate in the board of Ahata.

Smith has a transition period of ninety days in which he arranged at the request of the Ahata Board will help to find a successor. There will be both on the island and abroad to candidates are sought.

[texasmom]

Hi Monkeys, sorry I haven't been around lately. I just wanted to visit  - but I think I'm the Lone Moneky at the moment 

I saw the Lifetime movie this weekend.

Rob Smith retiring ... it's become a regular revolving door at AHTA.

texasmom - Thanks! (You know what I mean.)

Good to see you msmarple!   

YW!   

[texasmom]

Good to see Helen Back too!   

 

[Helen Back]

Good to see Helen Back too!   

 

Thanks, TM......good to see you too!   

[Helen Back]

Thanks, Helen Back.  Aruba might be surprised at the response of the UN and what aspects of all this they find interesting.  Do they really want any more attention brought to their coruption issues?  I don't think so.  Sounds like a very empty threat to me.

 

Hi Anna.  Empty threat indeed.  I say good luck with the UN.   

[texasmom]

http://www.amigoe.com/artman/publish/printer_59561.php
Aruba
Rob Smith Director Radisson
14 Jul, 2009, 14:30 (GMT -04:00)



 
Rob Smith
ORANGE CITY - Director Rob Smith of Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association (AHATA) resigns. He is about three months to get to the Radisson hotel where the function of chief executive has accepted.

Smith was in 2007 Director of Ahata after he was previously general manager of the Westin hotel and vice-chairman of the owners group of Aruba Hotel Enterprises. In his role as director Ahata he mainly worked on the strengthening of strategic alliances in the toerime sector and the relationship with the government revived. One of his goals he had set two years ago, was the creation of a public-private marketing fund. The latter has never come. He says that under his leadership there has been greater appreciation for the critical role that Ahata position within the industry as the island. He also says as Radisson director again wish to participate in the board of Ahata.

Smith has a transition period of ninety days in which he arranged at the request of the Ahata Board will help to find a successor. There will be both on the island and abroad to candidates are sought.

7/14/2009 Aruba Today Page 3a

http://www.arubatoday.com/index.php?option=com_flippingbook&book_id=3

[Anna]

Hi Anna - You're looking very elegant today!

Hi, MsMarple!  CBB made this doll for me.  She does really good work and I don't have my files on this computer.  I have a new laptop.  So far, I like it really well especially for watching DVD's.  Trying to get up the nerve to transfer my files from the old PC to the lappie.  All my Natalee files are on the other computer, too. 

And TxMom is doing a good job with the Murder and Crime thread.  It continues to be very popular and get lots of hits.

[Sleuth]

Good evening monkeys.   I was going through some old stuff on my backup and this was from exactly 3 years ago.  Notice Klaas and San have not changed


b]Top Drawer....[/b]
Glenda. - Has Beth abandoned MB?
http://www.scaredmonkeys.net/viewtopic.php?p=16156#16156

Second Drawer...
Contains the Joe T lawsuit threats..Notice it is overflowing..

Third Drawer...
What I should be working on 

Bottom Drawer...
There is one for each of you

[Sleuth]

Self-edit -   note the Top Drawer.... knew whatever came from Glenda was BS already back then...

Good evening monkeys.   I was going through some old stuff on my backup and this was from exactly 3 years ago.  Notice Klaas and San have not changed


Top Drawer....
Glenda. - Has Beth abandoned MB?
http://www.scaredmonkeys.net/viewtopic.php?p=16156#16156

Second Drawer...
Contains the Joe T lawsuit threats..Notice it is overflowing..

Third Drawer...
What I should be working on 

Bottom Drawer...
There is one for each of you

[2NJSons_Mom]

Hi, Sleuth.....Glenda is far from top drawer....did I get that right?     

Klaas & San are consistent, yes indeed.

[Sleuth]

Hi, Sleuth.....Glenda is far from top drawer....did I get that right?     

Klaas & San are consistent, yes indeed.

HI 2NJ - Just because the top drawer had the BS, send drawer the threats, etc

[Sleuth]

Self- edit - I should not be doing 16 things at once....  "second" drawer...

Hi, Sleuth.....Glenda is far from top drawer....did I get that right?     

Klaas & San are consistent, yes indeed.

HI 2NJ - Just because the top drawer had the BS, second drawer the threats, etc

[2NJSons_Mom]

Hi, Sleuth.....Glenda is far from top drawer....did I get that right?     

Klaas & San are consistent, yes indeed.

HI 2NJ - Just because the top drawer had the BS, send drawer the threats, etc

I was just kidding.......(not really).....

It's great to see the goody's you've saved & to see you here.   Love it.

[texasmom]

Truth & Justice for Natalee!

[texasmom]

Good night Sleuth and wreck!