ARUBA STRENGTHENS IMMIGRATION CONTROLS Page #6
WEDNESDAY
June 24, 2015
CELEBRATE ARUBA’S CULTURE
DERA GAI
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Andrea Hughes, first place winner of the “Clyde Harms Scholarship” DURING the Nuevo Mundo Festival Academy (NMFA) 2015, there was a competition between the students who participated in the concerts at Cas di Cultura. The young American violinist of Utah, Andrea Hughes, 24 years old, was the first place winner of the NMFA 2015. She became the first time winner of the “Clyde Harms Scholarship” created by the NMFA in honor of an Aruban, Clyde Harms, who helped them establish in Aruba and is a faithful fan of the NMFA since 2005 during their concerts in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Andrea Hughes began playing violin at age 3. She received a Bachelor of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music in May 2014. Her teachers include Deborah Moench, Dara Morales, Ralph Matson, Paul Kantor, and Ivan Zenaty. She has had master classes and additional instruction from artists including Barbara Gorzynska, Joseph Silverstein, Charles Castleman, Leonard Braus, Katherine Cho, Pamela Frank, and Judith Ingolfssohn. She currently maintains a violin studio of her own. At the age of 15, she was the first place winner of the 2005 UMTA PreCollegiate Instrumental Concerto competition and in 2007 Utah State Fair Junior String Division. Andrea was a winner of the 2013 Spring CIM Concerto Competition. She was most recently a participant in the 2014 George Enescu International Violin Competition. She also occasionally performs with the Utah Symphony and Ballet West Orchestra. She has participated in both section and leadership positions in other various professional ensembles in Ohio and does so currently in Utah.
The Netherlands Supports Development
Ferry Service ABC-Islands
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THE Netherlands supports the initiative of developing a quick daily ferry service between Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire. Such interconnection gives a significant boost to the economy of the islands and contributes to improving the movement of people and goods between the islands, according to Minister Plasterk of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. A feasibility study commissioned by Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire has started. After completing that, there is clarity about the necessary preconditions as port facilities and customs and immigration procedures. The economic and social effects for Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire can be enormous and through the daily and fast ferry connection a cheaper transport of people and goods is possible. Now there is not a good boat connection and everything goes through air. With a ferry connection the market for business is suddenly much larger and it is easier and more interesting to be active on several islands. It also creates more opportunities for tourism and other services.
Wednesday, June 24 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER
Celebrate Aruba’s Culture Dera Gai
A letter to Minister Hooyboer with the request to undo the agreement with SKOA Luigi Bergen (MEP Party) LAST Friday, Mr. Luigi Bergen, who
ARUBA’S harvest festival is now a cultural celebration featuring traditional song and dance. The symbol of the rooster and bright yellow and red costumes are central to events held at various locations including community centers. Dera Gai which translates to “burying of the rooster” in the local language, is a cultural festival which has been celebrated for about 100 years on Aruba with traditional song and dance. This holiday is rife with both pagan and Christian symbolism reflecting the influences of the Arawak natives and Spanish missionaries on the Island, respectively. Traditionally, the Dera Gai celebration was centered on an unusual ritual. A hole was dug in the ground, and a live rooster was buried in the hole up to its neck. Blindfolded revelers would then be given three tries to decapitate the rooster with a long pole (piñata-style). (The Catholics considered this ritual to be symbolic of the decapitation of St. John the Baptist while the pagans believed that the spilling of the blood would fertilize the earth for the next growing season.) The one to carry out the deed was rewarded with bottles of alcohol and other prizes. Today, a more humane approach is taken. For example, at the Dera Gai celebration in Santa Cruz-one of the biggest Dera Gai celebrations on the Island-revelers are blindfolded and tasked with locating a flag staked into the ground while swaying their hips to the rhythms of a band. Every now and then, the coordinator of the game fools the blindfolded participants by moving the flag while the game is in progress. Folk dance groups also reenact the burying and decapitation of the rooster using a plastic rooster. Decked out in bright yellow-and-red costumes-the yellow said to represent the bloom of the local kibrahacha tree in the month of June-these groups also perform harvest dance rituals. Many years ago, bonfires were built on the eve of St. John›s Day in order to communicate the arrival of the holiday to neighbors. The old clippings from the previous year›s harvest would be burnt in preparation for the coming growing season. Nowadays, the fires are burnt island-wide on St. John›s Day itself, serving as an olfactory reminder of this unique local festival.
ARUBA TRAVELLER - Wednesday, June 24 2015
is representing the Parents Commission, sent a letter to the Minister of Education, Mrs. Michelle HooyboerWinklaar, with the request for the Minister to undo the agreement with SKOA in relation to the raise of 175 florin of school fee for the coming school year period. According to Mr. Bergen and the Parents Commission, this increase is drastic an unfair. It is drastic because the raise is too high and unfair because the payment of the school fee is tied to the acceptance of the child in the next school period. Last March, SKOA (the Aruba Education Foundation) proposed to raise school fees from 75 florins to 250 florins for school period 2015-2016, a raise of 223%. In May, the Government and SKOA reached a consensus to raise the school fee to 350 florins to be paid in two school periods, 175 florins in 2015-2016 and the other half in 2016-2017. This is an increase of 100 florins (133%) more than the initial proposal. The Government of Aruba subsidize SKOA, but the delayed payment of 500.000 florins for school period 2014-2015 did not solve
the financial situation of SKOA. The Government has not complied with its obligation to pay SKOA during the years, which makes the Government responsible for this situation. SKOA feels obligated to raise the school fee because the Government does not comply with its responsibility. Instead, the Minister decided to go along with SKOA to raise the fee drastically. The Minister declared to the press that SKOA is a foundation that is 100% subsidized by the Government. All the salaries of the workers of SKOA, teachers and maintenance are subsidized by the Government. According to the Agreement of the Right of the Child of UNICEF, signed also by the Dutch Kingdom on 20th of November 1989, and written in our Constitution, Education in Aruba must be subsidized by the Government. “We as parents of more than one child in schools managed by SKOA demand for school fee to remain reasonable. We advice parents not to pay this proposed fee until the Judge gives his sentence in this case, which will take place next Thursday, 25th June at 8:30 in the morning,” Mr. Luigi Bergen concluded.
Agreement between Aruba Growth Fund and Carlson Group THE negotiations regarding the Radisson Hotel, between the Aruba Growth Fund (AFG) and the Carlson Group seem to come to an end soon. The two groups intended to reach a mutual agreement without any interference of the judge. During the whole day yesterday, AFG and Carlson Group sat together to negotiate and the indications are that the groups are about to reach a deal, but there are still some legal details to be taken care of, and their lawyers are attending with each other to close the deal as soon as possible. RIU Hotel, however, will not be involved in any decisions in this case. A final decision on the negotiation is expected by the end of the week where Aruba Growth Fund will purchase the Radisson Hotel from the Carlson Group. The Radisson Hotel was the first luxurious hotel of Aruba and a symbol of development and progress of our tourism.
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Aruba strengthens immigration controls Amnesty Period ended IN 2010-2014, the Minister of Integration of Aruba Mr. Oslin Benito Sevinger, established an amnesty period in which undocumented residents had the opportunity to formalize their stay in the island legally. Now that this amnesty period has ended, the government will implement more stringent controls in the framework of Law Admissions. From now on the authorities will take the necessary legal action against people who remain illegally in Aruba. Those who do not submit their valid stay during the control period could be deported in a short term. Likewise, the persons or companies who employ undocumented persons will receive an administrative fine according to the Law of Admission. The employers who will receive a fine are those who: Employ people who do not have a valid stay. Give employment to people with valid stay permit, but the permit does not include authorization to work, or are authorized to work in a different company or function. Allow undocumented people to perform extra jobs. The fines for employers who employ undocumented people can be up to 10,000 florins, while companies could pay up to 25,000 florins. Everything depends on the type of the violation and the number of undocumented workers in service.
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Wednesday, June 24 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER
How to improve your negotiation skills
ARUBA TRAVELLER - Wednesday, June 24 2015
NEGOTIATION is all around us; we negotiate with our boss about our salary, we negotiate with our partner about household duties, we negotiate with our kids about the time they should be home, and we negotiate with sellers or real estate agents about the price of a new car or new house. Negotiations are —as opposed to a fight-or-flight reaction— a constructive way to settle situations in which two parties have different preferences. However, these situations can be quite hard, because we may want to negotiate well for ourselves, but at the same time need to preserve the relationship with the other party. Sometimes we (have to) settle for agreements that are suboptimal, while there might be better options for ourselves, or even options that are better for both parties. The Center for Lifelong Learning of the University of Aruba is having a workshop on July 3rd, 2015 at Zaal 3, University of Aruba,
Irausquinplein 6. In this workshop on negotiation, Dr. Fieke Harinck will mix exercises and theory to explain the main concepts of negotiation and will give advice and tips on how to negotiate better. The first part of the workshop will deal with standard negotiation behavior and general pitfalls, the second part of the workshop focuses on mutual-gain negotiation and the last part deals with characteristics of the situations that make the negotiation easier or harder. After following this workshop, participants will have an idea of their own preferred negotiation style and its effect on others. Participants will also receive tips on how to approach a negotiation to reach mutually satisfactory agreements, and will know how time pressure, breaks or power differences affect a negotiation. For more information, please contact the Center for Lifelong Learning - Tel: 5262258 or 5262259
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FISHING TOURNAMENT
Internal Auditor Training July 2 and July 9, 2015 at ATIA
At Hadicurari Fishing Center HADICURARI Fishing Center and Santa Rosa (LVV), are organizing the annual Fishing Tournament on Sunday, 5th of July to honor Saint Peter. For Christians, Saint Peter is generally regarded as an important figure in Christianity and Roman Catholicism specifically. As such, many Christians throughout the world annually celebrate his birthday on 29th June with traditional religious services and festive activities in commemoration of his life’s work. This festival is regarded as an historical occasion and is particularly centered on the sea, fish and fishermen because St. Peter, who was one of Jesus’ twelve Apostles according to the biblical story, was also a fisherman.
Registration for this Fishing Tournament will take place on the 4th of July where all the participants are asked to register and they will get the rules of the fishing tournament. There will be lots of activities for the whole family and you can buy typical Aruban food and sit and eat with friends and families while enjoying typical Aruban music that will be on all ay to make the ambience more suitable to Aruba’s culture.
IT is a requirement of Management Standards such as ISO9001, ISO14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 22000, Airport Standards like IOSA &ISAGO, Hospitality Standards, Green Globe, Earth Check, Financial Standards, Hospital standards NIAZ & HKZ that Internal audits are carried out on a regular basis. An internal audit is an important tool to assess your organization and the effectiveness of your management system. This preserves the integrity of your management system. The results of the internal audit are a source for improvements. Performing internal audits requires specific knowledge and skill. All internal auditors are required to be adequately trained. The course addresses the Standard ISO 19011:2011 (Requirements for Internal Auditors). This two-day certificated course meets the requirements of all Management Standards for internal auditor training. The primarily focus on this training will be on practice simulations with case studies and role-play.
NOTE: Not an IRCA Registered course, but is recognized by all Certification Bodies as meeting the Auditor Training requirements.
COURSE CONTENT Management System documentation The audit cycle and schedules Preparation and planning of an audit Conducting an audit Auditing top management Reporting non-conformities Qualification & training of auditors Non verbal communication Live internal audit practice
TARGET GROUP The audit training is intended for persons who work within the organization on which a standard or external requirement applies and carry out audits in the short term on the basis of this standard or to develop the knowledge of internal audit procedure. For more information, email: info@qesh-aruba.com. Registration closes on July 1, 2015.
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Wednesday, June 24 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER
Aruba Tourism Authority analyzes the Venezuela Market
Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino – “Meetings Imagined” IT was last Friday that a spe-
TOURISM has contributed strongly to the economic growth of Aruba and remains the main employer and foreign exchange earner. The tourist market of Aruba has experienced a positive growth from January to May 2015 increasing with 18.3%. The Primary market for Aruba, the United States of America, provided a growth of 8.6% in the first 5 months of 2015. The second biggest market for Aruba, Venezuela, also continues to grow and ATA is analyzing this market which can be classified in two segments. The first segment is the visitors who come repeatedly to Aruba and can afford to spend in our island even though the situation in Venezuela is difficult. These visitors stay for an average of 7 nights. And the second segment is the visitors who stay only for one night. ATA is analyzing both segments and concluded that those that stay 7 nights or more were the most fast growing segment in the first 5 months of 2015. The stay-over tourists from Venezuela use Aruba as a hub to continue their journey to the United States or Europe. The Venezuelan tourists come here especially to buy basic products due to the shortage of products in their country. The wealthy tourists however buy luxury products combined with the basic products. Another tendency of the Venezuelan tourist is that 55% stay at apartments, guesthouses or at villas. Aruba Tourism Authority, together with a group of experts, is visiting several tourist accommodations on the island. The objective of this is to obtain more information on the quality of the product that we are offering our visitors. It is important for all these accommodations to be according to the valid rules and laws. It is important to realize that the domestic situation in Venezuela will continue to bring a different flow of visitors. ATA and partners will continue to adjust and assure that everything we do for this market will be according to our market goals to make the stay of the tourists more attractive. The contribution of the Venezuela market remains a big one. Even the stay-over visitor from Venezuela provided a growth of 13.7%, which for our economy is very positive.
ARUBA TRAVELLER - Wednesday, June 24 2015
cial meeting took place; the introduction of “Meetings Imagined”; a comprehensive meeting strategy by Marriott International. “Meetings Imagined” is inspired by people and created to transform the average meeting or event into an experience. While others are focused on tables and chairs, we start with people and the purpose of their meeting. Intuitively we know that people that are gathered for a training session have different needs than those gathered for a networking event. This is the philosophy behind Meetings Imagined. MeetingsImagined. com is the industry’s first visual, social and collaborative website to change the way customers shop, buy and plan meetings and is unmatched by any competitor. This award winning pin-worthy website can be used by both associates and customers - starting with the purpose of the meeting or event - to inspire and design using new ideas. This is a differentiated approach for selling and planning meetings based on purpose launched by Marriott International for all its full service hotels. “It is our vision to be the first choice for meetings and events – which we already are for Aruba, and we are most grateful for that. We always try to be innovative and in doing so we brainstorm with all organizations who want their meetings, event and conference to take place at our venue”, this according to Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino executive. “Meetings Imagined” is a first-of-its-kind concept that reinvents how meetings are planned, making them more visual, social, and purposeful. While others may focus on just meeting logistics, Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino is reimagining the experience for the next generation with the innovative Meetings Imagined concept that infuses a more sophisticated approach based on objectives and outcomes. To do this, Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino is innovating in the areas of service, space, culinary and technology, to create an elevated experience for both planners and attendees. Renaissance Aruba associates play a critical role in helping to achieve this vision. Rather than focusing just on dates, rates and room layouts, Meetings Imagined takes a holistic approach, honing in on the specific purpose of the meeting to create and design a more engaging experience. During the presentation last Friday Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino introduced this new project to all associates. Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino has its own Convention Center and is Aruba’s largest meeting facility used by numerous local organizations, “We want to change the concept of how meetings are planned. Each brand has designed their specific global meeting strategy. Renaissance offers R.E.N. Meetings. Meetings for the senses infused with local flavor and delivered with turnkey networking events and local excursions. “Meetings Imagined” will ignite the passion we already have for meetings and events and through its innovative tools and brand proof points, will empower us to help make the customer successful. Every year our convention center hosts numerous events, meetings and conferences- and we can’t wait to introduce this exiting concept to our customers,” according to Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino executive.
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Xander Bogaerts only Red Sox player in top 5 in AL All-Star voting BOSTON -- Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts is the only Boston player among the top five in balloting at his position in the latest voting results for the American League All-Star team. Xander Bogaerts is the only Boston Red Sox player currently in the top five at his position in AL All-Star voting. Bogaerts has received 1.343 million votes, more than 7.4 million votes behind Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar, and almost 4.8 million votes behind Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias. Voting ends July 2. The biggest surprise may be at second base, where four-time AllStar Dustin Pedroia is not among the top five at his position, even though his .820 OPS is third-highest at the position, behind only Jason Kipnis of Cleveland (.932) and Brian Dozier of the Twins (.852), and his on-base average of .367 is second only to Kipnis (.423). Kipnis ranks fourth in the voting, while Dozier, like Pedroia is not in the five. Royal’s second baseman Omar Infante, in the most egregious example of ballot-box stuffing by Kansas City fans, is first in voting at the position, despite a .237 on-base average. MLB may be spared the embarrassment of Infante being elected as a starter, as Houston’s Jose Altuve is less than a half-million votes behind. Another Red Sox All-Star perennial, eight-time selection David Ortiz, does not rank among the top five at DH, where Kendrys Morales of the Royals and Nelson Cruz of the Mariners have both received over seven million votes.
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Wednesday, June 24 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER
Women’s-Rights Groups Plan to
DELIVER Abortion Drugs to Poland by
DRONE
THE move is designed to circumvent strict Polish laws on abortion Four women’s-rights organizations based in Germany and Poland are planning to deliver WHO-approved abortion pills by drone from Germany to a Polish border town. The drone will carry the drugs from Frankfurt an der Oder to women across the river in the Polish town of Slubice, in a bid to get around Poland’s restrictive abortion laws The delivery will also hopefully bring attention to the discrepancy between Poland’s abortion laws and those of other European countries, says one of the organizations involved, Women on Waves. Poland, a staunchly Roman
Catholic country, is one of the few places in Europe where women can only get a legal abortion if there is proof of rape or incest, if the mother’s life is endangered, or if the fetus is severely malformed. The drugs scheduled for delivery on June 27 are mifepristone and misoprostol. They can be taken without medical supervision for pregnancies of less than nine weeks, Women on Waves says. Inducing miscarriage is not an offense under Polish law. Women on Waves adds that, since the drone won’t be flying through controlled air space and weighs less than 5 kg, it does not require authorization from the Polish or the German government.
Afghan Soldier Esa Khan Kills 6 Terrorists, AWARDED NEW APARTMENT
A SOLDIER was lauded as Afghanistan’s newest national hero Tuesday after claiming to shoot dead all six gunmen involved in an attack targeting the parliament building. Lance Corporal Esa Khan, 28, was on perimeter duty when a car bomb exploded at the gates of the Kabul site as lawmakers convened to appoint a new defense minister. He recounted spotting the militants trying to enter the parliament “one by one.” “I killed all six of them,” Khan told local TV in the attack’s aftermath. “Their bodies are there, everybody can see them.” In a statement, the Ministry of Defense said: “Esa Khan fought bravely against the terrorists and using his military training and experience he managed to kill all six terrorists and prevent a tragedy.” President Ashraf Ghani tweeted on Tuesday that he met with Khan and gave him keys to a new apartment in Kabul in return for his bravery. He also ordered defense officials to award Khan a medal and to promote him. After being honorably discharged following three years in the army, Khan had returned to active duty “because of the love he had for his country” and was recently assigned to a task force tasked with protecting the parliament, according to the Ministry of Defense. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which injured more than 30 people.
ARUBA TRAVELLER - Wednesday, June 24 2015
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Aruba Happy Flow LAYS FOUNDATIONS for wide-reaching European preclearance programme THE governments of Aruba and the Netherlands, Schiphol Group, KLM, and Aruba Airport Authority, have collaborated to launch an innovative pilot project – Aruba Happy Flow – which lays the foundations for a European preclearance programme. The launch of Aruba Happy Flow, which uses facial recognition technology as the basis of a single passenger token and removes the need for passengers to present their passport and boarding pass at multiple stages of the airport journey, certainly stands out as an industry first, but what is now becoming increasingly clear is the true significance of this project and the impact it could have on the airport experience on a global scale. Happy Flow is already transforming the way passengers are processed at each touch-point at Aruba Airport, but it could well be the catalyst for a revolution in the way passengers are identified and processed well beyond the boundaries of this singleterminal facility on the aptly nicknamed ‘One Happy Island’. Happy Flow uses facial recognition technology as the key passenger identifier. When a passenger
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checks in at a self-service kiosk, a photo is taken of their face, which is then verified against, and linked with, their electronic passport, while at the same time all of the usual border control background checks are performed. Then, at each of the subsequent checkpoints – namely bag drop, immigration and boarding – instead of having to present their documents, the passenger simply has to stand in front of a camera, which automatically recognises their face, which is matched against their passport and boarding pass, and grants approval to continue the journey. Each process is completed in a matter of seconds. Delivering the project has been a complex challenge, due largely to the fact that so many stakeholders have been involved: the governments of Aruba and the Netherlands, Schiphol Group, KLM, Aruba Airport Authority and lead contractor Vision-Box, as well as its sub-contractors, including Oelan and Considerati, plus SAS. Annet Steenbergen, Chair of the Aruba Happy Flow Board and Coordinator of Preclearance for the Government of Aruba, said “close partnership was
the critical success factor” in the concept becoming reality. “This has been about two years in the works and it’s being driven by the fact that the government of Aruba wishes to offer preclearance for Europe. It already offers this service for the US, but it wants to offer the same thing for people travelling to Europe. Happy Flow is the first step in the roadmap to have European preclearance,” she explained. ‘Innovation sprints’ Aruba Happy Flow has initially been implemented as a two-year pilot, and the programme will be continually tweaked and updated during this timeframe, with any changes made at the end of so-called ‘innovation sprints’, which will last three months each. The first innovation sprint is all about consolidating the infrastructure, then the focus will shift to implementation of the ‘workflow orchestration’, which will benefit all of the public and private partners. This seamless workflow is a vital element of the project; once a passenger checks in and performs the immigration checks at a self-service kiosk, all of the airport stakeholders automatically receive this information. For instance, the immigration agency receives this information when the passenger checks
Wednesday, June 24 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER
in, so they know that the passenger will soon be entering the immigration checkpoint. In essence, Happy Flow makes use of the data that has always existed, but makes it far more easily accessible and actionable for each of the stakeholders. Steenbergen also stressed that Aruba Happy Flow places equal emphasis on security and efficiency. “It’s all about making the airport process faster and safer,” she said. “People often think if something is faster it might not be safer, or if it’s safer it’s probably slower. We took a 50/50 approach. We’ve designed and developed Happy Flow to be as safe as it can possibly be and as fast as it can possibly be.” Expanding Aruba Happy Flow Initially, a number of KLM passengers with European passports travelling on the five-times-weekly flight to Amsterdam from Aruba, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, will be invited to take part in Happy Flow, with the number gradually increased as the pilot evolves. Once the ultimate goal of pre-clearance is achieved in cooperation with the Dutch and EU authorities, passengers will essentially be treated as domestic passengers upon arrival in Amsterdam, as they will have already completed the immigration process in Aruba. Being a first-of-its-kind project, as one would expect, the journey of bringing Happy Flow from concept to reality has thrown up numerous challenges, but a spirit of innovation among all of those involved has been a consistent driving force behind overcoming these hurdles. “For Aruba as a country, the airport, KLM and Schiphol Group, they are all very innovative players and it is this innovative spirit that brought us together. Also, the Prime Minister of Aruba and the CEOs of all of the partners have really supported this,” Steenbergen said.
ARUBA TRAVELLER - Wednesday, June 24 2015
A common use, passenger-centric solution Another key component in this process came in the shape of Vision-Box, which won the global tender to be the lead contractor and provide the Happy Flow infrastructure. As the company’s Senior Vice President and founder, Miguel Leitmann, explained, ensuring the utmost safety and security, protecting passenger privacy and guaranteeing transparency were all of vital importance, but also among the priorities was to ensure the end result was a “passenger-centric platform” that delivers shared services. “It is very important that our solution is passenger-centric,” he said, “so it does not belong to one or the other stakeholder. The passenger owns his own information, he manages his own experience, and only in the moment he interacts with one of the touch-points by identifying himself does he allow his information concerning his flight and his identity to be used by that specific stakeholder for that specific transaction.” In effect, every passenger has a “virtual passenger data envelope” above their head which is created during the initial check-in phase, Leitmann said, and which includes all of the relevant information needed to pass through each touch-point, and this envelope is only accessed when the passenger interacts with one of the touch-points, thus authorising the transaction to happen. “An instrumental pillar of the solution was to create trust between the passengers and the stakeholders,” he added.
for the programme, due to the freely accessible photo of the passenger stored in their secure document chip. “Also, in any exception case, the officer can look at the picture of the traveller instead of an image of an iris or fingerprint, which by his own means he cannot identify,” Lennon said.
Leitmann and his colleague, Jean-François Lennon, Vice President for Global Business Development & Sales, also explained that facial recognition was the ideal biometric modality to form the basis of the single passenger token, due to the fact that it is the “most accurate and convenient” option, the e-passport is becoming the most common form of travel document, and because it doesn’t require passengers to pre-enrol
Steenbergen also said that exporting Happy Flow beyond Aruba, once its capabilities have been fully proven, would make perfect sense. What has started on a tiny island inhabited by just over 100,000 people in the southern Caribbean Sea could lead to the creation of a European preclearance programme and transform the way passengers are processed in airports around the world.
Next up: Happy Flow at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol? The fact that Happy Flow has been developed to be a passenger-centric and common use solution is what lies at the heart of its potential on a much wider scale. According to Leitmann: “There’s no technical reason why it should not be used by other passengers, other airlines and other airports. It’s a question of orchestration.” KLM and Schiphol Group are already undertaking a feasibility study on how Happy Flow could be implemented at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Marten Dijkstra, Manager of Border Control, Customs and Immigration at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, commented: “With Aruba Happy Flow, we have made an innovative step to further improve the comfort of the passengers. If the experience and test results are positive at Aruba we will further develop this project. But during the first pilot, step by step, we expect the innovation sprints will be successful, and if they are, then implementation at Schiphol Airport is suitable.”
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Sister Nirmala: Mother Teresa
successor
PASSES AWAY
‘PREGNANCY
WI-FI’
router causes controversy in China
SISTER Nirmala, the nun who succeeded Mother Teresa as the head of a charity in the Indian city of Kolkata (Calcutta), has died, aged 81. The former Superior General of Missionaries of Charity was suffering from various ailments. She took over the running of the charity after Mother Teresa died in 1997 and ran it for 12 years before Sister Mary Prema took over in 2009. The Missionaries of Charity cares for the homeless and dying in Kolkata. Archbishop of Kolkata Thomas D’Souza told the AFP news agency that Sister Nirmala “passed away peacefully, surrounded by sisters praying for her”. “She had been suffering from a heart disease for quite some time, but she never lost her smile and was always cheerful.” He said Sister Nirmala “carried forward Mother Teresa’s legacy of compassion, gentleness, service to the poorest of the poor and holiness of life”. “Even after she ceased to be head of Missionaries of Charity, she served the people with the same zeal as she did before.” Reports say Sister Nirmala’s body will be kept at the Missionaries of Charity headquarters in Kolkata and her funeral will be held on Wednesday afternoon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the tributes to the deceased nun. The Missionaries of Charity has about 4,500 nuns and hundreds of homes around the world.
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TWO Chinese tech firms have clashed over a new wireless router with a special setting for pregnant women. Qihoo 360 unveiled the device, an upgrade to an existing product, which has three settings it describes on its website as wall penetration, balance and “pregnant women”. The third setting reduces radiation emitted by the router by 70%, the firm claims. However, tech giant Xiaomi has accused Qihoo of scaremongering. “The so-called pregnancy mode is just a marketing tactic. Wi-fi usage is safe, so please rest assured when using it,” Xiaomi said in a post on social media site Weibo. The two firms are fierce rivals, and Xiaomi has also recently launched a new router product, which offers six terabytes of storage and high-speed connections but does not include this setting. Zhou Hongyi, Qihoo’s chief executive, said at Qihoo’s P1 launch event that the firm was “targeting people who are afraid of radiation”, reported the South China Morning Post.
There is controversy surrounding the health effects of electromagnetic signals such as wi-fi on humans - although the low-level non-ionising kind used by telecommunications devices is scientifically said not to cause significant harm. The BabySafe Wireless Project is a USbased campaign group which argues that wireless radiation does pose a risk to pregnant women and their unborn babies. However, the World Health Organization says that the evidence so far does not support the claims. “The overall weight of evidence shows that exposure to fields at typical environmental levels does not increase the risk of any adverse outcome such as spontaneous abortions, malformations, low birth weight, and congenital diseases,”according to the WHO website. “Based on a recent in-depth review of the scientific literature, the WHO concluded that current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields.”
Wednesday, June 24 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER
PARIS Announces
BID for 2024 OLYMPICS PARIS joins Rome, Boston and Hamburg as declared bidders, with Budapest also expected to join the contest Paris declared its candidacy for the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday, becoming the fourth city to enter the race and setting out its vision for bringing the games back to the French capital for the first time in 100 years. The Paris bid, which has been in the works for months, was formally launched in a ceremony at the headquarters of the French Olympic Committee that was attended by leading French athletes. “We believe that this bid and our goal to host the 2024 Games will excite, unite and enthuse the people of Paris, our entire nation and lovers of Olympic and Paralympic sport all over the world,” bid chairman Bernard Lapasset said. Paris joins Rome, Boston and Hamburg as declared bidders, with Budapest also expected to join the contest. Paris has scheduled a second bid ceremony on Bastille Day on July 14, with French President Francois Hollande and other top political figures expected to take part. Paris hosted the Olympics in 1900 and 1924 and bid unsuccessfully for the 1992, 2008 and 2012 Games. After being criticized for their perceived arrogance in their defeats to Beijing and London for the 2008 and 2012 Games, French officials have opted for
ARUBA TRAVELLER - Wednesday, June 24 2015
a more cautious and humble approach this time, leaving government officials in a supporting role and making sure all the political hurdles were cleared before announcing a bid. The bid announcement coincided with the annual Olympic Day, which celebrates the inception of the International Olympic Committee on June, 23, 1894 in Paris. “As we move forward with our bid, it is very pleasing to see today that we already have the full support of the city, regional and national governments as well as the
CNOSF and the French sports movement,” Lapasset said. “It is wonderful to also receive significant public support and real backing from our athletes.” Paris has until Sept. 15 to submit its candidacy to the IOC, which will choose the host city in 2017. The infrastructure budget of the Paris bid has been estimated at 3 billion euros ($4.5 billion), with operational costs of 3.2 billion euros ($4.8 billion). The cost of bidding is projected at 60 million euros ($63 million). According to Lapasset, 60 to 80 percent of venues have
already been built, meaning existing infrastructure would be at the heart of the project. The Stade de France, a new cycling track on the outskirts of Paris, the Roland Garros tennis stadium and many Parisian landmarks including the Grand Palais and Champ de Mars are likely to be used. The main construction requirements include an aquatics center, Olympic village and media center. Both Hollande and Prime Minister Manuel Valls have kept a low profile over the past six months but made clear they supported the bid. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo was initially skeptical about the costs and environmental impact of the Olympics and questioned whether France should bid for both the 2024 Olympics and 2025 World Expo. “Paris is looking forward to an exciting and bold future whilst remaining true to its rich sporting and cultural traditions,” Hidalgo said Tuesday. “We will be designing an integrated project with all the talents of the City of Paris and its suburbs and with young people playing a key role.” F r a n c e decided not to bid for the 2020 Olympics after Annecy was humiliated in the race for the 2018 Winter Games, receiving only seven votes in an election won by Pyeongchang, South Korea. The last successful French Olympic bid came from Albertville, which was awarded the 1992 Winter Games.
INTERNATIONAL
13
Titanic Composer
James Horner DIES in Plane Crash
«WE h a v e lost an amazing person with a huge heart and unbelievable talent» James Horner, the consummate film composer known for his heart-tugging scores for Field of Dreams, Braveheart, Avatar and Titanic, for which he won two Academy Awards, died Monday in a plane crash near Santa Barbara. He was 61.
His death was confirmed by Sylvia Patrycja, who is identified on Horner’s film music page as his assistant. “We have lost an amazing person with a huge heart and unbelievable talent,” Patrycja wrote on Facebook on Monday. “He died doing what he loved. Thank you for all your support and love and see you down the road.” Horner was piloting the small aircraft when it crashed into a remote area about 60 miles north of Santa Barbara, officials said. An earlier report noted that the plane, which was registered to the composer, had gone down, but the pilot had not been identified. For his work on the 1997 best picture winnerTitanic, directed by James Cameron, Horner captured the
Skinny jeans given HEALTH
WARNING
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INTERNATIONAL
Oscar for original dramatic score, and he nabbed another Academy Award for original song (shared with lyricist Will Jennings) for “My Heart Will Go On,” performed by Celine Dion. “My job — and it’s something I discuss with Jim all the time — is to make sure at every turn of the film it’s something the audience can feel with their heart,” Horner said in a 2009 interview with the Los Angeles Times. “When we lose a character, when somebody wins, when somebody loses, when someone disappears — at all times I’m keeping track, constantly, of what the heart is supposed to be feeling. That is my primary role.” His score for Titanic sold a whopping 27 million copies worldwide.
SKINNY jeans can seriously damage muscles and nerves, doctors have said. A 35-year-old woman had to be cut out of a pair after her calves ballooned in size, the medics said in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. She had spent hours squatting to empty cupboards for a house move in Australia. By evening, her feet were numb and she found it hard to walk. Doctors believe the woman developed a condition called compartment syndrome, made worse by her skinny jeans. Compartment syndrome is a painful and potentially serious condition caused by bleeding or swelling within an enclosed bundle of muscles - in this case, the calves. The condition caused the woman to trip and fall and, unable to get up, she then spent several hours lying on the ground. On examination at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, her lower legs were severely swollen. Although her feet were warm and had enough blood supplying
them, her muscles were weak and she had lost some feeling. As the pressure had built in her lower legs, her muscles and nerves became damaged. She was put on an intravenous drip and after four days was able to walk unaided. Other medics have reported a number of cases where patients have developed tingly, numb thighs from wearing the figurehugging low-cut denim trousers - although the chance of it happening is still slim for most people. Priya Dasoju, professional adviser at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said: «As with many of these warnings, the very unfortunate case highlighted is an extreme one. «There›s no need to ditch the skinny jeans just yet, simply avoid staying in the same position for too long and keep moving throughout the day. If you do suffer any prolonged pain you should of course seek help, but no-one should be alarmed by this warning or change the cut of their jeans.»
Wednesday, June 24 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER
Liverpool HOLD TALKS with
Roberto Firmino, Carlos Bacca and Salomon Rondon
LIVERPOOL have held talks with forwards Roberto Firmino, Carlos Bacca and Salomon Rondon, according to Sky sources. The club have widened their search for a new striker to three South American targets after deeming Christian Benteke’s £32.5million asking price too expensive. Brazilian media outlet Globoesporte has reported that an £18m deal and a five-year contract has been agreed for Firmino but other sources have reported that this is not yet the case. Hoffenheim player Firmino is currently on Copa America duty with Brazil and is seen as an ideal replacement for Raheem Sterling – should he leave the club – with his ability to play across the front three. Bacca is another player on Liverpool’s radar due to his prolific form for Sevilla and Colombia. It is believed he would command a fee in the region of £20m. He scored 28 goals last season, including two goals in the Europa League final. Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert Guillem Balague recently said that Bacca wants to leave Sevilla and is open to a move to the Premier League. “Carlos Bacca at the end of the season told Sevilla he would like a way out,” Balague said. “Sevilla would like him to stay, but he does know there is interest from the Premier League and Italy. “He likes the idea of coming to the Premier League, of course he has been abroad for a few years and would be happy to continue that progression abroad.” Liverpool are also pursuing Rondon, who plays for Zenit St Petersburg and represents Venezuela at international level. Rondon, who would cost £15m, scored 20 times last season as Zenit won the Russian title. Liverpool have also been linked in the media with Monaco centre-back Aymen Abdennour. There is currently no interest in Inter Milan’s attacking midfielder Mateo Kovacic and as of yet there has not been a second bid made for Southampton defender Nathaniel Clyne.
Xander BOGAERTS
only Red Sox player in top 5 in AL All-Star voting
RED Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts is the only Boston player among the top five in balloting at his position in the latest voting results for the American League All-Star team. Bogaerts has received 1.343 million votes, more than 7.4 million votes behind Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar, and almost 4.8 million votes behind Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias. Voting ends July 2. The biggest surprise may be at second base, where four-time All-StarDustin Pedroia is not among the top five at his position, even though his .820 OPS is third-highest at the position, behind only Jason Kipnis of Cleveland (.932) and Brian Dozier of the Twins (.852), and his on-base average of .367 is second only to Kipnis (.423). Kipnis ranks fourth in the voting, while Dozier, like Pedroia is not in the five. Royals second baseman Omar Infante, in the most egregious example of ballot-box stuffing by Kansas City fans, is first in voting at the position, despite a .237 on-base average. MLB may be spared the embarrassment of Infante being elected as a starter, as Houston’s Jose Altuve is less than a half-million votes behind. Another Red Sox All-Star perennial, eight-time selection David Ortiz, does not rank among the top five at DH, where Kendrys Morales of the Royals and Nelson Cruz of the Mariners have both received over seven million votes. Red Sox left-fielder Hanley Ramirez ranks 13th among outfielders in the balloting,
ARUBA TRAVELLER - Wednesday, June 24 2015
SPORTS
15
Oscar
De La Hoya
‘50-50’on making return to boxing at 42 OSCAR De La Hoya says he is ’50-50’ on making a return to the ring at the age of 42 to face Floyd Mayweather or Gennady Golovkin. De La Hoya, who was the 1992 Olympic champion and won world titles at six different weights, lost a split decision to Mayweather in 2007. His final bout before retirement was against Manny Pacquiao in 2008 and ended when De La Hoya retired on his stool at the end of the eighth round, a defeat which was his fourth in seven contests. De La Hoya was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year and says he feels ‘great physically’ after two spells in rehabilitation clinics. He appears to have
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SPORTS
had a change of heart after suggesting recently that a comeback was not on his agenda. “I feel amazing,” De La Hoya said. “In my life right now, I have so much motivation. I am so hungry and so determined. I am young, I am healthy and I feel great... 42 is the new 32. “I just feel good and when I walk the streets, everyone tells me, ‘You have to fight Floyd again, you have to fight GGG. You can do it, you can do it’. “I just feel great physically. I’ve been taking care of myself. I’ve been doing the Bernard Hopkins lifestyle. You can turn the clock back to a certain time. “It’s got to be worth my while but this is very serious.
I have to make sure I am fighting the very best. I don’t have to come back for financial reasons or the lights or the glamour. “The only reason I would come back is because I miss the competition of fighting the very best. “Would I do it? I don’t know but I wake up every morning thinking that I can. I think about Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler. If they could do it, why can’t I? “We both come from similar situations. We are both hungry for the competition, we’re both ambitious. So you never know. At the same time, I wish time flies by so I don’t have to come back.”
Wednesday, June 24 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER