On Thursday, San Nicolas was invaded by dignitaries as the local Chocolate City Visibility Team was unveiled. Marcia Grobman the coordinator on behalf of the Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association did an excellent job orchestrating a heart-warming and poignant ceremony. Rob Smith, who is the President of the Aruba Hospitality & Security Foundation - an hotelier, he also runs the Wyndham Aruba Resort Spa & Casino reports several islands in the Caribbean are interested in learning about Aruba's original crime fighting ideas. The foundation, Rob Reports is the brain child of the Hotel & Tourism Association. The idea came about three years ago and the private sector, the hotels, banded together to fund raise for a better Police and security system. As a result of public resources and private funding coming together, Aruba today had a professionally trained and fully equipped Visibility Team patrolling the high rise area of Palm Beach, the low rise area of Eagle Beach, the downtown Mecca of shopping, Oranjestad and now also San Nicolas. It was an instant success from the get go as it brought about an exodus of troublemakers from Aruba's premium spots. In private conversations, Grobman hints the Visibility Team will also be heading inland, to Santa Cruz in the very near future.
Smith explains that with Police training and operational know-how combined with upgraded and adequate equipment - from SUVs to ATVs and boats - the Visibility Team is making a real difference in the tourist areas combating petty theft and deterring criminal elements. "Some of my colleagues," banters Smith, "tell me that this is Aruba winning edge, our high security and safety rating, but personally I think we could market our experience and teach the world how to pool resources and become stronger than the sum of our parts."
The project is San Nicolas is especially moving since the YMCA got involved. The volunteers of the Y will be spearheading a social project called "Love Thy Neighbor." Street people picked up by the Police will be delivered to the Y for hot showers and food, also for comfort and conversation. We met two extraordinary women at the head of the local YMCA project: Gladys Stewart and Ana Maria Bryon Muller. Both lived in the USA for a number of years and upon their return to their native island decided to use their volunteer time to positively impact their community. While Stewart collects second-hand clothes and dry goods, Muller cooks. Their friends from church help offer shower & food program three times a week. They even recruited a barber for periodic visits.
In February, Smith reports, the Visibility Team picked up 257 homeless people in Oranjestad - probably the same people picked up a number of times. They had nowhere to take them. In San Nicolas the Visibility Team in conjunction with the Y and "Love Thy Neighbor," now has a model community project. The homeless will be documented and their situation monitored by social workers. They will be better groomed and fed, and will again be part of the community, states Muller.
Roland Peterson was the master of ceremonies at the kick off event and it gave him great pleasure to do so, as he was one of the founding fathers, back in June of 2001. He promised firmness, fairness and justice, to the community. The Minister of Justice, Rudy Croes and the Police Commissioner rubbed shoulders with Valero, the oil refinery executives whose generous donation made the launch of the project possible. A group of YMCA girls, the Beautiful Voices rapped "I wanna be somebody when I grow up," and a "No drug" composition. It was an immensely entertaining and educational performance. As a matter of fact, some businesses in San Nicolas such as BSL Laundry, Caribbean Mercantile Bank and Burger King, are also involved in the funding of the project and the foundation hopes to get the entire community, big and small to participate in some way.
