ORANJESTAD — The Aruban government does not intend to give the Arashi-beach to the planned five-star hotel of Tierra del Sol. The construction of the hotel itself is still a point of discussion.
During a town hall meeting yesterday evening in Centro di Bario Noord, both Premier Mike Eman (AVP) and Minister Benny Sevinger (AVP) of Infrastructure, Environment and Integration (AVP) announced that they did not fancy the construction of a new five-start hotel. Eman stated that the management of Tierra del Sol wants to go ahead with the project to solve their current financial problems, but it was Minister Sevinger who had especially lashed out. “They had approached me for an appointment, and told me they had obtained a permit from the previous government for the construction of a hotel. They inquired after the possibility to make use of the beach. My answer had been, just like with Ritz Carlton, that we do not approve of more hotels and condominiums”, says Sevinger, “but if you already have a permit from the previous government, then we –in any case- will not give you the beach. More than that, if you already have a permit for the hotel and we are to approve the construction plans, then you must create your beach within your terrain, otherwise your construction plans will not be approved either.”
Minister Sevinger declared he did not know what the previous government had promised Tierra del Sol. He states he is not aware of an agreement concluded with Tierra del Sol in 1994 that the parcel directly behind the Arashi-beach is supposedly granted to Tierra del Sol as soon as this became available. However, director Bas van Nieuwenhuijzen of Tierra del Sol informed this newspaper yesterday “the government has no choice in this matter”.
The director also indicated yesterday, they were negotiating with the government on the long lease agreement, which for that matter has expired. In a reaction, Minister Sevinger states, “I do not recall if it had been Mr. Nieuwenhuijzen who had come to present the plans.”
As a result of yesterday’s article, AVP State-member Juan David Yrausquin presented Minister Sevinger with a series of questions. He wants to know whether the Minister or one of his departments is indeed currently negotiating with Tierra del Sol, as indicated by director Van Nieuwenhuijzen. He also wants to see the long lease agreement signed by former minister of Infrastructure, Marisol Lopez-Tromp (MEP) and the letter of intent. He further wants to see the long lease contract from 1994, which supposedly indicates that the government has no choice with the purchase of the terrain from the Luidens-family.
Other zoning plan
AVP State-member Juan David Yrausquin passed on a document to the media, in which the former minister of Infrastructure, Marisol Lopez-Tromp (MEP) agreed with Tierra del Sol on a change of zoning plan regarding the terrain at Arashi. In the letter dated December 15th, 2006, she gives permission for a ‘luxurious (five-star) mix-use resort and casino of maximal 400 keys and a luxurious residential area consisting of fifty detached parcels and villas. In a reaction, Lopez-Tromp confirms that the change had been implemented upon request of Tierra del Sol. “In 2006, there had been another situation in the tourism sector where we also had to contemplate other considerations. The change was also bound to several conditions, amongst which a demonstrable bank guarantee to be met within a certain time span. When these conditions had not been met within the agreed upon time span, that change of zoning plan had also expired, according to Lopez-Tromp.
