Several topics were mentioned in the last paragraph as being structural issues that have gotten worse and would need to be addressed by new representatives. Three of these are matters under my stewardship. The perception that they have somehow “gotten worse” is troubling to me because there is ample proof of great advances and improvements. I understand that they were named with no malicious intent. Regretfully, the early elections deprived me of the opportunity to share with everybody the advances and successes booked on all three areas.
I can review advances in elderly care and RWZI separately. But your readers should first be made aware of the latest on the Parkietenbos situation. What we found, what we did, and what is next. It is a ten-step program, but I will present a short version. Let’s stat with understanding how the situation at Parkietenbos got out of control.
LANDFILL OVER MANGROVES
Over 70 years ago, the government of Aruba found a spot between the mangroves at Parkietenbos, a location close to Oranjestad, yet at sufficient distant to allow the trade winds to blow the smoke of the burning trash off-island, unto the sea. I wager that the decision was driven by the importance to spare the population concentrations of that time the nuisance. It was not about concerns with the carcinogens produced by burning waste. And pollution of land, air and sea had absolutely no bearing.
In a timespan of about 70 years, our admirable economic growth model transformed this location into a toxic wasteland. The mangroves were destroyed and the Prikichi’s and the Loras gradually left Parkietenbos. A hill of nearly 30 meters height has been created with collected trash, that is dumped then bulldozed into piles of garbage, chemicals, oils and rubble of all types. And that pile was then regularly set ablaze, with absolutely no concern for nature or health. This we call the ‘economic externality’ of Aruba’s economic model when progress is pursued with hidden costs to the population and the environment.
For decades, all travelers arriving on our island were greeted with thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the air. Their first impression of our island was not lush greenery and white beaches. It was a mount on fire, and a dense black tower of carbon and soot. Inevitably that image was often also their very last sight of our island. But not anymore. 2 years later, the fire and the smoke are gone. That is the opposite of “getting worse.”
That is only the start of the journey to healing Parkietenbos. For 70 years we polluted not only the soil and the air, but the toxicity that accumulated in the soil seeps continuously into the shoreline and into the sea. The smoke produces particles and chemicals that also rain unto the shoreline. That contaminated seawater then flows past the beaches of Bucuti, past the Renaissance Island Beach, Surfside Beach, past Pincho’s and into Rooi Manonchi at the West Deck beach. To boot, wall of noxious smoke partitioned the sea lane between Oranjestad and Pos Chiquito, Savaneta, Cura Cabay and Baby Beach.
Whenever the winds fell, the residents in the area were drenched in the stench and noxious fumes emanating from the dump. At times, the putrid smell spread island wide, including as the first aroma welcoming our guests at the nearby airport. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of people were continuously exposed to toxic fumes.
STEP 1: NO MORE FIRE. In March 2022 Aruba instituted its first ever Ministry of Nature. This is a critical headway and critical to the protection of nature, biosphere and adaptation to climate change. Before the year 2022 was over, Aruba’s first Minister of Nature, Minister Arends, declared the situation at the Parkietenbos dump immoral for humans and barbaric to nature. The health risks were obvious, the environmental toll and the damage to wildlife was immeasurable. Before the year changed the landfill was locked to the public for the first time in 70 years. Options were given so trash could be redirected to locations that offer responsible processing.
STEP 2: TRANSFORMATION. Immediately after the gates were closed, work started on transforming the land. Within a year the disorganized pockets of reeking garbage piles were eliminated. The patchy and chaotic situation has been restructured. The landscape on that the old Parkietenbos pile of fire has been converted into a workable parcel of land. Work is still ongoing to make it completely ready for further development. And so, the situation on the land did not get worse.
STEP 3: NEW WALL. There are many uncontrolled entry points to the landfill. We need clear boundaries to signal that the old landfill is no more. A new wall is being built at the moment to clearly define the limits of the property. The wall is also a very necessary part of the final objective to sanitize and reclaim the land for nature. But mostly, this wall will emphasize the fact that this parcel of land is conclusively no longer available for use as a landfill.
STEP 3: ILLEGAL DUMPS. Illegal dumps have always been a problem in Aruba. So, it was inevitable that following the closing of the landfill a small group of shady characters would use illegal dumps as an easy way to make money. To address this, we included Bureau City Inspection (BCI) as the executive arm of the Ministry of Nature and they were assisted with the introduction of FIXI app. The BCI’s monitoring capacity was expanded and the public’s contribution in this social control experiment has been very encouraging. This really works. Data analytics is now possible and all its benefits are within reach. We have more to do. Although BCI can in many cases address violations, they need more authorizations. And because financial resources for preventive measures and enforcement are never sufficient (they are tied to paying of large national debt), we opted to implement other technology to monitor, track, and record exactly who the characters are that are operating these illegal dumps. We have data on the operators, their clients, the locations, the owners of the properties and the level of the damage they have caused. Just as we ended the big fire, we are now equipped to prepare legal action to address illegal dumps.
STEP 4: ASBESTOS. At the entrance of the landfill there is a field where shipping containers are piled. These containers are filled with remnants of asbestos products. These containers are old, fragile and have never had a maintenance schedule. Some of them are rusting, some are unlocked, and all are frail. Asbestos is very dangerous, and exposure to particles causes diseases such as mesothelioma cancer, lung cancer and asbestosis. Yet each person that visited Parkietenbos in good faith to dispose of their waste on that landfill, entered the property within meters from the area where asbestos particles are kept in substandard conditions. We at once closed the gates to the public and activated an emergency plan specifically for asbestos. International experts were engaged to assess the situation and develop a solution based on international standards and best practices. This ‘asbestos sanitation process’ has started and before the end of this year the works will be officially contracted. The change for the better is that we identified a very serious threat, and we dealt with it expeditiously and professionally. Yes, this project is not complete. We wish the land to be healed today, but it is impossible to do it any faster than we have.
STEP 5: SUBSOIL FIRES. The eternal fire on the mound has been put out and the massive smoke billows are no more. But the mount still spews an acrid smell whenever wind conditions turn inland. There is fire smoldering deep under the surface, that is fueled by a large amount of flammable materials and gases in that mound. With technology and specialized heat-sensors, we had a team of professionals do a heat-mapping of the location. We now know exactly where those fires are. But underground fires are notoriously complex are require specialized equipment. Further measurements are now being taken so that the professionals can determine exactly how they can start with the process of damping these fires. Another adverse condition that we are facing head-on, with limited resources but at a high speed. Remember, we have had only 2 years to cure a situation created for over 70 years.
STEP 6. SEASIDE SLOPES. For years, Aruba pushed the garbage that did not fully burn into the borders along the seaside of the hill, creating a hill of close to 30 meters high, running for over almost 400 meters of coastline. The slope of this pile of garbage is considered excessively steep. It exceeds the internationally accepted standards for safe incline for landfill materials. There is a serious risk of a landslide where this waste material, will end up in the sea. For this too we developed solutions with assistance from international experts. The technical specifications have been developed and the process for so-called “re-profiling” of the slope has begun. We need to relocate a volume of 500 thousand metric tons of material. This is a major operation, and we are getting close to the execution phase. A stable slope is critical to defend our shoreline for an environmental catastrophe, but it is also needed for the adequate capping of the landfill when we get to the final stage.
STEP 7. MANGROVES. The recovery of the mangroves is a paramount objective in the Parkietenbos project. The mangroves to the east and to the west of the landfill have been put under enormous stress by fire, smoke and pollution. That is why we include them as part of the overall plan for the area. They need great attention, and fortunately, the stewardship over these mangroves has been transferred to the Aruba Conservation Foundation (formerly FPNA)) and they have assumed leadership on this. We have absolute trust in their capacity and dedication. Meanwhile research is being done into the viability of planting new mangroves along the seaside, so as to further strengthen the barrier between the landfill and the shoreline. This too is ongoing.
STEP 8. SOLAR PANELS. At the current rate, the property that used to be a landfill will become availabe within the next two years. It will not be suitable for human use and is an ideal location to convert into a field for solar panels. Airport authorities have confirmed that there will be no interference to aviation.
STEP 9. RETURN OF THE PRIKICHI AND THE LORA. Although nature can never be truly indemnified for the damage done, all efforts are being made to make the healing as holistic as possible. Studies are being conducted to ascertain the conditions that would entice Aruba’s Prikichis and recently reintroduced Loras to return to their ‘Parkietenbos.’
STEP 10. HEALTH ASSESSMENT. Although this is mentioned as the last step, it is not. As Minister of Nature I strongly recommend that any party signing an agreement for the next cabinet, agree in advance that an immediate general health-assessment study must be done for the neighborhood of Parkietenbos and nearby locations. It is undeniable that the community living within a specific geographic range from the dump, has been subjected to environmental injustice. We can in reason assume that damage done to nature has also been done to humans. The new government must declare it a priority to collect data to determine the extent of the damage done to humans living within range of the old landfill.
MESSAGE. This December, Aruba will complete two years without towering black smoke billows in its skyline. That was a major first step in healing Parkietenbos. But change has collateral effects. We know them and we will tackle them in sequence: the illegal landfills and roadside litter situation has been mapped, we have data needed, and we have equipped ourselves to properly deal with them. I would love to leave you with this: when we chose to take-on an issue that had been lingering for decades, we knew there would be pushback. Change can be scary. But Aruba must know that the damage we have done to Parkietenbos is extensive and complex. But we have plotted them and we have a clear path forward.