![]() ![]() Off-shore corporate banking facilities, the casino/resort complexes, high volume tourism, and a stable currency all make Aruba attractive to money laundering organizations. The island is used as a base for bulk transhipment of cocaine to the US and Europe, through its Free Trade Zone. Within three years Aruba rose from a 'medium risk' to a 'high risk' country in the State Department's annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report. The US Government is not as dismissive as Mr Eman. It is not our fault they cannot control their borders that Aruba is used as a transit point." ![]() The market is in Europe and the United States. According to Eman, Aruba is burdened with the problem of other nations: "The drug trade is not Aruba's primary responsibility. "Aruba's geographical position is a blessing and a curse at the same time," says Eman, alluding to the pleasant climate which attracts thousands of tourists each year, and the unpleasant closeness of the Colombian and Venezuelan northern shores which makes it vulnerable for drug-traffickers. They are not substantiated and damaging for Aruba's good name, foreign trade and the tourist-industry, he thinks. (2) Eman has had enough of the 'mad stories' about the Caribbean island as a 'Mafia Nest'. "Well, did you come to write stories about our pirates island?” he asks sarcastically when we walk to his office. Nicolaas thinks today nothing has really changed: "The island is still infested with 'narco-complacientes', people who benefit from the drug trade." Indeed, Eman is once more Prime Minister of Aruba. Nicolaas retorted by suggesting that Eman's election campaign was financed with drug money. Opposition-leader – and former Prime Minister – Henny Eman demanded his resignation. His denunciation incited strong objections in Parliament. Prior to his political career he had been a police officer and had actually set up the anti-narcotics squad. "My own colleague, the Minister of Finance, denied money was laundered on the island." Nicolaas knew better. (1) Finally someone had thrown a rock in the silent and complacent waters of the Caribbean tax-haven Aruba – a semi-independent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Former minister Elio Nicolaas grins when he is reminded of his speech in 1989. The MPs of the Staten van Aruba – the Aruban Parliament – must have been bewildered when one of their own ministers smeared the good name of their island. ![]()
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