Absorb the Cuisine, Culture & Heritage of Curacao
Filed under: Entertainment and Sport, Events, Travel and Tourism
The first annual Curacao Cuisine, Culture and Heritage Festival offers visitors to the Dutch Caribbean island the opportunity to experience the isle from the inside out. Starting on August 15 and running through October 15, 2005, the festival will present visitors with a glimpse of the musical, artistic and folkloric fabric that weaves together the over 40 unique cultures that call Curacao home. As one of only six UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Caribbean, Curacao boasts a wealth of history dating back to the Spanish explorers and early Dutch settlers.
For two months, nine art galleries, twelve museums and over twenty restaurants will grant special offers on purchases and admissions. As visitors venture into the doors of the art galleries, which will offer free admission and a 10% discount on purchases, they will find oils, sculptures and photography as rich as the island’s culture. The deep heritage of Curacao dates back hundreds of years and the local museums will offer free or discounted admission to visitors wanting to experience the history of this island. The cuisine of Curacao infuses the spices of a rainbow of cultures and during the festival participating restaurants will offer a 10% discount on food and beverages.
As an added bonus, visitors can partake in a complimentary culinary walking tour through the historic, picturesque city of Willemstad every Tuesday morning during the festival. The tour, guided by Angelique Schoop, owner of Angelica’s Kitchen, will highlight various points of interest in both the Punda and Otrabanda districts, stop by the Floating Market and visit Mikve Israel Emanuel Synagogue, the oldest synagogue, in constant use, in the Western Hemisphere. The tour will be provided compliments of the Curacao Tourist Board for the first 24 visitors to reserve the tour each week of the festival.
Additionally, to help alleviate the high cost of plane tickets, which oftentimes can become the biggest expense in planning a vacation, visitors during the festival are also eligible to receive up to a $200 airfare credit on stays of five nights or more at participating hotels.
Curacao, located outside of the hurricane belt, boasts an eclectic mix of history and culture, which creates a Caribbean experience like no other. Also known for its eco-tourism and pristine diving conditions, Curacao attracts the adventure traveler as well as those looking to unwind and enjoy its perfect climate. Visitors to Curacao will enjoy an 18-hole championship golf course, casinos and much more. American Airlines offer daily flights into Curacao. Contact hotels or travel agents directly for more information. To learn more about Curacao or to receive a free destination DVD contact 1-800-3- CURAÇAO (1-800-328-7222) or visit www.Curacao-tourism.com
The Curacao Cuisine, Culture and Heritage Festival is presented by the Curacao Ministry of Tourism, The Curacao Tourism Development Board and The Curacao Hospitality and Tourism Association. All of the participating vendors, restaurants, and hotels along with their respective offers, can be found on the event website: www.Curacao-event.com Also available on the website is a downloadable information brochure and ‘visitors pass’. This pass much be presented to receive the special discounts and promotional offers at participating vendors throughout the festival.
Fall-back position
The recent announcement that 70 per cent of St. Maarten�s timeshare visitors and 60 per cent of its hotel guests come without valid passports should not go unnoticed. If indeed passports will be required by the US Government effective January 1 as planned, rather than just birth certificates and picture IDs as is now the case, the consequences for the island�s tourism economy could be serious.
Some argue that Americans who want to go abroad should always have passports anyway, as do citizens of other countries. That may be true, but the fact is that the current practice has been allowed for many years and expecting all prospective travellers to adapt in such a short period of time is asking a lot.
At the request of members of Parliament of the Windward Islands, Dutch authorities have agreed to take the matter up with their American counterparts, backed by the Antillean Parliament and Government. The latter has also officially approached the US Consul in Willemstad on the matter.
What is regrettable, however, is that despite a call on the Island Territories to become involved by writing letters to the Central Government, only St. Eustatius has so far complied. The thinking may be that it�s up to the Antillean Government and Holland, but it�s important that the islands �push� federal authorities on issues of such great interest to them, because experience with, for example, the Franco-Dutch treaty has shown that such actions at the island level can make a difference.
It is not clear if the request to postpone the introduction until January 1, 2008, has a realistic chance. After all, that exception was only made for contiguous neighbours of the US and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico.
If the same were offered to the Antilles and Aruba, it could be seen as devaluating NAFTA. Not only that, but other tourism destinations, certainly in the Caribbean, would almost certainly request equal treatment.
But that does mean we should not try. The islands have been loyal partners to the US ever since St. Eustatius became the first foreign territory to salute the American flag, while Cura�ao and Aruba have welcomed US Forward Operating Location air bases on their territories, despite objections from the current regime of oil-rich and influential neighbour Venezuela. The Antilles has and continues to withstand pressure in this regard.
With the Central Committee of Parliament set to discuss this issue in St. Maarten on Monday, it is important to also devise a �fall-back position,� should Washington deny the request. That could include, for example, (financial) backing in a programme to directly approach existing time-share owners and a more general information campaign on obtaining passports, in cooperation with airlines, hotels and travel agents/tour operators.
Source: The Daily Herald
Bush to Throw First Pitch at Little League
By Associated Press
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — President Bush will throw out the first pitch Saturday at the championship game of Little League Baseball’s Southwestern Regional tournament.
The winner of the game, to be played in Waco, Texas, will take one of 16 berths at the Little League World Series, which starts Aug. 19.
Bush, an avid baseball fan and a former owner of the Texas Rangers, played Little League in Midland, Texas, in the 1950s on a team called the Cubs.
Eight teams from the United States and eight international teams take part each year in the Little League World Series. So far, the teams that have qualified are: Guam, Japan, Curacao, Russia, Venezuela and Seguro Social, a team from Mexico.
Gold Family Foundation gives $48,000 to hospital
OYSTER BAY–Cataract patients in St. Maarten will no longer have to travel to Cura�ao to treat their ailment thanks to a donation of US $48,000 from the Gold Family Foundation to St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) on Wednesday. The funds will be used to purchase a cataract machine for use at the hospital.
�There are many people on the island who have cataracts. With the machine it means that they don�t have to go to Cura�ao anymore. They can stay here,� Foundation member Joshua Gold told The Daily Herald shortly after making the donation yesterday.
He said his satisfaction with the services offered by the hospital coupled with the good job being done by the workers at Oyster Bay Beach Resort, a hotel he co-owns, had been instrumental in motivating him to make the donation.
�I love this island and the staff at Oyster Bay are wonderful. The resort is doing well and I feel that we owe something to the island,� Gold said. �Because we are prospering from the island and its people, we would like to give back to them so they can continue doing what they�re doing.�
Commissioner Roy Marlin, who was present at the ceremony at Oyster Bay Beach Resort to witness the donation, was also instrumental in soliciting the funds for the institution.
The cheque was handed over to Bobby Velasquez who turned it over to Head of the Outpatient Department at SMMC Rob Heil. The hospital plans to purchase and put the cataract machine into operation as soon as possible.
This is not the first time the hospital has received a donation from the Foundation. Last year US $45,000 was donated to the institution to assist with the renovation of the Renal Dialysis Unit.
Source: The Daily Herald
90% Of Betting Public Believe Gas Will Hit $3 per Gallon
Filed under: Business and Economy, Entertainment and Sport
PinnacleSports.com Bettors Believe There’s No End to Rising Prices at The Pump
WILLEMSTAD, Curacao, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ — Although several in the
industry have suggested that gasoline prices will drop in the near future, the
betting public believes that there is no end in sight for rising prices at the
pump. Since becoming the first sports book in the world to accept bets on the
price of gas Friday, PinnacleSports.com has seen the vast majority of bettors
backing prices to increase to unprecedented levels.
The largest sports betting site on the Internet, PinnacleSports.com
originally opened wagering with the odds on the average price of gas in New
York or Los Angeles hitting $3.00 per gallon by New Year’s Day as a 30/1 long
shot. Since Friday, 90% of all bets have backed the price in either of the
nation’s two largest markets reaching the $3.00 mark, dropping the odds of
that occurring all the way down to 9/5.
“Uneasiness over disruptions to Middle East oil after a security threat,
unexpected refinery shutdowns and strong demand from motorists have all
contributed to the astronomical increase in prices whilst President Bush’s
Energy Bill has had little affect,” said Simon Noble of PinnacleSports.com.
“Our betting markets have been extremely accurate forecasters for world events
and are often a better representation of public perception than opinion polls
alone. With prices already exceeding $2.66 in LA and $2.61 in New York, it
wouldn’t be surprising for the majority of our bettors correctly predicting
prices climbing to $3.00 per gallon in the nation’s two biggest cities at some
point this year.”
PinnacleSports.com opened wagering on the average price of gas in the U.S.
reaching a previously unprecedented $2.35 per gallon by Labor Day and 75% of
bettors backed the price exceeding that total. In just a matter of days prices
eclipsed that mark and established new records en route to today’s highest
recorded price of $2.397 per gallon. With gas prices continuing to increase
daily, it may only be a matter of time before the 90% of bettors that backed
gasoline surpassing $2.40 before January 1st can also cash in on their wagers.
In addition, 88% of PinnacleSports.com players have backed the national
average exceeding $2.50 per gallon by year’s end.
With oil skyrocketing to all-time highs of over $65 per barrel yesterday,
PinnacleSports.com has also opened betting on the price of U.S. crude reaching
$70 per barrel this year. Although Government data indicates that oil supplies
are in good shape, the odds makers at PinnacleSports.com have listed the odds
of light crude oil hitting $70 per barrel as a 5/7 favorite.
PinnacleSports.com will continually update lines on the gasoline and oil
price betting options. All gasoline prices will be determined as reported each
day by AAA on http://www.fuelgaugereport.com .
Odds: *All Odds Subject To Change*
Will the average price of regular gas reach $3.00 per gallon in New York
or LA by 1/1/2006?
Option Current Odds Opening Odds
No 1/2 1/50
Yes 9/5 30/1
Will the average price of regular gas in the U.S. reach $2.50 per gallon
by 1/1/2006?
Option Current Odds Opening Odds
Yes 5/12 3/2
No 11/5 5/8
Will the price of oil reach $70 per barrel by 1/1/06?
Yes 5/7
No 5/4
For a more information and a complete list of odds, please visit
http://www.pinnaclesports.com .
About PinnacleSports.com
PinnacleSports.com ( http://www.pinnaclesports.com ) is the Internet’s
largest sports betting site serving customers in more than 80 countries
worldwide. Founded in 1998, PinnacleSports.com was the first sports book to
introduce reduced margin wagering using a -105 pricing model that gives
bettors up to 50% better value on wagers than traditional bookmakers. With low
minimum bet requirements and the highest maximum limits on the Web,
PinnacleSports.com has earned an industry leading reputation for providing
consistent value to the player, professional customer service and the quickest
payouts online. Fully licensed and regulated in Curacao and the United
Kingdom, the company offers a secure environment for sports betting, racing
and casino gaming.
Curacao Dolphin Academy Welcomes Newborn Baby Dolphin
The Curacao Dolphin Academy is very pleased with the birth of a new baby dolphin. On Monday the 8th of August at 06:30 a.m., mother Bonnie gave birth to a beautiful daughter.
Willemstad, Curacao (PRWEB via PR Web Direct) August 11, 2005 — The Cura?cao Dolphin Academy is very pleased with the birth of a new baby dolphin. On Monday the 8th of August at 06:30 a.m., mother Bonnie gave birth to a beautiful daughter.
After the birth of Papito in September last year, the Dolphin Academy is very positive on the little ones chances, although the first month of a young dolphin’s life is a critical period of development. Fortunately the probability of survival increases as the baby gets older.
For now mother Bonnie and her baby girl are doing fine and eating well. Bonnie gets extra nutrition since she now has to produce some 15 liters of mother milk each day. This will go on for quite a while as baby dolphins keep nursing until the age of two. Starting from around the age of 6 months small amounts of fish will be added to the young dolphin’s diet.
As the young calf is drinking well and Bonnie got experienced while babysitting Papito. Dolphin Academy sees a cautiously optimistic future. Bonnie is very proud of her daughter and is happy to show her to everybody but, being a very protective dolphin mother, she stays close by so nobody can harm her baby.
As Papito, the newborn will only get her name after the first month. Nonetheless everybody has lots of ideas! For now though the staff of the Dolphin Academy is focused on providing the baby the best conditions in order to let her develop during this exciting time.
Related website URLs:
http://www.dolphin-academy.com/index.htm
http://www.dolphin-academy.com/news/2005/aug/20050810.htm
High Resolution Photographs:
http://www.dolphin-academy.com/images/news/2005/aug/10/01_hires.jpg
http://www.dolphin-academy.com/images/news/2005/aug/10/02_hires.jpg
http://www.dolphin-academy.com/images/news/2005/aug/10/03_hires.jpg
http://www.dolphin-academy.com/images/news/2005/aug/10/04_hires.jpg
Media Contact
Annabelle Clippeleir
+[599-9-4658900 ext 5104
Marketing/PR phone: +[599-9-4616666 ext 5140
This press release distributed by PRWEB (http://www.prwebdirect.com/), a service of eMediaWire.
Digicel, Ericsson Delivering World Class GSM Network for Trinidad & Tobago
Digicel to Make Major Investment in Trinidad & Tobago Market, Introduce Competition to Former Monopoly Market
PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD and TOBAGO — (MARKET WIRE) — 08/03/2005 — Digicel Group, the fastest growing mobile telecommunications company in the Caribbean, today announced that Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERICY) is the exclusive vendor for its GSM wireless infrastructure in Trinidad & Tobago. In June, Digicel obtained five blocks of GSM spectrum following a highly competitive auction which marked the liberalization of Trinidad and Tobago’s mobile telecommunications market.
A long time Digicel solutions provider and the world’s leading GSM provider, Ericsson’s network infrastructure technology will enable Trinbagonians to experience enhanced network quality and reliability as well as access to a broad range of services including international roaming, mobile Internet (GPRS), digiCHAT and digiINFO. Ericsson has been Digicel’s preferred vendor since its flagship launch in Jamaica in 2001 and remained a strategic provider throughout the company’s roll-out in markets including St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Grenada, Aruba, Barbados and The Cayman Islands.
“We are bringing the latest GSM technology to Trinidad and Tobago, which can bring value-added offerings and lower prices to all mobile phone users,” said Mario Assaad, chief technical officer, Digicel Group. “With Ericsson as our technology provider, we look forward to introducing competition to the Trinbagonian market and elevating the threshold for quality coverage, reliability and access to the widest range of services.”
Digicel recently completed a US$300 million bond offering which demonstrates the confidence of the international investment community in Digicel’s current business and its vision to build a seamless wireless network across the Caribbean. This financing will be employed, in part, to rapidly expand services in Trinidad & Tobago.
“Our technology is on the cutting-edge and capable of providing consumers and businesses in Trinidad and Tobago with innovative new services,” said Martin Bjork, Digicel Key Account Manager, Ericsson. “Our advanced network will impact the role of telecommunications and play a role in helping Trinbagonians achieve their Vision 2020* plan to become one of the world’s most fully developed nations by economic and social standards.”
One of the most admired brands in the Caribbean, Digicel supports a broad range of social, sporting and cultural initiatives throughout the Caribbean and looks forward to playing an active role in its new territories of Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Bermuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica.
ABOUT VISION 2020*
Vision 2020 places Trinidad and Tobago (http://vision2020.info.tt/about/links.asp) as a developed nation in the fullest sense, in terms of the level of human development, the enterprise and creativity of its people, the success and dynamism of its economy, the standard of living enjoyed by all segments of its population, the social and institutional structures, the quality of governance, as well as, the state of the natural environment. http://vision2020.info.tt/
ABOUT DIGICEL
Since its launch in 2001, Digicel has become the fastest growing wireless telecommunications operator in the Caribbean. In four years, Digicel has become renowned for competitive rates, unbeatable coverage, superior customer care, a wide variety of products and services, and state-of-the-art handsets. It is the largest GSM operator in the region.
By offering innovative wireless services and community support, Digicel has become a leading brand in the Caribbean and has placed the region at the cutting edge of wireless communications.
Digicel is incorporated in Bermuda and operates in eight countries including Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, The Cayman Islands, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines with plans to launch in Trinidad & Tobago. Digicel has entered into an agreement to acquire, subject to regulatory approval, Cingular Wireless’ Bermuda and Caribbean operations that will significantly increase the size of its pan-Caribbean network to include Bermuda, Anguilla, St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica. Digicel’s market share in The Cayman Islands, Grenada, St. Lucia, Barbados and St. Vincent & the Grenadines, will also be strengthened as Cingular’s customer base will transition to Digicel.
The company is the lead sponsor of Caribbean sports teams including the West Indies Cricket Team, Special Olympics teams across the Caribbean and is title sponsor of the Digicel Caribbean Football Union Cup, which involves over 30 Caribbean countries and is an important qualifier towards the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Visit www.digicelgroup.com for more information on Digicel.
Mentor for Curacao, Netherlands Antilles
Graham Walker says Curacao is a very cosmopolitan island attracting expats from all over the world and boasts representation of 50 nationalities.
Graham Walker is a Chartered Accountant (ICAEW) and has lived abroad for many years having studied in France, and then completing his Chartered Accountancy exams in the UK followed by five years in Luxembourg working for one of the Big 4 audit firms in the audit of investment funds.
Graham has lived in Curacao since May 2004 and is the Managing Director of the Fund Administration arm of one of the major European financial institutions.
Introduction: Curacao forms a part of the Netherlands Antilles which comprises Curacao, Bonaire, St Maarten, Saba and St Eustatius and formerly Aruba, which voted to exist within the Dutch Kingdom, but to function independently.
The Netherlands Antilles has its own government and operates as an autonomous state of the Dutch Kingdom. Supervision of the financial sector is carried out both locally and from Holland.
The legal system is based on that of Holland and legal matters can be referred to the Dutch Supreme Court which is the ultimate legal power influencing the Netherlands Antilles.
The three ABC islands (Curacao, Bonaire and Aruba) are situated just north of the Venezuelan coast (Curacao: 70 km), within the tropical zone. However, an almost year round breeze helps take the edge off humidity and the heat of the sun, making the climate quite comfortable but care must be taken not to burn.
The three islands are similar in geography but vary in size, both in area and population. Curacao is rocky and mountainous in parts and covered in cacti and thorn shrubs in the interior and palms at many of the beaches.
Curacao has a population of circa 150,000 made up of many nationalities attracted to the island by tourism and the financial sector as well as an ever increasing number of on-line “sports betting†companies.
Curacao lies on a SE to NW line with the southern coastline being the most developed as this is the lee side of the island and has many wonderful beaches, some very quiet and remote.
Curacao is an excellent destination for divers and offers some of the best shore diving in the Caribbean, if not the world. The northern coast is rugged and continually battered by the Caribbean Sea. The main developments on the northern coast are the airport and the wind farms for generating electricity.
Willemstad, the capital, is situated at the entrance of the harbour. The west or north side of the town is called Otrobanda and the east or south side is called Punda where one can see the brightly painted former Dutch colonial buildings, one of the enduring picture postcard images of Curacao.
In 1997, UNESCO made the historic area of Willemstad a World Heritage site because of its architectural beauty and history.
Also in this area there is an extremely impressive and very moving slavery museum that shows Curacao’s part in the slave trade as a staging point for the slave ships on the way to the United States.
Communications: The island has an excellent business infrastructure, including the region’s largest deepwater port, a state-of-the-art container transshipment terminal, superior telecommunications and a full service international airport.
Curacao’s beaches are superb for snorkelling
Curacao is served by direct daily flights to and from Amsterdam and Miami with numerous other flights to South America, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Curacao’s neighbouring islands. In fact, Curacao is an excellent hub in the southern Caribbean.
Languages: Whilst the official language is Dutch, the local vernacular is Papiamento which is influenced by Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, Dutch and West African. Spanish, Dutch and English are also widely spoken.
Economy: The main economic drivers can be said to be the financial sector and tourism.
The currency is the Netherlands Antilles Florin (NAF) otherwise known as the Antillean Guilder (ANG). This is pegged to the USD at around USD 1 to ANG 1.78. The rate varies slightly as hotels, restaurants etc take advantage of the American tourist paying in USD, although locals also face the same problem when paying by credit card.
The financial sector was in its heyday some 10-15 years ago as Curacao was the domicile of choice for many US investment managers wanting to set up offshore investment funds.
Unfortunately, Curacao has lost ground over this period to other domiciles such as the Cayman Islands, yet Curacao still has competitive and attractive vehicles, legislation and infrastructure etc for such investment funds.
The main financial institutions have a Dutch link and a large number of Dutch banks have interests on the island and the main financial business areas are banking, fund administration, trust and insurance.
Tax: It is possible for expats coming to the island to obtain an expat ruling which means that salary is received gross. Obviously this can be very attractive. However, there are many companies that, for whatever reason, do not make the application and expats can find themselves paying tax at local rates that range up to 52%.
If you are coming to work on the island be sure to ask about this expat status before arriving, as once on the island it is almost impossible to obtain.
Work permits: Usually, expats coming to the island are bringing a skill, expertise or qualification that cannot be found on Curacao.
In each individual case, a reasoned argument is presented, by the employer, to the immigration board indicating the reasons why an expat is needed and normally there are no issues.
Such applications are handled by the employer using the services of companies specialising in such applications and negotiations with the local authorities.
Crime: Petty crime is a fairly big problem in Curacao. Cars left at secluded beaches are often targeted. It is advisable not to walk around on your own at night and even during the day in some areas.
Burglaries are a common occurrence but some simple safety measures will go along way to deter the would be thief and protect you. A burglar alarm, a dog and bars on the house window are a common feature of life in Curacao. The alternative, for peace of mind, is to live in a gated community that has 24 hour security.
Curacao, due to its direct flight links with Europe, has proved to be a popular route for the drug smugglers. Over recent years the Dutch government has worked hard to stamp out the traffic and has, to a large extent succeeded.
Leisure: When not in the office there are a number of distractions for the expat. As previously mentioned, diving is big in Curacao and there are many dive shops catering for tourists as well as the more advanced diver.
For the non-diver, the beaches are superb for snorkelling, sunbathing and just relaxing. Some beaches have facilities such as a bar, restaurant, showers, toilets etc but many of the more remote beaches have none.
Night life is good, especially at the weekends when many bars and restaurants have happy hours. The choice of bars and restaurants is very good and there are many expat hang outs that are particularly popular on a Friday evening.
Eating out can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to make it and Curacao has all the usual restaurants that you would expect to find, although the absence of a British style curry house is the main gripe of the British expats.
Overview: Curacao is a very cosmopolitan island attracting expats from all over the world and boasts representation of 50 nationalities.
The European influence is strong but Curacao retains its own unique character.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
New head of Dutch Representation Stortelers sticks to open door policy Stokman makes switch to Curaçao
PHILIPSBURG–New head of the Philipsburg office of the Dutch Representation in the Netherlands Antilles Gert-Jan Stortelers announced Thursday that he intended to do what his predecessor Vincent Stokman had done: keep the communication lines open and the office accessible to the people.
“It is important to keep open communication lines and to speak to the people and to each other all the time. Only together will we reach that goal,†said Stortelers, who was introduced at a reception at Holland House Hotel Thursday.
Stortelers, who has been appointed for four years, described his job as “very challenging,†especially with constitutional changes on the way. Constitutional reform in the coming years will mean “big changes†to the Antillean Constellation, he said.
“Change will be coming, that is for sure,†he said, adding that mostly his role would consist of what he called “wheeling and dealing,†helping to prepare the official delegation and position of the Netherlands in negotiations to come to new constitutional relations in the Kingdom.
Stortelers is no stranger to the Windward Islands, particularly St. Maarten, which he has visited on several occasions in different functions. From 1990 to 1994 and again from 1995 to 1998 he dealt with passport and civil affairs for the Dutch Government. He helped to set up the passport and civil administration system PIVA and even assisted the Census Office in St. Maarten in 1993.
Stortelers knows St. Maarten from another angle too: that of higher supervision, a measure which he helped former Governor of the Netherlands Antilles Jaime Saleh supervise in 1994. As such he often visited the island and met with the Executive Council.
After his return to the Netherlands in 1998 and to the Directorate of Kingdom Relations, he realised he still longed for the islands. In 2001 he went to Curaçao, where he became Deputy Head of the main office of the Dutch Representation in the Netherlands Antilles VNW. He assisted Head Onno Koerten in reorganising VNW.
Stortelers and his predecessor in St. Maarten Stokman are actually exchanging positions, with Stokman becoming Deputy Head of VNW and Stortelers becoming Head of VNP, which is sort of a branch of VNW.
Stokman described his two years in St. Maarten as “very pleasant, both professionally and privately.†He said he liked the job “very much†and as such he found it easy to put much “effort†and “energy†into it.
“St. Maarten was good to me. I enjoyed the people. It is truly a friendly island,†he said, also mentioning the friendliness of the people of Saba and St. Eustatius, which he visited regularly as part of his job, which often focused on information.
“This job is like an information broker, exchanging information between governments, with organisations and people. You have to hear and experience information firsthand,†he said. As such he advised his successor to also keep an open door policy where everybody can come in.
What he will miss very much? The nature of the Windward Islands, which Stokman called “fantastic†in his speech at the reception. He said he had hiked and walked extensively on all three islands and the greenery was “very much worth it to maintain.â€
The Daily Herald
Bruzon Ties Timman in Curacao Chess Match
Cuban Grand Master Lazaro Bruzon(with a current ELO rating of 2,669) drew Monday with the Netherlands’s GM Jan Timman (with an ELO of 2,607) in the first classic game of a eight-game match on the Caribbean island of Curacao.
The Monday match was marked by a Petroff defense in which the players –Bruzon with the black pieces- soon achieved equal positions.
Over the weekend Bruzon tied with Timman in the first rapid match, but the legendary Dutch player beat the Cuban national champion in the next three rapid matches.
On Tuesday the second classic match will be held at Van der Valk Plaza Hotel at 2:00 p.m. eastern time.
The competition, made up of four rapid matches and four classic games, is organized by the Curacao Foundation to promote competitor Jan Timman’s latest book: “Curacao 1962, the Battle of Minds that Shook the International Chess World.”