TASK FORCE FUELED NEGATIVE POSTINGS

Aruba Pledged to Help the Family - Instead, They Did All They Could to Bury Them With Their Daughter


The apparent corruption and collusion within the Aruban government and tourism industry began very early in the case of missing Natalee Holloway. The following will show these forces at work a mere 6 days after Natalee fell victim to her perpetrators on the island of Aruba.

A Post made on Scared Monkeys front page by Tamara Waldron – an employee representing the Ministry of Transportation and Tourism - and a member of the Aruban Strategic Communications Task Force. Posted on June 5, 2005 - the day the two innocent, black, framed security guards were arrested in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

THanks Gabriel! As an American citizen living in Aruba, and having lived in the U.S. for nearly 10 years I can assure you that most of us are looking at the big picture and we share the concerns of Natalee’s family and friends. Howver, looking at the picture does not mean blaming the island or its people….we should keep looking at the big picture which does involve at looking at other possibilities, other than a crime, for the dissapearance of the 18 year old. So far there has not been any indication of a murder, a kidnapping etc and we should all stick together and help in searching for his girl instead of assuming things and smearing Aruba on the news. I do believe she will be found as there have been numerous sightings of Natalee, which indicate more that this is a runaway case than any other….of course we don’t know for sure, but we must leave the windows of numerous possibilities open. Comment by Tamara Waldron June 5, 2005, 7:13 pm http://www.scaredmonkeys.com/2005/06/07/natalee-holloway-information/

Tamara Waldron has posted and presented what was to become some of the biggest talking points that will be used by future "Anti family, pro Aruba" posters.

1. Looking at the picture does not mean blaming the island or its people….we should keep looking at the big picture which does involve looking at other possibilities, other than a crime, for the disappearance of the 18 year old

2. So far there has not been any indication of a murder, a kidnapping etc and we should all stick together and help in searching for his girl instead of assuming things and smearing Aruba on the news

3. I do believe she will be found as there have been numerous sightings of Natalee, which indicate more that this is a runaway case than any other….of course we don’t know for sure, but we must leave the windows of numerous possibilities open.

Ministry of Transportation AND TOURISM

The Strategic Communications Task Force is a working group established in Aruba to address the issues surrounding the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The Task Force includes representatives from AHATA (Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association), ATA (Aruba Tourism Authority), business and government leaders. The Task Force continues to support the Holloway/Twitty families and will continue to offer support in their search for Natalee Holloway

Steering Committee of the Strategic Communications Task Force:
Myrna Jansen, chairperson Aruba Tourism Authority
Serge Mansur, chairperson Aruba Trade & Industry Association
Jorge Pesquera, chairperson Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association Edwin Roos Chamber of Commerce
Jaap Beaujon Advisor
Agustin Vrolijk Department of Foreign Affairs
Frits Israel Aruba Tourism Authority
Gina Lopez-Gnecco Aruba Tourism Authority
Rob Smith Aruba Hospitality & Security Foundation

Additional members
Greg Peterson Aruba Trade & Industry Association
Olindo Koolman Former Governor of Aruba
Alfonso Riverol Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association
Andy Osbourne Aruba Timeshare Association
Jan van Nes Aruba Timeshare Association
Bill Carson Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association
Erik Brete Liaison to the office of the Prime Minister
Henry Baarh Minister Plenipotentiary Washington
John Merryweather Former Government Official
Tamara Waldron Ministry of Tourism and Transportation
Ruben Trappenberg Aruba Airport Authority

Contributing participants
Helen Bautista Fitzgerald and Co.
Kelly Marshal Fitzgerald and Co.
Florence Quinn Quinn and Co.

What we do

The Strategic Communications Task Force’s goal is to stay abreast of all developments in the Natalee Holloway disappearance, verify if information given is truthful and bring forward the correct facts when necessary. The Task Force also aims to inform the public and media whenever there is information that can be shared and monitor media coverage both locally and internationally in an effort to prevent and minimize any damage to the economic well being of Aruba. The Task Force believes that it is very important to keep the community at large well informed of the latest developments. http://www.aruba.com/nholloway/taskforce.htm

It seems Ms Waldron was doing the exact opposite of what her Task Force set as their first objective - "To verify if information given is truthful and bring forward the correct facts when necessary"

While at the same time, she proved to be highly successful with their second objective - which is contrary to their first objective, to "monitor media coverage both locally and internationally in an effort to prevent and minimize any damage to the economic wellbeing of Aruba."

Gabriel Leo, an airport employee, being overseen by the Ministry of Transportation and Tourism, played his part well with posts at Scared Monkeys like the following – again posted on June 5, 2005.

As an Arubian, I am very disappointed about the rumors that the international press is publishing about the happenings here on the island. CNN, Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS etc all are bringing the news to the world as it unfolds. It even surprises the locals that certain news is published on international media before it’s published on local media. The Aruban Government it’s giving 100% cooporation. The ministers of the island (Prime minister, Minister of Justice, Minister of tourism) Are giving their 100% support in the search for Natalee here on the Island. I as a Local am deeply schocked about the disappearing. We as Arubians are happy to live here on the island and we believe that we are truly blessed bij having a low criminality rate, we truly think we live in Paradise!
We all must be realistic about what is beeing said on the Media. We have crime here on the island, WHO DOESN”T! We have tourist who have been coming to Aruba for over 20 to 30 years to the island. When they are asked whey they come to the Island the two reason which they give are the Hopitality of our people and the safety that one gets just by being on the Island!
So please! The media and those who follow the news from my Island must not believe everything that is said. CNN reported that Aruba has a dark side. It’s an Island which is ruled by drugs from Colombia and latin prostitutes which invade the island trying to go to Europe via Aruba. NOT TRUE! The media is just blowing the news out of proportion just to make the news more interesting. Sadly these wrong doing is just affecting our reputation and our tourism. Ask Any one you know! What they think about Aruba. I’M SURE that you will be told other!!!

We truly hope and pray that Natalee returns and the Aruban People believe she will return in good health. But we are not at all happy with the international press who are publishing News Without Verifying the story and making sure it’s true! I Guess that’s the only way they think they could get some attention! Comment by Gabriel Leo June 5, 2005, 5:23 pm http://www.scaredmonkeys.com/2005/06/07/natalee-holloway-information/

Jorge Pesquera, The President of the Aruban Hotel and Tourism Association (AHATA) put this Task Force together – with member selection help and input from Joran’s attorney Antonio Carlo, and Mark Purcell’s wife Marlene.

On June 30, 2005 Aruban Prime Minister Nelson Oduber makes this telling statement about the effectiveness of this hand picked Task Force.

Prime Minister Nelson Oduber presents “anti incorrect news” committee

“The committee has been working for some time behind the screens without too much publicity, and function on behalf of the people of Aruba in order to minimize the impact of the negative news that is being sent out” The basic mission of the committee is to bring correct information and counteract all publications that are not based on the truth and to explain the function of our judicial institutions and how they operate.” http://news.caribseek.com/set-up/exec/view.cgi?archive=71&num=16318

This collusion and corruption needs to be exposed, stopped, and the participants brought forth to answer for their actions to their own citizens, their media, the US media, the US citizens, and most importantly – to Natalee Holloway’s family.