Aruba- Gateway to Caribbean and Latin America, Invites Indian Businessmen, Tourists

Mr. Nelson Oduber, Prime Minister of the island nation of Aruba, an autonomous state in the Kingdom of Netherlands, has invited Indian businessmen, investors and tourists to his country.

Mr. Oduber addressed an interactive meeting organised in his honour at Hotel Hilton Towers, Mumbai by the Indian Merchants' Chamber on December 12. The Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mr. Hans Ramaker, introduced Mr. Oduber and other Ministers and officials of his delegation.

Welcoming the distinguished guests, IMC President Mr. Niraj Bajaj complimented Prime Minister Mr. Oduber for leading his country to prosperity in the past 18 years of his office. “With a per capita income of over $28,000, the nation of Aruba has few parallels in the world,” he said.

Prime Minister Mr. Oduber said that the population of Aruba – 70 sq. mile island – was around 6,000 in 1986 and had now risen to well over 120,000. “Our tiny country with its beautiful beaches attracts over two million tourists annually,” he said.

Mr Oduber said that he aimed to make his country “Dubai of the Caribbean and Gateway of Latin America.”

As such, the 19.6 mile long, 6 mile wide island nation had built three major ports, an international airport which could take large aircraft and exclusive airport for private aircrafts, a free trade zone, top class educational, healthcare and hotel facilities and all such modern infrastructure.

Mr. Oduber invited Indian businessmen to set up bases in the Free Trade Zone of his country, add value to their products and re-export them to the US, Latin American and European countries.

Mr. Oduber said his country had its own central banking system, Parliamentary form of governance and an independent judiciary. Aruban island nation, situated off the coast of Venezuela in South America, was engaged in its coastal waters for offshore drilling for oil and was hopeful of finding rich deposits as in Venezuela and Columbia.

Though the backbone of Aruban economy was tourism, it was also a major base for refining and exporting oil. In addition, Aruba also exported huge quantity of coffee, rice, sugar and whiskey to Europe and other western countries.