Experience from the first edition allows for a more efficient operation during the second edition of the National Cuida Aruba Day
As part of the second edition of Cuida Aruba, the Government of Aruba, together with its partners, has announced the six locations that will serve as community waste drop-off points during the National Cuida Aruba Day on Saturday, August 29.
During a press conference, Prime Minister Mike Eman explained that for this edition, they chose to concentrate the operation on six strategic points, instead of the larger number of locations from the first edition. The decision is based on gained experience and aims to achieve a more efficient operation, especially in the removal and transport of waste.
During the first edition, it turned out that maintaining many points simultaneously put pressure on the capacity of trucks to remove full containers, dump them, and make them available again. With six strategic locations, the flow can be better coordinated and delays during the action can be reduced. For more information, visit the website cuidaaruba.com.
The 6 locations for Cuida Aruba Saturday, August 29, from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM, the community can drop off their waste at:
*San Nicolas: Trupial Field, next to the San Nicolas Medical Center
*Pos Chikito/Burubundo: Baseball field
*Barcadera: Waste Zone at EcoTech
*Santa Cruz: Arsenal Field
*Oranjestad: Harbour Arena
*Tanki Leendert: Field next to Colegio Ora Ubao
The points are distributed in different parts of our island to bring the opportunity closer to the community, while the concentration on six locations allows for better coordination of trucks, containers, and waste processing.
At Harbour Arena, which was one of the most used points during the first edition, there will an entry and exit system to facilitate traffic and unloading. The community is asked to follow the instructions at the location to maintain a constant flow throughout the day.
Separate waste from home One of the important lessons of the first edition is the need to facilitate the separation and processing of waste. Therefore, organizers are asking the community to, as much as possible, separate different types of waste before leaving home.
This will facilitate unloading at the points, as well as subsequent transport and processing. Preparing from home can help reduce waiting times and prevent congestion at the locations. Organizers ask the community for patience and cooperation, particularly during peak traffic hours.
Waste Zone at EcoTech is open daily During the conference, it was emphasized that the community does not necessarily have to wait until Saturday, August 29, to get rid of waste.
The Waste Zone at EcoTech Barcadera is open daily from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, giving the community the opportunity to drop off waste during the week as well. The Government encourages those who can use the facility before Saturday to do so, thereby helping to alleviate the amount of waste arriving during the National Cuida Aruba Day.
Prime Minister Eman expressed a special thank you to EcoTech for its contribution to the initiative and the facilities provided to process the large amount of collected waste. This cooperation also helps limit the financial burden associated with a national operation of this magnitude.
Cleanliness is also public health The call to dispose of waste correctly is not just a matter of image and caring for our island. Waste abandoned in the cunucu (bush), around houses, or in neighborhoods can accumulate water during the rainy season and become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Therefore, Cuida Aruba is also directly connected to prevention and public health, including efforts to reduce conditions that can contribute to the spread of dengue.
The community can adopt a site and participate as a volunteer The second edition once again places emphasis on community participation. Citizens, groups, organizations, and companies wanting to lend a hand can participate as volunteers and also adopt a site to clean up.
The intention is for groups of friends, families, organizations, or companies to unite their efforts and contribute directly to cleaning an area. Information about locations, participation possibilities, and directions to the different points will be shared digitally.
For the Government, collaboration between the public sector, private sector, and various stakeholders creates the foundation for Cuida Aruba, but active community participation is what will ultimately determine the scope of the action.
“Recovering the tradition of a clean Aruba” Prime Minister Mike Eman emphasized that the goal of Cuida Aruba goes far beyond collecting waste for just one day.
“The goal of this project is to make Aruba clean, but at the same time to instill in the hearts of our people the feeling of working together and caring for our island,” the Prime Minister stated.
According to Eman, the Government, together with stakeholders, creates the opportunity and makes facilities available, but it is important for the community to take advantage of this and assume its share of responsibility.
The Prime Minister called on the community not to wait until Saturday. From now until the National Cuida Aruba Day, everyone can start around their own home and extend the effort to their neighborhood, school, recreational areas, and sports facilities.
The aspiration is that the action does not end when the last container is removed on Saturday, but that it creates a change that continues to be felt afterward. Cuida Aruba wants to recover the sense of working together, shared responsibility, and the tradition and pride of a clean Aruba.
