Aruba Business Group Raises Alarm Over Unregistered, Untaxed Businesses

Aruba's Department of Economic Affairs, Commerce and Industry, through its IDEA (Initiative for Development of Aruban Enterprise) unit, is organizing a series of free workshops focused on young entrepreneurship. The workshops are open to young people between the ages of 18 and 35 at no cost to participants. The program is designed to support and develop the next generation of local business owners and entrepreneurs on the island. IDEA's initiative reflects a broader government effort to stimulate economic growth by investing in youth-led enterprise. Details on specific dates and registration are expected to follow as the program launch approaches. The workshops represent a direct resource for young Arubans looking to start or grow a business with institutional guidance and support.

Aruba's national lottery, Lotto, announced the launch of a new scratch-card game called 'Three of a Kind,' expanding its existing Instacash family of instant-win games. The announcement was made on Friday, September 25. The new game follows the familiar Instacash format, which offers players immediate results upon purchase. Instacash games are a popular segment of Lotto's product lineup, giving players a quick and accessible way to participate in the lottery. The addition of 'Three of a Kind' broadens the choices available to Aruba's lottery players and signals continued growth in the island's instant-game offerings.

Aruba's Minister of Housing, Infrastructure, Internal Services, and Telecommunications, Rene Herdé, attended the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Battery Energy Storage System II (BESS II) project, led by WEB Aruba. The event marked a significant milestone in Aruba's ongoing push toward energy independence and sustainability. BESS II is a large-scale battery storage initiative designed to store renewable energy and reduce the island's reliance on fossil fuels. Minister Herdé stated that the project transforms Aruba's long-held energy ambitions into tangible reality. The project aligns with Aruba's broader goal of achieving 100% renewable energy, a target the island has been working toward for over a decade. WEB Aruba, the island's main utility provider, is leading the implementation of the system. The BESS II project is expected to significantly strengthen grid stability and expand the capacity to integrate wind and solar energy into Aruba's power supply.