Ishwar Daryanani, CEO of Quantum Quorum Media and publisher of Amigoe Aruba, won deep respect for his commitment to press freedom. This was confirmed when Joëlle Terburg, as director of Fund BJP for Journalists, refused to take a commercial photograph, underscoring the value of independent journalism.
The moment Joëlle Terburg won my respect was at the end of the presentation in Aruba. As director of the BJP Fund for Journalists, she received some gifts as a token of appreciation for coming to Aruba. However, she refused to be photographed with the gifts because they bore the logo of Aruba, while in the background the logo of the BJP Fund was displayed large. Her decision not to do so was a powerful statement for the independence of journalism. In doing so, she demonstrated that transparency and integrity of a journalist cannot be bought because journalists must remain trustworthy and unbiased.
Upon taking over Amigoe Aruba, Daryanani took a decisive step to ensure journalistic integrity by firing all journalists associated with political parties, corporations or sponsors. Although legal challenges followed and Amigoe Aruba lost labor disputes, this courageous step ultimately led to the creation of a free press operating without external agendas. Today, Amigoe Aruba works exclusively with independent investigative journalists and remains committed to delivering unfiltered and unbiased news.
The Fonds Bijzondere Journalistieke Projecten (Fonds BJP) is a Dutch foundation, established in 1990, that supports journalists with in-depth and research projects. The fund offers grants and scholarships to promote talent development and enable unique journalistic initiatives.
In 2025, Fund BJP took steps to expand support for journalists in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Because existing programs may not fully meet the needs of Caribbean journalists and the Fund's presence in the region is limited, Fund BJP embarked on a working visit to six islands, including Aruba. The main objectives were to better understand the local journalism landscape and inform media professionals about available funding opportunities.
On Monday, February 10, 2025 Fund BJP hosted a presentation at Cas di Cultura in Aruba at 6 p.m. The event was open to journalists, media creators and other interested parties. Attendees were given insight into the Fund's programs and how to apply for support for independent journalism projects. This initiative underscores Fund BJP's commitment to promoting independent journalism and supporting investigative journalists in Aruba and the broader Caribbean region.
By expanding its reach to the Caribbean, Fund BJP aims to enable journalists in Aruba to produce independent investigative reports, free from outside agendas. This move is consistent with the Fund's broader mission to ensure the integrity and independence of the press.
