Better Turn Back Halfway Than Go Completely Astray

Better Turn Back Halfway Than Go Completely Astray

12 November 2025

The Dutch saying “Liever ten halve gekeerd dan ten hele gedwaald” means it’s better to turn back halfway than to persist in the wrong direction. That thought came to me this morning when I came across two news items.

The first was about the University of Curaçao, which is now focusing on planetary health and health in general — a promising direction. Yet only in September, the same university was caught up in the artificial intelligence hype, even sending a “fact-finding mission” to Silicon Valley. Of course, one does not exclude the other..

The second was about the government. It now emphasizes tourism, energy, maritime services, nature conservation, and cultural heritage. That sounds good. But it’s quite a turn: just a year ago, Prime Minister Pisas proudly announced a 10 million “fancy” project for Caracasbaai — focused on asphalt and concrete rather than nature. And two years ago, another minister even suggested that Willemstad’s UNESCO World Heritage status was an obstacle to development.

Now, suddenly, we’re talking about nature conservation.

I see this shift as positive. Thoughtful people everywhere understand that sustainability — care for both planet and people — is the true foundation for progress. Even if one hype (AI) is replaced by another (nature), at least this time it’s a better one.

Now it’s time to prove that this turn toward nature is not just another headline — but a real change of heart.

Miguel Goede