Carmichael Supports Aruban Boycott (Mississippi State Senator)
State Sen. Videt Carmichael, R-Meridian, wants Mississippi to join Alabama and Arkansas in the boycott of Aruba.
So far, the governors of Alabama and Arkansas have urged their citizens not to travel to the Dutch Caribbean island until authorities cooperate more fully with the family of Natalie Holloway, an Alabama teenager who has been missing since May.
Holloway’s father, Dave, lives in Meridian and is a State Farm insurance agent. Holloway said he called Gov. Haley Barbour’s office a few weeks ago to talk about his state joining the boycott, but he has yet to hear a response.
“I talked with Dave Holloway a few days ago because I wanted him to be OK with what I was doing,” Carmichael said. “I know the governor’s time has been taken with Katrina, but at the same time, this is a local person and it is time for me to do something.”
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley has said he is concerned because the Aruban investigation has produced no results in the case of Holloway, who was 18 when she disappeared – and he’s not convinced everything possible is being done. Last month, he asked other governors to urge their citizens not to vacation in Aruba.
Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee joined the boycott late last month. He is the only other governor so far to join the boycott.
Dave Holloway said he is pleased that Carmichael called him, and he said he understands that the governor is busy dealing with Hurricane Katrina issues.
“The governor has a lot on his shoulders, and the result of that phone call was that Videt called and got it working from his end,” Holloway said. “If I had remembered my history lessons, I would have remembered to start with the local representatives first.”
