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Bonaire Battles Tax Increase
According to the Extra newspaper, during the recent public meeting of the Island Government, Commissioner of Tourism &
Finance, and leader of the Green Party, Ramoncito Booi, announced that the Bonairean Government will work to prevent the NAOB (sales tax) increase (from 2% on most goods to 5% on all goods) currently proposed in the
Central Government.
Booi explained that for years those responsible for governing the Antilles kept changing their political opinions. "The citizens of the Antilles were promised many things, including all kinds of financial
relief, but instead the Central Government is planning to impose a 5% tax on all articles, which increases the cost of living and reduces the buying power of Bonaireans.", Booi said, adding "under no
circumstances will the Bonairean government accept the propositions of the National Recovery Plan."
According to Booi, The National Recovery Plan, presented to the Central and Island Governments several months ago by an advisory council known as the "Three Wise Men", states clearly that before any measure
can be taken to increase the government's income, there must also be a significant effort to lower the government's expenses. However, until now there still have not been any presentations on how the government
plans to reduce overhead. The Plan, in Booi's opinion, is based on the realistic situation in Curaçao, but not the rest of the Antilles, thus making Bonaire suffer for Curaçao's woes. And, if Curaçao cannot come up
with solidarity funds it owes Bonaire, Curaçao should publicly state so, so that Bonaire can approach Holland to cover the funds that Curaçao is defaulting on.
The article also states that the Bonairean Government is pressing the Central Government to understand that laws must be equal for all. In other words, it is not possible that Bonaire and the other islands must be
squeezed by these measures, but yet when it comes to said measures, St. Maarten gets its own way. (See the Bonaire E-News two weeks ago)
Booi also stated "Bonaire's government must guarantee good governing for its people, and this is why it will not allow others to burden the island, no matter what the consequences may be. The day must come that
Bonaire can stand on its own two feet."
In conclusion, commissioner Booi added that the Plan has been handed over to and presented to the Bestuurs College (BC) by the Island Council, as no accord has been reached because no answers have been provided by
the Central Government to questions posed by the Bonairean government regarding the matter of the new tax in conjunction with the required reduction in the government's overhead.
More on Kick 'em Jenny
Last week we reported on the wild rumor about the submarine volcano Kick 'em Jenny being "scheduled" to erupt and create
a tsunami that would wipe out Bonaire. In further support of our research that such an event is well nigh impossible, one of our readers asked Ed Venzke of the Smithsonian Institute's Global Volcanism Program the
possibility of such a Tsunami, and got the following reply:
"To the best of our knowledge, there is absolutely no volcanic activity occurring at Kick-'em-Jenny. Please see http://www.volcano.si.edu/gvp/volcano/region16/windward/kickem/var.htm
for additional information. Monitoring is done by the very qualified scientists of the Seismic Research Unit (SRU) of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad. I don't know the current status of the project,
but earlier this summer the SRU was going to begin installation of an improved monitoring system on Kick-'em-Jenny, including seismographs, tide gauges, and hydrophones. Just because they are increasing their
monitoring capability does not mean that anything is currently happening, just that they are doing their jobs and have some money for better equipment.
A large submarine eruption could possibly generate a tsunami. But it is highly unlikely that such an eruption will occur at Kick-'em-Jenny, most certainly not without a lot of advance warning signs. Even if that
happened, the tsunami generated would probably be small. Much would depend on the direction of the eruption (if any), if there was any underwater collapse, and the local ocean-floor topography. It is in interesting
research project in the realm of worst-case scenarios, but nothing for local island residents to spend any time worrying about.
So, to summarize, all is quiet and the scientists are improving their monitoring methods. I hope that this helps.
Ed Venzke"
Thanks go to Tim Webb for soliciting this e-mail.
Department of Corrections
In our August 4, 1999 issue of the Bonaire E-News, we carried a Quick Take about the resignation of outgoing Notary Alfred
Knuf. Due to a combined translation/interpretation error we wrote that Mr. Knuf's resignation was requested by the government. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Mr. Knuf tendered his resignation as the Notary of Bonaire in August of 1998, but was unable to get the Minister of Justice to accept it until just recently. And, in fact, he has received an honorable discharge from
the Governor of the Netherlands Antilles, according to Acting Notary, Maarten Maartense.
We apologize for any confusion this caused.
GPS Failures This Weekend
In the first example of what an active Y2K-like computer problem might look like, older GPS (Global Positioning System) units may
cease to function this coming Saturday, August 21st, at approximately 8pm, Eastern Daylight Time.
Such GPS devices use a combination of navigation satellites as well as the present time to calculate the device's position on or above the surface of the Earth. The problem is that the GPS satellites calculate time
based on the number of weeks which have gone by since January 5, 1980, and can only count as high as 1023, for a maximum of 1024 weeks (0 is one of the weeks counted). When the maximum number of 1023 is reached, and
then incremented by 1, the counter rolls over, much like a car odometer which goes one mile past 99,999, back to 0.
Well, week 1023 ends August 21st. GPS devices which have not been updated (and some cannot be) to account for the rollover from 1023 to 0 will start acting oddly. In same case, the devices may respond as if it were
January 6, 1980, while others may produce wildly inaccurate location calculations. It should be noted that most GPS devices sold since 1993 have been designed to handle the rollover.
GPSes are now used in all sorts of navigation equipment - from boats to planes, so there may be a risk of potentially severe problems if older non-rollover capable GPSes are still installed in such vehicles. However,
the Air Transport Association, which represents the major airlines, has publicly stated that it expects no problems, presumably because this problem has been anticipated and non-compliant equipment either repaired
or replaced.
As we go to "press" with this issue of the E-News, we've just received a news item which indicates that the GPS rollover problem may hit some GPS users as early as Thursday, August 19th. See the links below
for more information:
http://cnn.com/TECH/ptech/9908/16/where.am.i.ap/
http://www.navcen.uscg.mil/gps/geninfo/y2k/gpsweek.htm
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/filters/bursts/0,3422,2316436,00.html
Economisch Platform Gala
We had an opportunity (after paying for tickets, of course) to attend the Economisch Platform (EP) Gala held at Harbour Village
Beach Resort on Saturday, August 14th. The gala, which was a fundraiser for the EP's efforts to boost outside investment in Bonaire, featured as guest speaker the president of the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association
(AHATA), Eduardo de Veer.
While the ambiance and food at the event were quite nice, the real interesting aspect of the evening was Mr. de Veer's presentation, which provided an analysis of Bonaire's current and future tourism prospects. de
Veer first provided an overview of Aruba's tourism industry, explaining how Aruba had used tourism in the mid to late 1980s as a way to help Aruba's flagging economy recover from the pull out of a major oil refinery
and its separation from the Netherlands Antilles.
Among his statistics were that visitors to Aruba from the U.S., Aruba's key market, spend $868/week on the island (room included) if they fly scheduled air to the island, but only $616/week if arriving by charter air
line. Analyzing these statistics for us, de Veer concluded if the scheduled air arrivals could be increased in proportion to a relative percentage decline in charter arrivals, Aruba would benefit significantly -
$250/week for each "conversion". As such, Aruba has been spending significant resources to attract more scheduled air service to the island as well as to market to more affluent households in U.S. markets
from where it's easy to get to Aruba.
de Veer then applied the same sort of approach to Bonaire, indicating that he though Bonaire should attempt to average at least a 75% level of occupancy in its tourist properties, which he estimated at covering about
1000 double occupancy rooms or their equivalent. In order to hit this occupancy level, it would require Bonaire being visited by 78,000 tourists per year (750 rooms x 2 people/room x 52 weeks). This would in turn
require 2100 airline seats a week at 70% payload (i.e. 1500 seats occupied) to fill. He also provided some revenue calculations and forecasts based on numbers he was provided by Tourism Corporation Bonaire, but
there was some dispute as to the accuracy of these numbers during his presentation, so we'll just leave them out, as it appears that valid numbers are not cleanly verifiable for Bonaire.
In order to achieve such an increase (Bonaire apparently has about 60,000 visitors a year), as well as plan for a future beyond this initial step, de Veer stated Bonaire has to evolve its tourism attitude and
marketing efforts to a point where a non-political marketing fund is created by the government, ideally by directing all revenue from room/tourist taxes into it, to be managed and applied by a professionally run
government tourism organization administered by a charismatic leader. He added that such a government entity should also ultimately become an independent corporation with government and the private sector as key
stakeholders. In any event, the marketing fund would be used for both advertising and related marketing efforts as well as to help induce more airline service to the island.
However, stimulating tourism demand and airlift via marketing funds is only part of the equation according to de Veer. He reminded the hoteliers present that rooms are perishable goods, and that in order to boost
occupancy, they should provide extra reduced room rates to charter operators as a further inducement to bring them to Bonaire. Hoteliers should not fixate on the minimum rate per room they charge. Instead they
should focus on their average revenue per room, and then figure out their average gross profit per room on a property wide basis in order to get a better handle on how to sell and for what to sell their rooms.
de Veer also stressed that while charter operators were helpful in bringing the bodies to the island, in order to stimulate more charter and scheduled air travel to Bonaire, Bonaire really needed at least 2000 rooms
to offer, stating that without 2000 rooms, Bonaire can't afford the infrastructure necessary to provide the sort of amenities (e.g. shopping, dining, entertainment, etc.) the average U.S. tourist expects in a
Caribbean vacation destination. de Veer, perhaps showing his Aruban tourism background, then explained that diving and windsurfing were "niche" markets, and not the key reasons to visit a Caribbean island
destination.
He ended his presentation by reminding the audience that an increase of $10/person/day spent by visitors to Bonaire is roughly equivalent to expanding the capacity of the island by 100 rooms, and that while charter
air service has the ability to bring more bodies to the island, it also sends the island "down-market" - but "up-market" (i.e. people spending more money per person) is preferable.
Next were questions from the audience, and de Veer managed to avoid answering a question about environmental impact of increased number of tourists, but pointedly answered another question about the pros and cons of
Aruba having "status apart" from the Netherlands Antilles by stating that Aruba "would not have been able to recover" from the economic disaster of the withdrawn oil refinery, had it not been for
their ability to self-govern and thereby commit most of the island's resources to building tourism.
Mr. de Veer's presentation was certainly enlightening and eye opening for us, but not necessarily in the way he may have intended. First, we don't know anyone on Bonaire that wants Bonaire to become another Aruba -
lots of tourists, noise, traffic, etc. Bonaire's best features are its ecosystem (marine and land) and its relative tranquility when compared to most other Caribbean islands. Bonaire doesn't need casinos and high
rise hotels to attract tourism, and frankly, based on studies of the reef system here, Bonaire's Marine Park carrying capacity is not much more than the number of tourists Bonaire already gets. Anything much beyond
that level and rapid reef decline is likely, and poof - there goes Bonaire's main tourism attraction.
And, as Bonaire really doesn't have Aruba's beaches, it rules out a significant potential audience (of course, without a reef, we'd have all the beaches we want, but that's hardly worth the price). So what is Bonaire
left with? Simply, everything that it's already trying to promote: nature in the form of diving and mountain biking; sport in the form of windsurfing and fishing; and tranquility, peace, and rest in the form of a
sleepy little island.
Is there a way to boost tourism revenues? Certainly, and listening to de Veer, the solution would appear to be an on-going marketing effort to stimulate more affluent visitors to come to Bonaire so that they spend
more money per person per day. According to de Veer (and we think he's right on this point), Bonaire needs to position itself as more of an "up-market" destination.
How does Bonaire achieve this? By additional offering "up-market" activities beyond the ones it already does (such as diving, fishing, and windsurfing). Perhaps the best additional up-market activity would
be to offer world class golf courses. Of course, further promoting and emphasizing existing up-market activities wouldn't hurt.
Of course, to be more "up-market", Bonaire needs to improve some of its properties, and fix the existing problems with airlift, such as the on-going issues with Air ALM's ever worsening delays, last minute
schedule changes or flight cancellations, baggage delays, and more.
However, only time will tell what Bonaire's government will look to do with respect to acting on some or all of Mr. de Veer's advice. And, as government leaders Ramoncito Booi and Nochi Willem were in the audience
last Saturday, at least they won't have to depend on other folks interpretations of the presentation (such as ours) to draw their conclusions, although it's hoped they consult various groups on Bonaire before acting
on impulse.
Customs Claims It's Short of Resources
Regarding both the recent reports in the Extra newspaper (and the Bonaire E-News) about Venezuelan fruit boats
allegedly leaving Bonaire with stolen goods and rumors of "stuff" entering Bonaire on ships at BOPEC (where there is no intense Customs activity), Ubaldo Anthony, Vice Chief of Customs (a Department under
the jurisdiction of the Central Government) told a reporter of Extra that the main situation is lack of personnel and no transportation to go and service BOPEC. "Stuff" is named in the Extra as being
mostly monkeys, lora's, guns, and even drugs. Sometimes the fruit boats are fined, and even though they swear they won't make trouble again, they are caught over and over.
Recently a regulation entered into effect that the boats had to leave immediately upon getting their "Proof of Exit" papers, yet the boats leave whenever they want to. Anthony says Customs knows
what's going on, but are not sufficiently equipped to do their job.
Public Transport Addressed by Booi
After last week's commentaries by taxi and bus drivers (see last week's E-News) about the issue of organized public
transportation on Bonaire, Ramoncito Booi, head of the UPB (Green) party in the present coalition, expanded on the Government's intention with respect to public transportation.
While taxi and bus drivers denounced the fact that Booi never met with them regarding upgrading the existing system and that he visited the Curaçao Bus Bedrijf (Curacao Bus Co.) instead, Booi explained that he also
researched Miami's transportation system in order to be able to take all this information into a joint committee with local taxi and bus drivers. The purpose of such a committee would be to make the Bonairean public
transport system more "functional".
In Miami, Booi received specifications on the appropriate types of vehicles for Bonaire, as well as a ball park idea of cost. Booi stated that with this information in hand it is now possible to do an analysis as to
what will or will not work on Bonaire. He explained that he understood the uncertainty this brings to local drivers, but with no regulated service, children cannot get to school or after-school activities on time,
workers living in Rincon are seen hitching rides into Playa and people going to night school have no transportation. Together with local drivers a formula must be reached that works for everyone.
Telephone Numbers Changing
In speaking with Telbo officials, the Bonaire E-News has learned that the phone company will shortly be announcing the
details of how the Bonairean phone system will be revamped when the new phone switch is installed and made operational in October.
Key among the changes will be an expansion of Bonaire's existing four digit phone number to a seven digit number. This is in contrast to public statements made by Telbo's Director, Roy Chin-On, at an AKIB assembly in
early June (see the June 9, 1999 issue of the Bonaire E-News).
The new numbering, which will also affect cellular phone numbers on Bonaire should be released within the next two to three weeks, and the Bonaire E-News will have all the details when they are publicly available.
One item that has been confirmed is that all existing four digit number will gain the same three digit prefix, and that for a period of approximately three months, both sets of numbers will work when dialed via the
Telbo phone system.
If you are in the process of having brochures or business cards printed, or are having advertising designed, we recommend you design with a seven digit phone number in mind, and then just plug in the new three digits
when they are officially announced.
Bonaire Twin Cinema News & Features - August 19 - 25, 1999
Bonaire Twin Cinema is located in the heart of Kralendijk next to the Exito Bakery and
behind the Cultimara Supermarket. Starting Thursday, August 19, Bonaire Twin Cinema will be offering the following film features (Adults NAFl. 10.-, Children NAFl. 8.-, for all normal features, special pricing for
matinees on weekends):
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Big Daddy - New this Week!
- Nightly at 7:15pm
- Matinee Sunday at 3:30pm
Comedian Adam Sandler is Sonny Koufax, a 32 year of law school graduate desperately trying to avoid being a real adult. In a moment of questionable inspiration he accepts custody of a five year old boy in order to
impress his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend, under the pretense of being the boy's biological father. Sonny is soon exposed to the responsibilities of parenthood, and executes them in rather unusual ways. For more details
see http://headlines.yahoo.com/Full_Coverage/Movies/Big_Daddy/
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Thirteenth Floor
- Nightly at 9:30pm
- Matinee Saturday at 3:30pm
- Late show Friday at 12:15am
On the thirteenth floor of a downtown corporate tower, cyber visionaries Douglas Hall and Hannon Fuller have taken virtual reality technology to the next stage by creating a living, breathing simulation of 1937 Los
Angeles in a computer chip. However, when a confused Hall wakes to find a bloody shirt in his house, and Fuller is found murdered, perhaps the virtual reality is not as virtual as it seems. (Rated R, Thriller, 120
minutes) For more information, visit: http://headlines.yahoo.com/Full_Coverage/Movies/The_Thirteenth_Floor/
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The Mummy
- Nightly at 7:00pm & 9:45pm
- Matinees Saturday and Sunday at 4:00pm
- Late show Friday at 12:30am
A full-scale re-imagining of Universal Picture's seminal 1932 horror film, The Mummy is a rousing, suspenseful and horrifying epic about an expedition of treasure-seeking explorers in the Sahara Desert of 1925.
Stumbling upon an ancient tomb, the explorers unwittingly release a 3,000 year old legacy of terror, embodied in the vengeful reincarnation of an Egyptian priest who had been sentenced to an eternity as one of the
living dead. (Rated PG-13, Thriller, CinemaScope, 124 min.) For more information see: http://headlines.yahoo.com/Full_Coverage/Movies/The_Mummy/
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Coming Soon (subject to change): Lake Placid, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Wild Wild West, The General's Daughter, Tarzan, Universal Soldier: The Return
The Bonaire Twin Cinema Box Office opens nightly at 6:30pm (3:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays), and no reservations are required. Tickets are only available at the box office. Questions about the movies? Call Bonaire
Twin Cinema at 2400 (Noon to closing everyday), FAX: 8010, or send an e-mail to mailto:TwinCinema@InfoBonaire.com (please include your phone or FAX number).
** NOTE ** - Starting next week, the Bonaire Twin Cinema movie listings will be available on line. We'll post the Web address for them in the next issue of the Bonaire E-News. (We really mean it this time!)
Quick Takes
- Jong Bonaire Reopens. On Sunday, August 22, the Youth Center Jong Bonaire will open for enrollment for the new school year. The center is open for kids of high school age and offers after-school activities.
Families pay for membership on a sliding scale - families with monthly incomes under NAFl. 1000 pay NAFl. 10 per child per month; from NAFl. 1001 - NAFl. 2000 it's a NAFl. 25 fee; from NAFl. 2001 - NAFl. 4000 it's
NAFl.75; from NAFl. 4001 - NAFl. 5000 it's NAFl. 100; and for monthly family incomes of NAFl.5001 and up it's a NAFl. 150 fee per enrolled child per month. The youth center is also inviting parents and others
interested in volunteering to help with activities to please come and sign in on Sunday. For information, stop by at Kaya Simon Libertador Simon Bolivar 16, or call 4303, FAX 6467, or e mail mailto:Jongbonaire@bonairelive.com .
- Weekly Market on Bonaire?
At an Open House organized by the LVV (Department van Landbouw, Veeteelt en Visserij - in English the Department of Agriculture, Cattle-breeding and Fishing) during the past week, Commissioner of Agriculture Ms. Evelyn Cicilia reminded everyone of the important role the "kunuku" (farms) always played in the Bonairean way of life. "Let's not forget the historical commercial value of the kunuku. The LVV's mission should be to stimulate the people to produce on a smaller scale.", she said, adding that there is a plan in the works to have a local produce market where the LVV and private "kunukeros" (farmers) can sell their produce. It was not determined yet whether this market would be held weekly or at other times that such produce is available. "This will be an experiment to activate and motivate local production", stated Ms. Cecilia.
- Bonaire Day Celebrations. Come celebrate Bonaire Day (Dia di Boneiru) at the Wilhelmina Plaza on Monday, September 6th. Bonaire Day, which commemorates the discovery of Bonaire by Amerigo Vespucci, is a full
day's celebration of Bonaire's flag, national anthem, and culture and it promises many interesting activities. While Bonaire Day is normally held in the community centers in various barrios on a rotating annual
basis, it was decided to hold this year's celebration in downtown Kralendijk because this year's event marks the 500th anniversary of Bonaire's discovery by Europeans. The theme of the event is "Bonaire - 500
Years on the World Map". To make it easier for people to get to the full day celebration from more remote locations, the government has organized two free busses into town. One leaves Rincon at 8AM passing
through Tra'i Montanja, Nort Salinja, Antriol, Amboina, Nikiboko, and Tera Kora. The other bus leaves Rincon at 10AM with the same route. We'll post more details on Bonaire Day activities as they become
available.
- Fishing Tournament. The Annual Bonairean Fishing tournament, sponsored by famous local fisherman Doei Diaz and Richard of Richard's Restaurant, will be held on Sunday, September 5th. There are two categories
of entries (based on boat size). Anyone may enter, but they must fish off of a Bonairean registered vessel. Lines may be dropped in the water anytime after midnight on the 5th, with the first weigh-in occurring at
10am that Sunday, and the contest ending at 5pm. No reef fish or fish under .5 kilos will be accepted as entries. The awards ceremony will be held on the Day of the Virgin Delvalle, September 8th, in honor of the
Virgin's status as a protector of seamen. Entry forms can be picked up at Doei Diaz' house at J.A. Abraham Boulevard #58. More details can be obtained from Doei at 8365 or Richard at 5263.
- Radio Nederlands Open House/Fun Run. On Thursday and Friday, August 19th and 20th, respectively, from 9am to noon each day, Radio Nederlands will be holding an open house at its transmitter facility above
the tourist road. (If you've never been there, we can recommend a visit very highly.) The open house is in honor of Radio Nederlands' 30 years of operation on Bonaire. Also, in conjunction with this celebration,
Radio Nederlands is hosting a 5km fun run, which starts at 5:30pm on Friday, August 20th in front of the Radio Nederlands offices near the Harbour Village Marina. For either event, call 5472 for more details.
- Cocaine Discovered at Airport. Customs might not have enough personnel, but a well trained K-9 (K-9 = canine = dog) customs officer discovered 1.5 kilos of cocaine in a suitcase at Flamingo Airport on
Wednesday, August 11th. After investigation it appeared that the luggage belonged to a minor, a girl of 16. She is presently detained for further questioning, and no further details were made available.
- NAOB Filing Forms Not Mailed. Bonairean business beware. In a recent visit to the Loonbelasting (taxation) office, we discovered that the government will no longer be mailing out NAOB (sales tax) collection
report forms to local businesses. Instead, businesses will need to pick up whatever reporting forms they need from the Loonbelasting office across from NAPA and next to Obersi. Call 8371 for more information.
- Sand Dollar's Face Lift Completed. Sand Dollar Condominium Resort has recently been going through a "face lift", in which its previously monotone facades have been transformed by the application of
a variety of colors. Each of the five condominium buildings at the resort has been painted a different color: Maize, Mint Dew, Apricot, Misty Blue or Pale Rose. The change has certainly spruced up the place quite a
bit. To celebrate its new look, Sand Dollar is offering a special 7th night free on prepaid packages during September, October, and the first half of December. For more information drop a note to mailto:info@sanddollarbonaire.com .
- RotaRally.
The Bonaire Rotary Club will be holding its annual RotaRally on Sunday, September 5th. The RotaRally is a car rally in which entrants have to attempt to properly navigate around the island using sometimes cryptic directions. Points are awarded based on correct interpretation and execution of the directions as well as time to complete the rally course. It's a great way to experience parts of Bonaire one may have never actually explored, plus a way to win some great prizes. Entry is NAFl. 30 per vehicle, and the driver gets a special commemorative cap to mark his or her participation in the event. The Rally is followed by a BBQ at the Leinse Kunuku (tickets NAFl. 15 for adults, NAFl. 7.50 for children) and an awards ceremony. There will be games and activities for kids at the kunuku as well. For more information and entry tickets and BBQ tickets, contact us at the Bonaire E-News at 6773 or mailto:RotaRally@BonaireENews.com .
- Harbour Village Gets New Dive Boat. Harbour Village Beach Resort's Great Adventures dive operation this week took ownership of its latest and greatest dive boat, the 42 foot Harbour Queen. The Harbour Queen
is a Newton 42' with twin 3116 Caterpillar engines, making her the largest and fastest boat in the Harbour Village/Great Adventures fleet. For more details call Harbour Village at 7500.
- Fresh Bagels. We've found fresh bagels at Cultimara. Yes, that's right _fresh_ bagels! For the last couple of weeks, cinnamon raisin, blueberry swirl and plain bagels have been available from the Cultimara
bakery. While not the ultimate New York bagel, these bagels are much better than the frozen bagels occasionally available on the island and have soothed the bagel starved Americans in our household. Keep it up,
Cultimara!
- Coral Spawning Time. Sand Dollar Dive & Photo's naturalist, Jerry Ligon says divers wishing to observe coral spawning this year should plan on doing so between the hours of 9pm and midnight on the 5th
through 8th nights after the August and September full moons, i.e. August 31st-September 3rd, and September 30th-October 3rd. Jerry will also be offering slide shows at Sand Dollar preceding the estimated spawn
dates.
- File a Crime Report. In an effort to help combat petty theft and other, less common crimes, against tourists and locals alike, BONHATA (the Bonaire Hotel And Tourism Association) is asking all Bonaire
hoteliers, businesses, visitors, and residents to file "crime reports" with their office. Due to a variety of reasons, many people on Bonaire don't file a crime report with the police when a crime,
especially minor petty theft, occurs. Among these reasons may be that it can be time consuming and frustrating dealing with the police for a relatively minor incident, like the theft of a pair of sandals or some
t-shirts. However, in order to better track down the theft patterns and get a better and timely picture of the crime situation on Bonaire, even these small incidents (and even suspicious activities, such as when it
appears a vehicle has been searched at a remote dive site but nothing taken) need to be logged. Enter BONHATA with a crime report form developed by Daniel Henggeler of Blue Divers and Palm Studios. A copy of this
form is available on paper at the BONHATA office, as well as all dive operations and most hotels. The form may also be downloaded from the BONHATA Web site (a work in progress) at http://www.BONHATA.org/crime-form.doc . So, again, if you become a victim of crime on Bonaire, please make sure they fill out a BONHATA crime report form while the details are still fresh in your heads and have it FAXed to the BONHATA office. It will only take a couple of minutes, but could be invaluable in helping curtail what crime there is on Bonaire. The forms will be logged, and copies of the logs delivered to the District Attorney, police, and Lt. Governor (the nominal head of the police on the island) on a regular basis. For more information, contact BONHATA at 5134 or mailto:info@bonhata.org .
- Capt. Don Is Looking For An Agent. Bonaire's favorite salt of the sea and father of the marine park, Captain Don Stewart, is wrapping up a second tome chronicling the adventures, mishaps, and other things
that have happened while he's been around. The title of the new book will be "An Island Adrift", and will feature 64 vignettes, and three times as many period photographs. However, Capt. Don needs one more
thing to help make this book a viable reality, and that's an agent - not the secret spy type, but a literary agent who can work with him to help find a publisher for this work and subsequent ones (yes, there are
others in the works). As Don has no working phone at his Kunuku, we'll accept any electronic correspondence any of our readers care to send him on the topic of literary agents or anything else for that matter. Send
your e-mails to mailto:CaptDon@infobonaire.com , and we'll make sure Capt. Don gets them. Please be sure to include your physical mailing address and FAX number in case you want an answer back, 'cause if Don can't receive e-mail himself, he also can't send it.
- Visiting Rotarians. The Bonaire Rotary Club, which meets each Wednesday from 12:15pm to 2:00pm at the delightful Rendez-Vous Restaurant, would like to inform any visiting Rotarians planning on attending the
September 1st Rotary lunch that said meeting will be held in Rincon at the Rose Inn instead. For more information, contact Bonaire Rotary Club president Yke Faber at mailto:inpo@bonairelive.com .
Classifieds
Lots of things for sale, and some things being sought. Please note that we do not warrant the accuracy or validity of the products/services/etc. being presented here - in other words, Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware).
Note: Advertising real estate for sale or rent, as well as services offered, in our Classifieds are fee based. No classified ads will be accepted from those looking for employment, and all other ads will be reviewed
and may be edited if accepted for free placement. Contact us at mailto:classifieds@BonaireENews.com for details.
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Personals?
WRONG DELIVERY
The mail man accidently put a letter for Bill Basinger in my box. The letter is addressed to Kaya Caiquetio # 7. I could not find such address. Bill Basinger, please call 5584 if you want to
retrieve your letter from Memphis.
NEED A HOUSESITTER?
One time Bonaire resident (1994-1996), Marielle Sengers, is looking for a house to "sit" from December 27, 1999 through January 24, 2000. She's returning to Bonaire temporarily to
celebrate the millennium, join a wedding, and get certified as a Divemaster. If you have a house that needs to be populated and taken care of during the aforementioned dates, drop her a note at mailto:mariellesengers@hotmail.com
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Services
HANDYMAN
Need a handyman? An Experienced plumber, electrician, painter, and jack-of-all-trades? Then call Jato Handyman at 7270 (evenings) or 2727 (daytime - ask for Alda) [Jato was contracted by the editors
of the Bonaire E-News last year for some work, and we recommend him highly]
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People Wanted For Fun Things
MAHJONG PLAYERS
I'm looking people to play the ancient game "Mahjong" with. I have the game. English, Spanish and Dutch language are no problem. If you are interested, mail me (Max van der Tol) at mailto:mvandertol@rnbtech.com or phone me 8472 (daytime) / 8146 (evenings).
ASTRONOMY CLUB?
I'm looking for others on Bonaire who might share my newfound hobby of astronomy. Please contact me (Pierre Schmid) at mailto:p.e.schmid@infobonaire.com if you are interested in getting together.
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Rentals
APARTMENTS FOR RENT
Tenants sought for long term apartment rental. Offering two different apartments on same street: First is a one bedroom apartment, second is a two bedroom apartment. Both are located on Kaya
Caribe, Nord Salina, and have recently been completely refinished and are fully furnished with air conditioning, kitchen & appliances, washing machine, and more. Affordably priced. Pets okay. Contact Alda Dirskz
at 2727 (daytime) or 7270 (evenings) for more details.
RENTAL - BEACH FRONT
Attractive 2-bedroom beach house for rent on a weekly or monthly basis. Fully furnished. Aircos in bedrooms. Ceiling fans in
bedrooms and living room & dining room. Solar hot water heater. Wash machine. Beautiful garden. Very secure location with gated entrance. Convenient
location, near restaurants, marina, resorts, tennis & spa. Attractive rates to responsible parties. Contact for brochure, photos and availability.
Phone: 570-586-0098; Fax: 570-586-4013; e-mail: larryt49@alumni.princeton.edu
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Real Estate:
HOUSE
Kaya Raspa 4, South Nikiboko Freehold - 3 bedrooms, living/dining room, kitchen, bathroom, separate laundry room. In good condition, recently renovated. Price NAFl. 135,000. Please call during the daytime at
7474.
KUNUKU FOR SALE
1.6 hectares (3.952 acres) of land fenced in with cactus. Two (2) small houses and a big porch. Electricity by wind and solar energy. Satellite TV. Wonderful view to Lagoon and surrounding hills.
Photos on-line at http://www.infobonaire.com/html/classifieds.html . Price to be discussed. Contact e-mail:darido@infobonaire.com
HOUSE
Situated on Kaya Simon Bolivar 13 (in front of Jeugdhuis Jong Bonaire) - 3 Bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, living room also 'Regenbak' separate apartment with one bedroom. Price NAFl. 250,000. Could also be
used as warehouse or office space. Please call daytime tel. 7474
CONDO/APARTMENT COMPLEX FOR SALE
Visit http://www.infobonaire.com/html/classifieds.html#apartments for details
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For Sale:
DALMATIAN PUPPIES
Four (4) pure bred Dalmatian puppies for sale. They are 4 months old, 2 males & 2 females. Call 7474 or e-mail mailto:sunset@bonairelive.com .
(Remember, visitors to Bonaire can take pets home with them! Bonaire is a rabies free island which makes it very easy to bring that adorable little puppy or kitten home to the USA or Holland!)
TRUCK - PRICE REDUCED
1992 Toyoto Hilux 4x4 Double Cab Truck, A/C, tinted windows, radio, bucket seats, 5 speed trans, 89,000 km, oversized tires.
NAFl. 13,500 - Firm. Photo at: http://www.bonaireenews.com/photos/19990609-truck.jpg
Call 5592 or mailto:info@samursailing.com
REFRIGERATOR/FREEZER
Looking for new or used in good condition. Contact mailto:info@samursailing.com or call 5592.
COMPUTER BOOKS
Brand new, but duplicates of what I already have: Programmer's Guide to the EGA, VGA, and Super VGA Cards, 3rd Edition by Richard Ferraro; Official OpenGL Programming Guide, 2nd Edition; Official
OpenGL Reference Manual, 2nd Edition; Cutting Edge Direct3D Programming by Stan Trujillo; Apache Server Survival Guide by Ricart; and sendmail by Costales (O'Reilly Publ.). Make me an offer for one or more - New
they are $20-$50. Contact Jake at mailto:jake@nettech.an or 6773.
CAR
Selling my 1991 Nissan Sunny, year 1991). Asking NAFl. 6500
Call Sheila at 7447 (work) or 2716 (home)
POSTERS OF OLD BONAIRE
Bonaire Trading has two type of posters featuring photos of what Bonaire was like almost 100 years ago.
Click on http://www.BonaireENews.com/photos/19990630-oldprint.jpg
for a sample. Cost is only NAFl. 10. Visit the Bonaire Trading store next to the Bonaire Travel office on Kaya L.D. Gerharts.
MINIVAN
I'm looking for a new owner for my Suzuki minivan "Special Edition" in very good conditions of engine and body, looks like new, with Air-conditioner, stereo audio cassette player, with capacity
for 8 persons, standard trans. 5 speed, asking NAFl. 8000. The price can be discussed. More Information at telephone numbers: 2769 or 2500 ext 8107.
COMPUTER SOFTWARE
Paint Shop Pro 5.0 for Windows 95/98 - Professional paint and graphics software for preparing images for brochures, Web site, at reduced price of US$80 - only two left!
Eudora Pro 4.0 for
Windows 95/98 - Professional E-mail software for people who live by e-mail - only one copy left - US$45.
Contact Jake @ NetTech at 6773 or mailto:jake@nettech.an
NEW KITCHEN FAUCET
Deluxe Kitchen Faucet, single control, never used, includes all parts, documentation is NAFl. 76.80 at General Store. Price Reduced! Asking NAFl. 35/OBO. Contact Jake at 6773 or mailto:jake@nettech.an .
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Want to Buy/Swap:
BICYCLE
Looking for a used "Dutch bike" for exercise and to bring child to school. Contact Sjoerd at 4444 or mailto:vanderbrug@bonairelive.com .
FAX MACHINE
Looking for a used tel/fax machine in good condition, please fax info to: 6772
OUTBOARD MOTOR
Want to buy an outboard motor for an 8' open boat, 2 1/2 or 4 hp.
Contact mailto:Extrabon@bonairelive.net , or call 8482 and ask for Papi.
PLASTIC BARRELS
Wanted: plastic barrels, new or used, for water storage.
E-mail mailto:fhenders@twr.org or call 4592.
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