|
Hurricane Season Starts
With little fanfare, this past Tuesday, June 1st, marked the start of the 1999 hurricane season, but a slow start doesn't mean
that we won't see a whopper of a finish when the season ends in November, especially according to the hurricane forecast team at Colorado State University. The team, led by atmospheric sciences Professor William
Gray, says the 1999 season will be as bad, if not worse, than last year's. The 1998 hurricane season featured 14 tropical storms, 10 hurricanes, and among those three major hurricanes - two of which were the deadly
Georges and Mitch hurricanes.
The forecast for 1999 is that we'll see the same number of tropical storms, one less hurricane - nine, but of those, there are four major hurricanes predicted, up one from last year. Major hurricanes are ones with
wind speeds of over 110 miles per hour. All these forecasts apply to storms in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.
"We believe we've entered a new era for storm activity," said Gray. "There was a big change in the climate signals between 1994 and 1995, when the North Atlantic temperatures changed a lot and climate
signals began to alter, not just in the Atlantic but around the globe. We think these changes are normal, natural changes that are not due to anything humankind has imposed, such as a warming effect from greenhouse
gases."
Gray blames the predicted stormy season on stratospheric westerly winds, warmer North Atlantic waters, below-average sea-surface barometric pressures in the western Atlantic and Caribbean Basin, and the indefatigable
La Nina continuing to cool down the waters of the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean.
As we've stated before, a busy hurricane season may be good news for Bonaire, as Bonaire and neighboring Curaçao and Aruba are all below the so-called "Hurricane Belt", and therefore have been popular
vacation destinations for travelers concerned about the threat of hurricanes in other Caribbean destinations. Cruisers also seem to concur, as Bonaire's Playa mooring area is frequently packed during the hurricane
season.
If you want real-time updates on the 1999 hurricane season, the best resource we've found on the Internet is Lowe's Storm99 Hurricane Central at http://www.storm99.com - you
can even sign up to receive e-mail notification of storms forming in the Atlantic and their movement towards land.
Red Cross Seminar & Fund Raiser
Just because Bonaire's below the so-called Hurricane Belt doesn't mean we should ignore the dangers inherent in a
large storm ignoring the laws of probability and paying us a visit here.
With that in mind, the Bonaire Red Cross is sponsoring a full day seminar at the Plaza Resort this Friday on the possible effects a hurricane passing over Bonaire might have, and how we can all prepare ourselves for
this situation. The seminar, which costs NAFl. 25,-, starts at 9am, and will be held in Dutch (the proceedings will be in English, however). The following agenda has been publicized:
- Keynote by Lt. Governor Richard Hart
- The ABCs of Hurricanes by the Meteorological Department of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba
- Water Movement during a hurricane near Bonaire by the Delft University of Technology
- What should you do with the information provided by Meteorological Department?
- The penetration of waves on the shore of Kralendijk; results in a wave flume of the Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics at Delft University of Technology.
- Guidelines on the Zoning for the Coastal Area of Kralendijk: How to combine coastal tourism and economic activities with effective sea defenses
- Hurricane Preparedness in our coastal areas - Recommendations and Implications
- The Communication Lines between "eilandgebied" - National - other "eilandgebieden"/Aruba by STIRANA.
All in all, a very comprehensive overview of hurricane and major storm issues as they relate to surviving them on Bonaire. For more information or to enroll in this seminar, call 2828 or FAX: 7626.
The Bonaire Red Cross will also be holding a fund-raiser in the Wilhelmina Park the following day, on Saturday June 5th. This event starts at 11am and runs until 6pm, and is also a celebration of the Red Cross' 15th
Anniversary.
The Red Cross assists the Bonairean community at social, sport, and festive activities with information on prevention of problems, as well as the preparation for natural disasters or those caused by human error.
During the afternoon music will be provided by Tipiko Boneriano, Grupo Watapana, Piedra di Boneiru. The folklore dance group Kibra Hacha will perform as well. Saturday's highlight will be a demonstration of a rescue
at sea with Marine Air Force planes, CITRO rescue boats and members of the Red Cross.
Lac and the Sand Shortage: The Politics of Sand (Part One)
by Don Ricks, Courtesy of Port Call
The decision seems easy enough. Bonaire badly needs sand for construction projects. And hectares of sand beds are just lying there, easily accessable for dredging, at Lac. But given the current pace of construction,
dredging sand from Lac would be only a stopgap measure. After a few short years (when those living sands of Lac were cast into a few new buildings and the lagoon destroyed forever) Bonaire would still be short of
sand.
If we dredge up and haul away the Lac sand, we eliminate from Bonaire's waters the lobster and conch; the yellowtail snappers, gray snappers, mutton snappers, and schoolmasters. The bluestriped grunts would
disappear, along with the French grunts and sailors choice; the doctor fish; the foureye butterfly fish; many sea stars and the sea cucumbers. The green turtles would be gone, along with a number of sea and shore
birds.
What we do not see, as we look across the apparently barren flats of Lac, are the hundreds of crustaceans, mollusks and worms that live in every handful of sand. According to Ivan Nagelkerken, the biologist who
instructed the recent Marine Park course for teachers, "Coral Reef Ecology and Related Ecosystems", these tiny creatures play a critical role in the food chain during the development cycle of many species
of reef dwellers.
The sand plains, sea grasses and mangroves of Lac form a complexly interconnected environment rich in food. This is where the young of many species hide, feed and grow until they are big enough to venture into less
protected waters. Bonaire has one of the most diverse populations of reef fish in the world. Yet it has a single, vulnerable, "nursery" for many of them -Lac Curaçao, by comparison, has ten such lagoons.
The natural structure of the lagoon has long been stable. That is, the mangroves and sea grasses grow where they do, and fish, birds and animals use the lagoon in the ways they do, because of a long-established set
of conditions, such as the patterns of current flow. Therefore sand removal, even at a single site, would disrupt and endanger the whole lagoon ecology. Turgidity caused by dredging can block the sea grasses and
algae from the sun. New current patterns would move sand and silt into new areas, clogging growth in some places and leaving other sites bare. The mangroves could die off if the accustomed water flow does not flush
the dead debris from among their roots.
Still, we need sand. It is vital to Bonaire's concrete and block style of construction. Until recently, sand either had to be found locally or be imported from Curaçao or Venezuela. Now a new solution seems
promising. A used machine has been imported from the U.S. that can grind the plentiful local gravels into good quality sand. Once it is operating at capacity, the life-supporting wild sands of Lac will no longer
seem so tempting.
Nevertheless, pressures to dredge sand from Lac will continue. In a future issue, part two of this article, "Sand and Recreation", will examine the interests of Bonaire¹s wind surfers and beach lovers.
Governor Hart: Vision for Bonaire
Earlier this year, the Central Government of the Netherlands Antilles appointed a three-person commission - referred to
as the three wise men - to come up with a rescue plan for the Antilles. This plan was presented and further discussed here with Secretary of the Parliament of the Netherlands, Mr. Gijs de Vries during his visit to
Bonaire recently, and last Friday, May 28th, the local press was invited to a presentation of the Bonaire government's vision for Bonaire. A key messages during this presentation was that Bonaire's island government
favors growth for the island providing the environment and culture are maintained. Lt. Governor Richard Hart, the presenter of the island government's perspective, listed five key items on the island wish list:
- To raise well educated and well developed people
- A community that is socio-politically and economically active
- Preservation of environment and nature
- Tranquility & Peace
- Security
Hart explained that the Government's aim is to have a high standard of living on the island, paying attention to: security, health care, comfort, social coherence, preservation of the environment, planning the use of
space of properties and land (i.e. zoning), education and development.
In terms of the economy, he saw a need in growth in tourism, a better infrastructure, and the creation of jobs and a labor market. In terms of governing, Hart stressed an emphasis on democracy, betterment of
capacities, healthy public financing, legislation and supervision.
The government's mission includes long term economical development, self governing within an effective democratic constellation, a congruous identity and a strong social coherence.
Obviously security occupies an important place here in such planning, and Governor Hart mentioned the following points as being necessary to keeping Bonaire safe and protecting the vision:
- Information aimed at augmenting security awareness and crime prevention
- Intensifying vigilance through increased presence of police and security services
- Improved infrastructure in terms of security
- Expansion of social awareness in neighborhoods
- Care for children up to 5 years of age and developing norms and values
- After-school care, as well as care during school vacations and developing the norms and values for kids at risk - those between 6-15 years of age
- Acceptable social accommodations for groups at risk
- Care for addicts
- Effective fight against crime and drugs
These goals are commendable. The next step lies in seeing how they will be achieved - a serious project for the incoming island government as well as the Central Government. Of course, the governments won't be able
to attain these goals without the much needed support from all the neighborhoods and residents of Bonaire.
A Vision of Sand
The above two articles provide an interesting perspective on Bonaire's future. Don Rick's excellent article describes the important
of sand at Lac to the ecosystem of Bonaire. The presentation by Lt. Governor Hart shows that the government wants to, among other things, preserve Bonaire's environment and nature.
However, without a clear understanding of the environmental impact of various innocuous seeming actions it's not possible to make sure the environment and nature on Bonaire remain preserved.
Case in point. Several weeks ago, in a well meant but poorly executed effort to provide the citizens of Rincon with a beach to call their own, the government rushed through an excavation of sand in the Sorobon area
of the ecologically sensitive Lac Bay, taking the excavated sand and dumping it on the shore line at Tolo (which Bonaire divers know as the location of the Ol' Blue dive site). So for now, the fossilized coral
rocks, which made a soothing tinkling sound as the surf washed back and forth over them at Ol' Blue have been muted by an unnatural addition to the shore.
According to our sources, this process occurred without notification or consultation of the Bonaire Marine Park or STINAPA - the two entities on this island that would normally be the ones to approve or disapprove
such an alteration of shore lines (two shore lines in this case).
Because the Marine Park was not consulted, we are now faced with not just one environmental problem (the alteration of the Lac environment) but two. The second problem is that sand has been dumped on a shoreline
which has no significant quantities of natural sand. Why doesn't it have much natural sand? Because pretty much any sand which ends up there gets washed out or blown out to sea. The same process is already happening
with the sand which has just recently been added to the shore - it's already eroding.
Such erosion wouldn't be a problem if nothing stood between the shore and the open ocean. However, between shore and the sea's depths stands some of Bonaire's healthiest corals. Or perhaps we should say
"stood", because sand, especially in large quantities washed or blown into the water tends to silt up, and gets deposited on these corals. As a result, the coral polyps get clogged, can't feed properly,
and start to die, one by one. This in turn invites algae and bacteria to take hold, and the reef starts dying a slow death.
Good bye reef, good bye diving, good bye tourism, good bye Bonaire economy. And all because a noble idea was rushed forward without proper consideration of the environmental impact the implementation of such an idea
would cause.
It's too early to tell how much of the surrounding reef will be actually damaged by the sand added at Tolo, but come the next major rain storm or wind reversal that artificial beach will get washed away, and what
will we have left? A pit at Lac which has already altered the ecosystem (see Don's article), the same shore line we had at Tolo a couple months ago (i.e. fossilized coral fragments, but no real accumulation of
sand), and large quantities of sand washed out to shore, having killed some coral on its way out. Not a good return on investment, is it?
The scary thing is that rumors are already flying that the government is considering much larger scale excavation and dredging in Lac, both for construction materials and more beach sand. Bruce Bowker, in a letter
being sent to the Bestuurscollege about this topic states the situation bluntly: "It is of utmost importance [to realize] that any sand removal from any area to either create artificial beaches or construction
or any reason is ecological suicide. It is hoped that this will cease immediately."
A different way to put this is "Enjoy the natural resources where they are and where nature intended them to be. Don't mess with nature if you can avoid it."
At a recent meeting with dive operators on this subject, a call to action was suggested, and we will pass that on to you, our readers: Please write a letter to the Bestuurscollege (the part of the Bonairean
government which runs the island on a daily basis) to let them know that you want them to make sure that no more sand or other similar resources will be extracted from the shores or waters of Bonaire, and that the
need for such resources can be filled via other means, whether it be the crushing of rock as Don Ricks' article suggests, or the importing of resources from places where ecological impact is not an issue.
Letters can be sent by postal mail directly to the Bestuurscollege at:
Bestuurscollege
Bonaire, N.A.
Or,
Or, we'll accept e-mail letters on your behalf at the Bonaire E-News and pass them on to the Bestuurscollege as we receive them. Send such letters to:
In all cases, please make sure to include your full name, address, and other pertinent contact information, and it might be useful for you to include your association with Bonaire (frequent visitor, resident, lover
of nature, etc.).
Stolen Goods Leaving for Venezuela?
An article in the Extra newspaper this past week described how in plain view of a number of people, a person previously
convicted of theft was seen at the town pier with certain questionable items. This person allegedly deposited these article not too far from the pier, and then approached a Venezuelan fruit boat, had a discussion
with its occupants, and then went and retrieved the items and delivered them to the boat's crew. One of the observers apparently had the foresight to call the police, who arrested the perpetrator as the handing over
of the items was taking place.
According to the Extra article these boats (as it turns out) are regularly used to get rid of stolen goods such as camera & dive equipment, jewelry, and bicycles. Sometimes the owners of the stolen items insist
on having the boats searched, whereupon their property is frequently discovered. There was apparently one occasion where a crew member was caught with stolen goods and then was denied re-entry into the island for a
while. One source to the paper told of how one could see people deliver large amounts of stolen bikes to the boats on a more frequent basis. Extra closed the article stating that as it has become clear that the
fruit boats are involved in exporting stolen goods, that customs ought to exert more supervision and check them before they sail out of the harbor. One reason given for this not happening is that these boats often
leave in the middle of the night.
In any event, now that this story has been broken, and been brought into the open, it is hoped that policies will be changed to close this loophole through which stolen goods are leaving Bonaire. With such changes,
the market for stolen goods would seriously diminish, possibly resulting in a reduction of petty theft.
Government Terminates Air Ambulance Contract
The government last week officially confirmed that it has terminated the contract it had with Bonaire
Airways for air ambulance service. The government has not been satisfied with the service over the last couple of years, and neither has the hospital, according to Commissioner of Health Peter Silberie.
Additionally, Robby Orman, the founder of Bonaire Airways, was constantly raising the price for the service but this never resulted in better service, according to Silberie. For two years there wasn't even a plane
on the island and the company would have to rent a plane from Curaçao to fly to Bonaire, pick up the patient and fly back to Curacao.
Professional Air Services, N.V. of Mr. Adri Dahl has been awarded the new contract for air ambulance service. Mr. Dahl has a long career in aviation, he is both a licensed commercial pilot as well as a certified
technician and mechanic. He has flown for Winair and Airlink, a charter company of Harbour Village Beach Resort.
Bonaire Twin Cinema News & Features - June 3 - 9, 1999
Bonaire Twin Cinema is located in the heart of Kralendijk next to the Exito Bakery and behind
the Cultimara Supermarket. Starting Thursday, June 3, Bonaire Twin Cinema will be offering the following film features (NaFl. 10.- for all normal features, special pricing for matinees on weekends):
----------------
Message in a Bottle - New!
- Nightly at 7:00pm
- Matinee Sat. & Sun. at 2:00pm
- Late show Fri. & Sat. at 11:45pm
Kevin Costner, Robin Wright Penn, and Paul Newman star in this romance, where Theresa Osborne (Penn) stumbles across a bottle with a moving and passionate message while walking along the beach. The message so moves
her that she sets out to find the author. You'll have to watch the film for the rest of the plot. (Rated PG, Romance, CinemaScope, 132 minutes) For more details see: http://headlines.yahoo.com/Full_Coverage/Movies/message_in_a_bottle/index.ht ml
----------------
The Corrupter - New!
- Nightly at 9:00pm
- Matinee Sat. & Sun. at 4:30pm
- Late show Fri. & Sat. at 11:30pm
Oriental film and martial arts star Chow Yun Fat and actor Mark Wahlberg join up in this action movie about car chases, gun slinging, and the fast life of a corrupt New York City cop. Chow plays Nick Chan, a tainted
hero who gets one last chance at redemption. (Rated R, Action, CinemaScope, 110 minutes) For more details, see: http://headlines.yahoo.com/Full_Coverage/Movies/the_corruptor/index.html
[Bonaire E-News Rating 1.5 of out 4 stars. While the action scenes in this movie are generally quite good, and the plot manages to move along at a reasonable pace, the movie lacks real cohesion and is rather
unsatisfying.]
----------------
Cruel Intentions
- Nightly at 9:45pm
- Matinees Sat. & Sun. at 4:45pm
Driven by a lust for each other and a fetish for corrupting innocent young lives, Kathyn and Sabastian, two wealthy, manipulative teenage stepsiblings from Manhattan's upper crust, hatch a secret plan. Sabastian must
bed the chaste and pristine daughter of the new headmaster, and if he is able to accomplish this seemingly impossible task, he can have his way with the one woman he knows he cannot have. If he fails, he looses his
classic Jaguar. Stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Selma Blair, Reese Witherspoon. (Rated R, Drama, Dolby Surround Sound, 95 minutes) For more details see http://headlines.yahoo.com/Full_Coverage/Movies/Cruel_Intentions/
----------------
Abeltje
- Nightly at 6:45pm
- Matinee Sat. & Sun. at 2:15pm
Based on a popular Dutch children's book of the same name, this is the story of a young boy who ends up in a magical elevator and presses the wrong button, leading him to one adventure after another. At least, that's
what we think the plot is, based on the previews we've seen at the movie theatre. You see, our Dutch isn't very good yet, and our knowledge of Dutch children's books pales in comparison to our knowledge of the Dutch
language (i.e. we're close to clueless regarding Dutch children's books), and seeing as the movie is almost entirely in Dutch (except for one scene where a woman exclaims in English that Abeltje (the boy) is not her
son) with no discernable subtitles, this description you're reading is the best we can do. However, we suspect that families who are fluent in Dutch will get great enjoyment from this film. And heck, we even found
mention of the movie on a Dutch Web site! For more details, visit: http://www.mkbnet.nl/Nieuws/anp/CUL/990319223.shtml (Not Rated, Comedy,
Dutch Language, 105 minutes)
--------------------------------
Coming Soon (dates and releases subject to change):
June 10 - Analyze This
June 17 - Forces of Nature & The King and I
June 24 - True Crime
July 1 - Entrapment & Payback
July 8 - Life
The Bonaire Twin Cinema Box Office opens nightly at 6:00pm, 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).
Web Site of the Week: Bonaire Beach Bungalows
Each week (when we have material), we'll list one address of a new Bonaire Web site
that we come across.
Our Web site of the week is:
If you have a new Bonaire-related Web site and want to make sure people know about it, send a message to mailto:news@BonaireENews.com with the details.
Quick Takes
- Man Injured on Rincon Day Passes Away. We reported in our May 5th issue that the Queens Day holiday weekend was a devastating one for several pedestrians - two were seriously injured and another died, all in separate accidents. Now that weekend has claimed another life, as the man who was hit on Rincon Day, April 30th, Fransisco "Shoritu" Renato Wanga passed away last week. His death results in the second traffic mortality of the year. The first was Jennifer Celetijn, who died tragically that same holiday weekend.
- Culinary Team Dinner. As part of the fundraising effort to send the Bonaire Culinary Team to a Miami competition in July, the team will be feeding 60 lucky diners at their second Culinary Team dinner this
coming Tuesday, June 8th, at 7pm at the Den Laman Restaurant. Tickets, which include accompanying wines, are priced at NAFl. 35,- and available from the Bonaire E-news (mailto:CulinaryTickets@BonaireENews.com , Port Call (phone 8988, e-mail mailto:portcall@infobonaire.com ), Sara at the Green Parrot (phone 5454), Liz at Den Laman (phone 8955), and Marcel or Martin at Rendez-Vous (phone 8454). It is advised that you get your tickets soon as they sell out quickly, based on last week's sold-out feast.
- Huge Pumpkin Harvested. One doesn't usually think of Bonaire as a place where lots of produce is grown, which is why the 10.385kg (22.847 lbs.) pumpkin grown by Mr. and Mrs. F. Placencio garnered such
interest last week when the couple invited the Extra newspaper to their home at Kaminda Djabou 16 to witness this extraordinary (for Bonaire) gourd. The Placencios also grow papaya, oranges, cucumbers, and various
other fruits and vegetables in their garden. They have been able to curb their expenses with their green thumbs and encourage others to do as well. They feel that it assures one of good quality. Kudos to the
Placencios!
- Cell Phones for Rent. A new company brings a new service to Bonaire - cellular phone rentals. Until now it's been at least a one week process to get a cell phone for use on Bonaire, requiring significant up
front expense in terms of purchasing a phone, getting it configured, and paying the set-up fee. As a result, cell phones were not something viable for visitors to the island who need to stay in touch with the
office. Now, Cell.Rent @ Bonaire is offering daily cell phone rentals. Cost is only US$10/day ($9/day after the 10th day of renting). You must also leave a $250 cash deposit or a credit card imprint. There is no
cost for receiving phone calls (that's the way cell phone service works on Bonaire and Curaçao), and outgoing calls are charged against a prepaid credit at standard cell phone operation rates. For more information
contact Jose Janga at 6999 (Bonaire), 09-569-2244 (Cell), or mailto:cell.rent@bonairelive.com .
- Bonaire Dive Club Meeting. Last Thursday, May 27th, the newly formed Bonaire Dive Club held its first member meeting. The result of the meeting is that the club will be planning a number of activities,
including a weekly club dive around Bonaire, and discounted group dive trips to places like Klein Curaçao and Las Aves. Club members are also setting up a "critter alert network", where members will notify
other members when cool critters such as whales, dolphins, mantas, whale sharks, batfish, etc. are spotted around the island. Annual membership in the club is $25 for individuals or $40 for families. Contact Eric at
Green Submarine for further details at 2929 or send Eric and Jessie a message at mailto:diveclub@bonairediving.com .
- More Bicycle Races Coming Up. The Bonaire Cycle Club will be hosting its second annual Kralendijk/Lac Bay cycle tour on Saturday, June 5th. They'll start at 8am at the Cycle Bonaire bike shop on Kaya L.D.
Gerharts. The tour is open to everyone, on all sorts of bikes, and is meant to be a laid back family event. Cost to participate in the tour is NAFl. 10 and can be paid even as late as the morning of the ride. There
will be a few stops with fruit and juice along the way, and things to eat at the finish at Lac Bay / Cai. Transportation will be provided back to town for those who don't want to ride both ways
(usually most everyone :-) ).
Those needing bicycles can rent them from Cycle Bonaire. For details contact Brad Swanson at 8814 or mailto:bswanson@twr.org .
- Get a Domain Name. Now, a word from our sponsor... NetTech has come up with an affordable and easy way to help you get and maintain your own Internet domain name (e.g. YourName.com). For a fee of US$80 plus
registration fees (US$70 for a .com, .org, or .net domain, zero for a .an domain), NetTech will obtain and register an Internet domain of your choice for you. Additionally, it will configure the domain to handle
e-mail access, so that you can start using the domain effectively for your personal or business use almost immediately, and the cost would be only US$20/month. Additionally (this is the new part), you would get FREE
Web page hosting (i.e. no monthly fees) for Web pages located at http://www.InfoBonaire.com/YourDomain (i.e. a subsection of the popular InfoBonaire Web site). You could either design your own Web pages or have
NetTech do so for you at their normal hourly rate. We can also offer a similar service for people who have their Web pages hosted on other servers. And, if at some later point you wanted to have a separate Web site,
the conversion is simple and straightforward (although it involves a higher monthly fee). This offer is only open to Bonairean-based businesses and individuals. Contact Jake at mailto:jake@nettech.an or 6773 for more information.
- Animal Shelter Fair & BBQ. Don't miss the big Bonaire Animal Shelter Fair & Barbecue on Sunday, June 6th, at Wilhelmina Park across from Town Pier. The action starts at 11am and goes until 6pm. There
will be a fabulous barbecue, a Wheel of Fortune (NAFl. 2 for 3 numbers), children's games, prizes, beer, soft drinks and a variety of sales items. Tickets for the barbecue are NAFl. 15 and can be purchased ahead of
the event from the Animal Shelter (tel. 4989) or from Barbara van Olphen (tel. 7162). A special event at 3pm will be a "fancy dress" (animal theme costume) contest for children 12 years and younger. Prizes
will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. All proceeds will benefit the Animal Shelter. (Courtesy of Port Call)
- Poetry & Sculpture. The El Enkuentro gallery at Kaya Grandi 38, in addition to hosting an exhibition of Dutch artist Josephine Ebing's sculpture, also offers cultural get-togethers on Sunday afternoons.
This coming Sunday will feature poetry and stories written by Anna Bridie, read by the author herself. Anna Bridie is the author of a Dutch novel called Caribische Winter (1996), columns for leading dailies and
magazines in the Netherlands, and a regular contributor to the Rotterdams Dagblad. For details, contact Josephine Ebing at 4183.
- Underwater Clean-up. Mark your calendars. The next monthly underwater clean-up dive, co-sponsored by NetTech and Green Submarine, is scheduled for this Saturday, June 5th at 10am at the Green Submarine dive
shop. The dive is followed by a pot-luck barbecue. Free tanks provided to participating divers, courtesy of several local dive operators. For details or to RSVP call Eric at 2929 or mailto:dive@greensubmarine.com or Jake at mailto:jake@nettech.an or 6773.
- Celia Cruz. Do not miss the famous Celia Cruz, who will be performing on June 5th in the Stadium. The Cuban born star, presently living in Florida, has maintained her reputation for the last 40 plus years.
Bonaire is proud to be hosting such a world famous star. A special thanks goes to Bon FM which initiated the project. Tickets are sold for US $ 20 at Antilles Banking. (Courtesy of Entre Nous)
- Send a Letter via the Web. Have access to the Internet, but want to send a note to a friend who doesn't? A Bonaire E-News reader sent us a link to a Web site that can help you out for a nominal fee of
between $1.50-$2.50 - all you need is a credit card. You can even choose custom stationary for your letter. Visit http://www.send-letter.com . And, if you try the service, let us know how it works (we don't communicate with people that don't have e-mail, so we have no one to send a letter too <grin>)!
- Lora Survey Due Out. Enit Scholtens, Bonaire's conservation education officer and coordinator of the campaign to save the Bonairean Lora has told the E-News that the results of this year's Lora survey will
be out in about two weeks. Once tallied the results will be compared to last year's results to see if the Lora (Bonaire's native Amazon parrot species, amazona barbadensis rothschildi) population has changed. We'll
post results in the Bonaire E-News when they become available.
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 in our Classifieds is fee based and 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.
-------------
Help Wanted:
SUNBELT REALTY
Sunbelt Realty is looking for help in the area of real estate sales and rentals. Computer skills and American English fluency in speaking and writing are mandatory. Contact Ben van Zutphen at 6560
or mailto:ben@sunbelt.an .
-------------
Real Estate:
LOTS AT LUGA ALEHA
Two (2) lots in Bonaire's only "Green" development. Build your home or holiday retreat in one of Bonaire's most beautiful, natural areas: a large area of private, virgin parkland, most
of which will be protected against development forever.
secluded, quiet, untouched area
property land (not rented or leased)
restrictions in deed to protect the environment and your privacy
maximum of 50 homes on 750 acres
water lines to be available
First lot - "small" lot: 9.1 to 10.5 acres. US$6826 per acre.
Second lot - "big" lot with oceanview: 27.8 acres. US$5064 per acre.
For details, contact Luga Aleha (a "remote place" in Papiamentu) at 8073, 6513, or 6733; FAX 7826 or 6733.
RENTAL - NIKIBOKO AREA
2 Bedroom Apartment in the Nikiboko area. Includes 2 bathrooms, furnished living room, a large equipped kitchen and garden. Only NAFl. 600.- per month including water and electricity.
Requires one month's deposit.
For information call 8761 or mailto:diveinn@bonairenet.com
CONDO/APARTMENT COMPLEX FOR SALE
Visit http://www.infobonaire.com/html/classifieds.html#apartments for 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
-------------
For Sale:
CAR
Nissan 180 SX with a revised motor and in good condition. NAFl. 4000,-.
Call Floor at 8080
GAS CLOTHES DRYER
Almost new (used only five times) American-made gas dryer. Will sell at best reasonable offer.
Call Anne after June9 to June 23 at 4878 or e-mail to mailto:anniejul@juno.com
FUTON MATTRESSES
4 futons, full/queen size, 4 years old. NAFl. 100 each.
Contact mailto:tim@oceanviewvillas.com
CARS
1995 Mitsubishi Lancer standard transmission for NAFl. 14,250.
1995 Mitsubishi Lancer automatic transmission for NAFl. 14,750.
Contact National Car Rental at 7907 or 7940.
MOTOR BIKE
New Yamaha Motor Bike, type: Dragster. 750cc, 500km
Contact Ronny at mailto:reonald@bonairenet.com or by phone at 6774
FINS
Never used TUSA diving fins, fits woman's size 7-8 bootie (booties also available). Will accept best offer.
Contact mailto:anniejul@juno.com or by phone in
Bonaire 4878 (will on-island June 9-23)
DUNE BUGGY
1972 Volkswagen Buggy, revised and okay, but old. Real eye-catcher, nice 2nd car for exposure-drivers. Asking NAFl. 4950. Photo at: http://www.BonaireENews.com/photos/19990519-dunebuggy.jpg
Call John 5472 or mailto:jhoedemakers@rnbtech.com
PICKUP TRUCK
1986 Nissan Double cab pick-up. NAFl. 6000
Call Terry at 6951
MINIVAN
1993 Suzuki Minivan. Asking NAFl. 4500.
Call Mirjam at 5080 for more information.
WET SUIT
Full Henderson wet suit - small. Only used four times. NAFl 100.
Call Diana at 5225 evenings
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. Asking NAFl. 50/OBO. Contact Jake at 6773 or mailto:jake@nettech.an .
-------------------
Want to Buy/Swap:
DOOR BELL TRANSFORMER
Need 125V 50Hz -> 16V AC transformer for American doorbell system.
Contact Jake at 6773 or mailto:jake@nettech.an
USED CAR
Station Wagon or Hatchback 4-door car, less than 50000 km, preferably automatic.
Call 2209 or mailto:p.e.schmid@infobonaire.com
PLASTIC BARRELS
Wanted: plastic barrels, new or used, for water storage.
E-mail mailto:fhenders@twr.org or call 4592.
MODEM
Looking for external fax modem - 28,800 bps or faster.
Call Diana at 5225 evenings
HIGH CHAIR
Need high chair for infant. Contact Enit at mailto:escholtens@bonairenet.com
SHELVES
Looking for sturdy wooden or metal shelves to be used in a living room. Contact Linda at mailto:linda@nettech.an or 6773.
|
