View from Seru Largu looking over Bolivia Plantation toward the Spelonk light photo by Laura DeSalvo THIS WEEK: he Dutch lines and strategic factors, US and al- where the actual visa is printed. The Table of Contents govern- lied help would be needed to stop any passport and the visa is then FedEx’ed T Get Ready for Jazz Festival 4 ment's represen- aggression from Chavez. or mailed. Bonaire Ambassador (Ursula Vogt) 4 tative who will Capt’n Don’s Award on Display 5 be most directly ► Air France-KLM is reportedly ► The US State Department and the Ebo’s Story 5 involved with preparing a bid for Alitalia and could Homeland Security Department now Letters 6 developing the link up with investment fund Manage- require all US citizens and foreign It Can Happen Here new relationship ment & Capitali, which has already nationals to carry a passport or Scale is Important between The been shortlisted by the Italian govern- other accepted secure documents to Join the Bridge Club 6 Bonaire Blooms 10 Netherlands and Ank Bijleveld ment, daily Finanza & Mercati said enter or re-enter the US from vaca- Bonaire Loras Go Global 10 the Antilles, the without giving a source. tions or business travel (by air or sea) New Photo Shop -Capture Photo at Divi new State Secretary of Kingdom Rela- The Italian government holds 49.9% anywhere in the Caribbean, including Flamingo 12 tions, Ank Bijleveld, will be paying of Alitalia and is ready to sell a stake Bonaire. Young ODA Journalists 13 an orientation visit to the Nether- of at least 30.1% in the airline. Shrink Studies SCUBA (Trauma) 18 lands Antilles and Aruba beginning ► Parliament unanimously ap- Monday, March 19. ► Soon, Antillean students in the proved the National Official Lan- WEEKLY FEATURES: She plans to visit all islands and meet US, holders of non-Dutch passports guages Ordinance last week adding Flotsam & Jetsam 2 Picture Yourself (On Bonaire with the Antillean Governor, the Cen- and other travelers who need a non- Papiamentu to the Dutch Kingdom's from Vlaardingen, The Netherlands) 7 tral Government and the Executive immigrant visa (NIV) for the US will official languages. Dutch, English Straight Talk 7 Councils of Curaçao, Bonaire, St. no longer have to travel to the Ameri- and Papiamentu are now official lan- Classifieds 12 Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba. can embassy in Caracas or Barbados. guages. Pet of the Week (“Jack ”) 14 The American Consulate-general in Education Minister Omayra Leeflang Tide Table 14 ► A report by consultant James Willemstad has started a test project gave Parliament members the first Reporter Masthead 14 Dunnigan questions: If Venezuelan for issuing visas locally. The last time Papiamentu document from 1933, What’s Happening 15 dictator Hugo Chavez made a grab the US consulate issued a visa was “Bibliography of the Papiamentu lan- Movieland Film Schedule 15 for Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, years ago. Travelers with a Dutch pass- guage of Maritza Coomans-Eustatia,” Shopping & Dining Guides 16 could the Dutch really do anything port do not need a visa to travel to the and a copy of E Kas Patras (The Back On the Island Since about it? “The Dutch military is no US. House) of Anne Frank as a gift. (Bert Poyck and Jo Bux) 17 slouch, having performed peacekeep- With the new system visa requests “Papiamentu can no longer be called Sky Park (Moon, Venus, Saturn ) 19 The Stars Have It 19 ing missions in the Balkans and has are done online. The requestors com- a dialect. Together with the Dutch and served alongside the US military in plete and print the new Electronic Visa English languages Papiamentu is now Iraq. However, these have been rela- Application Form which minimizes the a language in the Kingdom,” said Leef- tively small contingents of land forces handling time. With the completed lang. as opposed to a major naval-air cam- form the requestors go to the American paign which reclaiming those Carib- consulate in Curaçao for an interview. ► Twenty-four divers took part in bean islands would entail. The report The requestor’s passport, for which an another FREE buoyancy workshop concludes that because of long supply NIV is approved, is sent to Caracas (Continued on page 4) Page 2 Bonaire Reporter - March 16 to March 23, 2007 ► Last Monday the Bonaire Judo team returned from the Antillean Judo Cham- pionships loaded with five gold medals and four silver. The medal winners were ►Newest Citizens! On Sunday, March 4, SEBIKI organized a get together at Chalton Crestiaan, Naigel Coffie, Jason Troncon, Neshomar Anthony and Alejan- Sunrise Restaurant for the mothers who participated in its pre-natal classes. so dro Sanchez pictured above. Well done! BVO photo Sixteen mothers and their babies as well as some fathers took part. BVO photo la (Flotsam and Jetsam. Continued from page 2) ► Lawyers, car dealers, dealers in Tel.: 09-462-6588, ext. ne at the Carib Inn. "Entertained" by precious metals and stones (jewelers) 21/24/26/31, Fax: 462 6522, so Bruce Bowker, owner and senior dive and others are now required by the Cen- Email: [email protected]. Li instructor on Bonaire, these divers got a tral Government to help the fight ye lot of pointers and techniques to try on against money laundering and terror- ► Forty-five years ago ha their next dive to improve both buoyancy ism financing. In the near future the some people on the island de- ye control and their swimming skills under- National Ordinance regarding the report- cided that Bonaire needed a an water. Two weeks ago 28 divers took ing of unusual transactions (P.B. 1996, service club and so began the W part. In total, over 200 pounds of unnec- no. 21) and (P.B. 1996, no.23) will go Bonaire Lions Club. Over the re essary lead were shed. Not only does into force. years its contributions have co this help the divers but it saves the reefs It will be applicable to lawyers, nota- been countless. This year in A from divers who wear too much lead and ries, car dealers, insurance companies addition to a gala and a com- wind up hitting corals and brokers, tax advisors, jewelers, real munity party in Wilhelmina estate brokers and dealers in building Park, they’ve renovated the ► Looking for something “especially materials. Art school connected with Kas Bonaire?" There's a wonderful selec- The Unusual Transactions Reporting di Arte on the Promenade. Education Commissioner Dammers looks on as tion of "Bonaire Image" greeting Center will be organizing information Lions President Ron Schleper presents Kas di Arte cards available at Chat-N-Browse. sessions in Bonaire and the other islands President Jacky Bernabela new keys. Lions photo soon. More information is available from (Continued on page 8) Bonaire Reporter - March 16 to March 23, 2007 Page 3 t’s not too early to think about attending the 3rd An- I nual Bonaire Heineken Jazz and Salsa Festival May 17 through 20. Performing will be wonderful artists including: Paoli Mejias Quintet from Puerto Rico, The WES group from Washington DC, Gerado Rosales Mon- gomania from The Netherlands and Venezuela, the Yuri Honing Trio from The Netherlands, Trio Jean Jacques Rojer from Curaçao, Affettuoso from Aruba, Oswin “Chin” Behilia from Curaçao, plus Bonaire’s local and student bands with special guests, Boy Janga, Scott Katzev and Franklin Granadio The main sponsor is Heineken with very significant sponsor- ship from rsula Vogt from Switzerland was honored with the Bronze Ambassador RE/MAX U medal for visiting the island of Bonaire for the last 10 years. Two friends of Paradise hers told her about Bonaire one day and of the nice, friendly little resort Palm Stu- Homes, dio and Blue Divers, where they spent their holidays. Littman’s Ten years ago she came here with her husband who is a dive instructor like she is Jewelers, and their two children, Dominik and Martina. Since then they have spent their div- Dive ing holidays in Bonaire, year after year. Every year she’s organized a two-week trip Friends / to Bonaire for their friends in their diving club. The groups vary from five to 10 Yellow people, who’ve enjoyed every day they were here. Submarine, Ursula says that since the first day she was in Bonaire she was infected with the Plaza Re- “Bonaire virus.” She loves Bonaire and its beauty on land and under water. She Benji and Guus at last year’s festival sort Bon- likes the friendly people and how Bonaireans keep their culture. aire, More They stayed at Palm Studio/Blue Divers during all their visits and were very satis- for Less, fied. They like the garden with the palm trees and the little pool. Rocargo, MCB, The Bonaire Reporter, and Omni Electronics. On their homepage they have some pictures of Bonaire and nearly every week The concerts and jam sessions will be held at Kas di Arte, Fort Oranje, Little somebody asks about Bonaire and diving here. The only thing that she tells them is: Havana, Plaza Resort, Divi Flamingo Resort and Bongos Beach “Go there, you must see it, you must feel it, you must smell it – it’s something spe- All admission is free except for the main concerts on May 18 and 19 which will cial, it’s beautiful!” cost NAf30. Students pay half price. Congratulations and thank you on behalf of the island and its people! TCB re- For latest Info go to www.bonairejazz.com Press release lease has moved! The Bonaire Reporter has moved its headquarters to the Bolivia plantation area of Bonaire.