Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021, Year 28, Issue 17

Box 603, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands, Phone/WhatsApp (+599) 796-4055, www.bonairereporter.com email:[email protected]

Photos:‘Big Papa’ aka Cliff Frans

Bikers celebrate 23rd Annual Bonaire Day Rally For the last 23 years the Iron Order On Saturday Nomad Tribes had but that didn’t curb the celebration, and award ceremony and more live music by Motorcycle Club (IOMC) has celebrated planned an event near Rincon, but the yes, the bikers were able to make their Allain Rockney. Each motorcycle club Bonaire Day, September 6, in the biggest area was washed out and muddy due planned ride. received a plaque of participation. way possible with a motorcycle rally. to rain. To solve the problem, Orlando Island Bikers were in charge of the The biker rally puts a lot of money into And this year was no exception even made some calls to get approval for a Sunday event Soup Mania. Every type Bonaire’s economy at the resorts, hotels, with covid restrictions in place. The change of venue to the powers that be, of soup imaginable was sold with nota- restaurants and gas stations. And after a rally ran from September 3 – 6. For four namely the acting Lt. Gov. Nolly Oleana ble favorites being funchi and a seafood tough one and half years of covid restric- days the roads and the streets echoed and OLB heads. platter. An evening ride ended the day. tions the rally worked some magic on with the hum of 220 motorcycles with A spot between the sports complex and On Bonaire Day the bikers began the Bonaire Day, for not just the bikers, but many flying Bonaire’s beautiful flag in Ackerman’s Auto was selected and the day with breakfast at Jasmin Garden and for the residents. celebration. area was quickly closed off to allow only then a long ride to Rincon stopping at “Everyone was happy and satisfied One spectator said, “They passed rally registered guests. Facemasks were Rose Inn for a three station buffet lunch and I am totally satisfied. I received only through my home street, What a sight!” distributed to keep everyone safe and the to prevent crowding. good comments from everyone. There And what a celebration. crowd was closely monitored to com- The day ended at RentoFun with an was no fighting or no disturbances and Two containers of 40 bikes came from ply with covid rules. It rained all day we helped the local businesses,” said Aruba and four containers holding 58 Orlando, “Local people that don’t even bikes arrived from Curaçao. The remain- know me sent texts to thank me for invit- ing 122 bikes were from Bonaire’s local ing the guys.” riders. Orlando was quick to point out that Orlando Francisco of Rentofun, key he was not the only one responsible. He organizer of IOMC’s bike rally, said, emphasized, “We made it happen, the “It was a big positive vibe for everyone. IOMC and other clubs.” He added that Friendship was the vibe and everything many people were involved without get- was so positive.” ting anything in return monetarily. The rally was broken up into events The riders traveling from Aruba and organized by three clubs on the island: Curaçao paid their dues to enjoy the 23rd IOMC, Nomads Tribe and Island Bikers. Annual Bonaire Day rally. They were After the initial unloading of bikes and required to have two covid tests at $150 registration, everyone hit the road for a bucks each; flights were approximate- warmup ride and then some live music ly $180; discounted hotels were $100 a by Allain Rockney of Aruba back at the day; shipping the bike was $300 and with other expenses like gas etc., each person home base of Rentofun. Overview of the bikes traveling through Karpata on spent about $1300. Julie Morgan one of their four rides during the rally.

Foodie’s Guide Bonaire page 9 Flotsam and This Week’s Stories Jetsam Motor bike rally; Bonaire Flag Day 1 B for Bagel 3 OLB 2022 budget OLB rebuts Cft’s Covid roundup 5 Corendon buys rooms 6 Rijna’s IUCN speech 7 announced, reviews mixed budget criticisms Funrace winners 8 The OLB has published its 2022 budget in a new visual for- The Financial Supervision Board (Cft) leveled several criti- Sunfish World sailors practice 8 mat that is easier for the general public to interpret. The con- cisms against Bonaire’s recently submitted 2022 draft budget. Road repairs 10 tents have been both lauded and criticized. The highlights of Stung by the disparagement, the OLB has accused the Cft of Ombudsman hours 10 the “balanced” budget are in USD $ million: failure to acknowledge many improvements in financial man- Sushi Dushi Challenge 11 Bonaire anthem revised 15 agement achieved by the OLB in recent years, often in direct Income 61.9 WEB nears 100% capacity 15 response to Cft stipulations. The OLB cited a number of its Expenditures 63.9 financial management accomplishments and pointed out they The Reporter online Shortfall 1.97 (covered from Cash Reserves) fulfilled specific criteria declared by the Cft. Covid-19 breaking news + Full Funrace The Income projections are based on three expectations: the For instance, this year’s budget submission met several ma- results economic recovery that began in mid-2021 will continue into jor Cft requirements that used to be ignored. The Executive 2022; the new tourist tax will raise substantial revenues; and Council (BC) submitted the 2022 draft budget to the Island Departments a catch-up in building permits and the issuance of additional Council by the legally mandated date. The draft was also ac- Flotsam & Jetsam: OLB budget; land for development will yield increased income. companied by the required responses of the CFT and the BC. Galileo visit; Thijs Verheul Fire chief; The OLB says the projection of Expenditures reflects its As another examples, the OLB points out that in 2019 the Cft Winair flying 2 commitment to meeting the agreed priorities in the Adminis- identified 500 objections to items in previous financial docu- Who’s Who in The Reporter 2 trative Program and Administrative Agreement in 2022 and the mentation, all of which have now been fully settled. Ask Kate (Silent listings) 4 Police Report 4 coming years and to continue improving services to citizens. The figures in the 2022 draft budget were linked to the poli- The priorities here are: Letters (Wrong photo in Arrivals BIA; cy intentions and priorities of the OLB, as the Cft had stipulat- Travel with your sedula; Potholes; • Road refurbishment ed, helping assure the budgeted funds do in fact get spent, and Bachelors Beach 5 • Digitization for the right reasons. According to the OLB, the Cft itself had Reef Glimpses: (Coral growth & damage) 6 Dining guide 9 • Organization development recommended that the BC draw USD two million from the general reserves to make up the budget deficit, a step the Cft People in Charge: Hennyson Thielman 10 • Social security benchmark now supports only conditionally. The Cft criticized the Exec- What’s Happening (Cruise ships; Coral • Recovery of the economy utive Council for failing to perform an extensive risk analysis, spawning; Book Market) 12 Business Directory 14 even though the OLB had informed the Cft that an expert had • Secure fuel supply Making Bonaire “Accessible” 13 In the estimation of the Besreporter, the new budget is well been hired and was already working on the analysis. Creating Optimal Health (Sun) 13 presented in a graphic form the public will understand. It also A disinterest in financial accountability was deeply embed- Ask a Geek: (Backups) 13 believes the budget offers realistic estimates of government ded in the previous style of governance. When responding the Pets of the Week (Grace dog; Katerina cat) 15 income and expenditures. And the news source approves of Cft’s complaints, the OLB cited many examples of brick-by- Shelter (Book fair & Flea Market) 15 A Garden? (Rain) 16 the OLB plan to make up the income shortfall by dipping into brick creation of new financial management competencies and Poem: What is friendship? 16 Bonaire’s healthy general reserve, which amounts to USD 36.6 in within Bonaire’s government. DMR million. How to Find Us: The College for Financial Supervision (Cft) is not that pos- Read us online: https://bonairereporter.com itive about the draft 2022 budget. For example, it feels the f:https://www.Facebook.com/TheBonaireRe- OLB’s projected income from tourism, which is more than the porter/ island was collecting from tourism before the start of the co- Available in 50 locations rona pandemic, is too optimistic. The Cft also questions the Printed every two weeks income predicted from changes in the government’s land poli- Next edition: September 29, 2021 cy and land remission policy. It says those projections are pre- Contributors’ Deadline September 24, 2021 mature because the Island Council has not yet created a land Stories, tips, questions, ideas & ads: policy. Phone (+599)796 4055 The Cft continues to be concerned about the overall Finan- Email: [email protected] cial Management at the Public Entity. Cft has declared repeat- Address: Box 603, Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean. edly that the overall Financial Management of the Government of Bonaire should be improved. Although last year the Gov- The Bonaire Reporter Staff: Julie Morgan, Publisher ernment hired, for $400,000, a so called “change-team” to cre- Production: Barbara Lockwood ate a good financial management structure, the Cft sees little Contributors: Angliet Baidjoe, Ria Evers-Dokter, improvement so far. Lieutenant Governor Edison Rijna visited the Galileo Reference Dee Scarr, Brian Niessen, Jane Madden-Disko, Julianka Clarenda, Don M. Ricks, Malcolm Wil- On the other hand, the Cft does agree with the island gov- Center in Noordwijk on his recent trip to the Netherlands. Gal- ernment’s intention to balance its budget by drawing about son, Ann Joseph, Caren Eckrich, Roxanne-Lia- ileo, Europe’s own global navigation satellite system, provides na Franciscsa, Irene de Cunda Costa, Sanne two million dollars from reserve funds, but provisionally. The a highly accurate, guaranteed positioning system under civilian Cft says that would be okay if the other budgetary deficiencies Attevelt, Monique Degenaar, Yolanda Van Den control. By early 2023 a new Galileo Sensor Station on Bonaire Nieuwenhof, Don M. Ricks were corrected first. DMR (BesReporter) will be collecting data and sending it to Noordwijk. Construction Distribution: Marlene & Co. (Playa), Yuchi Moli- of the station will begin in mid-2022. Lieutenant Governor Rijna na (Rincon), Divi-Divi Airline, Printed by: DeStad is shown here with Director of International Affairs of the Minis- Drukkerij, Curaçao Thijs Verheul appointed Commander try of I and W Peter Diez and manager Peter Buist of the Galileo Founders: George and Laura DeSalvo General of BKCN Reference Center. © 2021 The Bonaire Reporter

As of September 1, 2021, Thijs Ver- heul is the new General Commander of Winair service interrupted temporarily Covid-19 on Bonaire totals as of SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 the Dutch Caribbean Fire Department (BKCN). Thijs Verheul (58) comes from Winair recently had to cancel some flights when the French 87 active 2 hospitalized the Safety Region South-east Brabant, aviation authority DGAC suspended the flight operations of 1910 total 17 deceased where he gained more than 25 years of St. Maarten-based Air Antilles. DGAC ruled that Air Antilles 82.1 % have had 1st vaccination experience in the fire service. He has also had failed to meet maintenance documentation requirements. Bonaire is at risk level 2. worked for the European Commission as secretary to the Eu- Winair flies aircraft it wet leases from Air Antilles. The doc- umentation deficiency was promptly solved and Air Antilles For up to date covid news go to the online ropean Delegation in Pakistan. Mr Verheul will lead the force Reporter https://bonairereporter.com or FB planes are flying again. DMR (Bonaire.nu) for a period of three to five years. Government site is https://www.bonairecrisis.com/en/

Page 2 The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 B for Bagels Ryan is the official restaurant expert We prefer to use paper and glass to be as with six years of culinary school in Bel- eco-friendly as possible.” gium and a stint working at local restau- At the current time the bagels are not rants, Capriccio and At Sea. There he the traditional New York style water learned the importance of kitchen prepa- boiled and baked bagels. They are baked ration, cleaning and producing fresh locally. products on a daily basis which he exer- “When we have more space in the cises at B for Bagel. near future, we will make the bagels in Ryan runs the “house” which gives house,” said Ryan. him the responsibility of food prep for Until then B for Bagel is serving 12 the day, producing the fresh tuna and egg great choices of fresh bagel sandwich- salad, juices and the prep needed for the es, breakfast yoghurts, freshly squeezed bagels. In other words, he runs the place juices, green drinks, brewed illy coffee, and sets the standards. And about those standards, Ryan said, B for Bagels, “We are very environmental. We don’t continued on page 4 use anything plastic at all for serving.

Siblings Nina, Famke and Ryan Jansen are the family team behind B for Bagels. Like many people on the island, I was Ryan Jansen. They each perform a sep- excited to see a new storefront with a arate role to make the unique restaurant sign saying “B for Bagels” – opening click. soon. Wow, Bonaire will actually have The idea for a bagel shop came from its very own bagel shop and I won’t have Famke who used to work at a bagel shop to subject my palette to a frozen bagel in Amsterdam. Famke’s dive instructor that has sat in some freezer for who job keeps her pretty busy, so she helps knows how long. out when she can. It seems everyone else was just as ex- Nina is the marketing whiz for B for cited because the store has done a boom- Bagel. She most likely is responsible for ing business since opening on Septem- the eye catching sign advertising a ba- ber 1. B for Bagel partner, Ryan Jansen, gel shop opening soon well before the said the restaurant has averaged sales of interior was even finished. She is also 100 bagel sandwiches daily. accountable for the dynamic website, The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and deliveries The little restaurant is a total family af- Facebook, Instagram and advertising. with table and bar seating from 7 am to 3 pm fair for three siblings, Famke, Nina and

The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Page 3 POLICE REPORT Ask Kate Property crime September 4. At about 2:50 am, a Bonaire real estate advice man, 18, was arrested in the Center August 30. Thieves smashed the area for insulting an official in office. What is a “silent listing?” A friend on the island told window on the driver’s side of the car September 5. At about 6 pm a man, me their neighbor had one on their house. Why would parked at a park on Kaya Grandi. They 52, arrested for public intoxication on someone do this if they want to sell? Alana stole a wallet with cash and various the Kaya J.N.E. Crane. He was swing- cards, a black Samsung phone, a blue ing on a scooter. After about six hours A silent listing is usually one that does many homes sell before they go on the crate with diving equipment such as of sobering up, he was able to go home not have a for sale sign on the proper- website.) A silent listing does not guar- binoculars, a regulator, five small div- with a police report for driving under ty, and is not shown on any real estate antee that no one will know about the ing masks, a device to measure oxygen the influence. websites or in ads. There are a few rea- house being for sale, however. As you and some tools. September 6. Around 10:30 pm sons Sellers may do this. If the prop- saw from your friend telling you about August 30. Between 12 and 1 pm, thieves broke into a house in Republic erty involves a business or rental units it, even a silent listing can become thieves took bags from the beach at and robbed a lady of older age. They the Seller may not want tenants or pro- common knowledge on a small island the dive site 1000 steps. They stole the took the car and some belongings spective clients to be concerned about once a few potential buyers have seen snorkel bag, a mobile phone and cash. A of the victim. At about 3:25 am on what will happen if there is a sale. Oth- the home. camera, a mobile phone and some bank September 7, a 21-year-old suspect was er owners are not in a hurry and trust cards were not taken but were scattered detained. A second suspect, 25, was their agent to quietly promote the prop- All the best, in the bushes. arrested in the afternoon. The case is erty to the correct potential buyers, to Kate Butler and Jean Scearce August 29-30. Unknown persons under investigation. Multiple arrests avoid many showing appointments. Re/Max Bonaire smashed the car window of a car in the are not ruled out. This is why it is important for a buyer night. Nothing was taken from the car to contact a Bonaire real estate agent If you have a real estate question or before a buying trip, since their agent want to buy or sell property, email us at which was parked at a house on Kaya Traffic accidents/violations Trupial. will know about listings that don’t [email protected]. August 29. A pickup truck hit a scoot- show up on websites (and these days, September 6. Between 11:45 am and er on Kaya Nikiboko Noord and tried 12:50 pm, thieves took two bags con- to drive away. An observant bystander taining an iPhone, wallets with various blocked the pick-up at the intersection bank cards, a camera and cash from an of Kaya Nikiboko Noord and Kaya for driving under the influence and was torcycle and a scooter collided on Kaya unlocked car parked at the tourist spot Sabana. The driver of the scooter was banned from driving for four hours. The Neerlandia. The driver of the motorcycle of Alta Mira Unjo in Rincon. checked on the spot by the ambulance key to his pick-up was taken until if the was taken to hospital by ambulance. September 7. Between 10:55 and staff and was then allowed to go home. driver shows a valid driver’s license and September 11. In the night hours on 11:55 am, thieves smashed the rear win- The driver of the pick-up received a po- insurance certificate. Kaya Internashonal a car collided with dow of a locked car parked at the dive lice report because he had no driver’s li- September 6. A pick-up and a moped a parked trailer, rolled over and came to site Weber’s Joy and took a bag with cense and no valid insurance certificate. collided on Kaya Nikiboko Noord. The rest on its right side. The driver was un- contents and a telephone. September 1. The police station re- driver of the car wanted to overtake a injured, but was checked on the spot by September 9. The theft of a bag from ceived a report about a pedestrian hit by group of mopeds and drove off the road paramedics. a car parked at Boka Chikitu Beach in a car on Kaya Korona. The victim was in an arc, causing a moped to collide September 12. A scooter driver Washington Park was reported. Thieves taken to hospital by ambulance for med- with the left rear light of the pick-up and couldn’t avoid a donkey that suddenly destroyed the front passenger side cab- ical treatment. the driver to fall. The driver was treated crossed E.E.G. bulevar. Ambulance per- at the scene by paramedics and did not in and took a black and white striped September 1. In the morning hours sonnel assisted the driver on the spot and need to be taken to hospital. backpack while the owners were taking on Wednesday, September 1, a man fell he did not have to go to hospital. pictures below by the beach. The park from the back of a driving pickup truck September 6. Around 7:45 pm, a car rangers, who were also informed of the when the tailgate suddenly fell open. He and a moped collided on Kaya Nikiboko Public order theft, recovered the bag after a search. was taken to hospital for medical treat- Noord. The moped driver was taken to September 3. In the early morn- An attempt was made to contact the ment by the driver of the pickup. The hospital by ambulance. The moped was ing hours, a house on Kaya Linda was owners, but without success. The bag driver was approached by a patrol at the seized because it was not equipped with searched concerning the Opium Act. has been taken into custody at the police hospital and advised to let the passen- lights and a license plate. During a search, a small bag of suspect- station. gers sit in the car instead of in the trunk. September 9. At about 8 am, a car hit ed marijuana was seized. September 9. At about 2:20 am, two September 4. A car collided with a the back of the pick-up on Kaya Korona. September 12. After many reports of suspects were caught in a house by the parked car on Kaya Bamba. The three The passenger of the pickup was taken noise pollution, a patrol was directed to a resident. They fled and jumped out of occupants were checked on the spot to hospital by ambulance. snack bar in Antriol around 7 pm where a window taking a Motorola mobile by paramedics and were allowed to go September 10. In the night hours po- they found large groups of people. The phone with them. They had forced a home. lice received a report about a unilateral owner chose to close the snack bar. window into the house. During the week, a car was spotted collision on Bulevar Gobernador Nico- September 10. In the early morn- driving on bike path leading to the Com- laas Debrot. The driver of a pickup truck Fire ing hours, a burglary at a dive shop on munity School Papa Cornes to avoid the wanted to avoid a donkey and ended up September 6. The air conditioning sys- J.A. Abraham Bulevar was reported. speed bumps. This creates a very dan- on top of some boulders along the road. tem caught fire in a container at a con- Thieves took, among other things, a gerous situation for oncoming cyclists The driver was checked on the spot by struction site on Bulevar Gobernador safe, a Shearwater diving watch and a who unsuspectingly come around the paramedics. Nicolaas Debrot. The fire brigade extin- Suunto diving computer. They also de- bend. September 10. At about 9 pm a mo- guished the fire. No one was injured. stroyed a DVD recorder. September 5. A car rolled upside down September 12. In the early morning on Kaya Tanki Maraka, destroying six continued from page 3 hours reports were made of burglaries piles and approximately seven meters B for Bagels, in two homes in Sabadeco. In one home of fence. The driver was treated at the various teas, cappuccino, expresso and cater your event or office meeting. thieves took a black Samsung phone, scene by paramedics and was stable. latte macchiato every day. Every morn- “We’re building our own bagel enter- model Note 9 and an orange random September 5. In the night hours the ing a fresh cake, pie, or bread is featured prise,” said Ryan. reader from a table on the porch. In the to go with the selection of drinks. There driver of a pick-up collided with a car B for Bagel is open Mon. – Fri from other home, thieves took a car key, cash are even kid-sized bagels with peanut on Kaya Korona and then drove on. The 7am to 3pm and on weekends 9am to and an iPhone 12 and an iPhone 6. butter and Dutch sprinkles. And on Sun- driver of the hit car followed the pickup 3pm. while the police were informed by his day, when everything else is closed, din- For orders call 701-3627. For more girlfriend. The driver of the pick-up was ers can enjoy a breakfast bagel brunch Arrested/held in custody. information and menus visit www.Bfor- found in a parking lot on the Kaya Prin- of mini or regular size bagels served on September 1. In the morning hours, Bagel.com, Instagram or Facebook page. cess Marie where he was subjected to a a plank with assorted cream cheeses and police searched a house in Tera Kòrá. B for Bagel is located in the new blue breathalyzer then taken to the station for toppings. A 37-year-old man was arrested for building on Kaya Grande near the park- a breath analysis. After the breath anal- Deliveries are available for a mini- violating the Opium Act BES. A large ing lot. Story and photos Julie Morgan amount of narcotics was seized. ysis, the driver received a police report mum of four bagels and B for Bagel will Page 4 The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Flotsam and Jetsam continued

sulted the Immigration and Customs computers while this planned reduction of parking? The benefits to the Letters & Opinions I wondered if I’d make my flight (and considered that local population must be protected and remain in place. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various it wouldn’t be so bad to have to stay -- unless they put We are certainly not against a small, naturally fo- authors and forum participants do not necessarily reflect the me in jail). cused facelift of Bachelors Beach. More shade-giving opinions,beliefs and viewpoints of The Bonaire Reporter. The atmosphere warmed a bit when the IO returned and beautifying plants and reliable stairs to the sea are and told me that their computers had confirmed my sta- certainly much-needed improvements. More cement we Copy of Letter to TCB tus. But, she said, I still had to get my Sedula, because do not need, let’s keep it natural. Most other features in False advertising in Arrivals area BIA I’d need it on my return. Luckily our friends, who’d the design seem to all benefit the resorts and restrict the Dee Scarr thought they’d seen the last of me when they dropped us Bonaireans. off, were able to find my Bonaire wallet and deliver my We suggest that such an amount of public money Bon dia! Sedula to the IO, who escorted me back to the Departure might better be spent dividing a smaller portion on a Can you tell me who is responsible for the “Welcome area just as it was time for me to board. limited Bachelor’s Beach project while putting the rest to Bonaire” sign in the airport Arrivals area? Suggestions for future off-island travel: of the (majority) monies toward making EEG Boulevard The eye-catching underwater photograph that is 1. Move Sedula to US purse before travel. safe for residence, locals, and tourists. above and below the “Welcome to Bonaire” text in the 2. Carry photos of Sedula, both sides, on phone. We would like to hear from you regarding the current sign, could not have been taken on Bonaire’s reefs or policy on public beaches and your plans for maintaining 3. Never laugh unless the Immigration Officer anywhere in the Caribbean because the fish are native to Bonaire’s natural beauty and culture. laughs first. the tropical Pacific. How can we possibly be a Diving We look forward to your response. Paradise if we advertise with fish from somewhere else? 4. Be oh-so-grateful for friends! Imagine Bonaire advertising its birds with macaws and 5. Try not to call it “that pesky Sedula”, especial- cockatoos! ly around Immigration officers. Yours Faithfully, And just because we are Divers Paradise, experienced Whew. The flight was uneventful. Now came US Im- Diana Gevers divers will recognize the false advertising in the photo migration. Concerned Citizens of Bonaire, Belnem in particular and think less of us for it. Immigration Officer: You have the pup’s Certificate Correspondence address: EEG Boulevard 84, Bonaire Bonaire, in addition to being a Divers Paradise, is of Health, but do you have her certifications from the Center for Disease Control? home to many fine underwater photographers. How can Note: You will find the petition online at: we replace this embarrassing Pacific photo with one of Me: Sir, all the research I did never even mentioned https://secure.avaaz.org/community_petitions/en/ our own waters, preferably by one of our own photog- the CDC. raphers? the_executive_council_of_the_public_entity_bonaire_ IO: Okay, just follow this officer … stop_the_development_of_bachelors_beach/?ewt- Thanks for your attention to this matter. I’m looking At least I had my Sedula. bApb&utm_source=sharetools&utm_medium=e- forward to hearing from you. mail&utm_campaign=petition-1284357-stop_the_de- Sincerely, velopment_of_bachelors_beach&utm_term=wtbApb%- Dee Scarr Potholes without prejudice 2Ben Touch the Sea, Bonaire AL Catalfumo

Dear Editor Don’t leave home without it Just read the potholes by Winfried (Sabadeco??) June 2nd issue. Dee Scarr, Bonaire resident since 1980 Covid-19 round-up Dear Dr. Winfried, Ever since I moved to Bonaire, I’ve kept a “US purse” We just read your Pothole comment in the Jun 2nd Covid infections temporarily surged on Bonaire. (with dollars, credit card, US driver’s license, passport, issue. We think your Macambas discrimination theory There were 13 new infections at the end of August, etc.) in addition to my usual purse (containing Neth- needs a bit of correction. 47 at the beginning of September, then 15 – 20 a day erlands Antilles guilders, Bonaire driver’s license, and After 40 years on Bonaire I have not seen any discrim- for several days. On September 12 the number of Sedula) on Bonaire. When it’s time to travel, I grab the ination of Dutch people. Although, I have seen the op- new infections dropped sharply, but climbed again US purse and go. posite from many Dutch that are coming recently, some on September 14. Most of the surge was related to With the Covid issues, I was able to stay on Bonaire to me personally. three clusters, namely two school classes and a foot- ball team. Public Health and the schools are carefully from October of 2019, but I had to travel last month. My Point is, the pothole situation does not stop at Conversation with our neighbors, who took us to the air- monitoring students and will take immediate mea- Hato. Hato has a bad situation. We all know the problem sures if additional infections turn up. port, went like this: is island wide. Friends: You got everything? I do recently see repairs being done in many areas, Me: Yep. this shows promise. Most of Hato and Sabadeco still A covid infection cluster has grown among family and friends of a junior football team after it returned Friends: Passport? need repair. But we are happy to see repairs are being done in the crucial areas on Bonaire first. As there is lim- recently from competing in the Dominican Republic. Me: Right here. ited equipment to do this work, our areas will get done Last weekend a group of girls from Bonaire, ages 8 And off we went. We checked in with the airline, then as allocated in the process. I hoped to have informed -17, were sent to the Dominican Republic to compete my husband, David, went through Security and into the you correctly. in a beauty contest. Departure area while I took our little dog for a pre-flight Hato Watchdog Coordinator, walk. She and I went through Security. Then came Im- AL Catalfumo. Young people between the ages of 12 and 18 can get migration; I handed over my US passport, as usual. a corona vaccination every Saturday in September. Immigration Officer: You’ve been on Bonaire for a They can walk-in at the Kompleho Deportivo Jorge while. Nicolaas between 9am and 2pm. Residents 18 years Me: Yes, since October of 2019. Letter dated August 16, 2021, to the Executive Council of and older can get tested at the sports center on during OLB on the development of Bachelors Beach IO: Do you have a Sedula? those times too. Diana Gevers Me: Oh, sure. I’ve been living on Bonaire since 1980! Doctor Marian Luinstra-Passchier has retired. She IO: Could I see it? Dear College, has been the Public Entity Bonaire’s spokeswoman At this point I had no idea where this was going, but We are concerned over the planned development to during the Covid crisis. Fellow doctor Loes Jaspers, I’ll bet you do… Bachelors Beach even though we admire and respect the a specialist in infectious diseases and epidemiology, Me: Oh, I left my Sedula at home. I’m always afraid design of our local architect. What we are against is that has replaced her. of losing it when I travel. this development does not seem to take into account the IO: Then how do we know you have one? interest of Bonaireans along with those of the resorts/ tourism. American tourists must get a free antigen test on Day At this point I began to realize this wasn’t a trivial 5 after their arrival. Passengers are required to make Bachelors Beach has always been a popular local matter. Also, my treating it casually wasn’t endearing an appointment for the test with the Public Health De- beach. Everyday there are 20to 30 local and tourist cars me to the IO. As I followed her to the Arrivals area partment when they deplane at the airport. DMR I noticed her handcuffs and firearm. Yikes! She con- parked there. After the development, this will no longer be possible. Who will be restricted from the beach by

The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Page 5 over three or maybe four dead polyps, but once more polyps are killed the dead spot remains. Reef Glimpses It’s only a “dead spot” in relation to by Dee Scarr the original coral colony, however. To larval corals or sponges, to anemones, Perspectives from Outer and Inner Space to encrusting organisms, and certainly to algae-farming damselfish, that spot is an The Great Barrier Reef can be seen Although coral polyps can repel most area newly cleared for development, and from outer space. So can the Grand invaders, they’re very vulnerable to they move in. Unfortunately, most of Canyon. One is a creation. The other is a physical damage. Anchors and their them sooner or later overgrow the orig- breaking down. chains do major damage to coral colo- inal spot, and begin competing with the Like all reefs, the Great Barrier Reef nies; that’s why boats are not allowed surrounding polyps for space. Almost was built by coral animals (called pol- to anchor around Bonaire or Klein Bo- every anemone who lives on a living yps), most of whom are smaller than one naire. coral colony is killing or has killed the of our fingers. It’s tough to even imag- polyps around it, for example, some- ine how many billions of coral animals thing you can see on almost every dive would be involved in creating a struc- on Bonaire. ture that can be seen from space – and Without there being a “dead spot” underwater, no less! on those coral colonies, the anemones A small brain coral colony and at least Coral animals are amazing. For start- would have made their homes elsewhere. two sponges have grown onto a “dead ers, they have no lifespan. That’s why one of our responsibilities spot” on this star coral. Here’s how the reef-building corals as divers is to make sure that we don’t grow: a larval polyp finds a hospitable contribute to the creation of those dead Someday Bonaire’s reefs may also be site, attaches itself, and begins to form spots. The stony corals – the reef-build- visible from space! its skeleton. When it grows to full size, ing corals -- grow more slowly than it splits into two polyps with separate A fairly new injury to this coral colony. anything else on the reef, they’re more Dee has been guiding divers on Bo- mouths and separate everything else, vulnerable to poor water conditions, dis- naire since 1982. She’s written about including skeletons. Eventually those ease, trauma, and even minor injury than her undersea experiences in her books, two polyps also split, and eventually the But even what is initially minor dam- any other creature on the reef – and yet it available for purchase at the Carib Inn formation that started so small can grow age to a coral colony can easily turn into is those same corals who create the reef, on Bonaire or through touchthesea.com. to be bigger than a compact car! a major problem. Here’s how: the skel- one polyp-skeleton at a time. eton secreted by coral polyps, is deposit- If the colony is unaffected by nearby ed one cell layer at a time, which means structures or shading, it will grow in a its edges are extremely sharp. perfectly hemispherical shape, and the Divers who have accidentally hemisphere will grow continuously. A bumped into coral know how F r eedom | Comfort | Royal Treatment rock nearby will obviously stop growth. sharp it is because they’re al- So will shade, since – did you know this? most always cut – and before -- coral polyps get most of their nutrition the coral skeleton can cut the from the waste products of single-celled diver it has to cut through its MajesticComfortable banking algae that live within their own tissues. own coral polyp. Years ago, (How efficient is that?) I asked Dr. Roberto Henson of Bonaire’s Carco Project for a way to explain the fragility of coral polyps against their skeletons. He said, “Take a razor blade. Drape a wet two- ply tissue over the razor blade, and try to touch the tissue without damaging it against the blade.” That’s how we in- jure coral we contact. Sure, it’s possible for a cut polyp to heal, and it’s possi- A perfect coral colony ble for a coral colony to heal

Major tour operator buys seats and rooms Comfortable banking Corendon, the Dutch tour op- years. That deal is being reactivat- Orco Bank is your personal banker in Curaçao, Bonaire and St. Martin. Entrust all your banking needs to us and be sure to receive the most courteous and competent of services available. erator, plans a major expansion ed. With ample experience operating in the international arena, we o er expert advice and the of its Bonaire operations during Last year the tour operator perfect platform to design a mortgage tailor-made to your needs. the winter months. It has commit- opened the Corendon Mangrove At Orco Bank, it’s all about your comfort: knowing that your nances are well taken care of, ted itself to purchasing 240 seats Beach Resort near Willemstad, an so you can enjoy a carefree lifestyle! per week on KLM. It is also pur- all-inclusive five-star hotel with Orco Majestic: the ultimate feeling of freedom and comfort chasing a large number of rooms about 400 rooms. Owner Atilay at Plaza Hotel and offers rooms Orco Majestic is our private banking service for select customers only. Uslu is building a second hotel No other bank in Curaçao, Bonaire or St. Martin will o er you more personal attention or at Delfins Beach Resort, Eden next to the Mangrove Beach Re- privileges. We provide a complete package of extraordinary banking products featuring Beach, and other hotels as well. attractive conditions and lots of extras. Your freedom, comfort and exibility are our rst priority. sort. It will eventually expand the With the covid interruption capacity at this location to 850 Majestic Current Account | Majestic Savings Account | Majestic Mortgage | Majestic Car Loan seeming to wind down, Corendon rooms. The new hotel, which will is resuming its aggressive market- not be all-inclusive, will be mar- ing of travel services to Curaçao keted under the Hilton brand name too. In March 2020 it had to put in order to attract a more interna-

on hold an agreement to purchase tional audience and be less depen- Kaya Grandi #48, Bonaire almost 250,000 seats on KLM dent on the Dutch market. DMR Tel: (599) 717-2000 Fax: (599) 717-2035 www.orcobank.com flights between the Netherlands (Koninkrijk.nu) email: [email protected] and Curaçao over a period of three Page 6 The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Lt Governor Rijna speaks at World Conservation Congress Ladies and Gentlemen, watchers and scientific research. What a fantastic initiative by The In- In my opinion, this accessibility - in an ternational Union for Conservation of ecologically responsible way of course Nature to organize a conference like this - is vital because it causes the public to every four years, where political leaders, support investment in nature conserva- policy makers, scientists, entrepreneurs tion. This would not be possible should and conservationists from around the we put nature entirely under lock and world come together to discuss the im- key. Our marine park is an example of portance of nature conservation. how the protection of corals goes hand As Island Governor of Bonaire, I am in hand with diving tourism. The fee that proud that my island can contribute to divers pay is used to fund a coral resto- this program. Bonaire measures less than ration program. 300 square kilometers and has fewer We do all these things in collabora- than 22,000 inhabitants. We have been a tion with a number of committed orga- special municipality of the Netherlands nizations, such as Stinapa and the Dutch since 2010. Today is an official holiday Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA), for us, Dia di Boneiru, this is the day we which are achieving great successes on celebrate the discovery of our island in Bonaire. They will also be addressing 1499. Unfortunately I will have to miss you today and I am proud of the program the festivities, but on the other hand, it is they have organized for you. also a very suitable day to speak to you You may think: that little island of about just how special Bonaire is. Lieutenant Governor Edison Rijna was invited to speak at the World Conservation Bonaire has nailed it, but you will not Bonaire has been richly endowed by Congress held by the International Union for Nature Conservation September 3 to 11 hear me say that. Okay, we’re well on nature. Together with our Caribbean sis- in Marseille, France. our way, but our goal is still a long way ter islands, we are the most biodiverse clared all reefs around the island a pro- I dare say that on Bonaire we were off. And let’s be honest, we cannot do it part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. tected area, which became the Bonaire already working on sustainability long alone. Within the small community that As small as we are, we are home to National Marine Park. before the word was commonly estab- we are, we do not have all the neces- multiple ecosystems. In addition to our All in all, our nature reserves cover lished. We have translated it into what sary expertise, the power to implement world- famous coral reefs, we also have more than 30% of our island. So when we call the Blue Destination concept. and the financial resources to realize our mangrove forests, sea grass beds, brine it comes to the 30x30 initiative, we have This sets out the ambition to realize a mission of becoming a Blue Destination. lakes and tropical dry forest. These sys- already done our duty. But we are not circular economy. Companies including This is why I would like to invite you to tems are home to a huge variety of ani- going to sit back and just watch the rest hotels are encouraged to pursue an ac- visit me later or to e-mail me so we can mals, from sea turtles and flamingos to of the world while they reach that same tive sustainability policy; a ban on sin- discuss this further. iguanas and bats. standard. gle-use plastics will soon be introduced; And to those who want to see it before we strive for a society without waste; we For now... I must add, because from Because, I must admit that on Bonaire they believe it, I say: you are more than have banned components of sunscreen the perspective of many animal species, nature is still under pressure. Wastewater welcome to come and visit Bonaire. that are harmful to coral; our energy the threats they are facing are literally threatens the fragile corals in our marine Edison Rijna, IUCN Conference, company plans to make electricity pro- as large as life. The ‘30x30 initiative’ park. The plastic that is brought to us by duction 80% greener within two years; Marseille, France. September 2021 to make sure that at least 30% of all ter- the oceans threatens the lives of the sea we will actively encourage electric trans- restrial and marine ecosystems in the turtles that lay their eggs on our beaches. world will be legally protected by 2030 port, both on land, in the air and on the And then there are the effects of cli- is therefore an absolute necessity. I hope water. And last but not least, we are con- mate change that will have disastrous that all countries will do everything in sidering bringing new areas of natural consequences for our nature if we do What is the IUCN? their power to meet that standard in no value under legal protection. not take drastic measures. I am more later than nine years. One of the challenges we face, how- concerned about this than about the risk ever, protecting our nature is stray goats. Ladies and gentlemen, laws and reg- that we will not be able to keep our feet We have 30,000 of those on the island. ulations alone will not save the planet. dry due to the predicted rise in sea level. They literally eat up nature and by do- It’s excellent that so many professionals After all, the Dutch know how to han- ing so cause erosion. This is why the who have a warm heart for nature are dle a rising sea... Together we can ensure island government is actively trying to gathered here in Marseille, but that by that global warming is slowed down and, solve the problem and we are taking the Bonaire’s Lieutenant Governor Edison itself is not enough. In order to turn the preferably, halted. tide, we must also convince those other first steps in this direction in Washing- Rijna was one of the 1000+ partici- Bonaire can’t just blame climate seven billion and more people, who are ton Slagbaai Park. One of our biologists, pants at the IUCN World Conservation change for the pressure on our island’s not present here, that we really have to Roxanne Francisca, will tell you more Congress in Marseille, France, held nature, as it is also partly due to tourism. change our attitude towards our earth about this shortly. September 3-11. As such, we are happy that people like to and specifically towards nature. Protecting nature is hard work, but Governor Rijna said, “It was a great visit our island, because this contributes sometimes it comes naturally. Nature and inspiring experience to be able to We have to make sure that it becomes to our prosperity and thus the well-be- may also emerge by accident. Since speak on such a congress. Bonaire can part of the DNA of the entire world pop- ing of our population. It also generates 2011 we have had a waste water treat- be an inspiration for many (big) coun- ulation. Let Bonaire be a source of inspi- income, which we may use to protect ment plant, which was funded by the EU. tries when it comes to nature preserva- ration to this end. Bonaire may be a tiny nature. speck in the Caribbean Sea, but we don’t This is the first big step towards solving tion. Let’s Keep it”. feel too small for big ambitions when it the problem of waste water on the is- A few years ago we realized that we land. The recovery of our coral reefs comes to nature conservation. Beginning In IUCN’s own words, “The IUCN is needed to shift the focus of tourism from depends on it. The purified wastewater with our earliest ancestors, our people where the world comes together to set quantity to quality. Not more and more is made available to our farmers, but at have always lived with nature and have priorities and drive conservation and tourists, but different tourists: tourists the moment the amount of treated water learned to respect it. We grow up with sustainable development action.” nature and it has become an integral part who will come to Bonaire not only to exceeds demand, so the surplus of gray The member organizations attend of our genetic makeup from generation lie on the beach in the sun, but also to water is pumped away to a remote corner interactive sessions where 160 + coun- to generation appreciate our unique nature. In the con- of the site. text of the transition from mass to quality tries are represented. They vote on This explains why we were one of the And behind the scenes, a wetland has tourism, we also chose to adjust the num- major issues and actions that guide first islands in the Caribbean to take ac- formed in just a few years, which turned ber of cruise ships to be more in keeping humanity’s relationships with our plan- tive measures to protect nature. In 1969 out to be a great habitat for birds. There with what our island is able to accom- et for the future. Visit the IUCN website we started to protect all sea turtles. That are even species we have not seen on modate. This may initially cost us some for more information: year we also designated several former Bonaire before. Currently we are look- income, but continuing as we have done About the IUCN Congress | IUCN colonial-era plantations as Washington- ing at how to protect this area in such a previously will ultimately turn out to be World Conservation Congress 2020 Slagbaai National Park. In 1979 we de- way that it will remain accessible to bird much more expensive. The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Page 7 Winners all. The Pink Coral iT Funrace. Bonaire sailors ready for Sunfish World

The Pink Coral iT Funrace on August 29 in Barcadera attracted 42 participants with 15 in the Fun and 27 in Elite category. Winner of the Funrace Elite, riding three 9 km laps (27 km), was Jerome Spruit who finished in 1.15.08. Coming in second was Jonas Fisher with 1.15.56 and third went to Dennis van Bruggen in 1. 18.18. Funrace winners, At the start of one of the BSSA Sunfish World training races on Dia di Boneiru. Sun- riding four 5km laps (20km), were first place Marcel Spruit with 1.04.58, second, Roland fish World Championship will be held in Sarasota, Florida October 23 – 29. Verbeek in 1.08.44 and third Martien Polman in 1.09.33. For the full results go to updates Photo Ton Nuijten section of The Reporter online, (Click the button labeled “COVID Update and more ...)” Bonaire Sunfish Sailing Association national jury member and experienced Pictured are: Dennis Mark, Frank Bohm and Elite first place winner Jerome Spruit. (BSSA)’s seven participants heading World sailor, Ronnie Ramos. for Sunfish World Championship in The next race is the Duo Xtreme on September 26. (See related story page 11.) On the weekend of Sept. 11, the BSSA October in Florida have been in train- team had planned to race around the is- ing mode the last couple of months. land but were thwarted by an uncoop- The competitors have raced nine times erative weather forecast of high seas. to practice the start and rounding of the Making the best of things, BSSA held a first mark. fundraising and team building car wash After each short race the sailors dis- at Kas di Regatta. cussed the race, mistakes, violations The next practice races are scheduled on ‘right of way’ and touching marks. off the waters at Delphins Resort later Included in the discussions was inter- this month. . Julie Morgan

BSSA team members have some fun washing cars to raise funds for their upcoming trip to the 50th Worlds Sunfish Championship competition in Florida. Pictured L-R: Alex Tromp, Alfred “Yellowman” Martis and Ton Nuijten. Photo Julie Morgan

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The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Page 9 Thielman acknowledges that there is no precise defi- Meet the people in charge nition for the expression “blue destination,” a phrase which the plan repeatedly uses. He further allows that by Ann Joseph much needs to be done to help people understand what the concept means. Hennyson Thielman Regardless of the challenges that Bonaire faces today, Thielman is confident that all will be worked out in time. Hennyson Thielman is one of Bonaire’s three Com- Resolution of issues relating to Bonaire’s beaches is at missioners. He was sworn in as Commissioner in De- hand. Thielman doesn’t hide the fact that the Govern- cember 2020 when Elvis Tjin-Asjoe stepped down from ment’s recent announcement that it intends to improve that position. Thielman first entered government work- Playa Forn’i Kalki (Bachelor’s Beach), Donkey Beach ing as a consultant to Tjin-Asjoe and before that, he had and Te Amo Beach is driven, in some part, by making his own business promoting and running special events. the beaches more amenable to tourists. Even so, local His former jobs hold him in good stead for his current use of beaches remains paramount. Bachelor’s Beach position. Among other attributes, he is available, a proj- is one such example. He mentioned that the project de- ect promoter, and a problem solver. sign for this beach is in flux; the plan has already been Thielman was born and raised on Bonaire. He studied revised to eliminate the space that had been allocated for economics in Curacao and worked toward a degree in a bus to park so that more residents will be able to park business/entrepreneurship in the Netherlands. Writing a their cars. He further stressed that only local businesses thesis is a prerequisite to his getting his business degree. will be given the right to manage any beach concessions He returned to Bonaire in 2013 thinking that he could and categorically denies that Bloozz, the project across do that here. It didn’t happen. He had met Tjin-Asjoe the beach from Bachelor’s Beach, has had any control shortly after his return and his life took a different turn. of any kind over the design or proposed management of He and Tjin- Asjoe spoke long and hard about Bonaire’s the beach. future. Together they decided to form the Movementu Thielman’s efforts at keeping the beaches public ex- di Pueblo Boneriano (MPB), a new political party. You tend beyond his involvement with the Bachelor’s Beach might say that the rest is history. But there is so much project. He mentions that the Government has managed more. to ensure that Te Amo beach will remain public. He Hennyson Thielman, one of Bonaire’s three Commissioners Given the 2019 election result, Thielman could have explains that, until recently, the Te Amo beach had been become a Commissioner at that time. Instead, he chose remarks with, “there is so much to improve.” Thielman privately controlled but a court case has put this proper- to take a position as an advisor to Tjin-Asjoe. He felt makes a point of adding that the Covid pandemic has ty squarely back into Government hands. that he could accomplish more in this role. Only when compounded the challenges that the Government faces. He also spoke of Donkey Beach. He pointed out that Tjin-Asjoe stepped down from his position as a Com- Thielman’s portfolio is heavy. As the Deputy for Eco- while Donkey Beach may be enhanced, he is committed missioner, did Thielman take it over. nomics and Finance he is responsible for Bonaire’s eco- to keeping all the trees there and that Easter weekend Thielman didn’t enter politics because he was “bit- nomic development which includes the development of camping will still be permitted. ten by the political bug.” He got involved because he tourism. Thielman acknowledges that there has been no Controversy about Bonaire’s beaches takes up a lot of wanted to give something back to the community and he easy answer to how tourism should be developed and is print these days, yet it is a very small item in Thielman’s thinks that being able to “give back” requires his know- keenly aware of the controversies that have arisen over heavy portfolio. His positive attitude should help in ing what the community wants. To this end, he makes such matters as development, cruise ships and beaches. keeping his back strong enough to carry out the respon- himself available to island residents from 2 pm to 5 pm He refers to Bonaire’s “Strategic Tourism Master sibilities which he has been given. on Thursday afternoons. He points out that listening Plan” as the Government’s strategy for tourism devel- If you would like to meet with Commissioner Thiel- to people’s ideas and concerns is the easy part. It’s the opment. The plan addresses, among other things, the man, you can call him for a Thursday afternoon appoint- follow-up that can be frustrating and difficult because it need to attract people who are looking for a vacation ment. His telephone number is 715-5368. often requires help from others in the Government. He which includes activities above as well as below the notes that projects often don’t get off the ground and water. The plan also stresses the desire to attract tour- Ann Joseph, a former Philadelphia lawyer, has been a when they do, there is too much lag time until comple- ists who want a “high end” experience. And finally, the Bonaire resident for over 25 years. During that time she tion. He thinks that, “all employees are well meaning plan sets forth specific requirements with which projects started a smoked fish and chicken business, managed but a few may fit and perform better in positions oth- must comply to receive a permit. One requirement is a Harborside Shopping Mall and was a tour guide. Now er than those they currently hold.” He also thinks that project’s provision of ample and meaningful positions she engages in various “projects” and this column is there needs to be better motivation and training for em- for residents. one of them. ployees. His list goes on and on. He concludes these Serious road repairs Consultation hours for Ombudsman

From September 13 to 18, 2021, the Complaint is always possible team of the National Ombudsman and People who are unable to visit the of- the Ombudsman for Children is on Bo- fice hours can also submit their question naire. Residents may meet with them to or complaint in other ways: submit a complaint free of charge about (government) authorities. The meeting At the National Ombudsman: can be in Dutch, English or Papiamentu. - Via the complaint form on our web- site; Consultation hours People with complaints about, for - By telephone on +31 70 356 35 63 example, the Tax Authorities, the Pub- (available on working days until 12:00 lic Prosecution Service, the police, the noon); Public Entity, Care and Youth Caribbe- - Via Skype by making an appoint- an Netherlands and the Expertise Center ment with us in advance by e-mail; - Via Education Care Bonaire can contact the WhatsApp. team at the following times:

Sentro Pastorial, Rincon At the Ombudsman for Children: Wednesday, September 15, 3:30-5 pm - By telephone on +31 70 8506 995 (available on working days until 12:00 Plaza Francisco Chiku Goeloe Bonairean time); Drivers on Bonaire are becoming accustomed to detours as, stretch by in Antriol - By emailing ombudswerk@dekin- derombudsman.nl. stretch, the island’s neglected roads are being rebuilt to high standards. Saturday, September 18, 9-10:30 am

Page 10 The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Duo Xtreme set for the 11th year Dedicated cycle enthusiasts are gear- the first year Miguel opted out and Sara ing up and training to compete in the contacted what she called the “biking islands most challenging bike race, Bo- dudes,” Mocky Arends and Frank Bohm. naire’s Duo Xtreme on September 26. In Since then they’ve made the Xtreme hap- previous years the race has attracted cy- pen. clists from not only the Dutch Caribbean Sara said, “ The funny thing was before but also the Netherlands, United States, the bike race, they required that I provide Spain, Venezuela and France. the bikers with carbs, so I served pasta at The last Duo, held in 2019, drew 102 six in the morning.” riders (52 teams) to compete in the de- manding routes of Bonaire’s rugged The rules of the race backcountry trails. Due to Covid-19 the Things have changed a bit since the 2020 event could not be held, so local early years of the Xtreme but the rules cyclists are anxious to ride as proved ev- are still pretty much the same. ident by the numbers in the 2021 Funrac- Red route: Xtreme 55 km. Yellow route: Xtreme 73 km. Covid -19 measures will be followed in es held in June and August. (See page 8) regard to distancing and masking during for whatever reason, the team is out. And, The first place Elite team will be awarded registration and the award ceremony. all bike repairs on the route must be done $600 by sponsor Brandaris. The Duo’s history by team members, The Red Cross and Bonaire Police Bonaire’s Duo Xtreme was the idea of Registration is Friday, September 24 will be on standby for emergencies. A fitness pro Miguel Brito back in 2010. at Karels and Saturday, September 25 at ‘broom’ or cleanup car driven by Mocky He enlisted then Divi Flamingo general Eden Beach from 5-7 pm. Arends and a nurse will travel the closest manager, Sara Matera, to assist and she The cost is $25 per person or $50 per access to the off-road route for pickup of thought it was a great idea even though team. Each participant receives an event cyclists with equipment failure or inju- she wasn’t exactly bike oriented. T-shirt, lunch, breakfast before the race ries. Sara said, “Miguel organized the whole (sorry no pasta), sports drinks and water Riders can choose to ride the Pro thing and I called my friend in Curaçao, along the route. course - 50k or Elite course - 73k. attorney Randolph van Eps, as I knew he Helmets are required. Age groups are: was a big biker. He said, “I’m in, what- ever it costs, just send me the bill.” I put Check-in for the race is 6 am and the Junior 15 – 17 years, male or female. it together, bikers paid their admission, race begins at 6:30 am. 18 and Up: room, food and beverage. Randolph gave Free masks for the participants will be All team members must complete the Open is a combined team member age prizes for the winners and everyone went donated by Firgo. race by 12 pm at Eden Beach finish to of 100 years; Ladies Open; Mixed group back home.” There are no single riders. Everyone qualify. The last team member to arrive is a male and female team. Sara used her skills to get the sponsors rides as a team, hence the name DUO. If is the team’s official time. Participation and discounted the hotel rooms. After your team member can’t finish the race, medals will be presented to each team. The Duo, continued on page 12

The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Page 11 The Duo Xtreme, continued from page 11 What’s Happening Volunteers needed for five years,” said Mocky. Mangazina di Rei in Rincon: Tuesday - Friday 9am - 4pm Mocky said, “We have 40 volunteers Other main sponsors are De Free- Washington Slagbaai: Wed-Sun. 8-5 (entry up to 1 pm) so we are looking for 10 more. The vol- wieler, Eden Beach Resort, Freixenet STINAPA headquarters: Mon-Fri 8-2. +599 717 8444. +599 777 8444. unteers are at the start, finish and six (Alcon) and Sunset Realty. Additional Animal Shelter: Open fully. Mon-Fri 10-1; 2-3:30. Sat. 10-2:30. phone/whatsapp: 7014989 different control posts and five water sponsors are NAPA Auto Parts, Bonaire stations.” or 7174989. Email: [email protected] Logistics, Bonaire Office Systems, Kar- Pakus di Pruga (Shelter flea market store): Saturdays from 8 - 4. Masks required. If you are interested in volunteering el’s Beach Bar and Budget Car Rental. September 23 Bonaire Culinair, 3rd Ed. Discover the wide variety of restaurants the drop by De Freewieler at Kaya Grandi For up to date information visit Bo- to October 7 island has to offer. Restaurants offer a three-course menu for $33. Lunch- #61 or respond through Duo Xtreme naire Xtreme MTB on Facebook. Julie rooms offer a lunch menu for $22 and Foodtrucks offer a Special for $11. social media. Cyclists without a team Morgan, story & photo member can contact Frank Bohm at Sunday. DuoExtreme Bike Race See pages 8 and 11. Freewieler and he will find a rider. September 26 “We are very, lucky to have the spon- Sunday Book Market, Animal Shelter Bonaire at the Shelter, Kaminda Lagoen sors we have had for so many years. Our October 3 26. 9 am to 3 pm. main sponsor, Brandaris, has signed on Sunday Clean Coast Bonaire Clean-up Survey Boka Onima. 4-6pm Clean October 10 Coast Bonaire recruits volunteers and trains local residents and visiting eco-tourists to complete monthly surveys of marine litter.

Sept. & Oct. Cruise Ships DAY & DATE:MM/DD CRUISESHIP TIME PIER CAPACITY & LINE Thursday 9-23 Celebrity Equinox 0800-2000 S.pier 2850 Celebrity Thursday 10-14 Celebrity Equinox 0800-2000 S.pier 2850 Celebrity Tuesday 10-26 Celebrity Equinox 0700-1600 S.pier 2850 Celebrity

Wednesday 10-27 Emerald Princess 0700-1700 N.pier 3114 PCL

TCB tells us that the cruise ship schedule can change very quickly due to changing restrictions and circumstances. Therefore, the information above is subject to change.

Events & Meetings Free public presentations Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB). Free public presentations are held at Yellow Submarine, every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, at 8pm. For now, STCB asks people to register by email (stcb@bonairetur- tles.org) because of the covid regulations. Register for: 48Hour Film Competition. Oct. 22-24,2021. You can sign up your team at: https://www.48hourfilm.com/nl/bonaire/registernow. To learn more about the 2019 competition, see The Reporter’s online archives for 2019: Issues 19 to 23, https://bonairereporter.com

Open meeting Alcoholics Anonymous Every Thursday, 7 - 8 pm. International Bible Church Kaya Papago 104 in Hato (Behind Bon Bida Spa and Gym and Bon Bida apart- ments) All welcome, regardless of primary addition or no addition at all.

Page 12 The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 following the life of a mother and a daughter. Mom is showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease and this is wor- Making Bonaire Accessible rying her daughter. The daughter takes care of Mom by Ria Evers-Dokter and Mom does not like this, because there is absolutely nothing wrong with her; or so she says. The whole pro- What can you do? cess is presented in an honest and touching way. Some- times it is sad and sometimes it is great fun. But most of all it is an interesting way to get a glimpse in the life When you become a parent of a child with disabilities they can. In a serious interview they are tested and at the of a person with Alzheimer’s disease and their families. or when you work with persons with disabilities ques- end they get the results almost right away. If the result is Alzheimer’s disease is still very much a phenomena tions always arise regarding what one cannot do. And positive, they get the chance to become an “experienced that we need to know more about. And while watching when the children are tested or placed at certain institu- expert.” They are offered a learning-path to help them TV you can learn as much as you want or need. tions or schools, parents often protest. They know their achieve in their work or goal. Accessibility to the job child better than anyone but they are always told what market changes in a positive way for them. This makes Activities at Hofi Kultural she/he CANNOT do. them work better, love the job and show they can prove And should you not like to watch TV, and you are something to their peers and the world. Times have changed and nowadays “What You Can elderly, you can always come and enjoy the programs Do” is what is important. Because that is what counts. It would be very interesting to see if this approach is Hofi Kultural offers. When you need an education or a job, it is good to know possible to give young adults with disabilities on Bo- I am an avid reader, but sometimes I need to get out what the person in question can do. And everything they naire a chance that they deserve so much. of the house and see people, share a cup of coffee and cannot, can usually be learned. enjoy a change of “scenery.” So every Friday morning I Young adults or teenagers are offered a job when they A TV show is coming for all of us to enjoy. join the crafting-group at Hofi. You can bring your own can prove what they are able to do and where they need A new series on TV may change the way we look at craft and work on it at the Hofi, but you can also see help to function. Should they want to be able to do more persons who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. The show what else is offered. or execute other work, they get the chance to prove that is called Maud en Babs. It is an interesting sit-com Keeping the mind and body busy is all we need.

exposure drops. Its treatment involves exposure to sun- light or artificial lights that contain the entire spectrum. Creating optimal health This is intended for the body to generate hormones and by Irene da Cunda Costa neurotransmitters that regulate mood and sleep. During the day the sun’s rays have different inclina- tions and different effects in our bodies. One hour of Making friends with the sun exposure to the sun in the morning is what is recom- mended to set the internal clock, improve mood and I love the quote: the poison is in the dose. It is also the the help of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Vitamin D not only have a good sleep. But the sun close to noon is the one case of sun exposure. Rickets is a condition that occurs helps to fix calcium and phosphorus in the bones, but that helps the most in the production of vitamin D. This in children when they don’t get enough sun. The defi- this vitamin also strengthens the immune response. is also the sun that causes more harmful burns if one is ciency of vitamin D and phosphorus causes the bones The sleep-wake cycle is ruled by the production of not careful. to soften, resulting in sagging legs and other malforma- certain hormones and neurotransmitters. Many sleep Therefore, after some years of almost a globalized tions. On the other hand, too much sun causes premature disorders are usually resolved or alleviated with about phobia of the sun, we have realized that this has gener- aging and various skin lesions that can lead to cancer. 20 to 30 minutes of exposure to sunlight. A good night ated several deficiencies and disorders. Today we under- Evolutionarily speaking, the human being could not sleep reduces chronic stress levels and, in its turn, regu- stand that moderate exposure is not only recommended, be conceived without exposure to the sun. For thousands lates the production of other hormones. but necessary, evolution could not be so wrong, but of of years our physiological mechanisms have adapted The seasonal affective disorder or SAD syndrome was course, it did not count on the thinning of the ozone lay- and have been ruled by our shiny friend. described in the Nordic countries, it involves depressive er. Exposure to the sun is necessary not only for strong mood, lack of energy, sleeping problems, changes in ap- Irene is passionate about health, neurosciences and bones in childhood and throughout our lives, it is also petite and weight, feeling sluggish or agitated and lack personal growth. Originally from Uruguay, she is an important for mood, sleep and the immune system. of concentration. This mood disorder affects people that Integrative Psychotherapist (PNIE), Life Coach (lCF), have normal mood throughout most of the year, but get The human body produces vitamin D in the skin with Master in Nutrition(IUSC) and Yoga Instructor. these symptoms during fall or winter, when sunlight

have to send your tax receipts to your accountant in the Ask a Geek: by Brian Niessen USA). So, at $7.00 a month (or $70 a year), working on Backing up your computer just got easier, faster, cheaper and bigger. both Mac and PC, and with a one minute install and 15 day test, I can’t find anything that is stopping you from Anything that has to be done regularly ends up not I personally have all kinds of USB drives, network protecting yourself, your documents, photos, videos, being done after a while due to the human nature of be- drives, and alas, they are all in the same room as my emails, and everything else. It’s cheap insurance that coming bored and forgetful. And it seems that the more computer, so when one of them died with 3 TB of data goes a long way to giving peace of mind. important it is, the less it gets done. on it, I decided there has to be a better way. After a bit Give it a try, it doesn’t cost a penny during the trial Case in point is backing up your computer. Of course of research, I came across a company called BackBlaze. and they do NOT ask for a credit card number up front, there are external USB hard drives which you can plug They are fast, easy, cheap, and unlimited. They give and you can see if it impresses you as much as it did in and automatically back up, or just leave plugged in you a free 15 day trial to test. I uploaded 4 TB and I me (and you know I don’t promote products or services which make it really easy to do your backups, BUT… am on day 12 and it works great. Every time a file is lightly and I do not get compensated for it either). big BUT… Think about why you are backing it up any- changed on my computer, it is automatically sent to the Their website is at www.BackBlaze.com and good way? cloud. To give you a reference point, 4 TB is every file, luck and you will sleep better at night knowing your email document, work files, photo and video I have cre- There are a few reasons why. 1) Your hard drive data is on the cloud somewhere. ated or received since 1994. crashes. 2) Your computer gets stolen. 3) Your house is destroyed in a fire or natural disaster. There are a few other benefits worth mentioning: You If you need help with your virus problems can download the files from any web browser, so you Having your external USB drive sitting on your desk (Computers only) you can contact me at: can be at an Internet Cafe to access a document you only helps in the case of number one. For number two [email protected] need. You can ask for a hard disk to be shipped to you and three, your USB drive is probably the same place as or +599 700 9094 (Phone/Whatsapp) with all your files in case of a catastrophe. You can al- your computer - GONE! locate a file or folder to share to someone else (Say you Reach 1000s of customers • Advertise in The Bonaire Reporter (+599)796 4055 [email protected]

The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Page 13 At Your Service To advertise on this page: ad spaces are $22 per issue for a minimum of six issues at $132. Or for an INTERACTIVE AD linked to your email, website or Facebook the cost is $25 per week or $150 for a minimum of six issues. Contact us at [email protected] or 796-4055 (cell/Whatsapp).

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Page 14 The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Pets of the Week Sweet fur lovers, my name is Meet Katherina, arguably the cut- Grace, and I have a fluffy face! I’m a est cat at the shelter! This gorgeous girl young lady about one year old. My coat is about five months old, is vaccinated is long and fluffy, and very soft. I have and healthy. She has the nicest person- not been at the shelter very long and I ality! Katherina is very sweet, loves to am not planning to stay very much lon- play with her toys, and loves to cuddle ger! I’m a real “huggy bear”. I love...did but is not pushy or demanding of your I say LOVE...to cuddle and to play and attention. When you cuddle with her, walk. I can even stand on my back legs you will notice she has the softest fur and spin around! I’m very good with you can imagine. Will you be the new other dogs, and I also like cats, if they fur-ever family of this sweetheart? Why like me too. not come and visit and adopt this sweet- ie Mon.-Fri. 10 am-1 pm and 2-3:30 pm Kids mean the world to me, those lit- and Sat. 10 am-3 pm nonstop, Animal tle humans hug me the best with their Shelter Bonaire Kaminda Lagun 26. whole body wrapped around me...that makes me very happy! Do you have a Story: Monique Degenaar. Photo: place in your heart and home for me? Yolanda Van Den Nieuwenhof If so, please come and meet me at the Animal Shelter , Kaminda Lagun 26A. You can also call 7014989 or 7174989 also available on whatsapp, facebook Grace messenger and by email animalshelter- Katherina [email protected] Story and photo: Sanne Attevelt

Bonaire’s national anthem Shelter News revised, recorded, beautiful SAVE THE DATE! In celebration of Word Animal Day, vendor tables, food and face painting for Animal Shelter Bonaire invites you to a kids! special Book Fair/Flea Market on Sun- And remember, all our irresistible day, October 3, from 9 am to 3 pm at the dogs and cats are looking for their Shelter, Kaminda Lagun 26. You will find fur-ever home. The fair will be a great more than 6,000 titles of all genres, as opportunity for you to do some “speed well as special editions and books for dating” and find the perfect companion! kids and lots of brand of new books. Look for more details about the event in We will also have a big variety of items the next issue of The Bonaire Reporter. from our Pakus di Pruga (flea market Jane Disko store). In addition, there will be various

WEB nearing 100% capacity Screenshot of the choir singing Bonaire’s anthem, Bonaire Day 2021; Ito conducting. To hear their performance, click on the image

Bonaire’s national anthem, dating back to 1976, has been updated and can now be heard on the island in a beautiful rendition. Bonairean Jose (“Ito”) Martis, a Gram- my nominated artist, revised the anthem. A local choir practiced for months before recording it over an instrumental rendition produced by an orchestra in Florida. Yeta Rosario, a retired schoolteacher, was involved in both the original recording in the 1970s and the new recording. Together with former school director Henri Toré, she helped to select and guide new members of the choir. The project was funded by the OLB with the enthusiastic support of deputy of Culture, Nina den Heyer. DMR

WEB’s new water plant is completely tested, approved and commissioned. Currently the new drinking water plant provides about 50% of all drinking wa- ter on Bonaire. By the end of September WEB will be able to produce 100%. The new drinking water plant will be able to produce 7.200 M3 drinking water daily. It is a modular plant, so as Bonaire continues to grow the plant can eas- Two moments from Bonaire Day 2021. ily grow with the growing demand by adding units when and if necessary. The L: Ito Maris who revised Bonaire’s anthem. R: An interpretation of slavery in plant is energy efficient, sustainable and a chemical free plant. Bonaire’s past. Photos by Ubaldo Anthony. See more of Ubaldo Anthony’s Bonaire Day photos on our facebook page.

The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021 Page 15 A Garden? Just Do It! Poem for Today by Angliet, Nature Lover So much rain What Is Friendship?

All this rain is great, but the year when the rainy season used to What Is Friendship? too much of a good thing be. I also see fruit trees bear fruit again Friendship is an infinite source of pow- is not so good. after they just finished bearing a short er Of course, it all depends on what kind while ago. And some fruits are way big- Friendship is like an oasis in a desert of plants you have in your garden. Some ger, sweeter and more juicy than in other when you need your soul quenched plants cannot stand a lot of water. For ex- years. ample, too much water can cause leaves There are many blessings from the rain. Friendship like a roller coaster enjoying to turn yellow and drop on the desert Bonaire looks green and nature looks vi- the ups and downs of life together. rose, frangipani, papaya trees, cacti and tal. bougainvillea. The best thing is to place An update of fruits green or ripened on Friendship is like an the plants out of all that rain, if possible, Bonaire are: Mango, guyaba, papaya, indestructible ship exploring the vast otherwise, you might lose them. pomegranate, soursop, starfruit, coco, oceans of life’s experiences And with so much water all over the bacoba, mispel, cherries, knepa, gold- Friendship is like a mountain of ice place, there are a lot of mosquitoes. To en apple, melon, cashew, appledam cream of all your favorite flavors with prevent a mosquito plague, make sure and purple fruits such as seagrapes and endless sprinkles and all the cherries there are no empty containers around or djamu. The seagrapes are juicy and so your heart desires other stuff like tires that can hold water. nice. I have never had them like this be- Grass will grow fast now, so keep it cut fore. Even when they have less fruit and Friendship is like the other mother’s and prevent grass with seeds, otherwise a big seed, the little bit of fruit meat has bosom, nourishing your essence you get more of it. Trees could fall over, a very high health value. Here is the ex- Friendship is life because roots lose their grip in the mud- planation. It is your tribe dy soil. (See photo). You can protect Purple fruits and vegetables are high in Studies have shown that anthocyanins It will defend you like a hungry moun- your trees by propping them up this way antioxidants and are good for our im- may benefit brain health, help to lower tain lion to prevent them from falling. Banana mune system and can boost our iron inflammation, fight cancer, heart disease trees are especially vulnerable with their levels. Iron is important for moving Friendship is that bond, that is woven and stroke. They are Important for your small roots. They need extra support if oxygen through the body and giving tightly together with past, now, and fu- memory and promote healthy aging. This they have a bunch of bananas or plan- energy. Also blue-red and purple fruits ture love type of food protects urinary tract health tains. Also very young plants, just com- like dragon fruit, pomegranate, djamu, and regulates healthy digestion. Purple ing out of seeds need protection from the blue and black berries, purple grapes, Friendship is God reincarnated food such as black rice is very good for rain, otherwise the roots rot and you will plum raisins, figs and vegetables like the liver and fights against ulcers. Cher- lose the young plants. eggplant, red onion , purple potatoes, Nadia Jules ries and lavender also help you get your Of course, there are a lot of good things purple asparagus, purple cauliflower, Mental Health Activist glow. You can have a lot of purple fruit to say about having plenty of rain. purple cabbage are rich in anthocyanins, St. Lucia and veggies in your own garden to keep Fruit is growing everywhere. I see fruit which are natural plant pigments that you young and strong. that normally grows at the very end of provide foods with their unique color. Poetry is the reflection of the heart and I Plant it yourself, just do it. strive to tell a story with my poems.

Page 16 The Bonaire Reporter Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2021