Photo: St. Martin Herald he new members of the Cen- “nothing” would stand in the way of T tral Government will be arranging a new relationship for Bon- sworn in on Sunday, March 26, at 11 aire (with Holland) but expressed the am. Members of Parliament will take hope that all islands would come to a their oaths one hour earlier, at 10 am. consensus where it concerned new re- All 15 candidates for minister or state lations in the Kingdom. secretary were approved by the Neth- erlands Antilles security service, VNA, Prior to the Summit, Commis- after a vigorous screening process. The sioner Dortalina and Senator Ramon- cabinet is officially named “Cabinet sito Booi met with government offi- De Jongh-Elhage.” Bonaire’s represen- cials in The Hague to discuss Bon- tatives in the Cabinet are State Secre- aire’s quest for direct ties with the tary Alex Rosaria; State Secretary Netherlands. Dortalina said Bonaire Hubert Martis and Minister of Eco- had already “worked out most of the nomic Affairs Burney Elhage. points” in meetings with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, Fi- On March 15 a delegation consist- nance Minister Gerrit Zalm, Minister Commissioners Reginald Dortalina of Bonaire (L), Sarah Wescot-Williams of St. ing of Reginald (Jonchi) Dortalina, of Kingdom Relations Alexander Maarten and Prime Minister Etienne Ys (R) sign the final agreement at the end Hubert (Ibi) Martis, Robert (Robby) de Pechtold and other government offi- of the two-day Antillean summit in St. Maarten that defined the Antilles' Jongh, Anthony Nicolaas (all of the cials. position for the upcoming Round Table Conference to discuss the future state UPB, green party) and Reynold However, the Netherlands isn’t mak- structure of the Dutch Kingdom. The summit sent a strong message to the (Nolly) Oleana (of the PDB, red party) ing any final agreements and keeps Netherlands, lamenting that country’s unilateral decision to postpone the Round participated in the Island Summit in St. sending Bonaire back to the Nether- Table Conference originally planned for March 28. Maarten to prepare for the upcoming lands Antilles, explained Dortalina. Round Table Conference. A govern- “We don’t want to be pinned down on “Government in Balance,” which sug- immigration from the other Caribbean ment press release reported that the which island we will cooperate with. gested a number of ideas for govern- islands to the Netherlands Antilles.” delegation was satisfied with the re- They (The Netherlands) want to force mental reforms. sults. us to work with Curaçao. We say no. Pechtold rejected the document's The Dutch Government was in- We voted for direct relations with the suggestion to make the Netherlands Bonaire residents having sav- formed by letter that bilateral talks Netherlands, not Curaçao or the King- Antilles a Dutch province. He said, ings in 24 EU countries will have to with the individual islands of the Neth- dom (territories),” he said. “The islands’ citizens expressed their pay a tax on those savings if a bill cur- erlands Antilles should not replace a preferences via a referendum. I believe rently under review by the Antilles political summit originally set for later “It was an historical mistake to that their will must be respected.” parliament is passed. It is a conse- this month. see the Netherlands Antilles as one Pechtold continued, “A forced situa- quence of the Guidelines on Savings Bonaire’s Commissioner Reginald country. They are six different enti- tion would be created if the Nether- Balances of the European Union (EU) Dortalina said his delegation had come ties,” Minister of Kingdom Affairs lands Antilles would be brought under with which, as part of the Netherlands, to the summit with the island’s posi- Alexander Pechtold said last Thursday. Dutch government. Should the social the Antilles has to observe. All EU tion, to assume direct relations with the His remarks were made when he re- benefits be equivalent to those in the countries, with the exception of Bel- Netherlands, in mind. He said ceived a document entitled Netherlands this would create mass (Continued on page 4)
IN THIS ISSUE: Cover Story: Bonaire Student Chefs Win 4 Letters: Response to Abby-Katzev Letter 5 How Better to Raise Money 5 April 1 features Switch to Hybrid Vehicles 6 Drastic Environmental Measures 6 Night Diving Advice 6 New Tax Collection System 7 Departure Tax Update 7 STCB Directors to be Tracked 8 Events at Boka Onima linked to Sand Mining 8 SBO High School News 10 “Starlight Walk—Rincon 11 Kite Contest Coming (Kontest di Fli) 12 Announcements (Highest Point Party) 12 Arrow Crabs (Dee Scarr) 13 Aruba Day Celebration 18
WEEKLY FEATURES: Flotsam & Jetsam 2 Coral Glimpses 9 Tide Table 9 Classifieds 12 Reporter Masthead 14 Pet of the Week (“Wayabuza”) 14 What’s Happening 15 Movieland Film Schedule 15 Cruise Ship Schedule 15 Shopping & Dining Guides 16 Born on Bonaire (Ryan Englehardt ) 17 Picture Yourself (Bark Lake, Quebec, Canada) 18 Sky Park (Leo) 19 The Stars Have It 19
Page 2 Bonaire Reporter - March 24 to April 7, 2006 Who’s Who on The Bonaire Reporter
Published weekly. For information about subscriptions, stories or advertising in The Bonaire Reporter, phone (599) 717-8988, 786- 6518, fax 717-8988, E-mail to: [email protected] The Bonaire Reporter, George DeSalvo, Publisher. Laura DeSalvo, Editor in Chief. Address: Kaya Gob. Debrot 200-6; Bonaire, Neth. Antilles. Available on-line at: www.bonairereporter.com Reporters: Wilna Groenenboom, Jack Horkheimer, Greta Kooistra, Jiri Lausman, Ned W., Renée, Rip M. Off, Don Ricks, Dee Scarr, Michael Thiessen Features Editor: Greta Kooistra Translations: Peggy Bakker, Sue Ellen Felix Production: Barbara Lockwood Distribution: Yuchi Molina (Rincon), Elizabeth Silberie (Playa); Housekeeping: Jaidy Rojas Acevedo. Printed by: DeStad Druk- kerij, Curaçao ©2006 The Bonaire Reporter
Bonaire Reporter - March 24 to April 7, 2006 Page 3 (Flotsam & Jetsam. Continued from page 2) up Insul Air to compete with DAE on gium, Luxembourg and Austria, will inter-island routes, is not and never has Bonaire automatically give the information to been suspected of involvement in Air the Antillean Internal Revenue Service. Holland's illegal activities. Student The US is not involved in the treaty as Chefs Win yet.
big congratulations A to Bonaire’s high school culinary team which MCB (Bonaire) issued a sunny won the Gold Medal for financial report for the last year. The “Best Overall” and “Best MCB Group consists of 18 companies Dessert” in the second an- operating onshore and international nual Student Culinary Com- businesses based in Curaçao, Aruba, St. Maarten Governor Franklyn Richards presents petition among the Dutch St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and the top award to our Bonaire chef team. Antilles islands (St. Maarten the Netherlands. During 2005, after International Culinary Students Competition 2006). The VSBO level students, led Dick, van der Stratten, Domacassé transfer to the Reserve for General by teacher Vernon Martijn, got top prize two years in a row! press release photo Banking Risks, the MCB Group made Team Captain Miguel Saragoza described his team’s winning menu: Appetizer— a profit of NAƒ76 million after taxes Snapper on the Rocks; Main Course– Heavenly Pork; Dessert– Bonaire Light- Jan van der Straaten, the for- in the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, house. “It was tough,” he continued, “because we not only had to bring ingredients mer head of the police in Aruba, has which represents an increase of 14.1% like funchi, sea salt, cocolishi and fresh basil from Bonaire, but we had to search officially started as the new Police over 2004. Bonaire was up 16%. At the out other ingredients on St. Martin like rice, red cabbage and vanilla beans!” Chief in Bonaire. Seen here between end of this year the bank will celebrate Other team members are Minosca Mercera, Denny Calcaño, Channethon Jansen. Antillean Justice Minister David Dick its 90th anniversary. Team coach was Vladimir Gijsbertha. (L) and Bonaire’s Lt. Governor Her- The “Best Appetizer” was won by St. Martin; “Best Appetizer” won by the Saba bert Domacassé, he said the structure On Tuesday, last week, the US Team 1. Silver medals were won by the St. Martin Team. Saba Teams 1 and 2 won must change, because at the moment government warned Venezuela that it Bronze. “six officers are needed for every offi- would suspend Venezuelan flights to Next year’s competition is set for March 2007 in Aruba. Bonaire will be sending cer on the street.” It was reported that the US if Caracas carries out a threat to three teams: two from VSBO and one from SBO (a higher level). L.D. one of his plans is to assign a specific ban or restrict US carriers flying to police officer to each of Bonaire’s Venezuela. Ties are already strained barios. The officer will have good con- between Washington and left-wing nections with the residents and build an President Hugo Chavez over his alli- increase in hurricane intensity and the Meeting Room of Divi Flamingo Ho- awareness of the neighborhood’s prob- ance with Cuba and his opposition to increase in tropical sea surface tem- tel. During the day you will learn lems. If there’s a crime situation in the US free-market proposals in South perature. It found that while factors about innovative systems for the ap- area the officer will call on other mem- America. The Venezuelan restrictions such as wind shear do affect the inten- plication of gel and acrylic coatings. bers of the force to assist. A similar would trim flights by American Air- sity of individual storms or storm sea- The cost of NAƒ250 includes lunch approach is in use in Aruba. lines and completely halt operations by sons, they don't account for the global and a “kit.” For more information call Continental Airlines and Delta Air 35-year increase in the number of the Alda Dirks at 785-6378 or email pon- Dutch Antilles Express (DAE) is Lines, should they take effect. most intense hurricanes. More details [email protected] . indicating that they will soon expand available at www.scienceexpress.org. regional operations using a 107- passenger Fokker 100 aircraft. They According to the Antillean are running ads for personnel trained to Weather Service the dry season usually fly those aircraft. starts in February. But this year the Beside the flights between the ABC rain is hanging on into March. The islands and St. Maarten, flown with Weather Service blames this on the ATR 42s, DAE will use them to fly to arrival of ‘La Niña’ that causes the sea Valencia and Caracas. The Fokker, a to be cooler. Many locations on the plush aircraft compared to ATRs, will island have experienced brief heavy be used to fly to Bogotá, Colombia; rains with wind this month. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Port of Spain, Trinidad; and Port-au- Want to Prince, Haiti. look your best and learn Mix Bluegrass music and au- New Venezuelan flag DAE’s terms of employment are about the lat- thentic French cuisine and what do not as favorable as compared to what est in nail art- you get? A big crowd. Locals and visi- the now defunct Antilles-owned air- Venezuelan President Hugo istry? Then tors alike crammed the porch of Bistro lines offered. According to a pub- Chavez announced additional changes take part in di Paris last Wednesday to watch a lished report in the Amigoe newspaper to his nation’s flag last week, a re- the Nails visiting family, with our own Sign Stu- from a former DCA pilot, DCA paid form critics rejected as a personal Workshop dio owner, Rhonda Kossman, as lead about NAƒ14.000 per month. DAE whim of the leftist leader. The new flag coming up on Sunday, April 2, in the singer, and listen to lots of our favorite offers a monthly salary of NAƒ7.700. features an eighth star and a white songs. The band, informally named Monthly salaries of US$10,000 per horse on the coat of arms galloping to month for pilots are usual in the Mid- the left instead of the right. Continued on page 9 dle East and other countries.