P. O. Box 407, Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean, Phone 786-6518, 777-6125, www.bonairereporter.com email: [email protected] Photo Lots of updates about air transport to Last week’s blackout at Atlanta air- This Week’s Stories Bonaire to report: port affected vacationers returning home Insel Air has only a few more days to when the BON-ATL flight had to return to Ayo BOPEC? PDVSA Dispute 3 pay its debts. The Surinamese Minister of Bonaire because Atlanta Hartsfield Airport Bonaire Artist Lorenzo Mittega in MIA 6 Transport said InselAir must pay the Surinam (KATL) was closed. The passengers had to Christmas Cheer-Reporter Donations 7 Airline SLM and Fly All Ways together enjoy an additional day on the island at Cleaning Up Sargassum 8 $350,000 for flights they have carried out Delta’s expense. Delta said it lost $50 million Why Cruisers Love Bonaire 9 because of the power failure. What We Want & Don’t Want Contest when the company defaulted in March of this Winners 10 year. The Association of Travel Agents in Senior Dinner 10 Surinam also says that it still is owed The first group charter Sunwing Air- Native Trees of Bonaire -Wayaka 11 $400,000. Insel resumed flights to Surinam lines flight to Bonaire from Toronto Pear- ECHO Sells Native Plants 11 under those conditions. For information: Fare son International Airport landed with Pirate’s Pen (from 1995) 14 from Bonaire to Paramaribo is $439, from great fanfare at Flamingo Airport. A dec- Paramaribo to Bonaire $463. ade ago charter flights from Canada were an Disappointing news: Synergy, the parent important part of Bonaire’s tourism. A com- Departments company of Avianca, and the Curacao memorative photo booth was set up for pas- Transportation Ministry announced that sengers to receive a special memento, along Flotsam & Jetsam 2 plans for the takeover of InselAir have with other souvenirs, before departure. The Letters to the Editor-Bonaire Ambassa- been abandoned. Agreement could not be Sunwing plane received a water cannon sa- dors 4 On the Island Since– reached on terms and conditions. lute before both the passengers and crew Arjen van Dorsten 5 disembarked to an extremely warm welcome. Picture Yourself –Machu Pichu,Peru 6 American Airlines will start operating Food and Vitality –Losing weight 7 Did You Know—Sargassum 8 flights between Miami and Bonaire. As of A second Divi Divi Twin Otter aircraft A Garden–Just Do It (Breaking the Code June next year, American Airlines will fly was ferried to Bonaire last week, providing For the New Year) 11 this route every Saturday. The three-hour the reliable airline an additional plane. Look Native Trees– ECHO Tree Nursery flight will be flown by an Airbus A319 with for Divi flights from BON to AUA and CUR opens 11 128 seats. American is the third American to hopefully begin this month. What’s Happening + Cruise Ship + Exhi- airline at Flamingo International Airport. bitions 12 —————————————- Classifieds, Masthead, Tide Table, Sun- Delta Air Lines already flies from Atlanta rise & Sunset Times, Moon Phase 13 and United Airlines serves Bonaire via Hous- Pets Of The Week (Kira and Kenia) 14 ton and New York. The Bonaire fare has Animal Shelter News–Microchipping 14 come under scrutiny as being excessive. For Bonaire Sky Park (Tycho Brahe) 15 example it costs $460 for MIA to CUR, The The Stars Have It (Horoscope) 15 fare MIA to BON is now $514, down from the original $916. How to contact us It’s about time the BES Islands were Find Bonaire Reporter ome people feel that the quality and directly con- on Facebook. Press S quantity of a country or city’s Christ- nected by air. A “Like” mas decoration is a measure of its eco- new airline, CN The Publisher: George DeSalvo nomic health. If so, Bonaire has never seen express, plans [email protected] better days. The home lighting displays espe- flights between Phone 777-6125 cially along Nikiboko South, are outstanding. Bonaire, Sint (Photos above by Ann Phelan). Eustatius and The Editor: Laura DeSalvo Saba. The Dutch [email protected] It’s also Rainbow Season in Bonaire. Ministries of the Phone 786-6518 The light Interior and Kingdom Relations, Infrastruc- Box 407, Bonaire, morning and ture and Water Management and the Rijksdi- Caribbean Netherlands afternoon rains enst Caribisch Nederland (RCN) joined to Story, tip, question or idea: provide the motivate a temporary air connection between [email protected] ideal condi- the islands using Winair planes to start at the Phone 777-6125 tions for rain- beginning of January, called "CN Express." Available on-line at: bows. Look in After hurricanes Irma and Maria damaged www.bonairereporter.com Printed Every Fortnight, the direction Sint Maarten airports the need for air service opposite to the On-line every day, 24/7 became apparent. Next edition printing on rising or setting Return flights from Bonaire to St. Eustatius The very impressive sailing yacht at Monday, Jan. 15, 2018 sun to spot are set for four times a week. On St. Eustatius the dock this week is named M5. It’s a 246- Deadline: Friday, Jan. 12 them easily. a direct connection will be made to Saba. foot (77.6 meter) luxury sail mega yacht with (Continued on page 3) THE PLACE to make ALL your reservations: The only shop on Bon- TUNG FONG Land Sailing, AB Car Rental, aire dedicated to local AB Dive, Woodwind Sailing handmade gifts and jewelry all tourist activities, tours, STORE N.V. shuttle services and more... Featuring the original I♥ LOVE BONAIRE products Cold drinks, cigarettes “The Store With Almost Everything” and phone cards Great Service Too Kaya Korona 52 Tel. 599 - 717 4224 FAX. 599 - 717 5224 Opening hours: 8.30 am - 12.30 pm, 2.30 pm - 6.30 pm Open from Monday till Saturday. Sundays closed. At Sand Dollar Plaza on the northern hotel row in Hato. Open daily from 08.00-18.00 non stop - Phone: (00599) 7856029 Page 2 The Bonaire Reporter January 1-15, 2018 Flotsam and Jetsam (Continued from page 2) are generally up. The Bonaire Consumers a 295-foot (90 meters) tall mast built in group, UNKABON, warns of a 24% in- 2004. At an estimated cost of over $50 mil- crease because of delays and sketchy com- lion she is the largest single masted yacht mitments for subsidies. WEB announced a ever built. She was designed by Irish- delay of three months to continue consulta- based, New Zealand-born yacht designer tion with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Ron Holland. She was previously named Water Management and the Ministry of Mirabella V and was built as part of a fleet Economic Affairs and Climate. of large sailing charter yachts owned by The new rates are required by law so former Chairman and CEO of the Avis car WEB has the income to maintain its net- rental company, Joseph Vittoria. In 2012- work and make investments but may not 2014 she had a refit where three meters charge more than what it needs. Current were added to her stern to accommodate a WEB prices for electricity and drinking private Carbon Cub sea plane on her stern. water don’t measure up to that standard, so She now belongs to Pedro Abdalla. expect rates to rise. BOPEC deepwater docks On Friday, January 5, The Founda- tion to Help Children -Stichting Kinder- enezuela’s PDVSA could lose a 10-million barrel storage capacity and hulp Bonaire will hold its first fundrais- its license to operate an oil stor- deep water docks that can load large ves- ing event for teaching Bonaire children V age terminal that it owns on Bonaire if it sels, the firm recently received a warning how to swim. does not soon fulfill maintenance de- from the Dutch government. The benefit dinner at Red Palm Village mands by regulators, a government will be provided by Chef Danny Klein and “We’ve given them an ultimatum to spokeswoman said last week. As a conse- his team. It will be a culinary four-course come up with a solid plan to ensure ... quence several hundred Bonairean work- dinner with a surprising wine arrangement, more secure and safe” operations by the wine provided by the Caribbean Coffee ers will face unemployment. January 5, Danielle Rebel, a spokes- Company The terminal is a key part of PDVSA’s woman for the Ministry of Infrastructure th In between courses, our guests of honor On the 18 of December a “High Fly- logistics in the Caribbean, and its closing and the Environment in the Netherlands, Sanne Hans, well known as jury member ing Park” was inaugurated at the en- could hurt shipments to customers in said on Tuesday. of the Voice, and her mother Dorothee trance to the Washington Slagbaai Na- Asia at a time when the OPEC-member BOPEC has a backlog of items needed Spijker will provide a stylish mini concert. tional Park. This Park is a special space country is desperate for export revenue. to achieve international standards, she The entrance tickets are for sale for $150. where visitors in groups or with family can Cash-strapped PDVSA, which provides said. If it does not deliver the plan re- The entire profit will be used for the chil- sit and relax, enjoying the view under the the bulk of Venezuela’s export revenue, quested by Bonaire’s Living Environ- dren. There is room for up to 60 people. Do shade of trees. High Flying Park is a name has struggled this year to retain contracts ment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT), it not wait too long and support the children given to popular spaces made by commu- for storage tanks and docks in the Carib- will have to start emptying the terminal in on Bonaire who need your help.