Dennis Sanipoen, Omar Winklaar, Marciano and Manoushka Singoremito with their “Bonaire Reporter” kite exercise. The exercise involves mili- A broadly based permit for Insel tary units from the US, Holland, Great Air, a new Curaçao-based airline, vert Piar, able every five years. Britain and other countries. Following was approved last week. It will be E Chairman Eden Beach says it can’t a visit by a top Venezuelan military permitted to fly regional routes, includ- of the Bonaire accept the terms of the delegation to Curaçao it was also ing to Miami. According to Transpor- Economic Founda- renewal and has in- agreed to hold an annual joint naval tation Minister Kenneth Gijsbertha, a tion Platform creased the rent from exercise later this year between the lawsuit brought by the airline was (Stichting Econo- NAƒ4.000 to NAƒ5.000 Dutch Kingdom and Venezuela. dropped. According to Insel Air Direc- misch, SEP), monthly. In addition it Venezuelan President Chávez is op- tor, Edward Heerenveen, “There is still warns against listed grievances it had posing the US on a regular basis and a lot of work to do before we start fly- missing out on tax Evert Piar with Bongos and wants said recently that he suspected the US ing.” money for the is- Bongos to pay a penalty wanted to use the Antilles and Aruba land. It’s a total of of $200/day as long as it Henk as military bases for an attack on Drenth of about NAƒ23 million in import and continues to operate. Re- Venezuela. On March 9, the Dutch excise tax on merchandise intended cently Eden Bongos press reported that Defense Minister for Bonaire, but landed first in Cura- Beach built Kamp called Chávez a “bigoted popu- çao. The financial position of Bonaire a two-story list with a lot of money who has his is seriously put at a disadvantage due structure eyes on the Dutch Kingdom’s scraps to this. According to Customs, adjacent to (Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao) off the NAƒ156 million worth of goods are Bongos to shores of Venezuela.” involved. Considering an average of use as a res- Eden Beach Resort 15% in import taxes and excise, this taurant. The Bolitas Photo: St Martin Herald means Bonaire is owed NAƒ23 mil- court is due to render its decision on lion. The Foundation wants Bonaire’s the dispute by April 26. Last week, following a tip, Bon- elected officials to retroactively collect aire Customs arrested five men and the taxes for Bonaire for this year at Photo: St Martin Herald confiscated 1.5 kilos of cocaine, minimum. Don’t let Bonaire become a much of which was already prepared financial victim, says the SEP. in bolitas, from the Curaçao registered Tiara Air got its Airline Operating fishing boat Marisol, NC 847. The Bongos Beach (Bar and Restau- Certificate from the Antillean Central Marisol is a familiar sight in Bonaire rant) is in danger of disappearing if Government and will begin flying waters. a contract dispute with its host resort, with a 36-seat Short 360-200 be- Eden Beach, is not resolved. Bongos tween Aruba and Curaçao this week. SELIBON, Bonaire’s waste man- was built using innovative concrete The fare is NAƒ200. Another aircraft agement company, will double the techniques in the form of an African will start flying in May and the net- rate it charges for home pickup of hut in the spring of 2001. It has been Naval officials from Venezuela and work of routes will gradually be ex- trash effective with the April WEB proven to be a popular gathering spot Holland. panded to destinations in Venezuela. bill. When SELIBON first began its especially on Fridays and for big con- Tiara is only the third (of the 13 busi- excellent and efficient trash pickup it certs like the recent De Dijk show. Venezuela has agreed to ac- nesses that have tried to start an airline was free. Then a charge of NAƒ5 was According to court reports Bongos tively participate in the upcoming in the past four years) to get an okay imposed, then raised to NAƒ10 in the says it has a 20-year contract, renew- regional Joint Caribbean Lion naval from the Curaçao government. (Continued on page 4) IN THIS ISSUE: Letters: 40 Years of Thanks 5 Tourist Tax Debate Continues: Will OB Appear? 5 Understanding the Tax 5 Boost for Small Business 6 Earth Day On Way 6 Simidan at LVV 7 Parke Publico Flea Market 7 A Bonaire Love Story (Larry Thielgard) 8 Kite Contest Flies 10 Announcements: Joe Barker, New TWR Director 12 Tai Chi Day 13 Art for Fun (Waves) 14 Antique Houses (Then & Now) 18 WEEKLY FEATURES: Flotsam & Jetsam 2 Coral Glimpses 9 Tide Table 9 Classifieds 12 Picture Yourself (New York City, N.Y.)) 12 Pet of the Week (Lisa with “Rocky”) 13 Reporter Masthead 14 What’s Happening 15 Movieland Film Schedule 15 Cruise Ship Schedule 15 Shopping & Dining Guides 16 On the Island Since (Benito Dirksz ) 17 Sky Park (Venus & George, Keck AO System) 19 The Stars Have It 19 Bon Pasku Page 2 Bonaire Reporter - April 14 to April 21, 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: Tanneke Bartels, Wilna Groenenboom, Jack Hork- heimer, Janice Huckaby, Greta Kooistra, Bob Lassiter, Sara Matera, Linda Ridley, Dee Scarr, Ron Sewell, Larry Thielgard, Michael Thiessen, Paul Wichers 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 - April 14 to April 21, 2006 Page 3 (Flotsam and Jetsam. Continued from page 2) tions. If you can help, email rich- The Bonaire ABVO photo mid-90s. Now it will be NAƒ20. [email protected]. division of the po- SELIBON collects three million kilo- lice force of the grams of trash annually. It recently be- Divi Resorts is appointing Netherlands An- gan charging for commercial dumpers Maarten van Wijk as its new Execu- tilles is looking at the island’s landfill as well. tive Vice President. He had been the for new officers. In keeping with the recent trend of acting General Manager of Bonaire’s Qualifications: price and tax increases, The Bonaire Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino Dutch nationality, Reporter will double its newsstand from May 2005 to January 2006. Mr. between 17 and 34 price effective with this issue. Van Wijk received his BA at the years old; at least School of Hotel Management and Ad- three years of high ministration at The Hague, The Nether- school education, lands, and is fluent in four languages. good health with a After living in the US for 25 years, he satisfactory behav- became a US citizen in 2002. ior record. If these Sara Matera follows Mr. van Wijk as qualifications are the Divi Flamingo General Manager met a candidate will be further Police officer Emanuel Libier at the high school View your new house from the screened before explaining police work The Hr. Ms. Sbellius, one of two sky! Harbourtown Realty has come being selected. recently built hydrographical meas- up with a fun idea to help you in For more information call 717-3503. urement vessels, is on station in the choosing a Bonaire real estate invest- Dutch Caribbean. Every member ment. You can charter a small aircraft country of the United Nations has the and pilot, if necessary, and check out able online at http://www. [email protected] or call 717- responsibility for its own continental the island. Bonaire has its own Aero bonaireislandmap.com. 2837 or 786-3341. plateau and maritime zone to map out Club where you can charter a Cessna shallows, harbor entrances and areas 172, the world’s most popular training Did you know that colors can Bonaire needs that can threaten shipping at least every plane. Are you not a pilot yet? No challenge you to ask yourself the more publicity like 10 years. It arrived in St Maarten on problem! Bonaire has the ideal condi- right questions? Your inventiveness, this. The new Cactus March 23 to start its work around the tions to learn how to fly: fair weather, creativity and your intuition can be Blue restaurant was islands that will continue until June 27. little air traffic and experienced FAA highly stimulated and activated by col- recommended in licensed instructors. Call Harbourtown ors. By studying the effects of different prestigious Islands The Bonaire Rotary Club has Realty 717-5539 for more information. colors you can learn to develop a to- magazine by senior recently expanded its “Breakfast in tally new perspective. To find out more editor Ty Sawyer. The article called Schools” program to add additional Last week Bonaire Affair an- check out the training course offered attention to Bonaire. Cactus Blue was schools to the program, which has al- nounced the online launching of its on page 8. Professional color therapists the only island restaurant mentioned. ready been running successfully for the Bonaire Island Map. The map, desig- Caroline Houthuyse and Lya Vros See their ad on page 10. past 18 months. Buddy Dive and Divi nated as the Official 2006 Map of Bon- from the Carly Color Institute will of- Flamingo Beach already assist with aire by the Tourist Corporation Bon- fer this course on Bonaire in May in You can do more than just get funding the program, but the Rotary aire, was revised in January, 2006, in Dutch.