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1/27/12 A Special Message from Bonaire Marine Park Manager Ramón de León about changes in Bonaire's Environmental Protection Law

The actual proposal of the Government of Bonaire in allowing the construction of piers for other than the specified in the recently approved zoning plan reminds me of an old Arabian proverb: "If the camel once gets his nose in the tent, his body will soon follow."

 The seriousness of this issue is something that you have to take into account if you want to imagine what the rest of your life will look like, either if you live here or visit Bonaire. If accepted, the Government proposal will be devastating for nature conservation and for the future of the Island.

 This law proposal will take the entire ‘conservation’ effort out of the current law. More than 50 years of advanced environment legislation is about to go down the drain.

 Developers will be allowed to build things in the Marine Park for recreation /tourism/bar and restaurant purposes. Recreation is a wide word and we don’t know exactly what else can come. On the new piers, developers will be allowed to build structures of maximum 5 meters high and maximum size 50 m²; this is almost a standard two stories building seating in a pier.

The maximum length of a pier can be 40 meters, all the way to the drop off in most of the island. The Government can allow constructions to a size 250 m² with a height of max 5 meter; this is the equivalent of 3 to 4 small two story apartments!!!......in the water!!!!.....on top of a pier!!!

They (the Government) can allow piers larger than this (without describing for what purpose or in which instances), so you can expect request to build larger piers with just God knows which structure on top or what for.

Finally, the Government can deny a request for permit if they are of the OPINION that what will be built is damaging to the coral reef. So, no independent expert Environmental Impact Assessment will be required. Just the “OPINION” (expert!?!?) of the Government is enough to decide if a proposal is damaging or not and therefore allow it or not……Good-bye science.

 This is serious business if passed. It is not the five piers that they have proposed now. The problem is the 25 or more that they have denied in the past years, with good criteria and following the guidelines and laws that they themselves approved. Those are the ones that I’m afraid of. ALL of them will come back and ask for a permit and more will follow…….and then, the rest of the camel will be in the tent and it will be too late. We will walk our beautiful boulevard looking at the backside of restaurant kitchens, sundecks, 250 m² two story buildings and more. Good-bye horizon.

You can help to stop this proposal and keep Bonaire in the forefront of coral reef conservation where it always was. We have until February 2, 2012 to give our comments and object the proposal. You can log in at http://www.bonaireweb.com/zoning/ and read more and download an objection letter. Be sure to clearly state what your interest is in this subject. Feel free to add or modify the letter as you wish. Print it, sign it and bring it to DROB office in Kaya Amsterdam. If you cannot personally bring it, sign it and send it to me (marinepark@stinapa.org ), I will print it and bring it for you.  Be sure to bring two copies and make them sign one as prove of receipt. Let the Government hear your opinion and make your opinion count. BEWARE OF THE CAMEL NOSE……Bonaire, its people and its reefs deserve better.

STINAPA Bonaire

Bonaire National Marine Park Manager

1/16/2012  -The January 20 - February 3, 2012  edition of The Bonaire Reporter is on line.   Learn about the biggest TV studio in the ABC islands, immigration rules, new music school, sailing around the world, Karnaval schedule, the fishing tournament. Picture Yourself winners and more.

1/12/1/2- Bonaire's greatly admired artist Winfred Dania passed away yesterday afternoon following a long struggle with cancer. Winfred was perhaps Bonaire's most famous modern artist. His Save Klein Bonaire poster design was key in getting the island protected. He was prolific and while his work covered broad subjects, he was best known for his depictions of mythological Bonaire. Our condolences to his family,  

12/15/2011  -The January 6-20, 2012  edition of The Bonaire Reporter is on line.   There's information bout an unfair tax, new pet shop, and the possible demise of Maskarada and much, much more.  Have a great new year.

12/15/2011  -The December 23-January 6, 2012  edition of The Bonaire Reporter is on line. The stories include Sunset Beach update, information about extended doctors hours, fat parrots, handicapped divers, a new art show, day spa, and more.  Happy holidays everyone

12/6/2011--Yesterday, Monday, December 5, 2011, the Tax Department closed the Cultimara supermarket  in preparation for a public sale of all its  goods for back taxes.  Cultimara/ Cash & Carry had apparently  had a large tax liability.
The auction will take place on Tuesday, 13 December.  For many years Cultimara was the biggest supermarket on Bonaire.
There is also a conflict  between staff and Cultimara management. The staff was advised to seek legal assistance.

12/5/2011  -The December 9-23  edition of The Bonaire Reporter is on line. The pre-Christmas edition tells the story of Sanikloas' visit, Bonaire Ambassadors, building on Bonaire, the new  Children's Home, a purse snatching, endangered parrot reintroduction to nature, the Health Fair, Bonaire artists, a supermarket update  and much more...

11/26/2011 - Bonaire's new supermarket

The van den Tweel supermarket opened this past weekend. Bonaire hasn’t shown such enthusiasm for a new thing since the Flamingo Fast Ferry, Chogogo, began service to Curacao almost exactly 10 years ago.

The market is first class by any standard.   Is it a harbinger of the changes still to come as a result of the BES’ islands integration with The Netherlands?

11/22/2011  -November 25- December 9  edition of The Bonaire Reporter is on line. It has articles on the Study and Job Market, Home for pregnant teens, Classical concert, A restaurant poll, Bonaire's past, The Fiji case and much more

Lunch restaurant survey is enabled. Click below http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M7BT6HK

11/12/11 - A huge new supermarket is set to open in Bonaire at the end of this month but it won’t be carrying the famous Dutch brand name Albert Heijn, as expected. It will carry the name of the owner, Gerard van der Tweel. The supermarket entrepreneur is also the owner of an Albert Heijn supermarket on Curacao and in the

11/7/2011  -November 11-25  edition of The Bonaire Reporter is on line. It has articles on the visit of Queen Beatrix to Bonaire, a new spot for fun on Sundays, Captain Don's new book, a parrot update, new recycling options on the island and much more.

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