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7/29/2010 Correction: In an earlier version of the on-line edition The Reporter the advertisement on page 3 was incorrect. The correct ad is now in place for a beautiful home in Crown Villas.

7/26/2010-July 30-August 13, 2010 edition of The Bonaire Reporter is on line

7/12/2010- -July 16-July 30, 2010 edition of The Bonaire Reporter is on line

07-02-2010- Albert Romijn, the Managing Director of the Habitat Management Group passed away early Tuesday morning , June 27, following a long illness.  He had recently arrived from Holland to attend his son's graduation and to present Captain Don a gift from Habitat employees (on the right in the above photo).

Albert was much loved for his competence, teasing sense of humor and good nature.  About 20 years ago he arrived from his home in Curacao to work in accounting at Captain Don's Habitat Resort. He soon became the resort's manager and was responsible for several innovations and expansions.  Several years later he transferred to Curacao to oversee the opening of the new Habitat resort on that island. He was planning to return to live on Bonaire following the graduation.  He's survived by his wife Esther, and sons Christopher and Dary.  We morn the loss of a great friend of ours and many, many others as well. 

Tentatively, a memorial service is planned on Bonaire on Saturday, July 10.

06/28/2010- The July 2 -July 16 edition of The Bonaire Reporter is on line

06/22/2010- The Bonaire Island Council has filed the draft proclamation to hold a referendum to determine the opinion of the people who live on Bonaire about the deal struck with the Netherlands that integrates Bonaire with Holland as a “special” municipality. The vote is tentatively set for Friday, September 3, 2010.  The voters will be able to answer Yes or No to the statement: “I agree with the content and outcome of negotiations on the planned political structure of Bonaire.”

06/02/2010- The June 18 - July 2 edition of The Bonaire Reporter is on line

07/29/2010 04:03 PM  -WEB, Bonaire's power company, has just announced that tomorrow morning, on June 4th, 2010 between 8:00 and 13:00, the renewable electrical system from Ecopower -wind turbines and (bio-)diesel plant- will be connected to the island's electrical grid for a short period. There will be a slight possibility of short power outage, said the press release.

 Both electrical systems of Ecopower and WEB NV had separately undergone

reliability tests prior to this connection.  The original plan had been to connect

early in this year. 

06/02/2010  -- In an action that appeared to surprise Dutch legislators, but surprising to few on Bonaire, the Bonaire Island Council  unanimously approved a motion to consult with Bonaire residents  (Antilleans, Dutch resident more than 50 days and foreign residents on island for five years or more)  on its status in the Dutch Kingdom in a special referendum to be held before October 1. The motion did not include the conditions that caused a similar motion to be overruled by the island governor.
The new "question" to be put to the voters is: “I agree with the
negotiation result concerning the future constitutional structure of Bonaire,” to be answered “yes” or “no.”

06/02/2010 -  Environmental Insult Continues

As reported in the latest edition of The Reporter a nesting colony of Least terns (Sternula antillarum), 12 nests in total, were destroyed by earthmoving equipment in a wetland area.  The endangered bird species is officially protected under international agreements and Antillean Law.  This was done even though the owner and management of The Harbour Village Resort was personally told that this was a violation of environmental preservation regulations. Island authorities have tried but have been unable to force the developer to stop and the destruction continues.
Yesterday afternoon a concerned Bonaire resident while walking his dog near the devaated nesting area saw an amazing thing. One Least Tern chick, now named Miracle, survived the bulldozing!
The man made an urgent request to Harbour Vilage Resort manager, Andres Ferman (afermin@harbourvillage.com): "Could you please postpone the activities around the nesting area between the canal and the salina so "Miracle" has a chance? It will take a little over three weeks before he or she can fly."

Readers might want to also email the owner of Harbour Village, Frank Gonzalez, fjgonzalez@harbourvillage.com,  expressing their view on this action and additionally asking for a suspension of activities detramental to the environment in this area.

Outrage is mounting in the public and governmental sector.  Pro environmental protection groups on Bonaire are mobilizing. There are You Tube films and Bonaire Talk threads about this.  One activist on Bonaire suggested a way to get the Harbour Village owner's attention since the government appears powerless: "a campaign to publize the hostile action of the Harbour Village Resort to tourists contemplating a visit to Bonaire and an organized boycott of the same resort until the environment is restored."