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08/25/2010 - No new resort 

August 25, 2010, Kralendijk –  In a joint statement, Divi Resorts and Bonaire Overheidsgebouwen N.V. (a subsidiary of Bonaire Holding Maatschappij N.V., the holding company for Bonaire's Island-owned businesses), announced today that they have decided in good mutual understanding that the proposed Divi Sunset Resort Bonaire project will not continue to be developed.

The proposed multi-use project was to include condominiums and an all-inclusive resort at Playa Lechi, the location of the former Sunset Beach Hotel.  Divi Resorts had promised to building there several years ago and erected a huge Quonset hut-shaped tent (above) on the site.  The deteriorating tent has become an eyesore on the northern hotel row. 

Many local residents welcomed the announcement, They want a public beach on the site rather than another resort.

“Given the changes in the world wide economic climate over the past years, we feel it would not be advisable for us to proceed with a development of this scale,” says Alex Nieuwmeyer, Regional Director of Aruba and Bonaire Hotels, for Divi Resorts.  “However, we fully support Bonaire and its efforts to further tourism development for the island."

George Soliana, Director of Bonaire Holding Maatschappij N.V., stated that "We understand the situation and the decision, how regretful". Mr. Soliana added, "Bonaire will continue its fine working relation with the Divi Flamingo Beach Resort and Casino, which Hotel has been operating on the Island of Bonaire for over 35 years".

08/25/2010- The August 27 - September 10, 2010 edition of The Bonaire
Reporter is on line

08/16/2010 - On Friday, the13th, Bonaire’s planned referendum was postponed until further notice. The Island Council adopted an amendment stating a referendum would be held “on a date to be determined later per Island Ordinance.”

The action effectively cancelled the Island' Government's attempt to test the mood of the people prior to the integration of the island with Holland on October10, 2010. The Referendum's outcome in any case would not have affected the integration.

The amendment was offered by independent councilman Anthony Nicolaas. Opposition leader Ramonsito Booi asked for a vote but his four-person faction got up and left without voting, leaving the amendment to be accepted by the four Democratic party members and Nicolaas.

The Referendum Committee had asked to postpone the poll from September 3 to October 1 to have more time

to organize it properly.  One of the matters that came up during the meeting was that the cost of conducting the referendum was estimated to be NAf 500.000.  The budget approved earlier was only NAf 350.000.

08/15/2010 - 

Since 11:09 am on Thursday, August 12,  Bonaire has been supplied with electricity from the new EcoPower plant near BOPEC.  At that time a seven day test of the new facility was begun by WEB, Bonaire's island-owned utility. WEB's old generators at Hato and Trans World Radio are silent.  No problems have been reported. On Friday an strong thunderstorm hit the island, the type which sometimes caused outages, but the power continued uninterrupted. 

The EcoPower plant has not switched in the wind turbines. At the end of this week an engineer from the manufacturer of the turbines will be on-hand for the phase in. Under normal conditions wind is expected provide more than half of Bonaire's energy. Refer to the Bonaire Reporter series, "Power Plus for Bonaire" for details of the new system.  

The combination of wind power, burning lower cost fuel and and an improved distribution system is expected to result in lower electricity rates for Bonaireans. The cost of electricity to homes and businesses will be determined by WEB who is responsible for the distribution of power and water to the island.

Congratulations to the WEB staff who worked towards making this possible.  

 08/13/2010- 

Florida Aquastore & Utility Construction has been named to direct construction of Bonaire first municipal sewage treatment plant. The plant will process trucked-in waste water to convert it to water suitable for agricultural irrigation.

More than three years ago environmentalists raised concerns that effluent from shore side homes, hotels, restaurants and businesses was harming Bonaire's fringing reef by encouraging algae production.. Despite promises for fast action it has taken until now just to let a contract.  The facility is temporary. A general solution for Bonaire sewage treatment is still required.

The new facility, located on LVV (Agricultural Department) land, is to be operational next year. The Dutch Government had budgeted €50,000 for the project in 2009. Upon completion the facility will be the responsibility of the island government.

08/09/2010- The August 13, -August 27, 2010 edition of The Bonaire
Reporter is on line

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

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

08/26/2010 04:12 AM  -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 -  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."