Bonaire reporter ( March 19, 2010 )

00003-19-2010 ( .pdf )

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IT,,I--TePORTER


There is still uncertainty on
the consequences of dol-
larization of Bonaire set for
January 1, 2011. Beginning in
July, 2010, storekeepers will
have to begin double currency
pricing.
In an information meeting or-
ganized by the The Netherlands
Bank (DNB), Warehouse Super-
market Manager Roland Verbeek
explained his concern regarding
the exchange rate of the Antillean
guilder in relation to the dollar: the
exchange rate of the guilder to the
dollar, that will be fixed at 1.79 as
of next January, is four cents more
than at present. This implies a
depreciation of stock value
amounting to thousands. A new
sales tax system will also be intro-
duced at about the same time as
the introduction of the dollar -
which will also influence the
prices of products and only make
the situation more complex. In
addition, businesses purchase
many products on Curagao, where
the guilder will remain the legal
tender. Could Bonaireans keep
their guilder account with their
bank on Bonaire? After all, it will
be foreign currency for Bonaire.

h Former Dutch Minister of
Finance Wouter Bos explained
to the Dutch Parliament that the
choice of the use of the dollar
on the BES Islands was due
partly in response to economic
arguments made by the islands
themselves. More than 65% of
the trade of the islands
(Bonaire: 67.5 %, Windward
Islands: 85.7%) is with countries
using the dollar or a currency
linked to US dollars. The largest
part of tourism comes from the
dollar area.

,The Netherlands Bank
(DNB) is preparing the dollari-
zation for January 1, 2011, for
the BES Islands, even though the
Central Bank currently does not
have any authority on the islands,
as this will only occur with the
transition of Bonaire, St. Eustatius
and Saba to public bodies of the
Netherlands. It is not entirely cer-
tain yet whether the dollar will
indeed be introduced by January


1 st next year. However, the Lower
Chamber accepted the Law Fi-
nances BES, which determines the
dollarization. Willy Dassen of the
Netherlands Bank (DNB) certainly
expects that the dollar will be in-
troduced, perhaps with a three-
month delay at the very most. The
choice for the new currency had
been made, as it appeared from
research that two-thirds of all
transactions on the BES Islands
were done in dollars. The DNB
will arrange for sufficient avail-
ability of the currency, and all
guilder accounts with the banks
will automatically be changed into
dollar accounts by January 1,
2011.
Consumers will receive addi-
tional information in due course.
A brochure is being made and
most likely information gatherings




,- -i j ,I |1 1,- w s

will be organized as well.
SAiming to stay a step ahead of
counterfeiters, the US government
is planning a new design for the
$100 bill that will be unveiled
next month, the Treasury Depart-
ment said Friday. Wraps will
come off the facelift for Ben
Franklin at an April 21 ceremony.
The C-note the highest value
of all US bills, and the most coun-
terfeited circulates widely
around the globe.
The $100 bill represents more
than 70% of the $776 billion in
currency in circulation, two-thirds
of which is held overseas. The
security thread planned for the
next-generation $100 bill will
feature 650,000 tiny glass domes,
called microlenses, crammed into
a strip a few millimeters wide on
the bill's surface. When light
strikes this optical strip, the micro-
print within it will appear to slide
over the surface of the thread as
the bill is turned-an illusion that
is nearly impossible to replicate.

SFollowing a recent consulta-
tion the future countries of St.
Maarten and Curagao decided to
(Continued on page 16)


If you think the cost of living on Bonaire has escalated the
Central Bureau of Statistics backs you up. In 2009 prices overall
rose by 3.3% with almost all categories showing an increase. The only
exception was the expenditure category clothing and shoes, which was
1.8 % lower.
The largest increase was seen in transport and communication (0.9%),
mainly caused by higher prices of new cars (2.4%) and petrol (4.5%).
Followed by drinks and tobacco (0.7%). Food was up 0.6%, notably by
raising the prices of potatoes, fruit and vegetables (2.0%) and ready-
prepared meals (2.7%).
The housing expenditure category was also up 0.6%, primarily the
result of the price of cooking gas (18.5%) and kerosene (6.4%). Tariffs
of electricity and water remained stable.
In 2009, a remarkable number of products and services became more
expensive in Bonaire. All kinds of food, especially edible oils (39.4%),
dairy (21.9%) potatoes, fruit and vegetables (19.9%) have risen in
price. Also household goods (21.7%), other operating expenses
(13.1%) and domestic services (13.2%), were up.


Transportation
and
Communica-


Health care -
6%

Furniture
Home goods


I ';,


Shoes and Clothes __---
Drinks and Smokes

Main contributors to Bonaire cost of living increases in 2009

Long-term inflation
The annual average consumer price index (CPI) was 3.3% higher in
2009 than in 2008. Inflation in 2009 was almost half of the inflation
level of the previous year 2'" 1\ when there was an exceptionally
high inflation of 6.2%. Nevertheless, inflation in 2009 is the second
highest since 2000, when an inflation of 4 % was measured on the
island.
Figures and graphs courtesy of CBS


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Table of Contents
This Week's Stories

Cost of LMng 2
Times Are Tough-Drought 3
OnTrackFor2010 3
Compassionate Communication 6
Where to find The Reporter 9
Rotary News (Culinaire check,
RotoRally) 9
Letters: Kadushi c
Special Olympics Walk-a-Thon 1 C
Marilyn Kredel Concert 11
Toastmasters Speech Winners 15
School Buildings Burned 15
ArtistAnna-Marie Kroes 15
Happy Birthday, Gina 17
BonKarate Students 17
Pioneer Vet Back 18
Artist Jansen's Shell Animals 18
Running on Air (Car for Bonaire) 20

Departments
Flotsam & Jetsam 2
On the Island Since (Xuwen Cen) 4
Sudoku Puzzle 6
Bonaire On Wheels- Jeep Mahindra 7
Body Talk (Fungal pandemic- 3) 7
Bon Quiz #26- (Mooring Post) 11
What Happening, Cruise Ship
Schedule 12
Reporter Masthead 12
Classifieds 12
Tide Table 13
Bonaire Voices (Communication) 15
Shopping & Service Guides 14
Picture Yourself--Antarctica 16
Bon Quiz Answer 18
Sudoku Solution 18
Bubbles-Do You Know? (Territory) 18
Pet ofthe Week (Sylvie) 18
Sky Park (7 Sisters) 19
The Stars Have It 19

How to contact us
Letters to the Editor:
Reporter@bonairenews.com
Story tip or idea:
info@bonairenews.com
The Publisher:
George@bonairenews.com
Box 407, Bonaire,
Neth. Antilles.
Phone 790-8988
Phone 790-6518 /786-6518
Available on-line at:
www.bonairereporter.com

Printed Every Fortnight,
On-line Every day, 24/7

Next edition printing on
April 6, 2010, one week later
than usual.

Story and Ad deadline:
April 2, 2010, 12 noon


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Page 2


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Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


I













Bonaire's animals and birds are begin-
ning to die from lack of water. But
Reporter readers can help for just a few
cents a day, thanks to the availability of
desalinated WEB water. The water plant is
perhaps the single most important factor that
has allowed Bonaire's population to grow
fivefold in 50 years. And it can provide help
for the native and introduced wildlife that
make Bonaire almost unique in the Carib-
bean.
Times of drought make life hard for all
living things. This includes Bonaire's wild-
life. Currently most normal sources of water
like puddles, dams, caves and even wells are
drying up, reducing the amount of water
readily available to wildlife. Some trees and
shrubs have dropped leaves and fruits early
(sometimes before they fully ripen), reduc-
ing the amount of food and water available.
Now when the usual dry season is just be-
ginning, the island is already parched fol-
lowing the scantiest rainy season in mem-
ory.
Last year was very wet and vegetation
flourished. Wild donkeys and goats multi-
plied while gorging on the lush plant
growth. Some had multiple births. These
youngsters are now beginning to thirst and
starve. People in built-up areas around Kral-
endijk and Rincon can't help but notice the
increase in animals and birds in their
neighborhoods.
A couple of buckets of water a day, placed
where these animals have easy access, can
make all the difference. The cost for a
filled pail of water? Only 13 NAf cents.
WEB water costs homeowners NAf 12/m3
(250 gallons) that works out to about
NAf .05/gallon, or 1.2 cents per liter. If you
can afford NAf 1 per day, a small goat or


donkey herd can survive where it otherwise
wouldn't.
Birds are especially vulnerable during dry
periods as they require water for drinking
and bathing. You can help Bonaire's many
species of birds by putting out bird baths to
replace the rain puddles and ponds they
normally use. Bird baths come in many
shapes and sizes. You may use a saucer and
pedestal bath from a garden store, or you
could use any large, flat saucer filled with
water. The water level in baths should be no
deeper than 7 cm.(3") in the center and the
surface should be rough so birds can main-
tain footing. Place baths near a sheltered
location, such as a tree, as birds need to
have a place to sit and preen after bathing.
Baths placed on the ground offer water for
lizards, iguanas, mice and rats.
Be forewarned, though. Since birds are
quite vulnerable when they bathe and drink,
keep the bird bath off the ground if you have
prowling cats in your neighborhood. Re-
member to keep the water fresh, dumping
the old water (use it to water the tree!) at
(Continued on page 8)


On Track For 1

Bonaire Back On
T he Bonaire V
Government, in f
a press conference on -
Monday, March 15,
appears to have capitu- .
lated under the weight
of Dutch political
forces and fiscal real-

A Democratic Party
statement said, "We
assume that we can
reach agreement soon
and that the financing
and debt repayment Senator Jopie Abraham meet
will resume. We will


strive to sign an administrative accord
with State Secretary Bijleveld in April."
This will allow Dutch aid to resume.
"Annexation" is what's going to happen
to Bonaire, PDB leader Jopie Abraham
said after his visit last week to the Nether-
lands and the passage of the BES laws by
the Second Chamber. He has abandoned a
challenge to the Referendum cancellation
and indeed a new Referendum at all.
There is no alternative right now, other-
wise his government would be negligent,
said a fierce Abraham during the press
conference. The people of Bonaire have
not opted for integration as the UN re-
quires. What has actually occurred is
"Anschluss, annexation, appropriation." It
was a reference, confirmed Abraham, in a
conversation with The Reporter, to the
"Anschluss" of Austria into Greater Ger-
many by the Nazi regime on 12 March
1938*.


10/10/10

the Rails


ing in the Dutch parliament


These actions followed the Dutch Parlia-
ment's Second Chamber rejection of the
attempt to declare the Kingdom Consensus
Laws "controversial." This cleared the
tracks for the political process to get Bon-
aire and the other BES islands out from
under Curagao and integrate them into Hol-
land.
Those laws are necessary to legitimize the
breakup of the Netherlands Antilles and
will be handled as was planned before the
recent fall of the Dutch government rather
than having to wait until a new government
takes office in June.
Handling of the Consensus Laws starts on
April 9 and will conclude on April 20 with
the voting. It's anticipated that delegations
from Aruba and the Antilles and Antillean
Parliaments will be in The Netherlands for
these meetings.

(Continued on page 13)




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On bh^ Ishlan Shac&r


T was bom in Guangdong,
1 China, in February 1979.
My father was a cook, my
mother a housewife, and my two
younger sisters and I grew up in
a remote village. Life was sim-
ple. I went to kindergarten and
then to the first grade and then I
came to Bonaire. My father came
here in 1983. The owner of Great
China, a restaurant downtown,
had asked him to come over to be
the chef at his restaurant.
I was seven when we moved
and I was expecting a big city
like New York or Hong Kong,
and then when we arrived here I
was stunned... it was the same as
at home!
We came in April and we
started school in August. I went
to the first grade at Papa Comes
elementary school and my sisters
went to kindergarten. I didn't
understand one word the teacher
was saying, so we communicated
in hand language. That first year
I didn't learn much, but after the
second grade my Papiamentu had
improved a lot and I also under-
stood some Dutch. At the time
the school's instruction language
was Dutch. In the fourth grade all
my grades were okay.
Then my father changed jobs
and he started working in the
kitchen of Torito Snack in An-
triol. My mom stayed at home.


After school and during the
weekends I helped my father,
peeling potatoes, cutting up
vegetables and meat, making
lumpias and putting the sat6 meat
on the sticks.
I had a good friend, Terrence
Martis. He was the son of my
neighbor and we went to the
same school. We became very
close. He taught me a lot of
Papiamentu, we rode bicycles,
we went to the mondi to catch
iguanas, we went snorkeling and
fishing at the Waf the town pier
- and at the Marina. Those were
years that gave me a lot of good
memories. When I went to Havo
high school, Terrence went to
cooking school at SGB and we
remained friends. Nowadays he
is a chef in France.


*0 1996 Xuwen Cen


Life in the States is very
crowded. It's busy every day and
people hardly socialize. My sis-
ters studied accounting and all
three of us worked Fridays, Sat-
urdays and Sundays. I worked as
a waiter, a cashier, as a delivery
boy and as a librarian. Ah! Also
as a guinea pig! When they
would ask people to volunteer for
a new experiment I went, and of
course we got paid for that.
Living in New York was a
great experience and my recom-
mendation is that when some-
body gets the chance to go to a
big city New York or Amster-
dam go for it! Go and see 'the
real world' outside Bonaire, be-
cause there you are forced to
grow up, to become more self
reliant and more organized as


"A child will adapt to everything. Look at me. I
spoke Chinese at home, at school I learned Dutch
and from my friends I learned Papiamentu."


After high school I went to
study electrical engineering in
New York. My sisters and I were
renting an apartment in Brook-
lyn... finally a big city! At first I
liked it very much, but then I
realized I liked Bonaire more.


everybody and everything has its
own agenda.
My sisters stayed in the US.
One is working as a chief ac-
countant and the other one is a
marketing manager. They are
both married.


I came back in 2004 and my
father asked me to set up a super-
market business here. In 1994 he
had started his own restaurant
which he named Peking Bar and
Restaurant on Kaya Korona.
Next to it we had this empty lot
and so the idea was to start a
business there. Wing Cheung
Supermarket opened its doors in
2006.
It took me two years to set it up
because in the meantime I had
met the girl who's now my wife,
Iris Liang, in China in 2005. I
was there for business and that's
how I met her. It was love at first
sight! I stayed for about two


months and met her mother and
her brother. She's from the same
town as I am from, but I'd never
seen her. I'd left too early. Then I
came back to Bonaire for the
final setup and the opening of the
supermarket. In January 2006 Iris
came to Bonaire and we got mar-
ried in March. In the beginning it
was the same for her as it had
been for me, but now she likes it
- she likes the simple and quiet
life and so do I.
The first baby was born in May
2006, a beautiful girl we named
Rachel. In November 2008 our
son, Winson, was born. It was a
(Continued on page 5)


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Page 4 Bonaire Reporter- March 19- Apr11 9, 2010


Xuwen (rt.) and his father at the supermarket


~- ~


Page 4


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010










On the Island Since (Coned from page 4)

great experience. I thought, 'Now
I am a grown up and I have to be
responsible and mature.' In fact
it wasn't such a big change be-
cause I was always a responsible
guy. I like to joke and socialize
and it may not show, but," he
laughs, "I am quite serious. Now
the third baby is on its way, due
in June.
I love children the way they
smile at you and when they call
you daddy. I love almost every-
thing about them... except for
when they're crying! I don't
spend a lot of time with them
right now, but in the future I will.
The reason is that Wing Cheung
Supermarket is only three years
old and it is not yet completely
stable and on track. And the kids
are still small and they don't
have personal thoughts, but when
they start realizing 'daddy should
be here' I will be. I'll make
sure that will work out.
Soon Rachel will be four years
old and she will be going to Peli-
can School because I myself as a
child went through the Dutch
school system and I think the
system was perfect. The reason is
we had to learn Dutch from the
first grade until the sixth grade
and so we had a solid foundation
of the Dutch language because at
SGB Junior and High School all
the books are in Dutch and you
cannot just jump from Papia-
mentu to Dutch. That's impossi-


ble! A child will adapt to every-
thing. Look at me. I spoke Chi-
nese at home, at school I learned
Dutch and from my friends I
learned Papiamentu."
Xuwen Cen is a very likeable
man. He 'sfast and bright and
working hard, but there's always
time for a chat or a joke, and
from what I've heard from the
people who are working for him,
he's a great and very social boss.
"The shop is doing okay. I have
about 10 employees, all of them
Antillean. I believe in good com-
munication with the customers
and to provide great service. I
also believe that as a good direc-
tor, a good leader, I have to be a
member of the team not be on
the outside and that works.
Leaders are seen as models for
the employees, so when the boss
is socializing and giving good
service to the customers and
working hard, it gives the em-
ployees an example.
Last year in August I started an
online course, Master of Busi-
ness Administration, via the Uni-
versity of Phoenix, Arizona. It's
great, it's super, especially for
someone like me full time em-
ployed and a father of almost
three and a husband. Going back
to school was impossible, so now
I can do it online at home. The
whole program will take me one
and a half years. It's time and
money consuming, but I want to
gain more knowledge in manag-
ing a business and I want to push


my knowledge to a higher level
and... I want to set an example
for my children." He laughs. "So
I can tell them 'I am an MBA.
You have to be at least an
MBA...'
Family is the most important
thing in life and achieving your
mission is the second most im-
portant thing. I work about 12
hours per day. After I close the
supermarket at eight, I go next
door to Peking Restaurant where
I work until midnight. Then I
study until two or three in the
morning, and after that I sleep


until 10 and then the day begins
again.
In their free time, most of the
people of the Chinese commu-
nity on this island go fishing with
long nets in the salifias. We also
catch crabs and lobsters and we
play basketball. There are three
teams: Peking, Rincon and Hato.
We play competitively and we
train together and we socialize.
This year, during the Regatta, we
will do the Lion Dance again.
I've invited the team from Cura-
qao to come over, so this time
there will be two Lions.


What do I like about Bonaire?
Number one is nature, including
the blue sea, and then I like the
unspoiled life and the friendly
people. To grow up here it's a
perfect place, but for higher edu-
cation, you have to go abroad.
Going back to China? Ah! I
will go back, but... only for va-
cation!" U



Story & pho-
tos by Greta W
Kooistra .


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father holding daughter Rachel, Xuwen, and his wife Iris who's carrying little Winson


Page 5


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010












A Unique Chance:
Compassionate
Communication on Bonaire!

"When you recognize that all human beings are equal
and like yourself in both their desire for happiness and
their right to obtain it, you automatically feel empathy
and closeness for them... True compassion is not just an
emotional response but a firm commitment founded on
reason.
-The Dalai Lama

We have a vision that the future generations
of children will be able to create new or-
ganizations whose goal is to meet human needs to
make life more wonderful for themselves and each
other.
Marshal Rosenberg, founder of Centre of Nonviolent
Communication (www.cnvc.org), believes that it is in
our nature to enjoy giving and receiving in a compas-
sionate and harmonious manner. But specific forms of
language and communication have contributed to our
behaving "violently" toward each other and ourselves.

Compassionate Communication, Nonviolent Com-
munication (NVC) is a language, a natural process
which can be used by anyone, no matter what age,
cultural background, status or gender. Instead
of communicating with the intention of being right, to
correct, to change, to punish, to reward or to have it "my
way," NVC focuses on connection, trust, understanding,
win-win and equal power. This will result in safety, con-
nection, trust, respect, power and harmony.
Research has shown that people (including chil-
dren) learn, hear and co-operate more willingly in
situations where they experience safety, respect and
belonging.

We are happy to welcome Jean Morrison and Sura
Hart to Bonaire. They bring experience not only in
NVC but also in education, raising children and in rela-
tionships. Sum Hart has written several books about this
topic (www.thenofaultzone.com). Jean Morisson creates
stimulating and inspiring learning material in NVC.
Sura and Jean will conduct different courses:
1)Teach 4 Life! Is based on the principles of NVC,
how to create a classroom where respect and compas-
sion are the basis. During the training we will work on
strengthening the ability to:
* Live with a consciousness of compassion for your-
self and others
* Resolve conflict peacefully and teach children to do
the same


Jean Morrison Sura Hart


* Eliminate power struggles
* Understand and address the root cause of challeng-
ing behavior
* Inspire willing cooperation and learning.
Course 1: April 1st and 3rd. 8am- 5 pm
Course 2: April 6"' and 7"'. 8am-5pm
Cost: NAJ 250 (incl. material and lunch)

2) NVC and Family: Respectful Parents Respect-
ful Kids
In this workshop you will strengthen the ability to:
* Connect compassionately with yourself and your
family
* Inspire open, respectful communication
* Fully support children's' growing need for auton-
omy while also honoring your own needs and values
* End power struggles and shift from trying to man-
age kids' behavior with demands, rewards and conse-
quences, to effectively fostering goodwill and willing co
-operation.
* Increase respect, fun and harmony at home
March 23rd and 30th 7-10pm Cost: NAJ 95


3) NVC and Relation-
ships: Bridging the Com-
munication Gap will fo-
cus on:
* Making peace with
conflict
* Naming old habits of
mind and language which
create distress and walls of
separation
* New habits that create
compassion, connection
and healing
* Steps to liberate our


: thinking and reactions in order to transform anger, hurt,
guilt, and disappointment into energy and expressions
that serve life
*J Clarity about emotions and needs so that we hear
and are heard by others
* A powerful, simple process that gives a foundation
for clear, compassionate communication
March 24th and 25th 7:15-10 pm
I Cost: NAJ 95

4) Custom-made courses for your company, organi-
zation, foundation or community group
Both women speak English. Dutch and Papiamentu
translation are available with all training courses.

With NVC on Bonaire we take a clear and effective
step on the road to a community where all needs count,
no matter what culture, age, color or gender. Therefore I
think it is most effective to start as early as possible,
with the children, schools, teachers and parents. And at
the same time, we as adults need to be role models. How
can we all live in harmony when we ourselves still judge
and assume to know what and who is right or wrong? U
Annemiek le Noble
For more information contact:
Annemiek le Noble
Bonaire Basics; Centre for Awareness; Kaya
Korona 47, 786 3341
Annemiek(dltelbonet.an

The giraffe is the
symbol of the
process of NVC. It
has the biggest
heart of all land
mammals.


DO YOU SUDOKU?

To solve the puzzle, enter the
numbers 1 through 9 to the par-
tially filled in puzzle without re-
peating a number in any row, col-
umn or 3 x 3 region. Answer on
page 18.


5 4
9 2
1 4
8 5
3 6 8
3 1 6

8 7


t 1 6 51 i 1 1 -


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Page 6 Bona ire Reporter- March 19- Apr11 9, 2010


2 BEDROOMS, I BATHROOM
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Page 6


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010
















Johnnie Felida and His Flat Green Painted Jeep Mahindra
The 63rd of a series of Bonaire Reporter articles by J@n Brouwer, featuring
some of Bonaire's interesting vehicles that are "on wheels."
On course for 100+


Tras di Montanja/Bonaire


To me Tras di Montanja is a special
place. A lot of typical vehicles are
more or less hidden behind the mountains
of Bonaire. That day in February I was on
my way with my 600 cc super single to try
to find a kind of old red panel van, built in
the late 40s or the early 50s. I found the
van, but the owner was not at home or en-
joying his siesta. So I drove back, desper-
ately searching for a topic for my next arti-
cle. Then, in a 50-mile flash, I saw a Jeep
Mahindra parked in a koraal (garden/
private property/jb) along the west side of
the road from Rincon. I had seen this Jeep
several years ago, parked along the north
side of the road to Lagoen. I had talked with
the proud owner, but the car and the owner
vanished on this small island of Bonaire.
And then the vehicle re-appeared. Location:
Tras di Montanja 17. Yes!

I already knew the owner was very proud
of his vehicle. Now, by meeting him again,
I found out his name: Johnnie Felida. And
the old red panel van, built in the late 40s or
early 50s, belonged to his brother. And his
brother also had a Jeep Mahindra. It is so
interesting and funny to discover all the
wheeled secrets of Bonaire. And I am that
privileged.

So Johnnie Felida is the owner of one of
the two Jeep Mahindras on the island of
Bonaire. The vehicle was produced by
Mahindra Industries, a huge factory estab-
lished in 1945 in Mumbai, India, producing
automotive and farm equipment. The Jeeps
built in India still show their classic lines.
The Mahindras are derived from the CJ3
and CJ5.

This Jeep Mahindra was built somewhere
in the late 70s or early 80s. From the plastic
badge above the grill in the front of the ve-
hicle only three letters remain: "hin." As the
Bonairean salt eats the metal away, the sun
has the same effect on plastics.

Johnnie's Mahindra is licensed: 814-B.
The vehicle has the classic looks of the real


Jeep, including the traditional seven slits in
the grill. The body is mounted on a ladder
chassis, and four 16-inch wheels and tires
carry the weight of the vehicle. No free
wheel hubs are mounted. Everything is very
basic and standard. Leaf springs in the front
and in the rear, drum brakes all over the
vehicle. A lot of iron is used. The Jeep is
quite heavy. The hood looks old fashioned,
more or less similar to the long body Jeeps
that roll over the island and that are pro-
duced in Colombia, fitted with original
America Hercules engines.
This Jeep Mahindra has an Indian power
plant. Four strokes, four cylinders, one car-
buretor, an air filter with an oil bath to trap
the fine dust. A modem 12-volt system, no
power brakes, no power steering and of
course no power windows. Windows?
There is only one window fitted on this
Jeep. The glass in the front. And you can
fold it down like the soft top. There's a roll
bar too.

Johnny likes his Jeep. He takes a position
next to the car and caresses the soft, more
or less modem looking steering wheel. The
padded wheel is one of the few parts on the
vehicle that shows the word "Mahindra."
We walk around his Jeep: four-wheel drive,
four speeds, high gears, low gears. There is
also a small trailer with an army-like ap-
pearance. The trailer is not Indian made.
The wheels are some 14 inches. Maybe the
trailer is produced by Saris in Europe.
More details about the combination are not
known.
In the near future I shall visit Johnny's
brother. He also has a Jeep Mahindra. But
this one is fitted with a diesel engine, proba-
bly produced under license of Peugeot,
France. And then, of course, there is the red
panel van, parked in a kunuku along the
road to Rincon. Split window? Fire Depart-
ment? Radio wagon?
Mobile movie theatre? I
just do not know yet...

Story & photo by J(@n
Brouwer


Body


THE SILENT PAND
T he three most W4
important words
in your life should be
ALKALIZE, ALKA-
LIZE, ALKALIZE!
Can you remember
what conditions are
good for yeast over- ll1 B
growth and fungus? -- -
Yes, over-acidity.
Where does over-acidity
come from? From
sugar and yeast in our
bread, dairy products, processed foods,
soda drinks and alcohol.
I can hear the collective groan. Is
there anything left to eat? The answer
is very simple indeed. Yes, there is
more than you think. BUT, IT IS un-
processed, IT IS raw at times, IT IS
combined properly with other foods
and IT IS guaranteed to give you the
nutrition that your body so desperately
craves.
So many people are overfed but un-
der-nourished. Are you one of them?
If your health is a problem, then you
are definitely in this category.
One of the changes you can make in
your daily diet is combing foods cor-
rectly. NEVER have a meat (any meat
including fish) with carbohydrates or
starches, like potato, pasta and pump-
kin. This combination neutralizes
stomach acids. Fermentation and pu-
trefaction then become the digesters,
instead of digestive enzymes. Another
one is NEVER to have fruit after a
meal. Fruit needs about 20 minutes on
an empty stomach to digest. If eaten
with, for example, meat which will
take hours to digest (even if correctly
combined), fermentation will follow.
Fermentation then takes us full circle to
the yeast and fungal problem.
Bread and beer consumption on Bon-
aire is extremely high, and I believe
that if people cut down on beer and
switch to un-leavened (yeast free)
bread, we will make a start in address-
ing the health issues on this island.
Another insane habit so many people
have is to drink water with a meal.
Water will dilute your digestive en-
zymes during the meal, and you are
back to square one. So many people
tell me that there is not enough choice
in food on Bonaire. Remember, it is
not how much you eat, but whether you
can digest, absorb, utilize and eliminate


Talk


EMIC LIFESTYLE



mL a


what you have eaten. Keep your meals
simple.
Changing to an antifungal dietary
lifestyle is just the first step on what
should be a life-long road. To speed
up the repair process, items like lem-
ons, garlic, oregano and almonds
should be included on a daily basis.
Excellent herbs like Pau D'Arco, Black
Walnut and Hawthorn berries will not
just support the immune system, but
will also kill off fungi and help support
liver function.
Another interesting fact is that people
who wear dentures have a much higher
fungal and yeast overgrowth and this is
quite noticeable with that "furry" feel-
ing in the mouth. Denture wearers
should take extreme care with oral hy-
giene, as the dentures are a natural
"breeding ground" for fungi. A twice
daily mouthwash with herbal tea is
highly recommended, certainly if you
are prone to mouth ulcers, gum infec-
tions or sore throats.
After all is said and done, only you
can make the change in your life! Stop
making excuses for your bad eating
habits and take back the control. IF
YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF
WHAT YOU EAT, THEN YOU ARE
BEING CONTROLLED BY WHAT
YOU EAT! Which one are you? U
Stephanie Bennett

Author Stephanie Bennett was born in
Cape Town, South Africa, where she
studied herbs, minerals and nutrition.
Before moving to Bonaire she continued
her studies in UK,
and now researches *
health issues that
particularly affect
people on Bonaire
and other Carib-
bean Islands.


Regain your Physical and Emotional Health
the way nature intended.
Herbs from all over the world
Mineral Supplements
Herbal painkillers
Natural anti-inflarnmatory creams
Dengue Fever prevention & treatment
Mosquito after-bite cream

Tel. 788 0030 for an appointment

HARMONY HOUSE
Stephanie Bennett S.N.H.S Dip
Kinesiology & Diabetes Management
Kaya Papa Comes #2, Antriol
www harmonyhousebonaire. corn


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


Page 7











Mortgage a.-pproved within 4 )hou IIS!+

-Bunrk will co-ver the cLc~st yr pprai-,al up tci, 1.1mnximurn ~pi NAL 250,-
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-nthis ufler is vulid until Iebrunry 28. 2010


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COMMUNICATION


Communication is a very essential
part of human life. The word com-
munication or to communicate means to
have contact; to understand each other;
have interchangeable thoughts. If we could
communicate in the best manner we could
avoid a lot of misunderstandings, hatred
and even war. There's a saying, "Evil com-
munications corrupt good manners." Trans-
late it in Dutch "Kwade gezelschappen
bederven goede zeden."
Today we have variety of means of com-
munication to bring information to the pub-
lic: magazines, newspapers, advertise-
ments, television, computers, radio and a
lot more. How do YOU make use of these
medias?
I interviewed a real Bonairean who has
owned a radio station for 15 years and has
the heart and soul for his work. His name is
Mr. Carmo "Bubui" Cecilia (59) director of
Radio Station BONFM 102.7, and he tells
us the story of how he got involved with
the radio station.
"I worked for a radio station called Radio
Hoyer 3 in 1976. Before that I'd worked as
a correspondent for the Dutch Amigoe


newspaper. This was as a part-timer, as I
was a fulltime schoolteacher at the primary
school.
After being involved with the radio sta-
tion, Voz di Boneiru, and the newspaper
extra in the 80s and 90s my family and I
decided to start our own radio station,
BONFM. I got the permit and every five
years I have to renew it.

Our radio station stands for education and
conscientious objectives. The kind of pro-
gramming we offer is:
1. "Bondia Boneiru" ("Good morning,
Bonaire"), News, SEBIKI (a family educa-
tion program), a Health and Nutrition pro-


gram, musical entertainment (Bonairean,
Antillean, Latin American, Caribbean and
American music).
The name BON FM stands for GOOD
RADIO STATION. The information and
music that are presented to you must be of
a good quality and at a high level. We have
a special section during the news time for
our radio listeners when they may call and
give their opinions. It's called "Opinion di
nos Oyentenan (Opinion of our radio
listeners)."
Communication must be the truth. What
is needed to be said or to communicate is
only the truth and don't misuse the media
to achieve any other kind of purpose. Don't
use the means for communication to un-
justly criticize people. You must do the
work correctly so people will believe in
what you are writing or saying. Cultivate
credibility in your work. To our readers
and listeners: You must be critical with
yourself in what you read and hear. Ask
yourself what the truth is in what I'm read-
ing or hearing."
So as you can see, we as radio listeners
and newspaper readers also have work to
do, by finding out the
truth.
Send your comments to
The Bonaire Reporter,
P.O. Box 407, Bonaire,
or email reporter
(@bonairenews.com.


Times are Tough (Continued from page 3)
least once a week or more often, and remov-
ing accumulated algae and dirt. By offering
birds a place to bathe and drink, not only will
you be helping them get much needed water,
but you'll be rewarded with the antics of
many species of birds--right in your own
yard.
If you have garden plants that provide food
for wildlife consider watering them. It can be
a sad sight watching your yard turning
brown, so if you decide to irrigate your plants
focus on the food producing plants and trees.
At WEB's rates plant irrigation can quickly
break the budget, so be selective.
Economize by using water which might
have normally been wasted. For example, use
a bucket to catch extra water when you run
the water before a shower. If you take a bath,
use the bath water to water trees, shrubs, and
non-edible plants (not your vegetable or herb
garden!). The same goes for dishwater. Fi-
nally, try placing a bucket under downspouts
to catch runoff from any rain that falls. Don't
fertilize during drought. Fertilizer promotes
plant growth, which increases the need for
water.
You can conserve water and prepare your
garden even before drought hits by planting
native instead of non-native plants. They
usually require less care than non-native spe-
cies and are therefore more likely to survive
when a drought does strike. And the local
wildlife will appreciate them.0 G.D.


Why The Reporte'.

* Real stories, news and letters

* Balanced views and topics people want to read

* More copies than any print media distributed on

Bonaire-6,000 per month. Low cost per copy.

* Aimed at Locals and Tourists

* Your ads go Worldwide on the Internet... free

* In English- The language of bargains and business

* Big format- your ad is never "lost


in the clutter."

* Free Directory listings for regular advertisers







The REPORTER
Helping Bonaire Grow Responsibly


I


Money to spend for advertising is always hard to find,
Contact us today to make your advertising budget
REALLY WORK!

The Bonaire Reporter,
PO Box 407,
Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles;
Phones: (599) 790-6518, 786-6518, 790-8988
E-mail: Laura@bonairereporter.com


Page 8 Bonaire Reporter- March 19- Apr11 9, 2010


Let The Reporter CompleteYour Business Picture



With A Specially Designed Advertising Plan


Page 8


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


1













WHAT WILL IT TAKE?
Dear Editor:

I read with great sadness the letter from
Jane Madden about the demolishing of the
old and venerable cactus in the garden next
door to her (The Reporter, March 5-19,
2010, "100 Years of Natural Beauty Gone in
an Instant"). My sadness was heightened by
the fact that the people behind this were with
TransWorld Radio. TWR has been a part of
Bonaire for many years and I and many oth-
ers had considered them to be a part of the
island family. To have allowed something
like this to happen, when Ms. Madden went '
out of her way to offer solutions to cutting
down the cactus, is unconscionable. Tran-
sients on Bonaire perhaps don't understand
the importance of island flora but after hav-
ing the situation explained to them they
should have reached a compromise which
did NOT include cutting down the cactus.
We have uncaring developers allow-
ing runoff from building sites to go onto our
reefs and into the sea, and people coming
here temporarily who destroy precious, his-
torical plants. What is it going to take to get
the attention of people and organizations
who should know better to stop and rethink
their methods so that our island environment
can survive?
Dabney Lassiter


* The Bonaire Reporter?

Just about everywhere!


j 'a\2M hus


Rotarians Sara Matera and Huub Groot present a check to SGB teachers
Vernon Martijn, Liz Rinja and Izzy Semeleer
otary Club Bonaire held its Valentine Day lunch at SGB Chez Nous. It
was a perfect setting to give a check of NAf 1.000 to the Culinare
Bonaire Foundation for the Italy Stage 2010 project. This project is in its
eighth year. Every year eight young SGB hospitality students are selected to
attend a cooking school in Italy's Emilia Romagna Region for three weeks. The
latest group will be leaving this May.
This program stimulates the hospitality students and provides them with a
world-wide learning and growing experience. The opportunity is not only about
cooking but also visiting the area's famous export products and seeing the way
the products are made: wines, olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese,
prosciutto, and of course museums and cultural events.
Another event, the popular Bonaire Rotary Club Rotarally, will be on
Sunday, March 28. The rally will begin at 9 am at the Sporthall and
finish at the Sunset Beach hotel waterfront. Participation costs NAf 75 ($42)
and includes two tickets to the rally-end BBQ. Proceeds to benefit the BIBLIO
Bus (Library Bus). Tickets can be purchased in advance at Sunbelt Realty, It
Rains Fishes Restaurant, Akkerman's Auto Supplies, or from any Rotary mem-
ber. r Press release


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


Page 9









Special Olympics Bonaire
Every year since it was started in 2003, the Special Olympics Bonaire Walk-a-Thon has gotten
bigger and bigger. That first year, in 2003, 290 tickets were sold. This year, the 8th annual Walk-a
-thon, more than 630 tickets, at NAJ 25 each, were sold. It may be time for a name change as this year
there were more bikers than walkers: 220 bikers to 215 walkers. (The bikers do have to take a longer
route.) So nearly 200 tickets were purchased by individuals and groups who did not make the trek but
wanted to support the Walk-a-Thon anyway.
All funds raised from this event will help our Special Olympics Team Bonaire to participate in future
games, with the Special Olympic Games in Greece in 2012 on the hori-
zon.
Main sponsors for the Walk-a-Thon are Digicel, Wega di Number,
Fatum Insurance, Hitess and MCB Bank. Nearly the whole community
offered support in every possible way. 0 L.D.


Volunteers at the Pasa Dia prepared the food for the finishers


The Green Label Team walked with the same palm tree
as last year (only bigger now)


+ The Walkathon was fun for the entire family and friends.
4*Nazario Alberto, the North Salinja Road Runner, was
among the first finishers.
0 Div) o. /oBonaire' lIt. (iovri'or'. (,lenn Ihodkt (piartiall.i
,,l,, ured) and Hubert "oina, assihi ,rd hi,' I le l /.ga- e out
r'lreshnlenl'. -Ile, hti/d I/dik pariir i/,aled in M/te ir,/Ak.


New Stock:
44- Tall G r Ge e n
4-ld riw. Tall abeI
field grown palmsl!
3 :- i


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


STO (lRAGE S SPACESS 1AVAI AllLE,
Bonaire's First "Personal" Self Storage Facility
Storage space from closet size to garage size.
Monthly, yearly and long term contracts.
Mangasina di Boneiru, B.V.
P.O. Box 50
Kaya Gob. Debrot 124B-"
Behind the yellow "Rum Factory"
Across from Hamlet Oasis.
Call 700-1753
WWW.BONAIRESELFSTORAGE
.COM
E-mail info@d
bonaireselfstorage.com T R A I N
STORING EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN


Page 10









m


O n Friday March 5, the re-
nowned American pianist
Marilyn Kredel gave a piano recital at
tCacique Hall at the Plaza Resort, spon-
sored by the Classical Music Board
Bonaire (CMBB).
It was the latest in a series of audi-
ence-friendly performances tailored to
the tastes of Bonaire residents. Over
100 spectators enjoyed the varied pro-
gram of Scarlatti, Beethoven, Chopin,
Schumann, Liszt, Dvorak, Saint-Saens,
Toch and more. But it was much more
than a recital as Marilyn shared stories
and gave explanations about the pieces
she played. The atmosphere in Cacique i.,il!
was casual, pleasant and very friendly.
Marilyn performed two Domenico ScaE -
latti sonatas, originally written for harpsi-
chord. That was the prelude to the master -
piece by Ludwig van Beethoven, the Wal.I-
stein Sonata, a 25-minute severe and pro-
found piece and, as she described, require -i_
intense effort on the part of the pianist.
A special treat was Dvorak's Slavonic
Dance number 6 and 8 for four hands,
played by Marilyn and Hans Faassen. The
whirlwind pace and fortissimo of these
pieces originally written for orchestra over-
whelmed the spectators.
The proceeds from this concert will go to
the Fundashon Piano Grandi for purchase of
new bass strings. Thank you, Marilyn.

There is now a brand new website
made by the CMBB. The site gives all
the news of the upcoming concerts, infor-
mation about past concerts and more.
And you may now order tickets on line.
Go to:
www.classicalmusicbonaire.com/


Al Fresc
Between
One street
Re
inf
Op.


wf eA


BonQuiz #26


.. ..- .


S< nool C(1)\(. I T1 !E i !. !inc,.I UK . .u I 1 i!...!!! I,,
' '>: l,, .l i i ...lI ) Il I .. .. |i , I ., I
I"" *!.".i Is. I'' c I" .!" !"i .1. ,!".n I
E. 1 1S.I ol. 1 ..I !o I ad.1, ,( )




i .- c-.pl.ln lihc ulIin .anld 111c11in1i l'.1
music in life, in all cultures and at all


times, Marilyn played pieces to depict what
appeared in a painting. It was a place like
Kralendijk with houses, a harbor with ships
and the sea. Her piece was by Scarlatti, a
16th century Italian composer, and the audi-
ence could almost see the sea waves beating
on the beach in the music. She also played
other music used for parties and dances.
Marilyn and Hans Faassen performed a
four-handed piece of Slavic dances by
Dvorak from the 19th century, which
brought great applause.
The students' concert was made possible
by the CMBB which will have four school
concerts a year. All schools on the island


r


o or Air Conditioned Dining
n Downtown and Hotel Row
inland-Kaya Gob. Debrot 46
reservations: 717-7070
fo@bistrodeparis.com
en Monday -Saturday


*


................... Eli


Marilyn ana Hans Passen play "quatremamn"


have received a letter and email so they can
register for the next concert. Tickets are low
priced: NAfl0; children under 12 is NAf 6.

If you have yet to attend a CMBB con-
cert be sure to try the next one on April 27
featuring top musicians from the 2010
Aruba Piano Festival. The experience of
being in a small room close to the perform-
ers is almost unique in the world of classical
music. If classical music intimidates you, it
won't in this setting. Remember, these clas-
sics have set the stage for modem music,
and Chopin's works are even the basis for
the Antillean Tumba.M L. G. D.


Centuries ago a little village lay sleep-
ily along the west coast of Bonaire.
It had several scattered straw-roofed huts
surrounding Fort Oranje in Playa. Ships
calling at this tiny village tied up close to
the beach. They used this object to secure
their mooring lines.
The port's commander lived in the build-
ing that was built in 1837 which today
serves as the Island Government's adminis-
trative office. In 1848 the title of Com-
mander changed to Lt. Governor as it is
today.
Q) What is the object in the photo,
and can you locate it?
Answer on page 18
BonQuiz appears regu-
larly in The Reporter.
It's prepared by Christie
Dovale of Christie
Dovale Island Tours.
Contact her to arrange a
tour, Phone 717-4435 or
795-3456 or email:
christiedovale(Ahotmail.com.


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Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


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Monday 2010 AidaAura 0800-1600 1260 0
March 23,
Tuesday 2010 Ocean Dream 0800-1600 1000
Wednes- March 24,
day 2010 Sea Princess 1200-1900 2016

2m
March 30,
Tuesday 2010 Ocean Dream 0800-1600 1000 o


Thurs- April 1,.0E
day 2010 Bremen 0800-2300 164 E'
Thurs- April 1,
day 2010 Caribbean Princess 1100-1900 3100
April 2, Enchantment of the
Friday 2010 Seas 0730-1630 2446 --
April 6,
Tuesday 2010 Ocean Dream 0800-1600 1000
April 6,
Tuesday 2010 Sea Princess 1200-1900 2016
April 9, Enchantment of the
Friday 2010 Seas 0730-1630 2446


REGULAR EVENTS

Rooi Lamoenchi Kunuku Park
Tours $21 (includes tax). Discounts for
residents and local people. Tel. 717-
8489, 540-9800.
Parke Publico children's play-
ground open every day into the cooler
evening hours.
Saturday
* Rincon Marshe-6 am-2 pm.
Enjoy a Bonairean breakfast while you
shop, fresh fruits and vegetables, gifts,
local sweets, snacks, arts, handicrafts,
candles, incense, drinks, music. Big
March first Saturday of the month-
www.infobonaire.com/rincon.
* Wine Tasting at Antillean Wine
Company's warehouse on Kaya Indus-
tria, second Saturday of the month, 7-9
pm. Snacks and tasting of six wines for
$10 (NAf 17,50) per person. Tel. 560-
7539.
Soldachi Tours-See the real
Bonaire and be transported back in time.
Learn about the history, culture and na-
ture by Bonaireans from Rincon. Call
Maria Koeks for more information-796-
7870.
Monday
* Soldachi Tours of Rincon, the heart
of Bonaire, 9 am-noon. $20-Call Maria,
717-6435-best island tour value
* Meet the Captain Night at Captain
Don's Habitat Bar- Get up close and
personal with Bonaire's dive pioneer.
The Captain's will autograph your copy
of his newest book Reef Windows.
Friday
* Harbour Village Tennis, Social
Round Robin 7-10 pm. $10 per person.
Cash bar. All invited. Call Elisabeth Vos at
565-5225


FREE SLIDE/VIDEO SHOWS
Sunday- Creature Feature- John and
Suzie Wall of Buddy's Digital photo cen-
ter present a multimedia slide presenta-
tion about Buddy's House Reef pool bar
Buddy Dive, 6:30-7 pm, 717-5080
Monday-Dee Scarr's Touch the Sea
Slide Presentation, Capt. Don's Habitat,


Date Day


Friday


g Ig i i Ii ,'l '' e S, I]l





I I'lt I#IW'/ ~/k I i f
I lmoet JIIns' A I rtExhib it-1 n i tl






Page 1S 21, 2
Regatta on th Promenade, rom l 9-non]








Sepage 17.


March 19,
2010


I I 7r-


Who's Who on The Bonaire Reporter
Take The Reporter Home-1-year subscription: By mail to US $70; By mail to
Europe $150. By Internet $35 donation. For information about subscriptions, sto-
ries or advertising in The Bonaire Reporter, PO Box 407, Bonaire, Netherlands
Antilles; phone (599) 790-6518, 786-6125, E-mail: info@bonairereporter.com
The Bonaire Reporter, George DeSalvo, Publisher. Laura DeSalvo, Editor in
Chief. Address: P. 0. Box 407, Bonaire, Neth. Antilles. Available on-line at:
www.bonairereporter.com Published every two weeks
Reporters: Siomara Albertus, Stephanie Bennett, J@On Brouwer, Christie
Dovale, Jack Horkheimer, Greta Kooistra, Alicia Reigel, Peter Silberie, Michael
Thiessen
Unattributed photos are by the editor or publisher.
Distribution: Yuchi Molina (Rincon), Elisabeth Silberie (Playa), Divi-Divi Air-
line
Housekeeping: JRA. Printed by: DeStad Drukkerij, Curaqao
2010 The Bonaire Reporter

Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


I I . I


8:30 pm. 717-8529
Tuesday-- Bonaire Land and Ocean
presentation by Fish-Eye Photo staff, 7pm
on the big screen inside the Sunset Bar
and Grill at Den Laman Condos.
Wednesday Sea Turtle Conserva-
tion Bonaire (STCB) presents an
informative slide show: Sea Turtles of
Bonaire, at 7pm -every 2nd and 4th
Wednesday at Bruce Bowker's Carib
Inn (717-8819)


BONAIRE'S TRADITIONS
Kas Krioyo Rincon-Step into Bonaire's past
in this venerable old home that has been re-
stored and furnished so it appears the family has
just stepped out. Local ladies will tell you the
story. Open Monday thru Friday, 9 -12,2-4.
Weekends by appointment. Call 717-2445.
MangasinadiRei, Rincon. Enjoy the view
from "The King's Storehouse." Learn about
Bonaire's culture. Visit homes from the 17th
century. Daily. Call 7174060 / 790-2018
Bonaire Museum on Kaya J. v.d. Ree, behind
the Catholic Church in town. Open weekdays
from 8 am-noon, 1:30-5 pin Tel. 717-8868
Washington-Slagbaai National Park,
Museum and Visitors' Center. Open
daily 8 am-5 pm. Closed on December
25th. and January 1st. Call 788 9015 or
796 5681
CLUBS and MEETINGS

AA meetings every Wednesday at 7pm.
Phone: 786-4651 or 786-7971
Al-Anon meetings every Monday
evening at 7 pm. Call 790-7272
Bridge Club Wednesdays, 7:15
pm- All levels, NAf2,50, call Renata at
796-5591 to find out the evening's loca-
tion.
Darts Club plays every other Sunday
at City Cafe. Registration at 4, games at
5. Tel. 717-2950, 560-7539.
The Hash House Harriers running and
walking club meets every second
Wednesday for a one hour walk through-
out Bonaire. The location changes each
week. The contact number is 700-4361
JCI First Wednesday of the Month-
Junior Chamber International Bonaire
(JCI Bonaire, formerly known as Bonaire
Jaycees) meets at the ABVO building,
Kaminda Jato Baco 36 from 7:30 to 9:30
pm. Everyone is welcome. Contact: Re-
nata Domacasse 516-4252.
Kiwanis Club meets at APNA Plaza,
Kaya International, every other Tues-
day, 7 pm. Tel. 717-5595, Jeannette
Rodriguez.
Lions Club meets every 2nd and 4th
Thursday of the month at 8 pm at Kaya
Sabana # 1. All Lions welcome. For more
information call 510-0710.
Rotary lunch meetings Wednesdays, 12
noon-2 pm Divi Flamingo Beach Resort
upstairs in Peter Hughes meeting room


above the dive shop. All Rotarians wel-
come. Tel. 717-2066
Toastmasters Club meets every two
weeks. For more information call Crusita
de Palm at 786-3827 or Lucia Martinez
Beck, at 786-2953.
CHURCH SERVICES

Protestant Congregation of Bonaire:
Kralendijk, Wilhelminaplein. In Papia-
mentu, Dutch, English, Sundays, 10 am.
Rincon, Kaya C.D. Crestian, in Papia-
mentu, Sundays, 8:30 am.
Children's club, Saturdays, 5 pm, in Kral-
endijk
Sunday School, Sundays, 4 pm, in Rin-
con. Bible Study and Prayer meetings,
Thursday, at 8 pm, Kralendijk.
New Apostolic Church: Centro di Bario
Nord Salifia, Sundays, 10 am. Services in
Dutch. 700-0379.
International Bible Church of Bonaire,
at SGB High School auditorium (Kaya
Frater Odulfinus, off Kaya Korona.) Sun-
day services in English at 9 am, Sunday
evening prayer meeting at Pastor's home,
7 pm. Friday, 6 to 8 pm, Light & Life
Club, children 5 to 12 yrs. Tel. 717-8332.
Catholic: San Bernardus in Kralendijk -
Services, Sunday at 8 am and 7 pm in
Papiamentu, 717-8304.
Our Lady of Coromoto in Antriol, Satur-
day at 6 pm in English. Mass in Papia-
mentu on Sunday at 9 am and 6 pm. 717-
4211.
Assembly of God (Asemblea di Dios):
Kaya Triton (Den Cheffi). In English,
Dutch & Papiamentu on Sunday at 10 am.
Wednesday Prayer Meeting at 7:30 pm.
717-2194
Ministerio di Kristu Hesus Services Sun-
day mornings at 10 am at Jong Bonaire
Youth Center in English, Dutch and Papia-
mentu. Preaching the full gospel. Contact:
786-2557.

Prayer and Intercession Church, in
English. A full Gospel Church located
temporarily at Kaya Alexandrit # 20,
Santa Barbara, Republiek. Services are
held on Sunday mornings from 10am
until 11:30am. Bible studies in English
are on Monday nights from 7 to 8 pm.
Contact: 717-3322

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints: Kaya Sabana #26, Sun-
days: 9 am Sacrament Ser-
vices (Translation to English and Papia-
mentu upon request) 10:20 Sunday
School, 11:15 RS/YM/YW/PH Primary
held from 10:20-12 noon Visitors Wel-
come: Call 701-9522 for Information
Send event info to:
The Bonaire Reporter
reporter@bonairenews.com
Tel:790-6518, 786-6125



















4k


Bonaire Reporter Classifieds- Are still free
Got something to buy or sell?
Non-Business Classified Ads (up to 4 lines/ 20 words): FREE
Commercial Ads only NAf1,10 per word, for each two-week issue.
Call 790-6518 or 790-6125 or email info@bonairereporter.com


IS YOUR HOUSE NEW TO
YOU?
.1hitke it / re livable
[t'r iLthe tart.


FENG SHUI CONSULTATIONS
..I II n'lh'[ ,I ,'1 ".h. [ Ikl !r l .k I li j,.1' ".
k.ld r _l I M !l !L ,1 H .k LL ,_
i_ i !.i!. 'd]i .- I I I Ld .-'r. n 'L '.1 [".'l' L -Lr .'
Call Donna al '795-9332

FELMAR
Cleaning Services
SApartments, Hotels,
Houses, Offices & More.
Efficient Work,
Good References.
Tel. 786-0019

Bonaire Images
Elegant greeting cards and beautiful
boxed note cards are now available at Chat
-N-Browse next to Lover's Ice Cream and
Sand Dollar Grocery. Photography by
Shelly Craig www.bonaireimages.com

For Quality House
and Office Cleaning ..
CALL JRA
Serving Bonaire for more
than 15 years
Honest, Reliable, Efficient,
Thorough, Low rates, Ref-
erences. One time or many
Phone 785-9041 ... and relax.

A LUNCH TO GO
Starting from NAf6,50 per meal.
Call CHINA NOBO 717-8981.
Web site:
www.chinanobobonaire.comrn


Zapataria Rincon
Shoe and Purse Repair
Kaya Grandi 36


UTD@ERE
ONAIRE
DO sOMErTING DIFTnRNTI
KAI AKIIN- Lo AVNlr. C. I I-IIIrJi I -.ArI I N
.AlIN ILIN- A lAC JU 4.1H lir NAIi J1,,l
Tel (599) 791-6272 785-6272
hanss@ouldoorbonaire.com
.,,,-nn,J.ouldoorbonaire.com


Desiree Seaver





A Place For You

y Does your English need a little
"polishing" for your work in the
tourist industry? Call 788-7919 for
help with conversational English.

Property Services Bonaire B.V. Taking
care of your properties (while you are off
island). Email for information and prices:
propertyservicesbonaire(Thotmail.com

JANART GALLERY
Kaya Gloria 7, Bonaire Local Art, Art
Supplies, Framing, and Art Classes. Open
Tu.-We.-Th. & Sat 10 am- 5 pm Friday 1- 7
pm; or phone 717-5246 for appt.


CARS
Leaving the island. For sale: White
Daewoo Matiz, 2000, 5-doors, 5-
speed, 51.000 km, airco, original. Two
new tires and a new battery. Ang.
7.000. Call 717 2399 or mail digi-
talisl956@hotmail.com for a picture
and more information.

Living Accommodations
Wanted: Mature, responsible, sin-
gle woman to take care of my house
and dog in Belnem in exchange for
reduced rent (NAJ450 a month) for
separate, spacious guesthouse with
bedroom, kitchen, private bathroom
and outside "gazebo" living room all
situated in a beautiful walled-in gar-
den. Cable TV and Internet included.
Utilities NAJ 175 a month. Available
March 19 for long term. Email
Pauline at
pkaves(@diversitvworksinc.net.

FOR RENT 2 bedroom apartment.
Great location Abraham Blvd. ANG
1350 month long term. Laundry facil-
ity on premises. 788-3837

For rent at Hato, apartment (2 bed-
rooms) 1-2 persons. From 10 February.
Minimum stay 4 months. No pets al-
lowed. no airco allowed. Incl.; gas/
water/electricity/internet/linen/selibon/
furnished/garden/parking place/terrace/
tv connection Rent per month NAf
850,-- All In NAf 1150,-- normal
use. Deposit NAf 1150,--

Hato -for rent small house 1-2 per-
sons (2 bedrooms). From March. Mini-
mum stay 4 months with airco, water,
electricity, internet, linen, selibon,
furnished, garden, parking area, dish-
washer, washing-machine, boiler etc.
private terrace. (separate TV connec-
tion and gas possible). No pets al-
lowed. 717-2529 or 796-2529.


MISCELLANEOUS


For Sale: Blonde wood entertain-
ment center. Dimensions: 183cm w X
189cm h X 41.5cm d. NAJ300;
Sony Tuner 75NAf; JVC VHS w.
videos Technics Tape Deck 50NAF;
2007 MITSUBITISHI truck running
board NAf 200
Call: 717-2050


16 Flights a day
between
Bonaire and
Curagao


DIVi DIVI


Divi Divi Air
Reservations
24 hours a day
Call
(5999 839-1515)
Or (5999


KRALENDIJK TIDES (Heights in feet, FT)
Remember: Winds and weather can f,, d. i ... 11 ..... the local tide's height and time


DATE Time Ht. Time Ht. Time Ht. Time Ht. COEF
3-19 3:30 1.7FT. 14:01 1.OFT. 80
3-20 4:21 1.8FT. 14:38 0.9FT. 76
3-21 5:24 1.8FT. 15:18 0.8FT. 69
3-22 6:18 1.9FT. 15:51 0.8FT. 61
3-23 7:20 1.9FT. 16:17 0.8FT. 55
3-24 8:12 1.9FT. 16:43 0.9FT. 53
3-25 1:04 1.2FT. 9:09 1.9FT. 17:10 0.9FT. 22:42 1.2FT. 57
3-26 2:49 1.1FT. 10:01 1.8FT. 17:30 1.0OFT. 22:43 1.3FT. 67
3-27 4:16 1.1FT. 10:54 1.7FT. 17:44 1.0OFT. 23:04 1.4FT. 78
3-28 5:39 1.1FT. 11:52 1.6FT. 17:52 1.1FT. 23:39 1.5FT. 88
3-29 0:11 1.6FT. 7:05 1.0OFT. 12:49 1.4FT. 17:51 1.2FT. 96
3-30 0:57 1.7FT. 8:36 1.0OFT. 14:08 1.3FT. 17:33 1.2FT. 100
3-31 1:44 1.8FT. 10:15 0.9FT. 100
4-01 2:37 1.8FT. 11:50 0.9FT. 95
4-02 3:37 1.9FT. 13:02 0.8FT. 87
4-03 4:32 1.9FT. 14:01 0.8FT. 77
4-04 5:35 1.8FT. 14:44 0.8FT. 64
4-05 6:27 1.8FT. 15:27 0.8FT. 52


Pinball Machine Jokerz For sale at
NAf 595 or best offer. Over NAf 1500
invested in new circuit boards, parts etc.
Needs finishing up with some wiring etc.
Call 717-8819 8 am to 5 pm

Refrigerator LG Electrocool, not even
one year old, NAf 750.-. Phone 786-
3117.

TV for sale 27" Phillips flat screen color
TV $75 -Please call 717-3809

Brand new Haynes Repair Manual
Jeep Wrangler 1987 thru 2003, all mod-
els: Ang 50,00.
Old book in Dutch language: "Oude
bouwwerken in de Nederlandse Antillen,
[1968]. 50 pages: Ang 15,00.
Spare wheel Toyota Hilux: Ang 50,00.
Call 796-3637 or email
digitalisl956@hotmail.com/

WANTED
20' container in good condition. Call
Donna 795-9332

Want to help Bonaire's only Chil-
dren's Playground and Park?.
The Park urgently need financial contribu-
tions, Park volunteers for flea market,
clean-ups, maintenance etc. or to become
an action member of the Keep the Park
Open committee.
For more please call Vicky Bissessar 786
1592.

Get Results Fast
Commercial ads are Inexpensive, Non
-commercial ads are free.
The Bonaire Reporter
Email Reporter@BonaireNews.com
Tel. 790-6518, 786-6125


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


On Track for 10/10/10 (Continued from page 3)
If these laws are passed then, said Antillean
Prime Minister Emily de Jong, it should be
possible, with effort, to meet the 10/10/10
target date for the new structure for the
Dutch Caribbean islands. During his Dutch
visit Abraham made a fervent case that the
"bigger, richer and more powerful" Netherlands
should have more understanding and show re-
spect for Bonaire, with "only 15,000 souls."
Even though Bonaire is a small island, it has a
right to determine its own future, he pointed
out. He warned that the people of Bonaire
couldn't handle the pressure by the Netherlands,
and that tension was rising on the island, with
locals fearing a take-over by the Dutch.
Last Tuesday, Jopie Abraham didn't show up
for a scheduled meeting with State Secretary
Bijleveld. It was supposed to be a brief, but
important meeting, aimed at trying to break the
deadlock between the Dutch Government and
Bonaire's Executive Council.
The 10/10/10 transition date, while symbolic,
is not sacrosanct. Not only do the Consensus
Laws and Kingdom Charter Amendment still
have to be actually passed in both chambers of
the Dutch Parliament, but there are several
additional laws that require approval. U G.D.
[There had been several years of pressure in
Austria from Germany for the "Heim ins
Reich"-movement to integrate the countries.
Fully devoted to remaining independent but
under considerable pressure from both German
and Austrian Nazis, Austria's Chancellor Kurt
Schuschnigg tried to hold a referendum to ask
the Austrian people whether they wished to
remain independent or merge into Germany.
Although Schuschnigg expected Austria to
vote in favor of maintaining autonomy, a well-
planned coup d'6tat by the Austrian Nazi Party
of Austria's state institutions in Vienna took
place on 11 March, prior to the referendum
which was then cancelled. The officer in
charge of the Anschluss was the Reich Com-
missaris.]
Page 13


I











SHOPPING and SERVICE GUIDE


AIRLINES
Divi Divi Air. Bonaire's "on time airline" with 16
flights a day between Bonaire and Curaqao. Your first
choice for inter-island travel. Now flying to Aruba.

AIRTOURS
The Bonaire Aero Club invites you to see Bonaire
from the air. Take a one-hour flight with up to three
persons. Ideal for photography or environmental study
or see your house.

APPLIANCES /TV/ ELECTRONICS and
COMPUTERS
City Shop, the mega store, has the island's widest se-
lection of large and small home appliances, furniture,
TV, computers, cell phones and more. Fast service and
in-store financing too.

BANKS

Maduro and Curiel's Bank provides the greatest
number of services, branches and ATMs of any Bon-
aire bank. They also offer investments and insurance.

BEAUTY PARLOR

Hair Affair. Expert hair cutting, styling, facials and
facial waxing.

BICYCLE / SCOOTER/ QUADS

De Freewieler sells bikes and all kinds of bike acces-
sories. They do professional repairs on almost anything
on two wheels. Have your keys made here too.

BOOKS

Reef Windows is Captain Don's latest book and fea-
tures the true stories of the naming of many Bonaire
dive sites. A great souvenir as well.

DINING

Bistro di Paris A real French restaurant with afford-
able prices and friendly Bonairean ambiance
Owned and operated by a French Chef
On Kaya Gob. Debrot / mile north of town
Pasa Bon Pizza is Bonaire's best. Freshly prepared piz-
zas made with the fmest ingredients. Salads, desserts. Eat
in or take away. Nice bar too. 780-1111 Call ahead to eat
-in or take out, Next to Bistro (above)
Lunchroom de Bonairiaan-Breakfast & lunch pre-
pared and served by Stichting Project students under
professional guidance. Monday-Friday, 9-2. Kaya Gob.
N.Debrot, opposite Divi Flamingo.


DIVING
Carib Inn is the popular 10-room inn with top-notch
dive shop and well stocked retail store. Best book trade
on Bonaire. Good prices on regulator repair, dive com-


puter H.Q.

ScubaVision Document your Bonaire vacation above
and below the water with a custom DVD by Bonaire's
top videographer, Hendrik Wuyts


GARDEN SUPPLIES AND SERVICES

Green Label has everything you need to start or main-
tain your garden. They can design, install and maintain it
and offer plants, irrigation supplies and garden chemi-
cals. Now in new expanded location off Kaya Industria.

Captain Don's Plants, Trees and More sells genuine
acclimated Bonaire plants. Take a 30-inute tour too.
Strong plants for strong Bonaire gardens.

HEALTH

Harmony House-The herb and mineral center. Help
your body heal itself.

Natural Way Health Store-The place where all the
hard to find natural and healthy products are. Upstairs
from Botika Bonaire, on Kaya Grandi.

HOME CARE

Bonaire Second Home Care can handle all the needs
of second home owners on Bonaire including inspec-
tion, management and cleaning.

INTERNET AND CELLULAR SERVICE

MIO offers by far the clearest, most reliable phone
signal on the island PLUS WIRELESS HIGH-SPEED
INTERNET almost everywhere on Bonaire.

LIQUEUR

Taste a Cactus when you try Cadushy of Bonaire
Liqueur. Available in many shops and markets it
makes the perfect souvenir of the island.

PEST CONTROL

Professional Pest Control. Call Peter to get rid of all
those nasty pets like termites, fleas, ticks and ants that
want to invade your home. Call now and save your
investment in your home.

PHOTO FINISHING

Paradise Photo in the Galeries Shopping Center
downtown offers fast, fine processing for prints, slides,
items and services. Full digital services.


REAL ESTATE / RENTAL AGENTS

Bonaire Sunshine Homes is the realtor with a local
touch. Ask them to show you the good value homes


they list. Call them if you are thinking of selling your
home.

Caribbean Homes, "the Refreshing Realtor," special-
izing in luxury homes, condos, lots, rentals and prop-
erty management.

Sunbelt Realty offers full real estate, rental, and insur-
ance services. If you want a home or to invest in Bon-
aire, stop in and see them.

RETAIL
Benetton, world famous designer clothes available
now in Bonaire at prices less than those in US. For
men, women and children.

Best Buddies and Pearls-Stunning fresh water pearl
jewelry, fashion, gifts, t shirts. Wonderful service, free
gift wrap.

STORAGE
The Storehouse (Mangazina in Papiamentu) offers
Secure Storage For Vehicles, Household Items, Diving
And Sporting Gear, Business Files or Inventory.
Across from the northern hotel row.

SECURITY
Special Security Services will provide that extra
measure of protection when you need it. Always reli-
able.

SHIPPING
Rocargo Freight Air and sea shipments in/out of Bon-
aire. Customs agents. Professional and efficient. FedEx
agent. What would we do without their superb ser-
vices?

SUPERMARKETS
Warehouse Supermarket on Kaya Industria-
Biggest air conditioned market with the, largest selec-
tion and lowest prices on the island.

WATER TAXI
Get to Klein Bonaire by Ferry. Ride the Kantika di
Amor or Skiffy. Hotel pickup. Easiest landing on Klein
Bonaire with built-in ramp

WINES
Antillean Wine Company. You've tried the rest; now
try the best: best prices, highest quality wines from
around the world, kept in a cooled warehouse. Free
delivery. Kaya Industria 23, Mon.-Sat. 9 am-noon.

To learn more about these businesses check their ad in
this issue of The Reporter
Fortnightly Advertisers in The Bonaire Reporter are in-
cluded in the guides. Free!
Call 790-6518, 786-6518
Or email Reporter@BonaireNews.com


AFFORDABLE
Domain Registrations
E-mail Hosting
Anti-Spam & Anti-Virus
Web Site Design
Web Site Hosting
Marketing Consulting
Internet Consulting
Photographic Services
Graphic Design

SNetTech N.V.
info@NetTech.an
www.NetTech, an
Tel: 717-6773
Fax: 717-7854


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


Scuba Sales
Repair Replacement
New Gear Accessories

Check CARIB INN First.
Great Prices -Great Stock

Always Great Values
Dive gear specials .-.I\



0 CARIB INN
Since 1980
PADI 5 STAR GOLD PALM
717-8819 8 am to 5 pm daily
(next to Divi Flamingo Hotel)


Pasa Bon Pizza

&Bar

780-1111
WIAg I,,w

-TaowT ie" kayaGob Drtbn+l ia k otLm


Not Just Great Pizzas!


Call ahead
to
Pre Order

Open Wednesday to Sunday
5 PM to 11 PM


Hair Affair

We do our best to
make your hair and make-
up wishes come true!!
You can also come in for facials and
facial waxing.
We use and sell L'Oreal products
Is your plan to marry on the island?
We can make you beautiful and stay
beautiful for your happiest day.

Personal attention by Janneke
Appointment by tel: 717-5990
or just walk in.
Downtown, near the waterfront
next to Little Havana
Tues-Fri: 9-12, 2-6 Sat: 9-2 non stop


Page 14










Toastmaster Speech Winners
.. U


A t me Discover
your Potential"
conference, sponsored
by Bonaire's Toast-
masters Clubs, first
prize speech was by
Maritsa Silberie ("Do
You Believe?"), 2nd
and 3rd place for the
speech contest were
won respectively by
Sapphira Coffie
(center) and Angelique
Salsbach (left). Maritsa
will represent the terri-
tory of Bonaire during
the District 81 confer-
ence this May in Saint
Lucia. 1


CodJooD DOid0noc DCorn
In the early morning hours of March 11 the temporary SGB high school class-
room buildings on Kaya Amsterdam were completely destroyed by a fire. The
fire, thought to have started by an electrical short circuit, was brought under control
with difficulty by the fire brigade. The buildings were made of wood. Classes for the
upper level academic track students held in those buildings have been relocated to
other quarters. U G.D. Photos by Danny Gerharts


Artist Anna-Marie Kroes lived on
Bonaire from 1994 to 2001 and
while she was here she created numerous
art pieces with subjects from the sea,
from the land, portraits of people, dogs
and other animals. She had a number of
large wall paintings-
on the now defunct A
Whiskey Bar, on a
wall at the torn down
Dive Inn. She did the
Birthday Calendar for
the Animal Shelter,
and body painting in
1998 and 199 for the
Bonaire -in
magazine. She had
exhibits at the Dock
of the Bay, at the
medical center, and at
the Tourist
Corporation Bonaire
offices. She fell in
love with the island
and has never
forgotten it, no matter
where she has roamed
all over the world. "Ia left r
Anna-Marie
explains, "I catch love
with my paint brush
and pencil and I know
how to capture it just
like I used to capture Exhibit will
the beauty of the
Antillean landscape. I
can't "can" it, but I Tir


make sure it's well preserved and to make
sure we do not forget about it or take it
for granted."
And now she's back with a new exhibit
at the Kas di Arte, opening Sunday,
March 21 at 6 pm. E L.D

ina-Marie Kroes


ny hearton Bonaire"

unday21 of March 2010
The Grand Opening'
be open daily from 1700 to 2100
location : Kas di Arte
(dt LIi e buulv imd)
ime: 18.00hr(G6p.m)


*Stop the silent destruction of your home*


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


Page 15











Flotsam and jetsam (Continued from page 2)
stick to their earlier agreement for a shared
Central Bank and joint "own" currency,
thus not switching to the US dollar. What
the new currency will be called or look like
is still unclear, but it is already obvious that
it can't be introduced by October 10, 2010,
when the new constitutional relations within
the Dutch Kingdom are supposed to take
effect. Therefore the current Antillean guil-
der will be maintained for the time being.

SCapital punish-
ment for monstrous
crimes is on the books
in the Netherlands
Antilles, but this sec-
tion of the Penal Code
has never been used
in the history of the
Antilles, and it never
will, once Parliament
moves to strike it off the books this week.
This amendment will bring the Antilles into
compliance with the European Union
Treaty on Human Rights.
Also to be amended are the sections of the
Civil and Penal Codes concerning human
trafficking, to comply with the United Na-
tions Treaty on Cross-Border Crimes.

D Antillean Customs launched new
website which helps to answer questions
about duties and procedures. It is quite
comprehensive, in Dutch, and on line now.
The new website is www.douane.an. A
duty schedule can be downloaded from
liii, *- .. ii..' 1, iI./download.php

POElvis Tjin A-
Sjoe is UPB Bon-
aire's candidate for i
Minister of Eco-
nomic Affairs in
the new Central
Government set to
take office on March
26. Felix "Papito"
Thomas is the
party's candidate for
State Secretary of Home Affairs. The names
of these two candidates were submitted to
Formateur Pedro Atacho last week.
Tjin A-Sjoe was Minister of Economic
Affairs in the present government for a year
and a half until he was recalled to Bonaire
in March 2009 to serve as Commissioner in
the Island Government.
Thomas was UPB Party President for the
past nine years. He relinquished the post
last week. Jonchi Dortalina now heads the
party.
Six parties are set to form the new
Netherlands Antilles coalition govern-
ment: PAR (the largest) and PNP of Cura-
gao, National Alliance of St. Maarten, UPB
of Bonaire, Windward Islands People's
Movement (WIPM) of Saba and the De-
mocratic Party of St. Eustatius.

1-Before a traveler (who is a citizen of
visa waiver countries such as the Nether-
lands Antilles) can be admitted to the US
they must be registered by the Electronic
System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
This process is free. Recently someone
who tried to use the online application
process was blocked by a message re-
questing $49.95 for the screening... an-
other Internet scam. The best way to
avoid this is to go to the Homeland Secu-
rity website (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/
esta/esta.html), click on the language you
want, and follow the instructions. Non-
Americans who require ESTA should check
their registration status BEFORE going to
Flamingo airport.


'DAE Airlines is adding Panama as a
new destination. Depending on the ap-
proval of the local authorities, DAE will fly
there on Mondays and Saturdays. "As far as
the Antilles are concerned, everything has
been arranged. The permission from Pa-
nama is a formality," said DAE Director
Floris van Pallandt.

10Coupled with this announcement is the
news that DAE cannot maintain its sched-
ule to Bogota at the moment due to an
overhaul delay of one of its two Fokker 100
jets. One of the Fokker 100s was in Brazil.
The other aircraft had reached its maximum
number of flying hours the next day. A
revised schedule is on the DAE website.

lApril 12, 2010, Air Jamaica will be-
gin the transition to new owner, Carib-
bean Airlines. This date dovetails with the
airline's major schedule change that was
previously announced. However, the date
could change as the details of the transition
are finalized. Air Jamaica no longer flies to
Bonaire.

'Parents in the Netherlands Antilles
soon will have the legal right to select
what last name to give their children.
Only the father's surname is currently al-
lowed by law.
Parliament will discuss an amendment to
the Antillean Civil Code named the "Right
of Last Name." This change will allow a
child born in wedlock or acknowledged by
a father to also carry the mother's surname
or a combination of the two parents' names
as the parents so choose.

I A Papiamentu Foundation has
been established to promote, reinforce
and protect the Papiamentu language
around the world. The board consists of:
Geraldine Dammers, President; Sedney
Marten, Secretary; Jeaninne Wong Loi
Sing, Treasurer; Delno Tromnp and
Aichel Mercelina, members.
To celebrate the launching of the
foundation on February 19 there was a
conference, Papiamentu na
Kandela" ("Papiamentu Aflame"). More
information at
akademiapapiamentu@gmail.com

Slliansa Naturalesa di Bonaire elected
new officers at its January 18th General
Meeting of members.
Kris Kats (P.K. Kats) was elected chair-
person. Kris is the project manager of Pro-
gressive Environmental Solutions, a Bon-
aire non-governmental organization (NGO)
that creates and implements solutions for
threats to aquatic habitats. Kris has been an
Aliansa member for three years.
Kris replaces Elsmarie Beukenboom,
Elsmarie served as Aliansa chairperson for
five years.
Paul Wichers was elected treasurer. Paul
is president of the Animal Shelter Bonaire.
Mabel Nava was elected secretary. Mabel
is the manager of Sea Turtle Conservation
Bonaire, an NGO that has been protecting
sea turtles on Bonaire since 1991.
All conservation related non-for profit
foundations can be a member of Aliansa. At
this moment Aliansa has six active member
organizations: Animal Shelter, Donkey
Sanctuary, Progressive Environmental So-
lutions, Salba nos Lora, Sea Turtle Conser-
vation Bonaire and STINAPA.

10Mrs. Martha Benoliel of the Xerox Cor-
poration personally congratulated Alvin
Obersi, the CEO of the Obersi Group of
Companies, with the above-target per-
formance for Bonaire and St.Maarten


during the first /
two months of
year and the
promising out-
look for the .
year. It is the j
first time that
the Obersi
Group recorded
an above-target
performance during the first two months of
the year.

I The Bonaire Sailing School Associa-
tion is planning a trip to Curacao to sail in
the Curagao Regatta on April 2 and 3.
They pan to send three Sunfish sailors
(Sipke, Shaihr and Juan) and six Optimist
kids (Ruben, Dillon, Santiago, Blue, Con-
stantijn and Nils). That is going to cost
money and that is why BSSA is organizing a
fundraising CARWASH to collect money
for the trip to Curagao. So if you need a
carwash come to the Kas di Regatta, Sat-
urday morning, March 20, from 9 to


noon. It's only NAf 10. And if your
car doesn't need to be washed, just stop by
and donate some money for our local sail-
ors.

IFor the time being there will be no
more flea markets at the Dare to Care
playground. The popular markets were
held every first Saturday of the month.
Since the closing of the Dare to Care flea
market, the Bonaire Animal Shelter's
booth selling books and odds and ends
will now be at the Rincon Marshe's big
market every first Saturday of the month,
starting around 6 am until 2 pm. All pro-
ceeds go to helping to keep the Shelter
open. If you have items to donate call the
Shelter at 717-4989.

D The Reporter will be on a short vaca-
tion so the next edition will be available
April 7. "Raw News" is available as it
happens on the bonairereporter.com web-
site. U


Picture Yourself With The Reporter...


on the Antarctic Peninsula
va-% IV,-1% -I13-_-_vaW&-Mm 4a fa


B onaire residents and Internet
pioneers Jake and Linda Rich-
ter write, "We (The Traveling Rich-
ters) are presently in Marguerite Bay
off the Antarctic Peninsula on a sev-
eral week expedition exploring the
Antarctic and sub-Antarctic on the
National Geographic Explorer. The
photo was taken on our first landfall
(we arrived by Zodiac) at Red Rocks
Ridge, in the midst of a large colony
of Adelie penguins (some of which
you can see in the background).

The photo was taken at GPS coor-
dinates 68.29081333 (S),
67.17969333 (W), give or take a
dozen meters, in case you were curi-
ous.


(See it on a map at http.//
maps.google.com/maps?q=-
68.29081333,-67.17969333&spn=0.001,0.001&t=k&hl=en)
We've had reasonable Internet service via satellite, and are presently at the south-
ern-most part of our journey. "U

WIN GREAT PRIZES! Take a copy of The Bonaire Reporter with you on your next trip or when
you return to your home. Then take a photo of yourself with the newspaper in hand. THE BEST PHO-
TOS OF THE YEAR WILL WIN THE PRIZES. Mail photos to Bonaire Reporter, Box 407, Bonaire,
Netherlands Antilles (AN). E-mail to: info@bonairereporter.com.


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


Page 16











SO Bubbles From the Biologist
Did You Know.... that settle on reefs with many adults often
That's my territory! die of starvation because they cannot reach
A s you may already know, reef fishes high-quality feeding locations. Parrotfish
can be extremely territorial. How- also maintain their territories with a size
ever, each fish species determines its domi- hierarchy. Larger males control larger terri-
nance in different ways. One of the most stories and have more females (sometimes
common methods is known as size hierar- referred to as a harem) within their territory
chy. Fishes engaged in these size compari- than smaller males.
sons can often be seen in humorous ex- Another way male fishes maintain their
changes on the reef including a behavior territory is through the use of vibrant col-
termed "kissing," when two male fish ors and distinctive features. Sailfin blen-
measure mouth sizes in an act that looks nies are known to erect their oversized dor-
much like kissing. Many grunt species de- sal fins to ward off their competition and
termine mating status through these several wrasse species display brilliant col-
"kisses." Fairy basslets, the tiny purple and orations to try and outdo other males during
yellow fishes seen hanging around coral territorial disputes. The males with brighter
heads, have a strict dominance structure colors or more distinctive features often
based on size. The larger fairy basslets oc- have larger territories and reproduce more
cupy prime feeding locations closer to outer successfully.
ledges of corals and rocks. They maintain Damselfish also are known for guarding
their dominance through very aggressive their gardens of algae on the reef. They
behavior. In fact smaller, juvenile basslets exert their dominance in a territory through


B onKarate students were
given exams recently,
followed by a celebration
organized by Sensei (teacher)
Peter Silberie, Sempai (senior)
Tuki Josephia and Sempai Desi
Silberie. Students who passed:
Yellow Belt: Sam Timmers,
Miguel Jimenez, Rayen Seraus,
Bonnie Roefs, Quintin Soleana,
Rangel Rosaria, Adrian Coffie,
Tirsa Silberie, Churmer Bomba,
Jorge Petit, Jeandino Hart, Jamal
Silberie, Jiahao Chen, Rayeline
Seraus, Isac Thomasa, Nancy
Rombley, Mitchell de Palm and


aggressive attacks on Ptoe f
other fishes. The more
aggressive damselfishes
maintain a larger terri-
tory. These fishes will
attack almost any fish
(or diver!) and seem to
have no fear! How-
ever, unfortunately for
them, their little mouths
are made for eating
algae and their nipping
is not always effective
on larger fishes.E
Alicia Reigel

Alicia Reigel is a student at the University
ofAMinnesota- Twin Cities working towards
a bachelor 's degree in environmental man-
agement. She hopes to pursue a master's
degree in conservation biology. She is cur-
rently studying Tropical Marine Ecology
and Conservation with CIEE Research Sta-
tion Bonaire.


Jumuel Cicilia.
Orange Belt.'Jursley Jansen,
Argion Janga, Kevin Peters,
Dimar Kalma, Blue Burger and
Charles Martijn.
Green Belt:Jonathan Romo and
Kayla van Nunen.
Blue Belt.'MiuJi Xuan, Everone
Vrutaal, Alex Heijnen, Miguel
Pietersz, Jeuri Gonzalez,
Danique Darmaoei and,
Theursten Winklaar.
Brown Belt 2do Kyu: Kia-San
Silberie and Danique Darmaoen.
Congratulations to all! 0
Press release, Peter Silberie


tlZe o o-3Sa oicnLCool lonaJire Ne t- Ant
Llmm -"-7


V
S


Defending Grunts


Reference:
DeLoach N, Humann
P (1999) Reef Fish
Behavior. New
World Publications,
Jacksonville, FL
USA


H apply 12th Birthday to
Georgina "Gina" Sanchez on Satur-
day, March 20. Gina and her Oma (grandmother)
Elizabeth Silberie, deliver The Reporter to places
all over the island every other week. Gina speaks
Papiamentu, English, Spanish and Dutch and
often does translating. She also acts as a
"secretary" for her Oma. Pabien, Gina, and may
you have many, many more happy birthdays. U

Regular *


Water Taxi

TO KLEIN BONAIRE
From Bonaire Nautico Marina

HOTEL
p PICKUP

SERVICE
TRIPS
Every
Day

THE ONLY
WALKON / WALKOFF
Catamaran Kantika diAmor
Up to 27 people and supported by
a brand new larger sister
Catamaran Kantika Too
Up to 50 people
Daily trips via resorts 10 am, 12,2 pm Ex-
cept Sundays at 10 am only
Also available for group trips
YACHTSMEN!
Tie up dockside
for min. $10/day-tax
(max 1.90 meter draft),
Water and 115/220 v.
Dinghy tie up at north-inside dock at
US$10 weekly up from Monday till
Monday.
BONAIRE NAUTICO MARINA
At It Rains Fishes Restaurant
Call Henk at 560-7254 / Bob 786-5399
www.bonairenauticomarina/VHF 68
info@bonairenauticomarina.com


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


Date: 20 maart /

Time: 9.00-12.00

Price: 10.00 naf

Place: Kas di Regatta


Page 17











Pet of the Week
H ere's a story with a happy end-
ing. "Sylvie" the cat was found
on the street on New Year's Eve. She
was lost, terrified and miserable. She
was brought into the Bonaire Animal
Shelter by a Good Samaritan and put in
a separate cage as she was too scared to
even be with other animals.
But over the weeks with the love and
attention of the Shelter staff and volun-
teers, little by little she became tame
and relaxed and could be put in the Cat
Cage. Now she's a very affectionate and
friendly cat who has become a favorite
with the staff. What a transformation!
Sylvie is about nine months old; she's
been checked out by the vet and given
her shots and tests and is ready to go to
a good home. However, Sylvie should
be adopted as an "only cat" as she still
prefers not being around other cats. The
NAf 75 cat adoption fee covers all this
- a healthy and social cat plus sterili-
zation. You may see Sylvie at the Bon-
aire Animal Shelter on the Lagoen
Road, open Monday through Saturday,
9 am to 1 pm and 3 to 5 pm. Tel. 717-
4989. Website:
WWW.BonaireAnimalShelter.com
Laura DeSalvo


F or years
self-taught
artist Wolmoet
Jansen has been
producing art
with materials
that she feels
close to. In Hol-
land she worked
and experimented
with paint, wood,
fabric, concrete
and "free and
found" materials.
On Bonaire
she's chosen to
work with shells.
Kas di Arte had


an exhibition of her work in 2009 and now
Plaza Resort has given her room to show
her unique art to the public.

The "paintings" are large with the giant
animals in sometimes extreme positions: a
laughing turtle, a threatening octopus, an
iguana balancing on a fence. They are tra-
ditional "paintings" that involve a lot of
work: hours of roaming the coasts of Bon-
aire where every area seems to have its
own kind of shells, sorting and cleaning,


toying and experimenting with sizes and
natural colors of the shells to get the body
of the animal just right.

Jansen likes to work on large canvasses.
And the lobby of the Plaza offers plenty of
space to give her art the space it needs.
There are shell paintings, rocks with ani-
mals and mobiles. The exhibition of Wol-
moet Jansen will continue until May 2010.
Portfolio with information and prices is
available at the front desk of the Plaza. U
Press release


Pioneer Vet Back Adoption onQuiz





RILIZATINP Drop-Off
i. S" PF


Left to right: Dr. Mary Lovie, Dr. Cheryl Yuill, Shelter employee Kenneth Piar
and Shelter manager Marlies Tiepel


Six years after Canadian veterinarian
Dr. Cheryl Yuill participated in the
Bonaire Animal Shelter's first free steriliza-
tion program in 2004, she returned to Bon-
aire. Accompanied by Canadian veterinarian
Dr. Mary Lovie who owns a house on Bon-
aire and who started the whole campaign up
at the time, she visited the Shelter. "I'm glad
to see so much has changed," Dr. Yuill says.
"There are far fewer stray dogs on the street
and the public awareness has become so
much better. Several people have come up to
me when they heard I was part of the first
sterilization program to tell me very proudly
that their dog was sterilized! I am also very
impressed with the little house the Shelter
has built outside their gate for people to put
their unwanted animals or animals they've
found. It's nicer than the one we have at the
shelter I work with in Canada. There we get
about 2,500 cats and 1,000 dogs a year that
people cannot take care of anymore. Many
of those animals are adopted out, but it's not
a no-kill shelter; we also euthanize animals.
In Canada I own and work at the Blue
Cross Animal Hospital, in Kitchener, On-
tario, and it was my colleague, Dr. Mary
Lovie, who took the initiative for the sterili-
zation campaign in 2004.
"I came to Bonaire in 2000 to dive," Dr.
Page 18


Mary Lovie says, "and in my spare time I
looked up the Animal Shelter and I had a
conversation with Jurrie, who was the man-
ager in those days, about all the strays down-
town and was anything done about them. I
offered my services to Jurrie and he took me
to Hans and Etty Lambeek, the veterinarian
couple who were then running the animal
clinic at Kaminda Lagun. They were very
interested when they heard I'd organized
similar sterilization projects in other parts of
the world. So, we had several meetings in
the following years and in 2004 we hit it off:
the two Dutch vets, three American vets and
Cheryl and me from Canada. We all brought
our own instruments and all the other sup-
plies, and Hans and Etty brought the drugs.
From October 14th till October 31'st we steril-
ized 302 animals and it continued after we
left.
In conclusion: We're very happy to see the
island has picked up on our program, and it's
heartwarming to see the benefits. We're
highly impressed with the new sterilization
campaign the Animal Shelter started last
year in May. They've sterilized almost 500
animals. It's been very good progress.
Amazing!" U Greta Kooistra


Unwanted Animal Drop-off


people may now drop off un-
wanted, stray or found cats or
dogs at the Shelter at any time of the
day or night. This new animal cage
(Kouchi pa Bestia), outside the gate to
the Shelter, has two separate compart-
ments with water bowls and it's
checked every few hours during the
day. Hopefully, people will put their
unwanted animals in the cage rather
than dumping them in the mondi or by
the side of the road. The Shelter re-
ceives an average of 1,200 animals
each year. Thanks to Valerie's Airport
shop for providing the materials and to
the Shelter staff and volunteers who
provided the labor to build the cage. As
of last week, nine dogs and one cat had
been put in the cage. U


A) A discarded cannon barrel. It is
just south of the roll on-roll off pier.
It's used to hold mooring lines.


Sudoku Solution
Puzzle on page 7



3 4 9 1 6 2 8 5 7
5 7 2 8 9 461 3
1 6 8 3 5 71942
2 5 6 7 3 8 1 9 4
8 1 7 94 5 2 36
4 9 3 6 2 1 7 8 5
735 2T1 94 68


924586371


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


















*to find it... just look up

The Moon Visits the Seven Sisters on the First Night of
Spring: A Super Sight in Your Binoculars


T his Saturday,
March 20th, is the
date of the Vernal Equi-
nox for 2010, or as it is
more commonly called,
the first day of spring, at
which time the hours of
daylight will be equal to
the hours of night. But
this year something spe-
cial will happen on the
first night of spring,
something which is al-
most as beautiful cosmi-
cally as spring itself. In-
deed on Saturday evening,
the 20th, an exquisite five
-day-old crescent Moon,
will huddle up next to the
tiny star cluster called
The Pleiades.


On Friday, March 19th,which is officially the last night of winter for the northern
hemisphere, an hour after sunset face west and if it's clear out you will see an exquisite
four-day old waxing, that is growing, crescent Moon, complete with earthshine, which
will look like a blackish gray almost full Moon nestled within the bright crescent. And if
you look just above the Moon about a fist width away you'll see the tiny but exquisite
group of stars that has been called The Pleiades for thousands of years. Some people say
they look like a little milk dipper, or a cluster of grapes, even a swarm of celestial fire-
flies. And we have records of them going back as far as the Old Testament.
Now although you need nothing but the naked eye to appreciate their beauty if you
look at them through even the cheapest pair of binoculars you will be absolutely awed
because you'll see many more than seven stars here and they'll appear much brighter.
Make a mental note of where the Moon and The Pleiades are on Friday night the 19th,
and then 24 hours later go out again and I think the sight will take your breath away
because then a five-day-old slightly fatter crescent Moon complete with earthshine will
be right next to The Pleiades, a fabulous sight to the naked eye but one which will sim-
ply stun you through binoculars!
Our ancestors would have said the Moon is "visiting" The Pleiades as if the Moon and
The Pleiades were really close to each other. But we today know that this is not true and
that their visual closeness is simply an optical illusion, and that although the Moon ap-
pears to be the bigger celestial object, just the opposite is also true. Indeed our Moon is
a cosmic orb only 2,000 miles wide which shines by reflected sunlight and is only a
quarter of a million miles away, which means we see the light that left it less than two
seconds ago.
Each of The Pleiades, however, is a giant star, each of which makes its own light like
our Sun but which are much larger than our almost one-million-mile-wide Sun. Indeed
each of The Pleiades is three to 10 times as wide as our Sun and so far away that it takes
their light over 400 years to reach us. So the light we see now is the light that left them
when Galileo first turned his telescope toward the heavens. Wow! So start your first
night of spring right with the cosmic light of the Moon and The Pleiades. U Jack Hork-
heimer


A hint of a moon marks the Pleiades















The circle represents thefield of view of WO hin-
oculars. Ifyou hae a pair ofgeneral-purpose hinocu-
lars, you can get a great view.


B


ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Get in-
volved in creative projects that could turn
into moneymaking ventures. You may be
tired of working for someone else. Part-
nerships could be tense. Don't push your
luck. You will expand your circle of
friends if you join groups.
Your luckiest events this month will
occur on a Monday.
TAURUS (Apr. 21- May 21) Argu-
ments with children or friends may leave
you steaming. You may have a rather hec-
tic day due to events that children are in-
volved in. Catch up on your correspon-
dence and reading. Tone down and put
some of that hard earned cash into a safe,
long-term investment.
Your luckiest events this month will
occur on a Sunday.
GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Disap-
pointments are likely if your mate embar-
rasses you in front of friends. You may be
overreacting to a situation at hand. Physi-
cal limitations are possible if you aren't
careful. Be supportive in order to avoid
confrontations.
Your luckiest events this month will
occur on a Tuesday.
CANCER (June 22-July 22) Organize
all the responsibilities that have to be at-
tended to and make sure everyone knows
what to do. Don't hesitate to look for alter-
natives that will enable you to raise the
kind of donations you need to do the job
right. You may be sensitive concerning
friends and their situations. Be very care-
ful while in transit or while traveling in
foreign countries.
Your luckiest events this month will
occur on a Saturday.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You can make
new friends and get involved in new hob-
bies successfully. Plan a nice evening for
two. Don't make large purchases unless
you have discussed your choices with
your mate. Financial limitations will not
be as adverse as they appear.
Your luckiest events this month will
occur on a Thursday.
VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Romantic
opportunities are evident. You may have
ignored or neglected your mate lately.
There's lots to be done and if you meet
your deadline you'll be in your boss's


'C^^f ^^^k- - ijiu ^^i^ R

--




Nature Films Documentaries Travel Adventure Advertising TV Broadcast
Underwater Stock footage HDV Digital Photo Weddings
DVD Reproductions DVD Mastering and Authoring
Courses and Seminars.
-- info@scubavision.info Ph: (599) 717.2844 Cell: 786.2844
-- Kaya Grandi #6 Photo Tours -

Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


HOW DOES IT FEEL TO

BE CLEANED BY SHRIMP?
HEAR ABOUT IT at Dee's
TOUCH THE SEA
slide presentation
Captain Don's Habitat
8:30 pm Mondays
EXPERIENCE IT on a
TOUCH THE S
dive with Dee Scarr
En hano tvin divers a9 in1982
SIinteractJoni"1 717-8529 Maine n *Inca
www.touchthesea.com
Improve your reception by the underwater world
Page 19


rT:i4hz&,--c mmc


14&*40 eT:


y Astrologer Michael Thiessen
For March 2010

good books. Don't let someone you work
with put words in your mouth. Your lucki-
est events this month will occur on a Fri-
day.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) If you join
intellectual or cultural groups, you should
meet individuals who stimulate you. You
have the ability to motivate others. Low-
ered vitality could affect your work. Catch
up on overdue phone calls and correspon-
dence. Your luckiest events this month
will occur on a Thursday.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24 Nov. 22) Joining
organizations will provide you with
stimulating romantic contacts. Money can
be made if you use your ingenuity. You
will drive your emotional partner crazy
this month. Older relatives may be a bur-
den. Your luckiest events this month will
occur on a Tuesday.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec.
21) Lighten up your serious attitude Your
mind is on moneymaking ventures. You
can't help everyone. You don't owe any-
one an explanation. Do your own thing,
you need time to yourself. Your luckiest
events this month will occur on a Mon-
day.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) A
little volleyball or other outdoor sports
should be on your agenda. You are best to
avoid confrontations. You will be enter-
tained and intrigued by the logic foreign-
ers possess. Tell it like it is.
Your luckiest events this month will occur
on a Sunday.
AOUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Attend
to things that you should have done yes-
terday. Someone envious of your popular-
ity may challenge you to a debate. Travel
will be fun and entertaining. You may
have difficulties at an emotional level
with mates. Your luckiest events this
month will occur on a Wednesday.
PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Look into
events that you might find interesting, and
compromise by doing a few things that
you both like to do. Old friends may not
like your choices. You may want to make
plans to take a vacation together. Overin-
dulgence could cause problems for you
with your loved ones. Your luckiest
events this month will occur on a
Wednesday. 0













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Inventor Guy Negre with a pair of his AIRPods-(Inset: interior layout)


KLMAIRPod in service at Schiphol Airport.


Will Bonaire be the first
place in the Americas to
introduce a car that could change
the world? It is vehicle fueled by
compressed air, a commodity that
Bonaire already has in plenty as
well as an existing infrastructure
to supply it. When you consider
that thousands of environmen-
tally concerned visitors and resi-
dents whose driving requirements
match the capability of the car,
you have a situation that may be
unique in the world

The 2010 Motor Development
International (MDI) AIRPod is
that cat. It has no emissions and
runs on nothing but compressed
air. In the future, when Bonaire's
WEB electric company is pow-
ered by renewable resources like
wind, solar or biodiesel even the
electricity runs the air fill com-
pressors will have zero or low
total emissions.
AIRPod drivers can also re-
charge their air supply at home in
eight hours by plugging the car
into electric outlets, or by going
to one of the island's drive-
through tank fill stations where
the process takes only a couple of
minutes.

The AIRPod Is For Real
Yes, it sounds like another one
of those crackpot inventions, but
read on. The AirPod is being
used today by KLM at its base in
Amsterdam as part of the air-
line's commitment to reduce
emissions. France-based MDI
officially handed over the keys to
two AIRPods to KLM in Decem-
ber 2009. The AIRPods are under
testing for a minimum period of
three months at KLM E & M at
Schiphol Airport. One of the
AIRPods is a cargo version
adapted to transport parts and
maintenance equipment at Schi-
phol Center and the other is for
personnel transport at Schiphol-
Oost.


Driving The AIRPod
The car will take some getting
used to, and not just because of
its novel power supply. Steering
is done with a joystick, and the
only doors open to the front and
back. The two passenger seats are
rear-facing and can be replaced
with a cargo (or SCUBA tank)
space.

Aboard the AIRPod
At first glance, the 2010 MDI
AIRPod looks like a prop from
some science fiction movie.
Glass hatches sweep up and over
the front and rear of the air car.
There are two large circular win-
dows cut into either side, along
with two smaller windows lo-
cated on either side of the driver
seat. It's a kind of tricycle, not so
different in concept from Karl
Benz's 1885 Motorwagen, only
with twin 100/90R16 tires in
back and tiny, twin 10-by-4.00-5
tires in front. With those tires and
low ground clearance, it's not the
car you want for touring Slagbaai
National Park.
The AIRPod measures 201 cm.
(81.5 inches) long, 160 cm. (63
inches) wide and 174 cm.(68.5)
inches tall. Built with a simple
space frame and fiberglass body-
work, it weighs 220 kg. (485
pounds). The AIRPod has been
conceived to meet specifications
for city vehicles set by the mu-
nicipal government of Paris,
where 500cc cars are already
popular.
To step aboard the AIRPod,
you open the hatch, swing it up-
ward and enter the front of the
car. It all feels very Luke Sky-
walker-esque. There are no side
doors, and there is seating for
only the driver up front. A space-
age-looking rearward-facing
bench seat is accessed by the rear
hatch and is wide enough to ac-
commodate three adults.


More refined models like the OneFlowAIR convertible are to be available by the end of 2010


The AIRPod System
The heart of the 2010 MDI AIR-
Pod is a piston engine that has
been specially adapted by MDI to
run on compressed air. The ex-
pansion of the compressed air
within the cylinders moves the
pistons. The engine is "fueled" by
a system of high-pressure air
tanks. Built by EADS, an aero-
space firm, the tanks are con-
structed of lightweight carbon-
fiber.
SCUBA divers will appreciate
the air tanks. Though the tanks
are presently limited to a capacity
of 80 liters (21.1 gallons) at 200
bars of pressure (2,900 psi), MDI
plans an increase to 200 liters (53
gallons) and 300 bars of pressure
(4,400 psi) for the first produc-
tion models of the AIRPod, set to
be built by the end of this year.
As a prototype, the AIRPod is
limited to a top speed of only 50
km/h (30 mph). The top speed of
future models will be 80 km/h
(50 mph).
With one person onboard and
the car running solely on air
power, MDI estimates the AIR-
Pod's range at between 140 km


(90 miles) and 200 km. (125
miles), more than enough for a
day of Bonaire driving.

For all its charm the AIRPod
cannot really be compared to
expensive and popular Smart
Cars (gasoline and electric), be-
cause the weights between the
two are so different. The Smart
gasoline version weighs 837 kg,
the Smart electric weighs 924 kg;
the MDI Airpod weighs 330 kg
(with driver).
Taking into account differences
in mass, MDI said, the AIRPod is
as efficient as the smart electric
drive. MDI also said that while
its compressed air tank has a life
of 12,000 discharge cycles-
approximately 30 years-the
electric car batteries have a life of
12 years at best.

The Future
MDI has already licensed its air
-power technology to Indian car-
maker Tata Motors. Ratan Tata,
CEO of Tata Motors and the Tata
Group, recently reaffirmed his
company's commitment to zero-
emissions vehicles, including


electrics and air power. In
Europe, commercial sales of the
AIRPod are scheduled to begin in
France by the end of this year.
The starting price of C6,000
($8,380) will be nearly halved,
thanks to various bonuses and
green-car sales incentives
awarded by the government. By
the end of 2010, MDI hopes to
begin production of larger and
more refined models like the
OneFlowAIR convertible. The
company also claims that air-
power engines are scalable,
meaning that air-powered sedans,
trucks and even buses are on the
drawing board.
In the future will Bonaire's
drive-in SCUBA air fill stations
fill not only your dive tanks, but
your car's air (fuel) tank as well?
Perhaps the air car will turn out
to be just another bizarre footnote
in the rush to develop zero-
emissions vehicles, but for Bon-
aire that would be a pity.
If you have an interest in in-
vesting or becoming a part of a
trial of air cars in Bonaire, send
an email to bonsat(aieee.com.
U G.D.


Bonaire Reporter- March 19- April 9, 2010


Page 20

PAGE 1

P.O. Box 407, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, Phone 790-6518, 7 86-6125, www.bonairereporter.com email: reporter@bonairenews.com Since 1994 On-line every day, 24/7 Printed every fortnight

PAGE 2

Page 2 Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 T here is still uncertainty on the consequences of dollarization of Bonaire set for January 1, 2011. Beginning in July, 2010, storekeepers will have to begin double currency pricing. In an information meeting organized by the The Netherlands Bank (DNB) , Warehouse Supermarket Manager Roland Verbeek explained his concern regarding the exchange rate of the Antillean guilder in relation to the dollar: the exchange rate of the guilder to the dollar, that will be fixed at 1.79 as of next January, is four cents more than at present. This implies a depreciation of stock value amounting to thousands. A new sales tax system will also be introduced – at about the same time as the introduction of the dollar – which will also influence the prices of products and only make the situation more complex. In addition, businesses purchase many products on Curaçao, where the guilder will remain the legal tender. Could Bonaireans keep their guilder account with their bank on Bonaire? After all, it will be foreign currency for Bonaire. Former Dutch Minister of Finance Wouter Bos explained to the Dutch Parliament that the choice of the use of the dollar on the BES Islands was due partly in response to economic arguments made by the islands themselves. More than 65% of the trade of the islands ( Bonaire: 67.5 % , Windward Islands: 85.7%) is with countries using the dollar or a currency linked to US dollars. The largest part of tourism comes from the dollar area. The Netherlands Bank (DNB) is preparing the dollarization for January 1, 2011, for the BES Islands, even though the Central Bank currently does not have any authority on the islands, as this will only occur with the transition of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba to public bodies of the Netherlands. It is not entirely certain yet whether the dollar will indeed be introduced by January 1st next year. However, the Lower Chamber accepted the Law Finances BES, which determines the dollarization. Willy Dassen of the Netherlands Bank (DNB) certainly expects that the dollar will be introduced, perhaps with a threemonth delay at the very most. The choice for the new currency had been made, as it appeared from research that two-thirds of all transactions on the BES Islands were done in dollars. The DNB will arrange for sufficient availability of the currency, and all guilder accounts with the banks will automatically be changed into dollar accounts by January 1, 2011. Consumers will receive additional information in due course. A brochure is being made and most likely information gatherings will be organized as well. Aiming to stay a step ahead of counterfeiters, the US government is planning a new design for the $100 bill that will be unveiled next month, the Treasury Department said Friday. Wraps will come off the facelift for Ben Franklin at an April 21 ceremony. The C-note — the highest value of all US bills, and the most counterfeited — circulates widely around the globe. The $100 bill represents more than 70% of the $776 billion in currency in circulation, two-thirds of which is held overseas. The security thread planned for the next-generation $100 bill will feature 650,000 tiny glass domes, called microlenses, crammed into a strip a few millimeters wide on the bill's surface. When light strikes this optical strip, the microprint within it will appear to slide over the surface of the thread as the bill is turned—an illusion that is nearly impossible to replicate. Following a recent consultation the future countries of St. Maarten and Curaçao decided to (Continued on page 16) Table of Contents This Week’s Stories Cost of Living 2 Times Are Tough-Drought 3 On Track For 2010 3 Compassionate Communication 6 Where to find The Reporter 9 Rotary News (Culinaire check, RotoRally) 9 Letters: Kadushi 9 Special Olympics Walk-a-Thon 10 Marilyn Kredel Concert 11 Toastmasters Speech Winn ers 15 School Buildings Burned 15 Artist Anna-Marie Kroes 15 Happy Birthday, Gina 17 BonKarate Students 17 Pioneer Vet Back 18 Artist Jansen’s Shell Animals 18 Running on Air (Car for Bonaire) 20 Departments Flotsam & Jetsam 2 On the Island Since (Xuwen Cen ) 4 Sudoku Puzzle 6 Bonaire On Wheels– Jeep Mahindra 7 Body Talk (Fungal pandemic– 3) 7 Bon Quiz #26(Mooring Post) 11 What’s Happening, Cruise Ship Schedule 12 Reporter Masthead 12 Classifieds 13 Tide Table 13 Bonaire Voices (Communication) 15 Shopping & Service Guides 14 Picture Yourself—Antarctica 16 Bon Quiz Answer 18 Sudoku Solution 18 Bubbles-Do You Know? (Territory) 18 Pet of the Week (Sylvie) 18 Sky Park (7 Sisters ) 19 The Stars Have It 19 How to contact us Letters to the Editor: Reporter@bonairenews.com Story tip or idea: info@bonairenews.com The Publisher: George@bonairenews.com Box 407, Bonaire, Neth. Antilles. Phone 790-8988 Phone 790-6518 / 786-6518 Available on-line at: www.bonairereporter.com Printed Every Fortnight, On-line Every day, 24/7 Next edition printing on April 6, 2010, one week later than usual. Story and Ad deadline: April 2, 2010, 12 noon SCOOTER & BIKE SALES & REPAIR Peugeot, Kymco Loekie, Giant Gazelle Brands Parts and accessories for any brand scooter or bike Bike Clothes for Everyone Kaya Grandi #61 Across from INPO Open: 8:30-12:30, 2:00-5:30 Owner Operated freewieler@flamingotv.net € Transport of Money and Valuables € Private Investigations € Vehicle patrols € Burglar Alarms € Fire Alarm Systems In Business Over 26 years Kaya Nikiboko Nord 37A, PO Box 225 Tel: (599) 7178125 Fax (599) 7176125 E-mail sss@bonairelive.com If you think the cost of living on Bonaire has escalated the Central Bureau of Statistics backs you up. In 2009 prices overall rose by 3.3% with almost all categories showing an increase. The only exception was the expenditure category clothing and shoes, which was 1.8 % lower. The largest increase was seen in transport and communication (0.9%), mainly caused by higher prices of new cars (2.4%) and petrol (4.5%). Followed by drinks and tobacco (0.7%). Food was up 0.6%, notably by raising the prices of potatoes, fru it and vegetables (2.0%) and readyprepared meals (2.7%). The housing expenditure category was also up 0.6%, primarily the result of the price of cooking gas (18.5%) and kerosene (6.4%). Tariffs of electricity and water remained stable. In 2009, a remarkable number of products and services became more expensive in Bonaire. All kinds of f ood, especially edible oils (39.4%), dairy (21.9%) potatoes, fruit and ve getables (19.9%) have risen in price. Also household goods (21.7%), other operating expenses (13.1%) and domestic services (13.2%), were up. Long-term inflation The annual average consumer price index (CPI) was 3.3% higher in 2009 than in 2008. Inflation in 2009 was almost half of the inflation level of the previous year (2008), when there was an exceptionally high inflation of 6.2%. Nevertheless, inflation in 2009 is the second highest since 2000, when an inflation of 4 % was measured on the island. Overall the cost of living has increased 58%over the last 20 years Figures and graphs courtesy of CBS Food 94% Miscel. 23% Housing -35% Drinks and Smokes Transportation and CommunicaHealth care 6% Furniture Home goods Shoes and Clothes Main contributors to Bonaire cost of living increases in 2009 17% -17%

PAGE 3

Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Page 3 FULL DIGITAL SERVICES FUJI MINI-LAB KODAK & FUJI FILM SLIDES, E-6 PROCESSING PASSPORT PHOTOS BATTERIES, CAMERAS FRAMES, PHOTO ALBUMS GREETING CARDS AND MORE Les Galeries Shopping Center (Bordering the parking lot) 717-5890 Open M-F 8:30-12, 2-6 pm, Sat. 9-12 Captain Don’s Island Grower NV 103 Kaminda Lagun ( road to Lagun) (Look for the blue rock and dive flag) Phone: 786-0956 A part of Plantation Guatemala Plants, Trees, Tours and More Open from Friday thru Sunday and all holidays. 10 am till 4 pm nonstop “Almost a solid hectare of growing potted plants and trees. Thirty minute tours. Bonaire born and raised, strong plants for beautiful Bonaire gardens. Reasonable prices starting from NAƒ 5. Landscaping designs, graphically assisted.” — Captain Don B onaire’s animals and birds are beginning to die from lack of water. But Reporter readers can help for just a few cents a day, thanks to the availability of desalinated WEB water. The water plant is perhaps the single most important factor that has allowed Bonaire’s population to grow fivefold in 50 years. And it can provide help for the native and introduced wildlife that make Bonaire almost unique in the Caribbean. Times of drought make life hard for all living things. This includes Bonaire’s wildlife. Currently most normal sources of water like puddles, dams, caves and even wells are drying up, reducing the amount of water readily available to wildlife. Some trees and shrubs have dropped leaves and fruits early (sometimes before they fully ripen), reducing the amount of food and water available. Now when the usual dry season is just beginning, the island is already parched following the scantiest rainy season in memory. Last year was very wet and vegetation flourished. Wild donkeys and goats multiplied while gorging on the lush plant growth. Some had multiple births. These youngsters are now beginning to thirst and starve. People in built-up areas around Kralendijk and Rincon can’t help but notice the increase in animals and birds in their neighborhoods. A couple of buckets of water a day, placed where these animals have easy access, can make all the difference. The cost for a filled pail of water? Only 13 NAƒ cents . WEB water costs homeowners NAƒ 12/m3 (250 gallons) that works out to about NAƒ .05/gallon, or 1.2 cents per liter. If you can afford NAƒ 1 per day, a small goat or donkey herd can survive where it otherwise wouldn’t. Birds are especially vulnerable during dry periods as they require water for drinking and bathing. You can help Bonaire’s many species of birds by putting out bird baths to replace the rain puddles and ponds they normally use. Bird baths come in many shapes and sizes. You may use a saucer and pedestal bath from a garden store, or you could use any large, flat saucer filled with water. The water level in baths should be no deeper than 7 cm.(3") in the center and the surface should be rough so birds can maintain footing. Place baths near a sheltered location, such as a tree, as birds need to have a place to sit and preen after bathing. Baths placed on the ground offer water for lizards, iguanas, mice and rats. Be forewarned, though. Since birds are quite vulnerable when they bathe and drink, keep the bird bath off the ground if you have prowling cats in your neighborhood. Remember to keep the water fresh, dumping the old water (use it to water the tree!) at (Continued on page 8) Amalia Leuder photo T he Bonaire Government, in a press conference on Monday, March 15, appears to have capitulated under the weight of Dutch political forces and fiscal reality. A Democratic Party statement said, “We assume that we can reach agreement soon and that the financing and debt repayment will resume. We will strive to sign an administrative accord with State Secretary Bijleveld in April.” This will allow Dutch aid to resume. "Annexation" is what's going to happen to Bonaire, PDB leader Jopie Abraham said after his visit last week to the Netherlands and the passage of the BES laws by the Second Chamber. He has abandoned a challenge to the Referendum cancellation and indeed a new Referendum at all. There is no alternative right now, otherwise his government would be negligent, said a fierce Abraham during the press conference. The people of Bonaire have not opted for integration as the UN requires. What has actually occurred is " Anschluss , annexation, appropriation." It was a reference, confirmed Abraham, in a conversation with The Reporter , to the “ Anschluss ” of Austria into Greater Germany by the Nazi regime on 12 March 1938*. These actions followed the Dutch Parliament's Second Chamber rejection of the attempt to declare the Kingdom Consensus Laws “controversial.” This cleared the tracks for the political process to get Bonaire and the other BES islands out from under Curaçao and integrate them into Holland. Those laws are necessary to legitimize the breakup of the Netherlands Antilles and will be handled as was planned before the recent fall of the Dutch government rather than having to wait until a new government takes office in June. Handling of the Consensus Laws starts on April 9 and will conclude on April 20 with the voting. It’s anticipated that delegations from Aruba and the Antilles and Antillean Parliaments will be in The Netherlands for these meetings. (Continued on page 13) Senator Jopie Abraham meeting in the Dutch parliament Lora enjoying sea grapes at Boca Dreufi

PAGE 4

Page 4 Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 “I was born in Guangdong, China, in February 1979. My father was a cook, my mother a housewife, and my two younger sisters and I grew up in a remote village. Life was simple. I went to kindergarten and then to the first grade and then I came to Bonaire. My father came here in 1983. The owner of Great China, a restaurant downtown, had asked him to come over to be the chef at his restaurant. I was seven when we moved and I was expecting a big city like New York or Hong Kong, and then when we arrived here I was stunned… it was the same as at home! We came in April and we started school in August. I went to the first grade at Papa Cornes elementary school and my sisters went to kindergarten. I didn’t understand one word the teacher was saying, so we communicated in hand language. That first year I didn’t learn much, but after the second grade my Papiamentu had improved a lot and I also understood some Dutch. At the time the school’s instruction language was Dutch. In the fourth grade all my grades were okay. Then my father changed jobs and he started working in the kitchen of Torito Snack in Antriol. My mom stayed at home. After school and during the weekends I helped my father, peeling potatoes, cutting up vegetables and meat, making lumpias and putting the saté meat on the sticks. I had a good friend, Terrence Martis. He was the son of my neighbor and we went to the same school. We became very close. He taught me a lot of Papiamentu, we rode bicycles, we went to the mondi to catch iguanas, we went snorkeling and fishing at the Waf – the town pier and at the Marina. Those were years that gave me a lot of good memories. When I went to Havo high school, Terrence went to cooking school at SGB and we remained friends. Nowadays he is a chef in France. After high school I went to study electrical engineering in New York. My sisters and I were renting an apartment in Brooklyn… finally a big city! At first I liked it very much, but then I realized I liked Bonaire more. Life in the States is very crowded. It’s busy every day and people hardly socialize. My sisters studied accounting and all three of us work ed Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. I worked as a waiter, a cashier, as a delivery boy and as a librarian. Ah! Also as a guinea pig! When they would ask people to volunteer for a new experiment I went, and of course we got paid for that. Living in New York was a great experience and my recommendation is that when somebody gets the chance to go to a big city – New York or Amsterdam – go for it! Go and see ‘the real world’ outside Bonaire, because there you are forced to grow up, to become more self reliant and more organized as everybody and everything has its own agenda. My sisters stayed in the US. One is working as a chief accountant and the other one is a marketing manager. They are both married. I came back in 2004 and my father asked me to set up a supermarket business here. In 1994 he had started his own restaurant which he named Peking Bar and Restaurant on Kaya Korona. Next to it we had this empty lot and so the idea was to start a business there. Wing Cheung Supermarket opened its doors in 2006. It took me two years to set it up because in the meantime I had met the girl who’s now my wife, Iris Liang, in China in 2005. I was there for business and that’s how I met her. It was love at first sight! I stayed for about two months and met her mother and her brother. She’s from the same town as I am from, but I’d never seen her. I’d left too early. Then I came back to Bonaire for the final setup and the opening of the supermarket. In January 2006 Iris came to Bonaire and we got married in March. In the beginning it was the same for her as it had been for me, but now she likes it – she likes the simple and quiet life and so do I. The first baby was born in May 2006, a beautiful girl we named Rachel. In Nove mber 2008 our son, Winson, was born. It was a (Continued on page 5) “ A child will adapt to everything. Look at me. I spoke Chinese at home, at school I learned Dutch and from my friends I learned Papiamentu. ” ROCARGO SERVICES, N.V. International Freight (Car) BV The ONLY company offering direct weekly consolidation services from Europe/Holland to Bonaire www.ifc-consolidators.nl Jupiterweg 1A (Ecopark) 4761 RW Moerdijk, Holland Tel 31-(0) 168-40-94 94 Fax 31-(0) 168-40 94 70 Offering DAILY Express Services from and to Bonaire For shipment tracking www.fedex.com The World On Time Kaya Industria 12, KralendijkBonaire—N.A. 717-8922 FAX 717-5791 Email:info@rocargo.com Amcar Freight, Inc. The ONLY company offering direct weekly consolidation services from Miami, USA to Bonaire www.amcarfreight.com 7860 N.W. 80th Street Medley, Florida 33166 Tel. (305) 599-8866 Fax (305) 599-2808 For All Your Shipping Needs Full service door to door by air and by sea. Customs clearance, transportation, warehousing. International and local relocation. Packing material in stock. Qualified and professional personnel. Timely, accurate and reliable ISO 9001: 2000 Certified Xuwen (rt.) and his father at the supermarket

PAGE 5

Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Page 5 great experience. I thought, ‘Now I am a grown up and I have to be responsible and mature.’ In fact it wasn’t such a big change because I was always a responsible guy. I like to joke and socialize and it may not show, but,” he laughs, “ I am quite serious. Now the third baby is on its way, due in June. I love children – the way they smile at you and when they call you daddy. I love almost everything about them… except for when they’re crying! I don’t spend a lot of time with them right now, but in the future I will. The reason is that Wing Cheung Supermarket is only three years old and it is not yet completely stable and on track. And the kids are still small and they don’t have personal thoughts, but when they start realizing ‘daddy should be here’ – I will be. I’ll make sure that will work out. Soon Rachel will be four years old and she will be going to Pelican School because I myself as a child went through the Dutch school system and I think the system was perfect. The reason is we had to learn Dutch from the first grade until the sixth grade and so we had a solid foundation of the Dutch language because at SGB Junior and High School all the books are in Dutch and you cannot just jump from Papiamentu to Dutch. That’s impossible! A child will adapt to everything. Look at me. I spoke Chinese at home, at school I learned Dutch and from my friends I learned Papiamentu.” Xuwen Cen is a very likeable man. He’s fast and bright and working hard, but there’s always time for a chat or a joke, and from what I’ve heard from the people who are working for him, he’s a great and very social boss. “The shop is doing okay. I have about 10 employees, all of them Antillean. I believe in good communication with the customers and to provide gr eat service. I also believe that as a good director, a good leader, I have to be a member of the team – not be on the outside – and that works. Leaders are seen as models for the employees, so when the boss is socializing and giving good service to the customers and working hard, it gives the employees an example. Last year in August I started an online course, Master of Business Administration, via the University of Phoenix, Arizona. It’s great, it’s super, especially for someone like me – full time employed and a father of almost three and a husband. Going back to school was impossible, so now I can do it online at home. The whole program will take me one and a half years. It’s time and money consuming, but I want to gain more knowledge in managing a business and I want to push my knowledge to a higher level and… I want to set an example for my children.” He laughs. “ So I can tell them ‘I am an MBA. You have to be at least an MBA…’ Family is the most important thing in life and achieving your mission is the second most important thing. I work about 12 hours per day. After I close the supermarket at eight, I go next door to Peking Restaurant where I work until midnight. Then I study until two or three in the morning, and after that I sleep until 10 and then the day begins again. In their free time, most of the people of the Chinese community on this island go fishing with long nets in the saliñas. We also catch crabs and lobsters and we play basketball. There are three teams: Peking, Rincon and Hato. We play competitively and we train together and we socialize. This year, during the Regatta, we will do the Lion Dance again. I’ve invited the team from Curaçao to come over, so this time there will be two Lions. What do I like about Bonaire? Number one is nature, including the blue sea, and then I like the unspoiled life and the friendly people. To grow up here it’s a perfect place, but for higher edu-cation, you have to go abroad. Going back to China? Ah! I will go back, but… only for vacation!” Story & photos by Greta Kooistra On the Island Since (Coned from page 4) His father holding daughter Rachel , Xuwen, and his wife Iris who's carrying little Winson

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Page 6 Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 A Unique Chance: Compassionate Communication on Bonaire! “When you recognize that all human beings are equal and like yourself in both their desire for happiness and their right to obtain it, you automatically feel empathy and closeness for them… True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason.” -The Dalai Lama W e have a vision that the future generations of children will be able to create new organizations whose goal is to meet human needs to make life more wonderful for themselves and each other . Marshal Rosenberg, founder of Centre of Nonviolent Communication (www.cnvc.org ), believes that it is in our nature to enjoy giving and receiving in a compassionate and harmonious manner. But specific forms of language and communication have contributed to our behaving “violently” toward each other and ourselves. Compassionate Communica tion, Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is a language, a natural process which can be used by anyone, no matter what age, cultural background, status or gender . Instead of communicating with the intention of being right, to correct, to change, to punish, to reward or to have it “my way,” NVC focuses on connection, trust, understanding, win-win and equal power. This will result in safety, connection, trust, respect, power and harmony. Research has shown that people (including children) learn, hear and co-operate more willingly in situations where they experience safety, respect and belonging. We are happy to welcome Jean Morrison and Sura Hart to Bonaire. They bring experience not only in NVC but also in education, raising children and in relationships. Sura Hart has written several books about this topic (www.thenofaultzone.com ). Jean Morisson creates stimulating and inspiring learning material in NVC. Sura and Jean will conduct different courses: 1)Teach 4 Life! Is based on the principles of NVC, how to create a classroom where respect and compassion are the basis. During the training we will work on strengthening the ability to: € Live with a consciousne ss of compassion for yourself and others € Resolve conflict peacefully and teach children to do the same € Eliminate power struggles € Understand and address the root cause of challenging behavior € Inspire willing coopera tion and learning. Course 1: April 1st and 3rd. 8am5 pm Course 2: April 6th and 7th. 8am–5pm Cost: NAƒ 250 (incl. material and lunch) 2) NVC and Family: Respectful Parents Respectful Kids In this workshop you will strengthen the ability to: € Connect compassionately with yourself and your family € Inspire open, respectful communication € Fully support children’s’ growing need for autonomy while also honoring your own needs and values € End power struggles and shift from trying to manage kids’ behavior with demands, rewards and consequences, to effectively fostering goodwill and willing co -operation. € Increase respect, fun and harmony at home March 23rd and 30th 7-10pm Cost: NAƒ 95 3) NVC and Relationships: Bridging the Communication Gap will focus on: € Making peace with conflict € Naming old habits of mind and language which create distress and walls of separation € New habits that create compassion, connection and healing € Steps to liberate our thinking and reactions in order to transform anger, hurt, guilt, and disappointment into energy and expressions that serve life € Clarity about emotions and needs so that we hear and are heard by others € A powerful, simple process that gives a foundation for clear, compassionate communication March 24th and 25th 7:15-10 pm Cost: NAƒ 95 4) Custom-made courses for your company, organization, foundation or community group Both women speak English. Dutch and Papiamentu translation are available w ith all training courses. With NVC on Bonaire we take a clear and effective step on the road to a comm unity where all needs count, no matter what culture, age, color or gender. Therefore I think it is most effective to start as early as possible, with the children, schools, teachers and parents. And at the same time, we as adults need to be role models. How can we all live in harmony when we ourselves still judge and assume to know what and who is right or wrong? Annemiek le Noble For more information contact: Annemiek le Noble Bonaire Basics; Centre for Awareness; Kaya Korona 47, 786 3341 Annemiek@telbonet.an To solve the puzzle, enter the numbers 1 through 9 to the partially filled in puzzle without repeating a number in any row, column or 3 x 3 region. Answer on page 18. The giraffe is the symbol of the process of NVC. It has the biggest heart of all land mammals. Sura Hart Jean Morrison

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Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Page 7 T he three most important words in your life should be ALKALIZE, ALKALIZE, ALKALIZE! Can you remember what conditions are good for yeast overgrowth and fungus? Yes, over-acidity. Where does over-acidity come from? From sugar and yeast in our bread, dairy products, processed foods, soda drinks and alcohol. I can hear the collective groan. Is there anything left to eat? The answer is very simple indeed. Yes, there is more than you think. BUT, IT IS unprocessed, IT IS raw at times, IT IS combined properly with other foods and IT IS guaranteed to give you the nutrition that your body so desperately craves. So many people are overfed but under-nourished. Are you one of them? If your health is a problem, then you are definitely in this category. One of the changes you can make in your daily diet is combing foods correctly. NEVER have a meat (any meat including fish) with carbohydrates or starches, like potato, pasta and pumpkin. This combination neutralizes stomach acids. Fermentation and putrefaction then beco me the digesters, instead of digestive enzymes. Another one is NEVER to have fruit after a meal. Fruit needs about 20 minutes on an empty stomach to digest. If eaten with, for example, meat which will take hours to digest (even if correctly combined), fermentation will follow. Fermentation then takes us full circle to the yeast and fungal problem. Bread and beer consumption on Bonaire is extremely high, and I believe that if people cut down on beer and switch to un-leavened (yeast free) bread, we will make a start in addressing the health issues on this island. Another insane habit so many people have is to drink water with a meal. Water will dilute your digestive enzymes during the meal, and you are back to square one. So many people tell me that there is not enough choice in food on Bonaire. Remember, it is not how much you eat, but whether you can digest, absorb, utilize and eliminate what you have eaten. Keep your meals simple. Changing to an antifungal dietary lifestyle is just the first step on what should be a life-long road. To speed up the repair process, items like lemons, garlic, oregano and almonds should be included on a daily basis. Excellent herbs like Pau D’Arco, Black Walnut and Hawthorn berries will not just support the immune system, but will also kill off fungi and help support liver function. Another interesting fact is that people who wear dentures have a much higher fungal and yeast overgrowth and this is quite noticeable with that “furry” feeling in the mouth. Denture wearers should take extreme care with oral hygiene, as the dentures are a natural “breeding ground” for fungi. A twice daily mouthwash with herbal tea is highly recommended, certainly if you are prone to mouth ulcers, gum infections or sore throats. After all is said and done, only you can make the change in your life! Stop making excuses for your bad eating habits and take back the control. IF YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF WHAT YOU EAT, THEN YOU ARE BEING CONTROLLED BY WHAT YOU EAT! Which one are you? Stephanie Bennett Author Stephanie Bennett was born in Cape Town, South Africa, where she studied herbs, minerals and nutrition. Before moving to Bonaire she continued her studies in UK, and now researches health issues that particularly affect people on Bonaire and other Caribbean Islands. THE SILENT PANDEMIC – LIFESTYLE Tras di Montanja/Bonaire – T o me Tras di Montanja is a special place. A lot of typical vehicles are more or less hidden behind the mountains of Bonaire. That day in February I was on my way with my 600 cc super single to try to find a kind of old red panel van, built in the late 40s or the early 50s. I found the van, but the owner was not at home or enjoying his siesta. So I drove back, desperately searching for a topic for my next article. Then, in a 50-mile flash, I saw a Jeep Mahindra parked in a koraal (garden/ private property/jb) along the west side of the road from Rincon. I had seen this Jeep several years ago, parked along the north side of the road to Lagoen. I had talked with the proud owner, but the car and the owner vanished on this small island of Bonaire. And then the vehicle re-appeared. Location: Tras di Montanja 17. Yes! I already knew the owner was very proud of his vehicle. Now, by meeting him again, I found out his name: Johnnie Felida. And the old red panel van, built in the late 40s or early 50s, belonged to his brother. And his brother also had a Jeep Mahindra. It is so interesting and funny to discover all the wheeled secrets of Bonaire. And I am that privileged. So Johnnie Felida is the owner of one of the two Jeep Mahindras on the island of Bonaire. The vehicle was produced by Mahindra Industries, a huge factory established in 1945 in Mumbai, India, producing automotive and farm equipment. The Jeeps built in India still show their classic lines. The Mahindras are derived from the CJ3 and CJ5. This Jeep Mahindra was built somewhere in the late 70s or early 80s. From the plastic badge above the grill in the front of the vehicle only three letters remain: “hin.” As the Bonairean salt eats the metal away, the sun has the same effect on plastics. Johnnie’s Mahindra is licensed: 814-B. The vehicle has the classic looks of the real Jeep, including the traditional seven slits in the grill. The body is mounted on a ladder chassis, and four 16-i nch wheels and tires carry the weight of the vehicle. No free wheel hubs are mounted. Everything is very basic and standard. Leaf springs in the front and in the rear, drum brakes all over the vehicle. A lot of iron is used. The Jeep is quite heavy. The hood looks old fashioned, more or less similar to the long body Jeeps that roll over the island and that are produced in Colombia, fitted with original America Hercules engines. This Jeep Mahindra has an Indian power plant. Four strokes, four cylinders, one carburetor, an air filter with an oil bath to trap the fine dust. A modern 12-volt system, no power brakes, no power steering and of course no power windows. Windows? There is only one window fitted on this Jeep. The glass in the front. And you can fold it down like the soft top. There’s a roll bar too. Johnny likes his Jeep. He takes a position next to the car and caresses the soft, more or less modern looking steering wheel. The padded wheel is one of the few parts on the vehicle that shows the word “Mahindra.” We walk around his Jeep: four-wheel drive, four speeds, high gears, low gears. There is also a small trailer with an army-like appearance. The trailer is not Indian made. The wheels are some 14 inches. Maybe the trailer is produced by Saris in Europe. More details about the combination are not known. In the near future I shall visit Johnny’s brother. He also has a Jeep Mahindra. But this one is fitted with a diesel engine, probably produced under license of Peugeot, France. And then, of co urse, there is the red panel van, parked in a kunuku along the road to Rincon. Split window? Fire Department? Radio wagon? Mobile movie theatre? I just do not know yet… Story & photo by J@n Brouwer The 63rd of a series of Bonaire Reporter articles by J@n Brouwer, featuring some of Bonaire’s interesting veh icles that are “on wheels.” On course for 100+ Johnnie and his Jeep

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Page 8 Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 L e t T h e R e p o r t e r C o m p l e t e Y o u r B u s i n e s s P i c t u r e W i t h A S p e c i a l l y D e s i g n e d A d v e r t i s i n g P l a n Why The Reporter? € Real stories, news and letters € Balanced views and topics people want to read € More copies than any print media distributed on Bonaire—6,000 per month. Low cost per copy. € Aimed at Locals and Tourists € Your ads go Worldwide on the Internet… free € In English– The language of bargains and business € Big formatyour ad is never “lost in the clutter.” € Free Directory listings for regular advertisers Money to spend for advertising is always hard to find, Contact us today to make your advertising budget REALLY WORK! The Bonaire Reporter , PO Box 407, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles; Phones: (599) 790-6518, 786-6518, 790-8988 E-mail: Laura@bonairereporter.com C ommunication is a very essential part of human life. The word communication or to communicate means to have contact; to understand each other; have interchangeable thoughts. If we could communicate in the best manner we could avoid a lot of misunderstandings, hatred and even war. There’s a saying, “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” Translate it in Dutch “ Kwade gezelschappen bederven goede zeden .” Today we have variety of means of communication to bring information to the public: magazines, newspapers, advertisements, television, computers, radio and a lot more. How do YOU make use of these medias? I interviewed a real Bonairean who has owned a radio station for 15 years and has the heart and soul for his work. His name is Mr. Carmo “Bubui” Cecilia (59) director of Radio Station BONFM 102.7, and he tells us the story of how he got involved with the radio station. “I worked for a radio station called Radio Hoyer 3 in 1976. Before that I’d worked as a correspondent for the Dutch Amigoe newspaper. This was as a part-timer, as I was a fulltime schoolteacher at the primary school. After being involved with the radio station, Voz di Boneiru, and the newspaper èxtra in the 80s and 90s my family and I decided to start our own radio station, BONFM. I got the permit and every five years I have to renew it. Our radio station stands for education and conscientious objectives. The kind of programming we offer is: 1. “ Bondia Boneiru ” (“Good morning, Bonaire”), News, SEBIKI (a family education program), a Health and Nutrition program, musical entertainment (Bonairean, Antillean, Latin American, Caribbean and American music). The name BON FM stands for GOOD RADIO STATION. The information and music that are presented to you must be of a good quality and at a high level. We have a special section during the news time for our radio listeners when they may call and give their opinions. It’s called “ Opinion di nos Oyentenan (Opinion of our radio listeners).” Communication must be the truth. What is needed to be said or to communicate is only the truth and don’t misuse the media to achieve any other kind of purpose. Don’t use the means for communication to unjustly criticize people. You must do the work correctly so people will believe in what you are writing or saying. Cultivate credibility in your work. To our readers and listeners: You must be critical with yourself in what you read and hear. Ask yourself what the truth is in what I’m reading or hearing.” So as you can see, we as radio listeners and newspaper readers also have work to do, by finding out the truth. Send your comments to The Bonaire Reporter, P.O. Box 407, Bonaire, or email reporter @bonairenews.com . COMMUNICATION “Bubui” Cecilia least once a week or more often, and removing accumulated algae and dirt. By offering birds a place to bathe and drink, not only will you be helping them get much needed water, but you'll be rewarded with the antics of many species of birds--right in your own yard. If you have garden plants that provide food for wildlife consider watering them. It can be a sad sight watching your yard turning brown, so if you decide to irrigate your plants focus on the food producing plants and trees. At WEB’s rates plant irrigation can quickly break the budget, so be selective. Economize by using water which might have normally been wasted. For example, use a bucket to catch extra water when you run the water before a shower. If you take a bath, use the bath water to water trees, shrubs, and non-edible plants (not your vegetable or herb garden!). The same goes for dishwater. Finally, try placing a bucket under downspouts to catch runoff from any rain that falls. Don't fertilize during drought. Fertilizer promotes plant growth, which increases the need for water. You can conserve water and prepare your garden even before drought hits by planting native instead of non-native plants. They usually require less care than non-native species and are therefore more likely to survive when a drought does strike. And the local wildlife will appreciate them. G.D. Times are Tough (Continued from page 3)

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Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Page 9 Airport: Divi Divi Air DAE Air Insel Air Valerie’s Airport Shop Airlines: Divi Divi Air EZ Air DAE Banks: MCB (Playa & Hato branches) ORCO Bank Giro Bank Restaurants: Bistro de Paris Capriccio Casablanca China Nobo City Café Eli’s Deli It Rains Fishes Lover’s Ice Cream-Hato Papagayo Pasa Bon Pizza Patagonia Dive Shops: Blue Divers Carib Inn Tropical Divers WannaDive Shops: Antillean Wine Company Benetton Best Buddies Botika Bonaire Botika Korona Budget Marine Chat ‘n’ Browse City Shop da Shop DeFreewieler Digicel Exito Bakery Green Label INPO Kooyman Napa Paradise Photo Photo Tours Playa Trading Hotels: Buddy Dive Capt. Don’s Habitat Carib Inn Den Laman Divi Flamingo Eden Beach Plaza Resort Sand Dollar Resort Supermarkets: Cash & Carry (Consales) Cultimara Joke’s Mini Market More for Less Progresso Sunshine Market The Island Trader (TIS) Warehouse Bonaire Zhung Kong Market, Hato Government: Bestuurscollege RSV-APNA Building Customs Parliament Office BVO Others: Bonfysio Botika Korona Caribbean Laundry Centro di Medico Dentist Office Von Egmond Digicel Office Extra Newspaper Office Fit 4 Life Green Label Hair Affair Harbour Village Marina Mio Cellular Photo Tours RSA Insurance Rocargo San Francisco Hospital TCB Telbo WEB office Bookstores: Addo’s Books & Toys Flamingo Bookstore Realty Offices : Bonaire Partners Bonaire Sunshine Homes Caribbean Homes Harbourtown Realty Re/Max Paradise Homes Sunbelt Realty RINCON: Chinese Store Joi Fruit Store Rincon Bakery Rose Inn Tusnara Market 3/1/2010 Rotary photo R otary Club Bonaire held its Valentine Day lunch at SGB Chez Nous. It was a perfect setting to give a check of NAƒ 1.000 to the Culinare Bonaire Foundation for the Italy Stage 2010 project. This project is in its eighth year. Every year eight young SGB hospitality students are selected to attend a cooking school in Italy's Emilia Romagna Region for three weeks. The latest group will be leaving this May. This program stimulates the hospitality students and provides them with a world-wide learning and growing experience. The opportunity is not only about cooking but also visiting the area’s fam ous export products and seeing the way the products are made: wines, olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese, prosciutto, and of course museums and cultural events. A nother event, the popular Bonaire Rotary Club Rotarally, will be on Sunday, March 28 . The rally will begin at 9 am at the Sporthall and finish at the Sunset Beach hotel waterf ront. Participation costs NAƒ 75 ($42) and includes two tickets to the rally-end BBQ. Proceeds to benefit the BIBLIO Bus (Library Bus). Tickets can be purchased in advance at Sunbelt Realty, It Rains Fishes Restaurant, Akkerman’s Auto Supplies, or from any Rotary member. Press release WHAT WILL IT TAKE? Dear Editor: I read with great sadness the letter from Jane Madden about the demolishing of the old and venerable cactus in the garden next door to her ( The Reporter , March 5-19, 2010, “100 Years of Natural Beauty Gone in an Instant”). My sadness was heightened by the fact that the people behind this were with TransWorld Radio. TWR has been a part of Bonaire for many years and I and many others had considered them to be a part of the island family. To have allowed something like this to happen, when Ms. Madden went out of her way to offer solutions to cutting down the cactus, is unconscionable. Transients on Bonaire perhaps don't understand the importance of island flora but after having the situation explained to them they should have reached a compromise which did NOT include cutting down the cactus. We have uncaring developers allowing runoff from building sites to go onto our reefs and into the sea, and people coming here temporarily who destroy precious, historical plants. What is it going to take to get the attention of people and organizations who should know better to stop and rethink their methods so that our island environment can survive? Dabney Lassiter Rotarians Sara Matera and Huub Gr oot present a check to SGB teachers Vernon Martijn, Liz Rinja and Izzy Semeleer

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Page 10 Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Bonaire's First “Personal” Self Storage Facility Storage space from closet size to garage size. Monthly, yearly and long term contracts. Mangasina di Boneiru, B.V. P.O. Box 50 Kaya Gob. Debrot 124B Behind the yellow “Rum Factory” Across from Hamlet Oasis. Call 700-1753 WWW.BONAIRESELFSTORAGE .COM E-mail: info@ bonaireselfstorage.com E very year since it was started in 2003, the Special Olympics Bonaire Walk-a-Thon has gotten bigger and bigger. That firs t year, in 2003, 290 tickets were sold. This year, the 8th annual Walk-a -thon, more than 630 tickets, at NAƒ 25 each, were sold. It may be time for a name change as this year there were more bikers than walkers: 220 bikers to 215 walkers. (The bikers do have to take a longer route.) So nearly 200 tickets were purchased by individuals and groups who did not make the trek but wanted to support the Walk-a-Thon anyway. All funds raised from this event will help our Special Olympics Team Bonaire to participate in future games, with the Special Olympic Ga mes in Greece in 2012 on the horizon. Main sponsors for the Walk-a-Thon are Digicel, Wega di Number, Fatum Insurance, Hitess and MCB Ba nk. Nearly the whole community offered support in every possible way. L.D. The Walkathon began in 5 am darkness The Green Label Team walked with the same palm tree as last year (only bigger now) The “pit stop” at Hilltop was a favorite Volunteers at the Pasa Dia prepar ed the food for the finishers The Walkathon was fun for the entire family and friends . Nazario Alberto, the North Salinja Road Runner, was among the first finishers. Drinks were very welcome in the sunny morning Two of Bonaire’s Lt. Governo rs, Glenn Thodé (partially obscured) and Hubert Domacassée and his wife Lena gave out refreshments. Mechtild Thodé participated in the walk.

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Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Page 11 Al Fresco or Air Conditioned Dining Between Downtown and Hotel Row One street inland—Kaya Gob. Debrot 46 Reservations: 717-7070 info@bistrodeparis.com Open Monday -Saturday La Terassa, Kaya Grandi 23N (floor above Botica) 717-3353, 510-2318 Open MondaySaturday 10 am—6 pm nonstop Health Store Organic Products Sugarless Treats Unsalted Items Dried Fruits Herbal Teas 100% Natural Juices High Quality, Healthy, Natural Products Sunbelt Realty N.V. Kaya L.D. Gerharts 8 717 65 60 info@sunbelt.an|www.sunbelt.an C enturies ago a little village lay sleepily along the west coast of Bonaire. It had several scattered straw-roofed huts surrounding Fort Oranje in Playa. Ships calling at this tiny village tied up close to the beach. They used this object to secure their mooring lines. The port’s commander lived in the building that was built in 1837 which today serves as the Island Government’s administrative office. In 1848 the title of Commander changed to Lt. Governor as it is today. Q) What is the object in the photo, and can you locate it? Answer on page 18 BonQuiz appears regularly in The Reporter. It’s prepared by Christie Dovale of Christie Dovale Island Tours . Contact her to arrange a tour, Phone 717-4435 or 795-3456 or email: christiedovale@hotmail.com. O n Friday March 5, the renowned American pianist Marilyn Kredel gave a piano recital at tCacique Hall at the Plaza Resort, sponsored by the Classical Music Board Bonaire (CMBB). It was the latest in a series of audience-friendly performances tailored to the tastes of Bonaire residents. Over 100 spectators enjoyed the varied program of Scarlatti, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Dvorak, Saint-Saens, Toch and more. But it was much more than a recital as Marilyn shared stories and gave explanations about the pieces she played. The atmosphere in Cacique Hall was casual, pleasant and very friendly. Marilyn performed two Domenico Scarlatti sonatas, originally written for harpsichord. That was the prelude to the masterpiece by Ludwig van Beethoven, the Waldstein Sonata, a 25-minute severe and profound piece and, as she described, requiring intense effort on the part of the pianist. A special treat was Dvorak’s Slavonic Dance number 6 and 8 for four hands, played by Marilyn and Hans Faassen. The whirlwind pace and fortissimo of these pieces originally written for orchestra overwhelmed the spectators. The proceeds from this concert will go to the Fundashon Piano Grandi for purchase of new bass strings. Thank you, Marilyn. There is now a brand new website made by the CMBB. The site gives all the news of the upcoming concerts, information about past concerts and more. And you may now order tickets on line. Go to: www.classicalmusicbonaire.com/ SCHOOL CONCERT TOO E arlier in the day, Ms. Kredel performed at Cacique Hall for SGB (high school) students, most of whom have never been in a concert hall and certainly had not consciously listened to classical music played on a grand concert piano by a famous American pianist and organist. To explain the origin and meaning of music in life, in all cultures and at all times, Marilyn played pieces to depict what appeared in a painting. It was a place like Kralendijk with houses, a harbor with ships and the sea. Her piece was by Scarlatti, a 16th century Italian composer, and the audience could almost see the sea waves beating on the beach in the music. She also played other music used for parties and dances. Marilyn and Hans Faassen performed a four-handed piece of Slavic dances by Dvorak from the 19th century, which brought great applause. The students’ concert was made possible by the CMBB which will have four school concerts a year. All schools on the island have received a letter and email so they can register for the next concert. Tickets are low priced: NAƒ10; children under 12 is NAƒ 6. If you have yet to attend a CMBB concert be sure to try the next one on April 27 featuring top musicians from the 2010 Aruba Piano Festival. The experience of being in a small room close to the performers is almost unique in the world of classical music. If classical music intimidates you, it won’t in this setting. Remember, these classics have set the stage for modern music, and Chopin’s works are even the basis for the Antillean Tumba. L./G. D. Marilyn Kredel Marilyn and Hans Fassen play “quatremain”

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Page 12 Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 CLOSE-IN EVENTS Wolmoet Jansen Art Exhibit – until May, Plaza Hotel. See story on page 18. Saturday morning , March 20 Car Wash Fundraiser for BSSA (Bonaire Sailing School Association) at the Kas di Regatta on the Promenade, from 9-noon. See page 17. Saturday, March 20— Vernal Equinox—1st day of Spring. See page 19 Saturday, March 20MCB Car Show at the Bank HQ north of the hotel row traffic circle. Hours 9 am-6 pm. Sunday, March 21 – Anna-Marie Kroes Art Exhibit opens 6 pm at Kas di Arte. See page 12 for more details Sunday, March 28 – Rotary Club RotaRally See story on page 9. March 23, 24, 25, 30, April 1, 3, 6, 7 – Communication Courses at Bonaire Basics – see story on page 6. Animal For Sunday, March 28 32nd Annual “Kontest di Fli” (kite contest) in the field behind Kooyman’s. All day from 9 am. Sign up at the Flamingo Book Store on Kaya Grandi between March 1 to 27. Entry fee for kids, NAƒ 3,50; adults NAƒ 7,50. Free admission to the event. € April 1-5 – 8th Edition of the MCB International Tennis Tournament . Harbour Village Tennis Ce nter. Categories: Men’s Singles, Ladies Singles, Men Doubles, Women's Doubles and Mixed games;. Call Elisabeth Vos 5655225.CalCall Elisabeth Vos at 565-5225 € l Elisabeth Vos at 565-5225 Saturday, April 3 – Big monthly Rincon Marché, 6 am to 2 pm April 24 —Health Day –World Tai Chi Qigong Day at Bonaire Basics. More information 717-3041 or ron.sewell@diamond-waters.com Crafts Markets at Wilhelmina Pa rk on Cruise Ship Visiting Days— usually 10am until ship departure. Date Day Ship name Time PAX REGULAR EVENTS € Rooi Lamoenchi Kunuku Park Tours $21 (includes tax). Discounts for residents and local people. Tel. 7178489, 540-9800. € Parke Publico children’s playground open every day into the cooler evening hours. Saturdays € Rincon Marshé —6 am-2 pm. Enjoy a Bonairean breakfast while you shop, fresh fruits and vegetables, gifts, local sweets, snacks, arts, handicrafts, candles, incense, drinks, music. Big Marché first Saturday of the month— www.infobonaire.com/rincon. € Wine Tasting at Antillean Wine Company’s warehouse on Kaya Industria, second Saturday of the month , 7-9 pm. Snacks and tasting of six wines for $10 (NAƒ17,50) per person. Tel. 5607539. € Soldachi Tours— See the real Bonaire and be transported back in time. Learn about the history, culture and nature by Bonaireans from Rincon. Call Maria Koeks for more information—7967870. Mondays € Soldachi Tours of Rincon, the heart of Bonaire, 9 am-noon. $20-Call Maria, 717-6435-best island tour value € Meet the Captain Night at Captain Don’s Habitat Bar– Get up close and personal with Bonaire’s dive pioneer. The Captain’s will autograph your copy of his newest book Reef Windows . Fridays € Harbour Village Tennis, Social Round Robin 7-10 pm. $10 per person. Cash bar. All invited. Call Elisabeth Vos at 565-5225 FREE SLIDE/VIDEO SHOWS Sunday– Creature Feature– John and Suzie Wall of Buddy’s Digital photo center present a multimedia slide presentation about Buddy’s House Reef pool bar Buddy Dive , 6:30-7 pm, 717-5080 Monday -Dee Scarr’s Touch the Sea Slide Presentation, Capt. Don’s Habitat, 8:30 pm. 717-8529 Tuesday -Bonaire Land and Ocean presentation by Fish-Eye Photo staff, 7pm on the big screen inside the Sunset Bar and Grill at Den Laman Condos. Wednesday Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) presents an informative slide show: Sea Turtles of Bonaire, at 7pm -every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at Bruce Bowker's Carib Inn (717-8819) BONAIRE’S TRADITIONS Kas Krioyo Rincon— Step into Bonaire’s past in this venerable old home that has been restored and furnished so it appears the family has just stepped out. Local ladies will tell you the story. Open Monday thru Friday, 9 –12, 2-4. Weekends by appointment. Call 717-2445. Mangasina di Rei, Rincon . Enjoy the view from “The King’s Storehouse.” Learn about Bonaire’s culture. Visit homes from the 17th century. Daily. Call 717-4060 / 790-2018 Bonaire Museum on Kaya J. v.d. Ree, behind the Catholic Church in town. Open weekdays from 8 am-noon, 1:30-5 pm. Tel. 717-8868 Washington-Slagbaai National Park, Museum and Visitors’ Center. Open daily 8 am-5 pm. Closed on December 25th. and January 1st. Call 788 9015 or 796 5681 CLUBS and MEETINGS AA meetings every Wednesday at 7pm. Phone: 786-4651 or 786-7971 Al-Anon meetings every Monday evening at 7 pm. Call 790-7272 Bridge Club Wednesdays , 7:15 pm— All levels, NAƒ2,50, call Renata at 796-5591 to find out the evening’s location. Darts Club plays every other Sunday at City Café. Registration at 4, games at 5. Tel. 717-2950, 560-7539. The Hash House Harriers running and walking club meets every second Wednesday for a one hour walk throughout Bonaire. The location changes each week. The contact number is 700-4361 JCI First Wednesday of the MonthJunior Chamber International Bonaire (JCI Bonaire, formerly known as Bonaire Jaycees) meets at the ABVO building, Kaminda Jato Baco 36 from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Everyone is welcome. Contact: Renata Domacassé 516-4252. Kiwanis Club meets at APNA Plaza, Kaya International, every other Tuesday, 7 pm . Tel. 717-5595, Jeannette Rodriguez. Lions Club meets every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at 8 pm at Kaya Sabana #1. All Lions welcome. For more information call 510-0710. Rotary lunch meetings Wednesdays , 12 noon-2 pm Divi Flamingo Beach Resort upstairs in Peter Hughes meeting room above the dive shop. All Rotarians welcome. Tel. 717-2066 Toastmasters Club meets every two weeks. For more information call Crusita de Palm at 786-3827 or Lucia Martinez Beck, at 786-2953. CHURCH SERVICES Protestant Congregation of Bonaire: Kralendijk, Wilhelminaplein. In Papiamentu, Dutch, English, Sundays, 10 am. Rincon, Kaya C.D. Crestian, in Papiamentu, Sundays, 8:30 am. Children’s club, Saturdays, 5 pm, in Kralendijk Sunday School, Sundays, 4 pm, in Rincon. Bible Study and Prayer meetings, Thursdays, at 8 pm, Kralendijk. New Apostolic Church: Centro di Bario Nord Saliña, Sundays, 10 am. Services in Dutch. 700-0379 . International Bible Church of Bonaire, at SGB High School auditorium (Kaya Frater Odulfinus, off Kaya Korona.) Sunday services in English at 9 am; Sunday evening prayer meeting at Pastor's home, 7 pm. Fridays, 6 to 8 pm, Light & Life Club, children 5 to 12 yrs. Tel. 717-8332. Catholic: San Bernardus in Kralendijk – Services, Sunday at 8 am and 7 pm in Papiamentu, 717-8304. Our Lady of Coromoto in Antriol , Saturday at 6 pm in English. Mass in Papiamentu on Sunday at 9 am and 6 pm. 7174211. Assembly of God (Asemblea di Dios): Kaya Triton (Den Cheffi). In English, Dutch & Papiamentu on Sunday at 10 am. Wednesday Prayer Meeting at 7:30 pm . 717-2194 Ministerio di Kristu Hesus Services Sunday mornings at 10 am at Jong Bonaire Youth Center in English, Dutch and Papiamentu. Preaching the full gospel. Contact: 786-2557. Prayer and Intercession Church, in English. A full Gospel Church l ocated temporarily at Kaya Alexandrit # 20, Santa Barbara, Republiek. Services are held on Sunday mornings from 10am until 11:30am. Bible studies in English are on Monday nights from 7 to 8 pm. Contact: 717-3322 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints : Kaya Sabana #26, Sundays: 9 am Sacrament Services (Translation to English and Papiamentu upon request) 10:20 Sunday School, 11:15 RS/YM/YW/PH Primary held from 10:20-12 noon Visitors Welcome: Call 701-9522 for Information Who’s Who on The Bonaire Reporter Take The Reporter Home—1-year subscription: By mail to US $70; By mail to Europe $150. By Internet $35 donation. For information about subscriptions, stories or advertising in The Bonaire Reporter , PO Box 407, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles; phone (599) 790-6518, 786-6125, E-mail: info@bonairereporter.com The Bonaire Reporter, George DeSalvo, Publisher. Laura DeSalvo, Editor in Chief. Address: P. O. Box 407, Bona ire, Neth. Antilles. Available on-line at: www.bonairereporter.com Published every two weeks Reporters: Siomara Albertus, Stephanie Bennett, J@n Brouwer, Christie Dovale, Jack Horkheimer, Greta Kooistra, Alicia Reigel, Peter Silberie, Michael Thiessen Unattributed photos are by the editor or publisher. Distribution: Yuchi Molina (Rincon), Elisabeth S ilberie (Playa), Divi-Divi Airline Housekeeping: JRA. Printed by: DeStad Drukke rij, Curaçao ©2010 The Bonaire Reporter Friday March 19, 2010 Enchantment of the Seas 0730-1630 2446 Monday March 22, 2010 AidaAura 0800-1600 1260 Tuesday March 23, 2010 Ocean Dream 0800-1600 1000 Wednesday March 24, 2010 Sea Princess 1200-1900 2016 Friday March 26, 2010 Enchantment of the Seas 0730-1630 1950 Tuesday March 30, 2010 Ocean Dream 0800-1600 1000 Tuesday March 30, 2010 Noordam 0800-1700 1918 Thursday April 1, 2010 Bremen 0800-2300 164 Thursday April 1, 2010 Caribbean Princess 1100-1900 3100 Friday April 2, 2010 Enchantment of the Seas 0730-1630 2446 Tuesday April 6, 2010 Ocean Dream 0800-1600 1000 Tuesday April 6, 2010 Sea Princess 1200-1900 2016 Friday April 9, 2010 Enchantment of the Seas 0730-1630 2446 Cruise Ship Calls -Informati on provided by the TCB Send event info to: The Bonaire Reporter reporter@bonairenews.com Tel:790-6518, 786-6125

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Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Page 13 Bonaire Reporter Classifieds— Are still free Got something to buy or sell? Non-Business Classified Ads (up to 4 lines/ 20± words): FREE Commercial Ads only NA ƒ 1,10 per word, for each two-week issue. Call 790-6518 or 790-6125 or email info@bonairereporter.com CARS Leaving the island. For sale: White Daewoo Matiz, 2000, 5-doors, 5speed, 51.000 km, airco, original. Two new tires and a new battery. Ang. 7.000. Call 717 – 2399 or mail digitalis1956@hotmail.com for a picture and more information. —————————————— Living Accommodations Wanted: Mature, responsible, single woman to take care of my house and dog in Belnem in exchange for reduced rent (NAƒ450 a month) for separate, spacious guesthouse with bedroom, kitchen, private bathroom and outside “gazebo” living room – all situated in a beautiful walled-in garden. Cable TV and Internet included. Utilities NAƒ 175 a month. Available March 19 for long term . Email Pauline at pkayes@diversityworksinc.net . ——————————————— FOR RENT 2 bedroom apartment. Great location Abraham Blvd. ANG 1350 month long term. Laundry facility on premises. 788-3837 ——————————————–For rent at Hato , apartment (2 bedrooms) 1-2 persons. From 10 February. Minimum stay 4 months. No pets allowed. no airco allowed. Incl.; gas/ water/electricity/internet/linen/selibon/ furnished/garden/parking place/terrace/ tv connection Rent per month NAƒ 850,-All In NAƒ 1150,-normal use. Deposit NAƒ 1150,-—————————————— Hato -for rent small house 1-2 persons (2 bedrooms). From March. Minimum stay 4 months with airco, water, electricity, internet, linen, selibon, furnished, garden, parking area, dishwasher, washing-machine, boiler etc. private terrace. (separate TV connection and gas possible). No pets allowed. 717-2529 or 796-2529. ——————————————— MISCELLANEOUS — — — — — — — — — — For Sale : Blonde wood entertainment center. Dimensions: 183cm w X 189cm h X 41.5cm d. NAƒ300; Sony Tuner 75NA ; JVC VHS w. videos Technics Tape Deck 50NA ; 2007 MITSUBITISHI truck running board NAƒ 200 Call: 717-2050 ———————–———-——— Tel (599) 791-6272 / 785-6272 hans@outdoorbonaire.com www.outdoorbonaire.com Bonaire Images Elegant greeting cards and beautiful boxed note cards are now available at Chat -N-Browse next to Lover’s Ice Cream and Sand Dollar Grocery. Photography by Shelly Craig www.bonaireimages.com ——————————————— For Quality House and Office Cleaning .. CALL JRA Serving Bonaire for more than 15 years Honest, Reliable, Efficient, Thorough, Low rates, References. One time or many Phone 785-9041 … and relax. ———————————— LUNCH TO GO Starting from NAƒ6,50 per meal. Call CHINA NOBO 717-8981. Web site: www.chinanobobonaire.com __________________________ 16 Flights a day between Bonaire and Curaçao Divi Divi Air Reservations 24 hours a day Call (5999 839-1515) Or (5999 IS YOUR HOUSE NEW TO YOU? Make it more livable from the start. FENG SHUI CONSULTATIONS Also interior or exterior design advice, clearings, blessings, energy, healing, China-trained. Experienced. Inexpensive. Call Donna at 795-9332 . JANART GALLERY Kaya Gloria 7, Bonaire Local Art, Art Supplies, Framing, and Art Classes. Open Tu.-We.-Th. & Sat 10 am5 pm Friday 17 pm; or phone 717-5246 for appt. Zapataria Rincon Shoe and Purse Repair – Kaya Grandi 36 FELMAR Cleaning Services Apartments, Hotels, Houses, Offices & More. Efficient Work, Good References. Tel. 786-0019 Property Services Bonaire B.V. Taking care of your properties (while you are off island). Email for information and prices: propertyservicesbonaire@hotmail.com Pinball Machine Jokerz For sale at NA 595 or best offer. Over NA 1500 invested in new circu it boards, parts etc. Needs finishing up with some wiring etc. Call 717-8819 8 am to 5 pm ———————————— Refrigerator LG Electrocool, not even one year old, NAƒ 750.-. Phone 7863117. ———————————— TV for sale 27" Phillips flat screen color TV $75 Please call 717-3809 ———————————— Brand new Haynes Repair Manual Jeep Wrangler 1987 thru 2003, all models: Ang 50,00. Old book in Dutch language: " Oude bouwwerken in de Nederlandse Antillen, [1968 ]. 50 pages: Ang 15,00. Spare wheel Toyota Hilux: Ang 50,00. Call 796-3637 or email digitalis1956@hotmail.com/ ———————————— WANTED 20’ container in good condition . Call Donna 795-9332 ———————————— Want to help Bonaire's only Children’s Playground and Park?. The Park urgently need financial contributions, Park volunteers for flea market, clean-ups, maintenance etc. or to become an action member of the Keep the Park Open committee. For more please call Vicky Bissessar 786 1592. ——————————————Get Results Fast Commercial ads are Inexpensive, Non -commercial ads are free. The Bonaire Reporter Email Reporter@Bo naireNews.com Tel. 790-6518, 786-6125 Does your English need a little "polishing " for your work in the tourist industry? Call 788-7919 for help with conversational English. KRALENDIJK TIDES (Heights in feet, FT) Remember: Winds and weather can further influence the local tide’s height and time DATE Time Ht. Time Ht. Time Ht. Time Ht. ` COEF 3-19 3:30 1.7FT. 14:01 1.0FT. 80 3-20 4:21 1.8FT. 14:38 0.9FT. 76 3-21 5:24 1.8FT. 15:18 0.8FT. 69 3-22 6:18 1.9FT. 15:51 0.8FT. 61 3-23 7:20 1.9FT. 16:17 0.8FT. 55 3-24 8:12 1.9FT. 16:43 0.9FT. 53 3-25 1:04 1.2FT. 9:09 1.9FT. 17:10 0.9FT. 22:42 1.2FT. 57 3-26 2:49 1.1FT. 10:01 1.8FT. 17:30 1.0FT. 22:43 1.3FT. 67 3-27 4:16 1.1FT. 10:54 1.7FT. 17:44 1.0FT. 23:04 1.4FT. 78 3-28 5:39 1.1FT. 11:52 1.6FT. 17:52 1.1FT. 23:39 1.5FT. 88 3-29 0:11 1.6FT. 7:05 1.0FT. 12:49 1.4FT. 17:51 1.2FT. 96 3-30 0:57 1.7FT. 8:36 1.0FT. 14:08 1.3FT. 17:33 1.2FT. 100 3-31 1:44 1.8FT. 10:15 0.9FT. 100 4-01 2:37 1.8FT. 11:50 0.9FT. 95 4-02 3:37 1.9FT. 13:02 0.8FT. 87 4-03 4:32 1.9FT. 14:01 0.8FT. 77 4-04 5:35 1.8FT. 14:44 0.8FT. 64 4-05 6:27 1.8FT. 15:27 0.8FT. 52 If these laws are passed then, said Antillean Prime Minister Emily de Jong, it should be possible, with effort, to meet the 10/10/10 target date for the new structure for the Dutch Caribbean islands. During his Dutch visit Abraham made a fervent case that the “bigger, richer and more powerful” Netherlands should have more understanding and show respect for Bonaire, with “only 15,000 souls.” Even though Bonaire is a small island, it has a right to determine its own future, he pointed out. He warned that the people of Bonaire couldn’t handle the pressure by the Netherlands, and that tension was rising on the island, with locals fearing a take-over by the Dutch. Last Tuesday, Jopie Abraham didn’t show up for a scheduled meeting with State Secretary Bijleveld. It was supposed to be a brief, but important meeting, aimed at trying to break the deadlock between the Dutch Government and Bonaire’s Executive Council. The 10/10/10 transition date, while symbolic, is not sacrosanct. Not only do the Consensus Laws and Kingdom Charter Amendment still have to be actually passed in both chambers of the Dutch Parliament, but there are several additional laws that require approval. G.D. *[There had been several years of pressure in Austria from Germany for the " Heim ins Reich "-movement to integrate the countries. Fully devoted to remaining independent but under considerable pressure from both German and Austrian Nazis, Aus tria's Chancellor Kurt Schuschnigg tried to hold a referendum to ask the Austrian people whet her they wished to remain independent or merge into Germany. Although Schuschnigg expected Austria to vote in favor of mainta ining autonomy, a wellplanned coup d'état by the Austrian Nazi Party of Austria's state institutions in Vienna took place on 11 March, prior to the referendum which was then cancelled. The officer in charge of the Anschluss was the Reich Commissaris .] On Track for 10/10/10 (Continued from page 3)

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Page 14 Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Hair Affair We do our best to make your hair and makeup wishes come true!! You can also come in for facials and facial waxing . We use and sell L’Oreal products Is your plan to marry on the island? We can make you beautiful and stay beautiful for your happiest day. Personal attention by Janneke Appointment by tel: 717-5990 or just walk in. Downtown, near the waterfront next to Little Havana Tues-Fri: 9-12, 2-6 Sat: 9-2 non stop AIRLINES Divi Divi Air. Bonaire’s “on time airline” with 16 flights a day between Bonaire and Curaçao. Your first choice for inter-island travel. Now flying to Aruba. AIRTOURS The Bonaire Aero Club invites you to see Bonaire from the air. Take a one-hour flight with up to three persons. Ideal for photography or environmental study or see your house. APPLIANCES /TV/ ELECTRONICS and COMPUTERS City Shop , the mega store, has the island’s widest selection of large and small home appliances, furniture, TV, computers, cell phones and more. Fast service and in-store financing too. BANKS Maduro and Curiel’s Bank provides the greatest number of services, branches and ATMs of any Bonaire bank. They also offer investments and insurance. BEAUTY PARLOR Hair Affair . Expert hair cutting, styling, facials and facial waxing. BICYCLE / SCOOTER/ QUADS De Freewieler sells bikes and all kinds of bike accessories. They do professional repairs on almost anything on two wheels. Have your keys made here too. BOOKS Reef Windows is Captain Don’s latest book and features the true stories of the naming of many Bonaire dive sites. A great souvenir as well. DINING Bistro di Paris A real French restaurant with affordable prices and friendly Bonairean ambiance Owned and operated by a French Chef On Kaya Gob. Debrot ½ mile north of town Pasa Bon Pizza is Bonaire’s best. Freshly prepared pizzas made with the finest ingredients. Salads, desserts. Eat in or take away. Nice bar too. 780-1111 Call ahead to eat -in or take out, Next to Bistro (above) Lunchroom de Bonairiaan— Breakfast & lunch prepared and served by Stichting Project students under professional guidance. Monday-Friday, 9-2. Kaya Gob. N.Debrot, opposite Divi Flamingo. DIVING Carib Inn is the popular 10-room inn with top-notch dive shop and well stocked re tail store. Best book trade on Bonaire. Good prices on regulator repair, dive computer H.Q. ScubaVision Document your Bonaire vacation above and below the water with a custom DVD by Bonaire’s top videographer, Hendrik Wuyts GARDEN SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Green Label has everything you need to start or maintain your garden. They can design, install and maintain it and offer plants, irrigation supplies and garden chemicals. Now in new expanded location off Kaya Industria. Captain Don’s Plan ts, Trees and More sells genuine acclimated Bonaire plants. Take a 30-inute tour too. Strong plants for strong Bonaire gardens. HEALTH Harmony House— The herb and mineral center. Help your body heal itself. Natural Way Health Store— The place where all the hard to find natural and healthy products are. Upstairs from Botika Bonaire, on Kaya Grandi. HOME CARE Bonaire Second Home Care can handle all the needs of second home owners on Bonaire including inspection, management and cleaning. INTERNET AND CELLULAR SERVICE MIO offers by far the clearest, most reliable phone signal on the island PLUS WIRELESS HIGH-SPEED INTERNET almost everywhere on Bonaire. LIQUEUR Taste a Cactus when you try Cadushy of Bonaire Liqueur. Available in many shops and markets it makes the perfect souvenir of the island. PEST CONTROL Professional Pest Control . Call Peter to get rid of all those nasty pets like termites, fleas, ticks and ants that want to invade your home. Call now and save your investment in your home. PHOTO FINISHING Paradise Photo in the Galeries Shopping Center downtown offers fast, fine pr ocessing for prints, slides, items and services. Full digital services . REAL ESTATE / RENTAL AGENTS Bonaire Sunshine Homes is the realtor with a local touch. Ask them to show you the good value homes they list. Call them if you are thinking of selling your home. Caribbean Homes, “the Refreshing Realtor,” specializing in luxury homes, condos, lots, rentals and property management. Sunbelt Realty offers full real estate, rental, and insurance services. If you want a home or to invest in Bonaire, stop in and see them. RETAIL Benetton, world famous designer clothes available now in Bonaire at prices less than those in US. For men, women and children. Best Buddies and Pearls —Stunning fresh water pearl jewelry, fashion, gifts, t shirts. Wonderful service, free gift wrap. STORAGE The Storehouse ( Mangazina in Papiamentu ) offers Secure Storage For Vehicles, Household Items, Diving And Sporting Gear, Business Files or Inventory. Across from the northern hotel row. SECURITY Special Security Services will provide that extra measure of protection when you need it. Always reliable. SHIPPING Rocargo Freight Air and sea shipments in/out of Bonaire. Customs agents. Professional and efficient. FedEx agent. What would we do without their superb services? SUPERMARKETS Warehouse Supermarket on Kaya Industria— Biggest air conditioned market with the, largest selection and lowest prices on the island. WATER TAXI Get to Klein Bonaire by Ferry. Ride the Kantika di Amor or Skiffy . Hotel pickup. Easiest landing on Klein Bonaire with built-in ramp WINES Antillean Wine Company. You’ve tried the rest; now try the best: best prices, highest quality wines from around the world, kept in a cooled warehouse. Free delivery. Kaya Industria 23, Mon.-Sat. 9 am-noon. To learn more about these businesses check their ad in this issue of The Reporter Fortnightly Advertisers in The Bonaire Reporter are included in the guides. Free! Call 790-6518, 786-6518 Or email Reporter@BonaireNews.com Check CARIB INN First. Great Prices –Great Stock Scuba Sales Repair Replacement New Gear Accessories Always Great Values Dive gear specials CARIB INN Since 1980 PADI 5 STAR GOLD PALM 717-8819 8 am to 5 pm daily (next to Divi Flamingo Hotel) AFFORDABLE NetTech N.V.info@NetTech.an www.NetTech.an Tel:717-6773 Fax:717-7854Bonaire’s Official Web Site Developer!Domain Registrations E-mail Hosting Anti-Spam & Anti-Virus Web Site Design Web Site Hosting Marketing Consulting Internet Consulting Photographic Services Graphic Design Bonaire’s Official Web Site Developer

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Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Page 15 • • Stop the silent destruction of your home Stop the silent destruction of your home • • B e pampered for breakfast or lunch by youngsters in training for the world of the professional restaurant business by the Stichting Project. Delicious menu, Good prices On Kaya Gob. N. Debrot – opposite the Divi Flamingo Hotel Open: Weekdays 9.00-14.00 I n the early morning hours of March 11 the temporary SGB high school classroom buildings on Kaya Amsterdam were completely destroyed by a fire. The fire, thought to have started by an electrical short circuit, was brought under control with difficulty by the fire brigade. The buildings were made of wood. Classes for the upper level academic track students held in those buildings have been relocated to other quarters. G.D. Photos by Danny Gerharts A rtist Anna-Marie Kroes lived on Bonaire from 1994 to 2001 and while she was here she created numeous art pieces with subjects from the sea, from the land, portraits of people, dogs and other animals. She had a number of large wall paintings— on the now defunct Whiskey Bar, on a wall at the torn down Dive Inn. She did the Birthday Calendar for the Animal Shelter, and body painting in 1998 and 199 for the Bonaire Nights magazine. She had exhibits at the Dock of the Bay, at the medical center, and at the Tourist Corporation Bonaire offices. She fell in love with the island and has never forgotten it, no matter where she has roamed all over the world. Anna-Marie explains, “I catch love with my paint brush and pencil and I know how to capture it just like I used to capture the beatuty of the Antillean landscape. I can’t “can” it, but I make sure it’s well preserved and to make sure we do not forget about it or take it for granted.” And now she’s back with a new exhibit at the Kas di Arte, opening Sunday, March 21 at 6 pm. L.D Exhibit will be open daily from 1700 to 2100 A t the “Discover your Potential” conference, sponsored by Bonaire’s Toastmasters Clubs, first prize speech was by Maritsa Silberie (“Do You Believe?”), 2nd and 3rd place for the speech contest were won respectively by Sapphira Coffie (center) and Angelique Salsbach (left). Maritsa will represent the territory of Bonaire during the District 81 conference this May in Saint Lucia.

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Page 16 Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 stick to their earlier agreement for a shared Central Bank and joint “own” currency, thus not switching to the US dollar . What the new currency will be called or look like is still unclear, but it is already obvious that it can’t be introduced by October 10, 2010, when the new constitutional relations within the Dutch Kingdom are supposed to take effect. Therefore the current Antillean guilder will be maintained for the time being. Capital punishment for monstrous crimes is on the books in the Netherlands Antilles, but this section of the Penal Code has never been used in the history of the Antilles , and it never will, once Parliament moves to strike it off the books this week. This amendment will bring the Antilles into compliance with the European Union Treaty on Human Rights. Also to be amended are the sections of the Civil and Penal Codes concerning human trafficking, to comply with the United Nations Treaty on Cross-Border Crimes. Antillean Customs launched new website which helps to answer questions about duties and procedures . It is quite comprehensive, in Dutch, and on line now. The new website is www.douane.an . A duty schedule can be downloaded from http://www.douane.an/nl/download.php Elvis Tjin ASjoe is UPB Bonaire’s candidate for Minister of Economic Affairs in the new Central Government set to take office on March 26. Felix “Papito” Thomas is the party’s candidate for State Secretary of Home Affairs. The names of these two candidates were submitted to Formateur Pedro Atacho last week. Tjin A-Sjoe was Minister of Economic Affairs in the present government for a year and a half until he was recalled to Bonaire in March 2009 to serve as Commissioner in the Island Government. Thomas was UPB Party President for the past nine years. He relinquished the post last week. Jonchi Dortalina now heads the party. Six parties are set to form the new Netherlands Antilles coalition government : PAR (the largest) and PNP of Curaçao, National Alliance of St. Maarten, UPB of Bonaire, Windward Islands People’s Movement (WIPM) of Saba and the Democratic Party of St. Eustatius. Before a traveler (who is a citizen of visa waiver countries such as the Netherlands Antilles) can be admitted to the US they must be registered by the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). This process is free. Recently someone who tried to use the online application process was blocked by a message requesting $49.95 for the screening… another Internet scam. The best way to avoid this is to go to the Homeland Security website (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ esta/esta.html), click on the language you want, and follow the instructions. NonAmericans who require ESTA should check their registration status BEFORE going to Flamingo airport. DAE Airlines is adding Panama as a new destination . Depending on the approval of the local authorities, DAE will fly there on Mondays and Saturdays. “As far as the Antilles are concerned, everything has been arranged. The permission from Panama is a formality,” said DAE Director Floris van Pallandt. Coupled with this announcement is the news that DAE cannot maintain its schedule to Bogotá at the moment due to an overhaul delay of one of its two Fokker 100 jets. One of the Fokker 100s was in Brazil. The other aircraft had reached its maximum number of flying hours the next day. A revised schedule is on the DAE website. April 12, 2010, Air Jamaica will begin the transition to new owner, Caribbean Airlines. This date dovetails with the airline’s major schedule change that was previously announced. However, the date could change as the details of the transition are finalized. Air Jamaica no longer flies to Bonaire. Parents in the Netherlands Antilles soon will have the legal right to select what last name to give their children . Only the father’s surname is currently allowed by law. Parliament will discuss an amendment to the Antillean Civil Code named the “Right of Last Name.” This change will allow a child born in wedlock or acknowledged by a father to also carry the mother’s surname or a combination of the two parents’ names as the parents so choose. A Papiamentu Foundation has been established to promote, reinforce and protect the Papiamentu language around the world. The board consists of : Geraldine Dammers, President; Sedney Marten, Secretary; Jeaninne Wong Loi Sing, Treasurer; Delno Tromnp and Aichel Mercelina, members. To celebrate the launching of the foundation on February 19 there was a conference, Papiamentu na Kandela ” (“Papiamentu Aflame”). More information at akademiapapiamentu@gmail.com lliansa Naturalesa di Bonaire elected new officers at its January 18th General Meeting of members. Kris Kats (P.K. Kats) was elected chairperson. Kris is the project manager of Progressive Environmental Solutions, a Bonaire non-governmental organization (NGO) that creates and implements solutions for threats to aquatic habitats. Kris has been an Aliansa member for three years. Kris replaces Elsmarie Beukenboom , Elsmarie served as Aliansa chairperson for five years. Paul Wichers was elected treasurer. Paul is president of the Animal Shelter Bonaire. Mabel Nava was elected secretary. Mabel is the manager of Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, an NGO that has been protecting sea turtles on Bonaire since 1991. All conservation related non-for profit foundations can be a member of Aliansa. At this moment Aliansa has six active member organizations: Animal Shelter, Donkey Sanctuary, Progressive Environmental Solutions, Salba nos Lora, Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire and STINAPA. Mrs. Martha Benoliel of the Xerox Corporation personally congratulated Alvin Obersi, the CEO of the Obersi Group of Companies, with the above-target performance for Bonaire a nd St.Maarten Flotsam and jetsam (Continued from page 2) B onaire residents and Internet pioneers Jake and Linda Richter write, “We (The Traveling Richters) are presently in Marguerite Bay off the Antarctic Peninsula on a several week expedition exploring the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic on the National Geographic Explorer . The photo was taken on our first landfall (we arrived by Zodiac) at Red Rocks Ridge, in the midst of a large colony of Adelie penguins (some of which you can see in the background). The photo was taken at GPS coordinates 68.29081333 (S) , 67.17969333 (W), give or take a dozen meters, in case you were curious. (See it on a map at http:// maps.google.com/maps?q=68.29081333,-67.17969333&spn=0.001,0.001&t=k&hl=en ) We've had reasonable Internet service via satellite, and are presently at the southern-most part of our journey. “ WIN GREAT PRIZES! Take a copy of The Bonaire Reporter with you on your next trip or when you return to your home. Then take a photo of y ourself with the newspaper in hand. THE BEST PHOTOS OF THE YEAR WILL WIN THE PRIZES. Mail photos to Bonaire Reporter , Box 407, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles (AN). E-mail to: info@bonairereporter.com. during the first two months of year and the promising outlook for the year. It is the first time that the Obersi Group recorded an above-target performance during the first two months of the year. The Bonaire Sailing School Association is planning a trip to Curaçao to sail in the Curaçao Regatta on April 2 and 3. They pan to send three Sunfish sailors (Sipke, Shaihr and Juan) and six Optimist kids (Ruben, Dillon, Santiago, Blue, Constantijn and Nils). That is going to cost money and that is why BSSA is organizing a fundraising CARWASH to collect money for the trip to Curaçao. So if you need a carwash come to the Kas di Regatta, Saturday morning, March 20, from 9 to noon. It’s only NAf 10 . And if your car doesn't need to be washed, just stop by and donate some money for our local sailors. For the time being there will be no more flea markets at the Dare to Care playground. The popular markets were held every first Saturday of the month. Since the closing of the Dare to Care flea market, the Bonaire Animal Shelter’s booth selling books and odds and ends will now be at the Rincon Marshe’s big market every first Saturday of the month, starting around 6 am until 2 pm. All proceeds go to helping to keep the Shelter open. If you have items to donate call the Shelter at 717-4989. The Reporter will be on a short vacation so the next edition will be available April 7. “ Raw News” is available as it happens on the bonairereporter.com website. Antarctic

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Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Page 17 Did You Know... . That’s my territory! A s you may already know, reef fishes can be extremely territorial. However, each fish species determines its dominance in different ways. One of the most common methods is known as size hierarchy . Fishes engaged in these size comparisons can often be seen in humorous exchanges on the reef including a behavior termed “kissing,” when two male fish measure mouth sizes in an act that looks much like kissing. Many grunt species determine mating status through these “kisses.” Fairy basslets, the tiny purple and yellow fishes seen hanging around coral heads, have a strict dominance structure based on size. The larger fairy basslets occupy prime feeding locations closer to outer ledges of corals and rocks. They maintain their dominance through very aggressive behavior. In fact smaller, juvenile basslets that settle on reefs with many adults often die of starvation because they cannot reach high-quality feeding locations. Parrotfish also maintain their territories with a size hierarchy. Larger males control larger territories and have more females (sometimes referred to as a harem) within their territory than smaller males. Another way male fishes maintain their territory is through the use of vibrant colors and distinctive features . Sailfin blennies are known to erect their oversized dorsal fins to ward off their competition and several wrasse species display brilliant colorations to try and outdo other males during territorial disputes. The males with brighter colors or more distinctive features often have larger territories and reproduce more successfully. Damselfish also are known for guarding their gardens of algae on the reef. They exert their dominance in a territory through aggressive attacks on other fishes . The more aggressive damselfishes maintain a larger territory. These fishes will attack almost any fish (or diver!) and seem to have no fear! However, unfortunately for them, their little mouths are made for eating algae and their nipping is not always effective on larger fishes. Alicia Reigel Alicia Reigel is a student at the University of MinnesotaTwin Cities working towards a bachelor’s degree in environmental management. She hopes to pursue a master’s degree in conservation biology. She is currently studying Tropical Marine Ecology and Conservation with CIEE Research Station Bonaire. Reference: DeLoach N, Humann P (1999) Reef Fish Behavior. New World Publications, Jacksonville, FL USA From Bonaire Nautico Marina BONAIRE NAUTICO MARINA At It Rains Fishes Restaurant Call Henk at 560-7254 / Bob 786-5399 www.bonairenauticomarina /VHF 68 info@bonairenauticomarina.com THE ONLY WALKON / WALKOFF Catamaran Kantika di Amor Up to 27 people and supported by a brand new larger sister Catamaran Kantika Too Up to 50 people TRIPS Every Day (max 1.90 meter draft), Dinghy tie up at north-inside dock at US$10 weekly up from Monday till Monday. Water and 115/220 v. Daily trips via resorts 10 am, 12 , 2 pm Except Sundays at 10 am only Also available for group trips Defending Grunts H appy 12th Birthday to Georgina “Gina” Sanchez on Saturday, March 20. Gina and her Oma (grandmother) Elizabeth Silberie, deliver The Reporter to places all over the island every other week. Gina speaks Papiamentu, English, Spanish and Dutch and often does translating. She also acts as a “secretary” for her Oma. Pabien, Gina, and may you have many, many more happy birthdays. B onKarate students were given exams recently, followed by a celebration organized by Sensei (teacher) Peter Silberie, Sempai (senior) Tuki Josephia and Sempai Desi Silberie. Students who passed: Yellow Belt: Sam Timmers, Miguel Jimenez, Rayen Seraus, Bonnie Roefs, Quintin Soleana, Rangel Rosaria, Adrian Coffie, Tirsa Silberie, Churmer Bomba, Jorge Petit, Jeandino Hart, Jamal Silberie, Jiahao Chen, Rayeline Seraus, Isac Thomasa, Nancy Rombley, Mitchell de Palm and Jurnuel Cicilia. Orange Belt: Jursley Jansen, Argion Janga, Kevin Peters, Dimar Kalma, Blue Burger and Charles Martijn. Green Belt: Jonathan Romo and Kayla van Nunen. Blue Belt: MiuJi Xuan, Everone Vrutaal, Alex Heijnen, Miguel Pietersz, Jeuri Gonzalez, Danique Darmaoei and, Theursten Winklaar. Brown Belt 2do Kyu: Kia-San Silberie and Danique Darmaoen. Congratulations to all! Press release, Peter Silberie BonKarate photo Photo courtesy of: Ross Gudgeon

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Page 18 Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Puzzle on page 7 Bon Quiz ( from page 11 ) Q) What is the object in the photo, and can you locate it? A) A discarded cannon barrel. It is just south of the roll on-roll off pier. It’s used to hold mooring lines. Laura DeSalvo photo S ix years after Canadian veterinarian Dr. Cheryl Yuill participated in the Bonaire Animal Shelter’s first free sterilization program in 2004, she returned to Bonaire. Accompanied by Canadian veterinarian Dr. Mary Lovie who owns a house on Bonaire and who started the whole campaign up at the time, she visited the Shelter. “I’m glad to see so much has changed,” Dr. Yuill says. “There are far fewer stray dogs on the street and the public awareness has become so much better. Several people have come up to me when they heard I was part of the first sterilization program to tell me very proudly that their dog was sterilized! I am also very impressed with the little house the Shelter has built outside their gate for people to put their unwanted animals or animals they’ve found. It’s nicer than the one we have at the shelter I work with in Canada. There we get about 2,500 cats and 1,000 dogs a year that people cannot take care of anymore. Many of those animals are adopted out, but it’s not a no-kill shelter; we also euthanize animals. In Canada I own and work at the Blue Cross Animal Hospital, in Kitchener, Ontario, and it was my colleague, Dr. Mary Lovie, who took the initiative for the sterilization campaign in 2004. “I came to Bonaire in 2000 to dive,” Dr. Mary Lovie says, “and in my spare time I looked up the Animal Shelter and I had a conversation with Jurrie, who was the manager in those days, about all the strays downtown and was anything done about them. I offered my services to Jurrie and he took me to Hans and Etty Lambeek, the veterinarian couple who were then running the animal clinic at Kaminda Lagun. They were very interested when they heard I’d organized similar sterilization projects in other parts of the world. So, we had several meetings in the following years and in 2004 we hit it off: the two Dutch vets, three American vets and Cheryl and me from Canada. We all brought our own instruments and all the other supplies, and Hans and Etty brought the drugs. From October 14th till October 31st we sterilized 302 animals and it continued after we left. In conclusion: We’re very happy to see the island has picked up on our program, and it’s heartwarming to see the benefits. We’re highly impressed with the new sterilization campaign the Animal Shelter started last year in May. They’ve sterilized almost 500 animals. It’s been very good progress. Amazing!” Greta Kooistra Left to right: Dr. Mary Lovie, Dr. Ch eryl Yuill, Shelter employee Kenneth Piar and Shelter manager Marlies Tiepel “ Sylvie ” H ere’s a story with a happy ending. “Sylvie” the cat was found on the street on New Year’s Eve. She was lost, terrified and miserable. She was brought into the Bonaire Animal Shelter by a Good Samaritan and put in a separate cage as she was too scared to even be with other animals. But over the weeks with the love and attention of the Shelter staff and volunteers, little by little she became tame and relaxed and could be put in the Cat Cage. Now she’s a very affectionate and friendly cat who has become a favorite with the staff. What a transformation! Sylvie is about nine months old; she’s been checked out by the vet and given her shots and tests and is ready to go to a good home. However, Sylvie should be adopted as an “only cat” as she still prefers not being around other cats. The NAƒ 75 cat adoption fee covers all this – a healthy and social cat plus sterilization. You may see Sylvie at the Bonaire Animal Shelter on the Lagoen Road, open Monday through Saturday, 9 am to 1 pm and 3 to 5 pm. Tel. 7174989. Website: WWW.BonaireAnimalShelter.com Laura DeSalvo P eople may now drop off unwanted, stray or found cats or dogs at the Shelter at any time of the day or night. This new animal cage ( Kouchi pa Bestia ), outside the gate to the Shelter, has two separate compartments with water bowls and it’s checked every few hours during the day. Hopefully, people will put their unwanted animals in the cage rather than dumping them in the mondi or by the side of the road. The Shelter receives an average of 1,200 animals each year. Thanks to Valerie’s Airport shop for providing the materials and to the Shelter staff and volunteers who provided the labor to build the cage. As of last week, nine dogs and one cat had been put in the cage. Unwanted Animal Drop-off F or years self-taught artist Wolmoet Jansen has been producing art with materials that she feels close to. In Holland she worked and experimented with paint, wood, fabric, concrete and “free and found” materials. On Bonaire she’s chosen to work with shells. Kas di Arte had an exhibition of her work in 2009 and now Plaza Resort has given her room to show her unique art to the public. The “paintings” are large with the giant animals in sometimes extreme positions: a laughing turtle, a threatening octopus, an iguana balancing on a fence. They are traditional “paintings” that involve a lot of work: hours of roaming the coasts of Bonaire where every area seems to have its own kind of shells, sorting and cleaning, toying and experimenting with sizes and natural colors of the shells to get the body of the animal just right. Jansen likes to work on large canvasses. And the lobby of the Plaza offers plenty of space to give her art the space it needs. There are shell paintings, rocks with animals and mobiles. The exhibition of Wolmoet Jansen will continue until May 2010. Portfolio with information and prices is available at the front desk of the Plaza. Press release

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Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 Page 19 The Moon Visits the Seven Sisters on the First Night of Spring: A Super Sight in Your Binoculars T his Saturday, March 20th, is the date of the Vernal Equinox for 2010, or as it is more commonly called, the first day of spring, at which time the hours of daylight will be equal to the hours of night. But this year something special will happen on the first night of spring, something which is almost as beautiful cosmically as spring itself. Indeed on Saturday evening, the 20th, an exquisite five -day-old crescent Moon, will huddle up next to the tiny star cluster called The Pleiades . On Friday, March 19th,which is officially the last night of winter for the northern hemisphere, an hour after sunset face west a nd if it's clear out you will see an exquisite four-day old waxing, that is growing , crescent Moon, complete with earthshine, which will look like a blackish gray almost full Moon nestled within the bright crescent. And if you look just above the Moon about a fist width away you'll see the tiny but exquisite group of stars that has been called The Pleiades for thousands of years. Some people say they look like a little milk dipper, or a cluster of grapes, even a swarm of celestial fireflies. And we have records of them going back as far as the Old Testament. Now although you need nothing but the naked eye to appreciate their beauty if you look at them through even the cheapest pair of binoculars you will be absolutely awed because you'll see many more than seven stars here and they'll appear much brighter. Make a mental note of where the Moon and The Pleiades are on Friday night the 19th, and then 24 hours later go out again and I think the sight will take your breath away because then a five-day-old slightly fatter crescent Moon complete with earthshine will be right next to The Pleiades, a fabulous sight to the naked eye but one which will simply stun you through binoculars! Our ancestors would have said the Moon is “visiting” The Pleiades as if the Moon and The Pleiades were really close to each other. But we today know that this is not true and that their visual closeness is simply an optical illusion, and that although the Moon appears to be the bigger celestial object, just the opposite is also true. Indeed our Moon is a cosmic orb only 2,000 miles wide which shines by reflected sunlight and is only a quarter of a million miles away, which means we see the light that left it less than two seconds ago. Each of The Pleiades, however, is a giant star, each of which makes its own light like our Sun but which are much larger than our almost one-million-mile-wide Sun. Indeed each of The Pleiades is three to 10 times as wi de as our Sun and so far away that it takes their light over 400 years to reach us. So the light we see now is the light that left them when Galileo first turned his telescope toward the heavens. Wow! So start your first night of spring right with the cosmic light of the Moon and The Pleiades. Jack Horkheimer *to find it... just look up By Astrologer Michael Thiessen For March 2010 ARIES (Mar. 21April 20) Get involved in creative projects that could turn into moneymaking ventures. You may be tired of working for someone else. Partnerships could be tense. Don't push your luck. You will expand your circle of friends if you join groups. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Monday. TAURUS (Apr. 21May 21) Arguments with children or friends may leave you steaming. You may have a rather hectic day due to events that children are involved in. Catch up on your correspondence and reading. Tone down and put some of that hard earned cash into a safe, long-term investment. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Sunday. GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Disappointments are likely if your mate embarrasses you in front of friends. You may be overreacting to a situation at hand. Physical limitations are possible if you aren't careful. Be supportive in order to avoid confrontations. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Tuesday. CANCER (June 22-July 22) Organize all the responsibilities that have to be attended to and make sure everyone knows what to do. Don't hesitate to look for alternatives that will enable you to raise the kind of donations you need to do the job right. You may be sensitive concerning friends and their situations. Be very careful while in transit or while traveling in foreign countries. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Saturday. LEO (July 23-Aug 22) You can make new friends and get involved in new hobbies successfully. Plan a nice evening for two. Don't make large purchases unless you have discussed your choices with your mate. Financial limitations will not be as adverse as they appear. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday. VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Romantic opportunities are evident. You may have ignored or neglected your mate lately. There's lots to be done and if you meet your deadline you'll be in your boss's good books. Don't let someone you work with put words in your mouth. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Friday. LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) If you join intellectual or cultural groups, you should meet individuals who stimulate you. You have the ability to motivate others. Lowered vitality could affect your work. Catch up on overdue phone calls and correspondence. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Thursday. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 Nov. 22) Joining organizations will provide you with stimulating romantic contacts. Money can be made if you use your ingenuity. You will drive your emotional partner crazy this month. Older relatives may be a burden. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Tuesday. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Lighten up your serious attitude Your mind is on moneymaking ventures. You can't help everyone. You don't owe anyone an explanation. Do your own thing, you need time to yourself. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Monday. CAPRICORN (Dec 22.Jan. 20) A little volleyball or other outdoor sports should be on your agenda. You are best to avoid confrontations. You will be entertained and intrigued by the logic foreigners possess. Tell it like it is. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Sunday. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Attend to things that you should have done yesterday. Someone envious of your popularity may challenge you to a debate. Travel will be fun and entertaining. You may have difficulties at an emotional level with mates. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Wednesday. PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Look into events that you might find interesting, and compromise by doing a few things that you both like to do. Old friends may not like your choices. You may want to make plans to take a vacation together. Overindulgence could cause problems for you with your loved ones. Your luckiest events this month will occur on a Wednesday. A hint of a moon marks the Pleiades The circle represents the field of view of 7x50 binoculars. If you have a pair of general-purpose binoculars, you can get a great view. B A C K 3 0 M A R C H F I L M I N G I N T R U K L A G O O N

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Page 20 Bonaire ReporterMarch 19April 9, 2010 W ill Bonaire be the first place in the Americas to introduce a car that could change the world? It is vehicle fueled by compressed air, a commodity that Bonaire already has in plenty as well as an existing infrastructure to supply it. When you consider that thousands of environmentally concerned visitors and residents whose driving requirements match the capability of the car, you have a situation that may be unique in the world The 2010 Motor Development International (MDI) AIRPod is that cat. It has no emissions and runs on nothing but compressed air. In the future , when Bonaire’s WEB electric company is powered by renewable resources like wind, solar or biodiesel even the electricity runs the air fill compressors will have zero or low total emissions. AIRPod drivers can also recharge their air supply at home in eight hours by plugging the car into electric outlets, or by going to one of the island's drivethrough tank fill stations where the process takes only a couple of minutes. The AIRPod Is For Real Yes, it sounds like another one of those crackpot inventions, but read on. The AirPod is being used today by KLM at its base in Amsterdam as part of the airline’s commitment to reduce emissions. France-based MDI officially handed over the keys to two AIRPods to KLM in December 2009. The AIRPods are under testing for a minimum period of three months at KLM E & M at Schiphol Airport. One of the AIRPods is a cargo version adapted to transport parts and maintenance equipment at Schiphol Center and the other is for personnel transport at SchipholOost. Driving The AIRPod The car will take some getting used to, and not just because of its novel power supply. Steering is done with a joystick, and the only doors open to the front and back. The two passenger seats are rear-facing and can be replaced with a cargo (or SCUBA tank) space. Aboard the AIRPod At first glance, the 2010 MDI AIRPod looks like a prop from some science fiction movie. Glass hatches sweep up and over the front and rear of the air car. There are two large circular windows cut into either side, along with two smaller windows located on either side of the driver seat. It's a kind of tricycle, not so different in concept from Karl Benz's 1885 Motorwagen, only with twin 100/90R16 tires in back and tiny, twin 10-by-4.00-5 tires in front. With those tires and low ground clearance, it’s not the car you want for touring Slagbaai National Park. The AIRPod measures 201 cm. (81.5 inches) long, 160 cm. (63 inches) wide and 174 cm.(68.5) inches tall. Built with a simple space frame and fiberglass bodywork, it weighs 220 kg. (485 pounds). The AIRPod has been conceived to meet specifications for city vehicles set by the municipal government of Paris, where 500cc cars are already popular. To step aboard the AIRPod, you open the hatch, swing it upward and enter the front of the car. It all feels very Luke Skywalker-esque. There are no side doors, and there is seating for only the driver up front. A spaceage-looking rearward-facing bench seat is accessed by the rear hatch and is wide enough to accommodate three adults. The AIRPod System The heart of the 2010 MDI AIRPod is a piston engine that has been specially adapted by MDI to run on compressed air. The expansion of the compressed air within the cylinders moves the pistons. The engine is "fueled" by a system of high-pressure air tanks. Built by EADS, an aerospace firm, the tanks are constructed of lightweight carbonfiber. SCUBA divers will appreciate the air tanks. Though the tanks are presently limited to a capacity of 80 liters (21.1 gallons) at 200 bars of pressure (2,900 psi), MDI plans an increase to 200 liters (53 gallons) and 300 bars of pressure (4,400 psi) for the first production models of the AIRPod, set to be built by the end of this year. As a prototype, the AIRPod is limited to a top speed of only 50 km/h (30 mph). The top speed of future models will be 80 km/h (50 mph). With one person onboard and the car running solely on air power, MDI estimates the AIRPod's range at between 140 km (90 miles) and 200 km. (125 miles), more than enough for a day of Bonaire driving. For all its charm the AIRPod cannot really be compared to expensive and popular Smart Cars (gasoline and electric), because the weights between the two are so different. The Smart gasoline version weighs 837 kg, the Smart electric weighs 924 kg; the MDI Airpod weighs 330 kg (with driver). Taking into account differences in mass, MDI said, the AIRPod is as efficient as the smart electric drive. MDI also said that while its compressed air tank has a life of 12,000 discharge cycles— approximately 30 years—the electric car batteries have a life of 12 years at best. The Future MDI has already licensed its air -power technology to Indian carmaker Tata Motors. Ratan Tata, CEO of Tata Motors and the Tata Group, recently reaffirmed his company's commitment to zeroemissions vehicles, including electrics and air power. In Europe, commercial sales of the AIRPod are scheduled to begin in France by the end of this year. The starting price of €6,000 ($8,380) will be nearly halved, thanks to various bonuses and green-car sales incentives awarded by the government. By the end of 2010, MDI hopes to begin production of larger and more refined models like the OneFlowAIR convertible. The company also claims that airpower engines are scalable, meaning that air-powered sedans, trucks and even buses are on the drawing board. In the future will Bonaire’s drive-in SCUBA air fill stations fill not only your dive tanks, but your car’s air (fuel) tank as well? Perhaps the air car will turn out to be just another bizarre footnote in the rush to develop zeroemissions vehicles, but for Bonaire that would be a pity. If you have an interest in investing or becoming a part of a trial of air cars in Bonaire, send an email to bonsat@ieee.com . G.D. More refined models like the OneFlowAIR convertible are to be available by the end of 2010 Inventor Guy Negre with a pair of his AIRPods—(Inset: interior layout) KLM AIRPod in service at Schiphol Airport. MDI Photos