Do not listen to AVIS!

[Lorenzoid]

Well according to Fodor's media kit their users are 60% women, average age of 47, median income of $110,000, described as "audience of frequent leisure and business travelers". You're using scubaboard so I guess the scubaboard profile might be someone like yourself. As for the rest, well, you seem to want everybody to do your homework for you, if you're really interested in the facts you can search for their media kits yourself and get the facts instead of continuing with your endless speculations.

And where do well-heeled people aged 47 travel for "frequent leisure and business"? We don't really know, unless you want to look at each poster's previous posts and map out where they have traveled and why. You seem to imply they travel to other places that are similar to Bonaire in the respects relevant to the crime on Bonaire. As I said, I have difficulty finding such places, because Bonaire is sort of unusual in these respects.

Fodor's, in my opinion, is geared toward less adventurous travelers. Ever read a Fodor's guide? I'm sure they encounter little crime in Bermuda, St. Croix, or even Cozumel, so perhaps they were a bit surprised to find that Bonaire is in some ways more like Central America than it is the tourist-trail places in the Caribbean. I would put more faith in Lonely Planet, which you also mentioned, and which has traditionally been geared toward globetrotting backpackers, but LP nowadays attracts all sorts, so even on LP I take things with a grain of salt from posters I don't know.

We can disagree, but I have viewed my posts as poking at YOUR speculation, not the other way around. I believe it was you who suggested a comparison between Bonaire and a "small town" in the US, in response to the apparent argument comparing Bonaire crime with big city crime in the US. To me, it sounded like you were speculating on what level of police protection is appropriate based on Bonaire being more like a small town. That is when I chimed in to this thread. Dusty's reply gave us some idea of what the Bonaire authorities might be considering is appropriate based on Bonaire's size.

I have little interest in doing research or getting involved in persuading the authorities to ramp up police presence, because I am more or less content with Bonaire. I would be pleased if they did ramp up the policing, and I would be willing to pay a few dollars tax per trip for it, but it's not something I get worked up about, as some people seem to.

 

[Lorenzoid]

How is someone breaking into my place "drivel"? Sounds like a pretty serious problem to me? I'd rather not have my things and passport stolen while on vacation. . . .

Where are you staying on Bonaire? If you stay in a place with security, you will almost certainly not experience a break-in. The break-ins that I have heard or read about happen in unguarded/unrazor-wired condos or rental homes in communities in which most of the units are rented to tourists--and the thieves know that.

The posting of complaints from people who expect laid-back lodging like that on Bonaire to be safer than the same sort of lodging elsewhere are what I called "drivel."

 

[mmmbelows]

You seem to imply they travel to other places that are similar to Bonaire in the respects relevant to the crime on Bonaire. As I said, I have difficulty finding such places, because Bonaire is sort of unusual in these respects.

What I said was that Bonaire has a large discussion about it's crime compared to other Caribbean countries on social media.

Fodor's, in my opinion, is geared toward less adventurous travelers. Ever read a Fodor's guide? I'm sure they encounter little crime in Bermuda, St. Croix, or even Cozumel, so perhaps they were a bit surprised to find that Bonaire is in some ways more like Central America than it is the tourist-trail places in the Caribbean. I would put more faith in Lonely Planet, which you also mentioned, and which has traditionally been geared toward globetrotting backpackers, but LP nowadays attracts all sorts, so even on LP I take things with a grain of salt from posters I don't know.

Who cares which one you think has one sort of traveler over another? That's just more irrelevance to the what I said was that Bonaire has a large discussion about it's crime compared to other Caribbean countries on social media.

To me, it sounded like you were speculating on what level of police protection is appropriate based on Bonaire being more like a small town. That is when I chimed in to this thread. Dusty's reply gave us some idea of what the Bonaire authorities might be considering is appropriate based on Bonaire's size.

The facts are that Bonaire's population is around 16,000 people, it's not speculation say that crime is not comparable from Chicago (almost 3 million people) to Bonaire (entire country (16,000 people), that's just common sense.

I have little interest in doing research or getting involved in persuading the authorities to ramp up police presence, because I am more or less content with Bonaire. I would be pleased if they did ramp up the policing, and I would be willing to pay a few dollars tax per trip for it, but it's not something I get worked up about, as some people seem to.

I know you don't, you just want to run on about silly tangents about 'privileged society', or that Bonaire is an undeveloped country, or your best one yet - that tourist police would have no effect on the crime on Bonaire against tourists! How do you even qualify yourself to discuss the topic when you make statements like that? Oh, that's right because another one of your views is that Bonaire is so unique that it doesn't fall under any norms or principles of society such as law and order, or what is next how Bonaire doesn't fall under the laws of gravity?

 

[Buliwyf]

Where are you staying on Bonaire? If you stay in a place with security, you will almost certainly not experience a break-in. The break-ins that I have heard or read about happen in unguarded/unrazor-wired condos or rental homes in communities in which most of the units are rented to tourists--and the thieves know that.

The posting of complaints from people who expect laid-back lodging like that on Bonaire to be safer than the same sort of lodging elsewhere are what I called "drivel."

Thanks. I'll surely post here before going anywhere unfamiliar to dive.

 

[Kharon]

You're welcome to your opinion. But there ARE other islands were almost EVERYONE bends over backwards to promote their island, and to make it a great stay for all tourists.

Grand Cayman perhaps - "if you try to dive solo, even with the cert, you will be blackballed across the island and never dive here again", "Oh and we will charge you for weights - but we may not have what you need - are you sure you can't use 3 x 8# weights instead of 4 x 3# - take it or leave it?", Roatan, where you need armed guards in the resort day and night (Coco View) and don't dare try to walk or bike to town.

It's clear to me that the police and politicians on those islands do not want me there, so I'm not going there (anymore).

Yes please - go somewhere else. I don't want you there either.

This is a completely unacceptable policy, I'll take my biz elsewhere.

Yes, please do. Those of us who understand Bonaire and love it just the way it is don't need you there. And now to set you to ignore.

But first, one final thing - do you really think you are Clint Eastwood's character in "Fist Full of Dollars"?????

 

[Buliwyf]

It's just an avatar, it changes monthly.

I'm fine with crossing off Roatan as well. Got any more?

 

[KeithG]

So this appears to be the "bash Bonaire crime" thread of the month. Sigh...

Unfortunately you Bonaire bashers are not doing your job! My divebuddy just informed me today that the Divi is already mostly sold out for next Jan & Feb. No ocean front rooms left, only 1 or 2 timeshare rooms available - and they cost more. What to do?

We may have to go to a safer place that is less popular....Good thing there is no shore diving in Saba...cuts down on the crime...

 

[MikeT73]

http://www.politiecn.com/images/stories/Rapportage criminaliteit cijfers Bonaire def.pdf

Here is the 2015 summary of crime plus a few years before, in addition to law enforcement staffing. It's in Dutch, but google translate a few words and you can get the gist of the document. Of course, you are welcome to draw your own conclusions.

 

[wwguy]

The previous thread on the same topic had over 400 posts, mostly repeating the same things over and over, and took almost 2 months to die down. Now some of the same people are posting the same thing again and again. Over and over. It's killing my enthusiasm and interest to check this forum, help fellow divers new to Bonaire, and share information about all of the great things dushi Bonaire has to offer.

Yes there is crime on Bonaire. But the amount of bitching about it here is disproportionate to the frequency and severity of it on the island. It's also (and still) not productive in reducing crime on the island.

Some of you (yes, you) sound like a bunch of school kids arguing the same points back and forth, as though saying it one more time will make it so or make someone else believe it is so. Enough already. Please.

 

[Buliwyf]

Holy cow. I just googled "Bonaire crime scubaboard.com". LOLz. This is insane.

Thread:
Increasing crime in Bonaire