Rental Truck Vandalized

[flots am]

Ejected to where? Most if not all were born on the island and are residents.

They might have been born there, but it doesn't mean they get to stay.

I'm pretty sure The Netherlands can find a few jail cells, not necessarily on a tropical island.

In any case, I'll continue to dive there until it becomes unpleasant or too expensive, and then I'll stop. Bonaire isn't the only warm, sunny island in the world.

For now, it's squarely in the "not my problem" category.

 

[Lorenzoid]

. . .
Personally I think more of the burden will have to be borne by the tourism industry at some point. Right now not much of the money we spend during a week on the island gets back into the government tax base. The more that the tourism industry and patrons clamor for change, the more we'll be expected to fund it.

Excellent insights into the larger issues--thanks. In my comments I am only focusing on truck crime because that's what more divers complain about than anything else, and the larger issues are too complex to get into. But I completely agree with this last part you said. The only real answer for them in the long run is to seek more revenue from tourism, whether that's through increased hotel taxes or some other means. If everyone wants less crime and better infrastructure, it will have to come from tourism. I don't have a problem with that. Bonaire has long felt like a bargain for what I get out of the experience, and I guess that's just because the island is putting off what is inevitable. It sure is a unique place, and I think they could charge more for it.

 

[Belmont]

Bonaire is in my future plans.

As I have done in Mexico, I will hire a local referred by the hotel to accompany us to the dive site.

For a nice amount of money to him but not much to me he will guard the truck and help me carry stuff to the shore.

Also he will be looking after the truck and the nicely filled cooler from witch we will be taking cool juices, sandwiches and

fruits for the best surface interval possible.

I haven't seen this possibility mentioned here, is it that people diving Bonaire are on a very tight budget?

 

[boat sju]

Belmont,

I've wondered myself why there aren't kids hanging around asking if you want help humping gear in and out of the water. I suspect there isn't that much of a market for the service - or for guarding the truck for that matter.

I think some people on here are oversimplifying the ease of the police guarding 50+ secluded dive sites. A cop can hide in the bushes but it's hard to hide a police car from kids who probably know every nook and cranny of the island. We're not talking about a big time organized crime ring here. There's not a lot of profit in stealing flip flops and $5 sunglasses. I suspect that if the theft turns more to car parts and causes a serious issue for the rental car companies, then something may be done differently, but as for now, leaving the vehicles empty with windows down is the most cost effective solution.

 

[Mike]

Most everyone on the island agrees that something needs to be done, but nobody can figure out how to fund and execute a sustainable strategy.

I don't see why Bonaire has to re-invent the wheel, governments, large, small, local and large have figured out how to fight crime all around the world for at least the last few thousand years.

If it's a matter of money, well, same thing, its no secret how governments raise money, it's taxes and fees.

To think any of that is the reason this is going on seems naive to me or buying into the BS somebody is putting out on the island. Raising money is no secret, how to prevent crime is no secret, the question is what is the real reason because those two are not it.

I've wondered for years if the local government has pacified some of the local riff-raff with a hands free policy on petty crime against divers as a way to keep them occupied and focused away from the natives. It's quite possible the practice is now coming back to bite them in the ass as they riff raff has grown in size and boldness and has gradually turned their ever more hungry attention now to include the locals and chickens are coming back to roost on the local governments tourist sacrificing policy.

 

[wwguy]

I don't see why Bonaire has to re-invent the wheel, governments, large, small, local and large have figured out how to fight crime all around the world for at least the last few thousand years.

If it's a matter of money, well, same thing, its no secret how governments raise money, it's taxes and fees.

To think any of that is the reason this is going on seems naive to me or buying into the BS somebody is putting out on the island. Raising money is no secret, how to prevent crime is no secret, the question is what is the real reason because those two are not it.

I've wondered for years if the local government has pacified some of the local riff-raff with a hands free policy on petty crime against divers as a way to keep them occupied and focused away from the natives. It's quite possible the practice is now coming back to bite them in the ass as they riff raff has grown in size and boldness and has gradually turned their ever more hungry attention now to include the locals and chickens are coming back to roost on the local governments tourist sacrificing policy.

Nobody disputes whether the wheel has been invented. The real issue is whether or not the island can afford to buy and maintain wheels. Dutch taxpayers in Holland are already paying for much more than they're getting in return, and the Dutch government is unenthusiastic about requests to further subsidize this little volcanic rock a half a world away from the homeland and taxpayers. For 15,000 Bonaireans it certainly IS a matter of money, and there isn't much of it to be found. How do you propose to tax people without jobs who can hardly afford to buy food or the propane and electricity required to refrigerate it?

I'm not sure what you mean about "buying into the BS somebody is putting out on the island". What BS and who? This appears to be a knee-jerk response to a situation you disagree with without quite understanding why. I care about the island and have several resident friends who live there and are struggling with this too. I've been trying to position my comments from perspective of the reality of living there. No offense intended, but to me it is you who appears naive with respect to a reality you either can't or won't comprehend.

While you've been "wondering for years" about the local government they've undergone a complete overhaul in less than 4 years. The tax structure, health care, and political system is completely different today than it was prior to 10/10/2010 and it's not favorable to everyday people living on Bonaire. Please share those secrets to raising money where there is none and reducing crime where there's plenty of it. Specifically.

 

[diver 85]

Bonaire is in my future plans.

As I have done in Mexico, I will hire a local referred by the hotel to accompany us to the dive site.

For a nice amount of money to him but not much to me he will guard the truck and help me carry stuff to the shore.

Also he will be looking after the truck and the nicely filled cooler from witch we will be taking cool juices, sandwiches and

fruits for the best surface interval possible.

I haven't seen this possibility mentioned here, is it that people diving Bonaire are on a very tight budget?

His brothers or cousins will 'tag' along & they'll 'fake' a robbery.....You'll be doubled screwed then, the money you pay him & the stuff the relatives will take....

 

[gypsyjim]

His brothers or cousins will 'tag' along & they'll 'fake' a robbery.....You'll be doubled screwed then, the money you pay him & the stuff the relatives will take....

Ah, I gather that you are a budding fiction/ fantasy writer?

It is pretty obvious the you did not base that prediction on any previous incident being discussed here, or anything I've even heard a rumor of in 10 years of diving Bonaire.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Bonaire is in my future plans.

As I have done in Mexico, I will hire a local referred by the hotel to accompany us to the dive site.

For a nice amount of money to him but not much to me he will guard the truck and help me carry stuff to the shore.

Also he will be looking after the truck and the nicely filled cooler from witch we will be taking cool juices, sandwiches and

fruits for the best surface interval possible.

I haven't seen this possibility mentioned here, is it that people diving Bonaire are on a very tight budget?

This WOULD be great to have as an option, but I haven't heard of anyone doing it on Bonaire. Maybe that's because, so far, the crime has not reached people's tipping point. I have paid kids to keep an eye on my car elsewhere in the world, so why not Bonaire? Maybe the local kids just don't have that sort of entrepreneurial spirit? It IS the laid-back Caribbean; Bonaire isn't exactly bustling with commerce. Of course, sometimes when there are kids hanging around looking like they're hoping I will ask them to watch my car, I get the feeling I'm paying what the Mafia might call protection money, so I'm not sure encouraging this kind of entrepreneurship is the best way to go. My group and I do consider ourselves thrifty, and that's one reason we like Bonaire--we can split the cost of everything, cook our own meals, etc. But I suppose I could envision the six of us splitting the cost of some kid watching the truck for us.

 

[T.C.]

His brothers or cousins will 'tag' along & they'll 'fake' a robbery.....You'll be doubled screwed then, the money you pay him & the stuff the relatives will take....

Liar. This isn't some third world dump. I think you'll have a harder time finding someone to let their child go with a total stranger for the day.

Please stop trolling the Bonaire forum. We get it, you had a bad experience. That doesn't justify you continuing to come here and troll.

---------- Post added April 19th, 2014 at 08:01 AM ----------

I will never let my guard down, but Bonaire is simply not to horrific crime ridden cesspool some folks like to
Or that some many of our own cities are here at home.

As I said before, go somewhere else, or better yet, stay at home, because Bonaire diving is better with less of you going there anyway.

Thank Yiu!