Island News

June 08, 2010 Update - New Government 10/10/10

As you may or may not know, the island of Bonaire is making some very positive changes in its government. Although some resistance is expected, we all know and understand "change" is difficult. One of those changes is to the sales tax. The old sales tax of 5% will become 8% on January 1, 2011.

April 30, 2010 Rincon Days

All the people of Bonaire have a day off work and schools are closed on April 30. Everyone goes to Rincon, it is the only day in the year that people without licences to trade can sell things on the street. Some people set up stalls to sell second-hand goods. Others set up stalls to sell traditional food and drink. There is a lot of busking and official musical performances on Queen's Day. Many people spontaneously sing "Het Wilhelmus". This is a poem written in 1574 and describes the life of William of Orange (William the Silent) and his fight for the Dutch people. It is written as if William of Orange is introducing himself to the Dutch people.
Rincon Days is also Queen's Day, the Queen's official birthday and the anniversary of her coronation.

It's Karnival Season on Bonaire!

Although the holiday season has just ended, that doesn't mean that there's not time to begin the next celebration, which, on Bonaire, is Karnival. We're already into the Karnival season, with events beginning now and leading up through to the Grand Karnival Parade in Kralendijk, on February 14, 2010, also Valentine's Day.

BES Islands' fiscal system effective January 1, 2011

The new fiscal system for the BES islands Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will go into effect January 1, 2011. The BES islands will no longer be part of the Netherlands Antilles and will be integrated into the Netherlands as ‘public entities.’

January 4, 2010 Currency Update
It’s planned that next year at this time the US dollar will be the island’s main currency. To smooth the transition an “Exchange Office” will be set up this month in Bonaire under the control of the Dutch Central Bank (De Nederlandsche Bank). It will deal with currency conversion, wages, price control, responsibilities, technological problems and other issues.