A good idea for Bonaire

[pilot fish]

An island like Bonaire, that derives 100% of it's income from tourism, mainly divers, should allocate half that income to give the tourist better protection. As they got a better hold of crime, made it safer on the island, that share towards crime fighting would decrease. They should have police cars out on patrol CONSTANTLY, not just once in a blue monn. The police on Bonaire should not just sit in a police barracks but be a more visable presence out on patrol around dive sites and places tourist frequent. It would not take long before a marked decrease in crime would occur.

The crime of break-ins to rented condos and hotel rooms is a bit harder to combat. Perhaps some of the tourist revenue should be earmarked to the condo and hotel owners to help them pay for better security, in the form of alarms and other detection devices?

To end the crime of tires, batteries, and the like, getting stolen from rental cars on the island, they should make a non removable mark on that equipement so it could not be sold? The island is small, with only 15000 residents, so there are not many places theives could sell stolen stuff that was marked. Once these changes occur Bonaire will become a safe diver paradise.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Ya see what happens PF? You constantly troll other peoples threads running them down and you eventually have to start your own.

If I may ask for clarification on your post.

1. They should have police cars out on patrol CONSTANTLY, not just once in a blue moon (I fixed your typo) - Exactly how often is a blue moon? And did you derive this knowledge from your one and only trip to the island?

While I wholly disagree with your stance on the crime situation on Boanire, a couple of your points are not entirely off base. To think that 50% of revenue could be "set-aside" is to think that they are making way more than they actually are HOWEVER to think that upgrades to the facilities available on the island to help improve security is not a bad idea. The police are present (I saw them 4 times on my last trip but only twice IIRC on my first trip) but on an island of I believe 13k people, a force of hundreds is not feasible. To add a couple might not be a bad idea.

As for marking the items, MOST of what is stolen is apparently sold off the island already so marking would likely make no difference. If someone is alrady buying a "hot" item, marked or not they will likely not care. It would make them easy to identify if ever found by authorities however the cost of marking every part on a truck and in a room etc. would be astronomical and thus not feasible. In general not a bad idea though IMO.

 

[DennisS]

The crime on Bonaire is a lot less than Jamaica, Virgin Islands or the Bahamas. Everywhere in the world has crime. There is no crime free diver paradise including the local quarry.

 

[ONESPEED]

So PiFi, obsess much?

 

[ONESPEED]

I wonder if it's possible for an island to get a restraining order?

 

[Cave Diver]

An island like Bonaire, that derives 100% of it's income from tourism, mainly divers, should allocate half that income to give the tourist better protection. As they got a better hold of crime, made it safer on the island, that share towards crime fighting would decrease. They should have police cars out on patrol CONSTANTLY, not just once in a blue monn. The police on Bonaire should not just sit in a police barracks but be a more visable presence out on patrol around dive sites and places tourist frequent. It would not take long before a marked decrease in crime would occur.

How much time and how many officers are currently used on patrols? Do you have something tangible to indicate that they arent doing so already?

The crime of break-ins to rented condos and hotel rooms is a bit harder to combat. Perhaps some of the tourist revenue should be earmarked to the condo and hotel owners to help them pay for better security, in the form of alarms and other detection devices?

To end the crime of tires, batteries, and the like, getting stolen from rental cars on the island, they should make a non removable mark on that equipement so it could not be sold? The island is small, with only 15000 residents, so there are not many places theives could sell stolen stuff that was marked. Once these changes occur Bonaire will become a safe diver paradise.

Maybe the insurance companies could elect to provide a paid security guard in place of theft coverage with every car rental. Since Bonaire is not a wealthy country and crime is so rampant there, surely this would be a more cost effective solution than constantly paying claims on stolen items. Hotels could do the same thing.

 

[parzdiver]

So you want them to divert their tax revenue to make the island a Police State? Yeah, that sounds like a great idea.

 

[drrich2]

I think sting operations with covert surveillance at some of the northern dive sites would likely be the most efficient, cost-effective way of dropping petty theft of property from vehicles. That, and very long, harsh sentencing upon conviction.

The northern sites like Oil Slick need most secluded, with the lowest distance visibility, unlike some of the southern dive sites.

Richard.

 

[Keith Partlo]

Bonaire Feb 2010.Had a great trip,but one member of our group
was robbed of his ice cream money;$10 dollars he hid in our vehicles air cleaner.
He quickly switched to carrying in wetsuit like the rest of us. Vendors in Bonaire
are used to receiving wet cash. Bonaire does not take theft crime to tourists
seriously; cant tell me they do not know who commits these crimes.Its an island
after all.

 

[pilot fish]

A blue moon occurs on the third full moon in a season with four full moons, or the second full moon of a calendar month. Most years have twelve full moons that occur approximately monthly. In addition to those twelve full lunar cycles, each solar calendar year contains roughly eleven days more than the lunar year of 12 lunations. You can do the math.

Let's not let this thread degenerate into a slugfest, OK?

If the stolen stuff is shiped off island, then have a better check inspectin of things getting shipped off iland? That could help.

Ya see what happens PF? You constantly troll other peoples threads running them down and you eventually have to start your own.

If I may ask for clarification on your post.

1. They should have police cars out on patrol CONSTANTLY, not just once in a blue moon (I fixed your typo) - Exactly how often is a blue moon? And did you derive this knowledge from your one and only trip to the island?

While I wholly disagree with your stance on the crime situation on Boanire, a couple of your points are not entirely off base. To think that 50% of revenue could be "set-aside" is to think that they are making way more than they actually are HOWEVER to think that upgrades to the facilities available on the island to help improve security is not a bad idea. The police are present (I saw them 4 times on my last trip but only twice IIRC on my first trip) but on an island of I believe 13k people, a force of hundreds is not feasible. To add a couple might not be a bad idea.

As for marking the items, MOST of what is stolen is apparently sold off the island already so marking would likely make no difference. If someone is alrady buying a "hot" item, marked or not they will likely not care. It would make them easy to identify if ever found by authorities however the cost of marking every part on a truck and in a room etc. would be astronomical and thus not feasible. In general not a bad idea though IMO.