Bad Ending to Otherwise Good Bonaire Trip

[dvrliz1]

Ok, so I have been trying NOT to post, as I'm not always fond of the "backlash". Also, another reason why you all have not seen me posting as much as I used to. But here goes.

First, Bart, thanks, I don't think I could have said it any better. I have, as you have, agree that there is crime on the island, and it has increased. I have also stated as you have that "things are in the works to try and make it better", but due to unforseen circumstances such as the government situation, funds that are slated for improved situations has slowed thing down even more.

Improvements slated are an increase in the police force manpower, better training and forensic techniques, just to name a few. We will never irradicate crime on Bonaire, that is just not reality.

We are an island in transition right now, growing very fast, faster than the government thought, I suspect and just wasn't ready for all that is happening.

The government, however, IS aware of this, and though they may not be so vocal, they are putting plans in place to address MANY situations on the island. It may not be as fast as we would like, but it is happening.

Mike, regarding your statement, "So apparently two people can say the exact same thing, but if you don't live on the island what you are saying is false" I personally think this is unfair as well as untrue. It is just that those of us that live, work and/or own businesses here are more intune on a daily basis as to what is going on "on island". As a resident, I just have a hard time with people who come here once or twice (or not even at all), make assumptions about the level of crime on the island. Like I said, I'm not saying that there isn't any, that would be unrealistic and untrue. That is why I have made the open offer for those who haven't been here, to come, stay with us at a ridiculous price and experience what Bonaire is all about. Bonaire to me is almost like a child, of which I am protective of. I know it can "screw up" like teenagers can, but I still love it, and would defend it, honestly. I don't have blinders on and will admit when there is a problem, and push to get the problem fixed (as you all know I have been trying to do).

To read some of these threads, a lot of comments made by some who have only been here a few times (if at all) make Bonaire sound worse then the "wild, wild west" and this is so untrue.

As Bart and I have said in the past, crime does exist on the island, but it is not worse than other islands.

I will continue to live on my island paradise, forever. We love the people, we love the culture, we love our friends. There are somethings we are not so happy about, such as how our island has "changed" over the past 5 years so dramatically, but all that we love about it outweighs the bad.

No matter what is said on these threads, you will never be able to "change" peoples minds. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. The thing that gets me is that these threads can sway someone NOT to come to Bonaire and they will lose out on an amazing experience.

That is a shame. I would love to share my island paradise with others (even with the negatives), no matter where they stay.

As always this is just IMHO, and I'm entitled to it.

 

[keithdiver]

Ok, so I have been trying NOT to post, as I'm not always fond of the "backlash". Also, another reason why you all have not seen me posting as much as I used to. But here goes.

First, Bart, thanks, I don't think I could have said it any better. I have, as you have, agree that there is crime on the island, and it has increased. I have also stated as you have that "things are in the works to try and make it better", but due to unforseen circumstances such as the government situation, funds that are slated for improved situations has slowed thing down even more.

Improvements slated are an increase in the police force manpower, better training and forensic techniques, just to name a few. We will never irradicate crime on Bonaire, that is just not reality.

We are an island in transition right now, growing very fast, faster than the government thought, I suspect and just wasn't ready for all that is happening.

The government, however, IS aware of this, and though they may not be so vocal, they are putting plans in place to address MANY situations on the island. It may not be as fast as we would like, but it is happening.

Mike, regarding your statement, "So apparently two people can say the exact same thing, but if you don't live on the island what you are saying is false" I personally think this is unfair as well as untrue. It is just that those of us that live, work and/or own businesses here are more intune on a daily basis as to what is going on "on island". As a resident, I just have a hard time with people who come here once or twice (or not even at all), make assumptions about the level of crime on the island. Like I said, I'm not saying that there isn't any, that would be unrealistic and untrue. That is why I have made the open offer for those who haven't been here, to come, stay with us at a ridiculous price and experience what Bonaire is all about. Bonaire to me is almost like a child, of which I am protective of. I know it can "screw up" like teenagers can, but I still love it, and would defend it, honestly. I don't have blinders on and will admit when there is a problem, and push to get the problem fixed (as you all know I have been trying to do).

To read some of these threads, a lot of comments made by some who have only been here a few times (if at all) make Bonaire sound worse then the "wild, wild west" and this is so untrue.

As Bart and I have said in the past, crime does exist on the island, but it is not worse than other islands.

I will continue to live on my island paradise, forever. We love the people, we love the culture, we love our friends. There are somethings we are not so happy about, such as how our island has "changed" over the past 5 years so dramatically, but all that we love about it outweighs the bad.

No matter what is said on these threads, you will never be able to "change" peoples minds. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. The thing that gets me is that these threads can sway someone NOT to come to Bonaire and they will lose out on an amazing experience.

That is a shame. I would love to share my island paradise with others (even with the negatives), no matter where they stay.

As always this is just IMHO, and I'm entitled to it.

Thanks Liz, and you are 100% correct, We have been there and love the island. Tell Ed, and Gibby and the rest of the staff and family helloKeith

 

[DiverVince]

Well said Liz! I echo your comments and sentiment in your well stated posting.
None of us who are branded by some on this board as Bonaire defenders have EVER insinuated or explicitly stated that there was no crime on the island. Personally I have been and remain optimistic on Bonaire's future. I think it will be a bright one!
I see changes on every trip down there, and many of them are in fact favorable. As far as I'm concerned, la dolce vita is on Bonaire!

 

[mike_s]

I don't think you'll ever find an inhabited island, regardless of size that is crime free.


My statistics posts were simply to show that Crime on Bonaire has improved since 1995 and that it was no greater than the other islands similar to it.

 

[ScubaSteve]

The white washers keep agreeing with the resident who keeps saying how bad the crime is on Bonaire while at the same time the white washers are disagreeing with any statement made by anyone else in regard to the same thing.

Please provide quotes of mine from this thread specifically where I have done this. Thank you

 

[Mike]

Please provide quotes of mine from this thread specifically where I have done this. Thank you

LOL

The most important results are:

BONAIRE- 72% of the citizens over 16 years old were victims of a crime in their lifetime. In the 12 months preceding the inquiry 27% were victimized. In 1995, 58%. The most common crimes were being burglarized, robberies from unsecured areas like a garden, porch, or car. In 39% of the cases victims reported the crime to the police. In 1995, that was 50%. The most important reasons given for not reporting the crime were: The police force will do nothing. The police force could have done nothing because of lack of proof, the matter ws too small to report/there was no loss/it was done by a child, the matter was solved by the victim-he/she knew the perpetrator. Of those who reported the crime only 33% were satisfied with the police’s efforts.

In 1995, 43% were satisfied. That is a fall of 10%. Of the people surveyed 35%showed strong to very strong fears and feelings of disorder. Compared to 1995 (62%) that’s considerably lower.


​

Wow, you guys really must have different computer screens or something.

You're posting a quotation that says the place is a crime ridden sh*t hole and you think it says the opposite.

Now before you all go getting your buckets of paint out, I'm not calling the place a sh*t hole, just pointing out the statistics you are posting that do.

Your quotation just proves Bart right that the place is getting worse and worse, so bad the citizenery have gotten to the point they have no faith in the infastructure of their island and just don't even report the crimes now.

(Next time if you want you can PM and I'll read through your cut and pastes before you post them so you don't look bad like this. No problem, just the kind of guy I am.)

Mike, regarding your statement, "So apparently two people can say the exact same thing, but if you don't live on the island what you are saying is false" I personally think this is unfair as well as untrue. It is just that those of us that live, work and/or own businesses here are more intune on a daily basis as to what is going on "on island". As a resident, I just have a hard time with people who come here once or twice (or not even at all), make assumptions about the level of crime on the island. Like I said, I'm not saying that there isn't any, that would be unrealistic and untrue. That is why I have made the open offer for those who haven't been here, to come, stay with us at a ridiculous price and experience what Bonaire is all about. Bonaire to me is almost like a child, of which I am protective of. I know it can "screw up" like teenagers can, but I still love it, and would defend it, honestly. I don't have blinders on and will admit when there is a problem, and push to get the problem fixed (as you all know I have been trying to do).

Well, what you need to understand and I know it's not easy to understand with all the BS posted on this thread and others is, I'm fully aware what Bonaire is and isn't.

I don't have any outlook that in May when I visit I will be a crime victim. My point has never been that Bonaire is the unsafest place in the caribbean, my point is that Bonaire is exactly what it is based on the first hand accounts of the crime reported there.

All the rest of this stuff is just slapping the little white washers up side the head every now and then to get them stirred up. They are pretty predictable and it's funny to watch them post their " I demand you show me where I said that!!!!!"

Bonaire is what it is and that's the facts and they won't be changed just because a few people want to pretend otherwise.

Bart posted almost exactly what I have posted here in my research of the crime history of Bonaire, almost to the exact dates that I posted that I found that the place began changing.

The white washers will never admit the sky is blue as long if it would mean they have to agree.

Like I said if Vince wants to build some credibility, let's hear him tell us about his own personal run ins with crime that he has been personally effected by, and his stories of others he knows and what they have experienced. It won't ever happen cause objectivity is not in the nature of the white washers. Never gonna happen.

I see changes on every trip down there, and many of them are in fact favorable. As far as I'm concerned, la dolce vita is on Bonaire!

Well, I hope they are, you're surely not going to post something un-favorable even if it is the truth. No room for objectivity is there?

Now, I'm a bit curious... if all you see is things getting better and Bonaire is the safest place in the caribbean... or (one of them... however you want to say it today), then if things are getting better, does that mean things were bad in order for you to see them getting better?

That can't be possible can it?

Did you leave an unopened pack of gum in your rental car dash board with the windows locked and the windows weren't broken?

​

 

[ScubaSteve]

Thanks for proving my point Mike.

 

[mike_s]

Thanks for proving my point Mike.

mfinnley. I wasn't trying to say there wasn't crime on Bonaire.... I was just showing REAL STATISTICS instead of just going on what a "friend said" by someone who hasn't been there in 5 years.

also showing that the crime there isn't any worse than other islands.

 

[gypsyjim]

So apparently two people can say the exact same thing, but if you don't live on the island what you are saying is false.
.

A blind man might tell me the sky is blue too, while I might have reason to wonder about his perception of the very concept of that color. Is he speaking from a personal experience, or merely repeating a word?

Tell me your experiences, and I will listen more intently, than I will if I suspect that you are only trying to spread rumor and venom, based not on experience, but merely acquired as second hand gossip and threw stories heard from others.

 

[Mike]

mmike_ss - me too. Good job, you utterly failed, but what's the difference among friends? Your white washer buddies might kick you out of the club though since you just screwed up and showed exactly what the rest of us have been saying all along about the place.

Like I said, next time, just PM what you want to post and I'll proof read it for ya, and shoot you back some liner notes, so you don't get yourself in anymore trouble.

A blind man might tell me the sky is blue too, while I might have reason to wonder about his perception of the very concept of that color. Is he speaking from a personal experience, or merely repeating a word?

Tell me your experiences, and I will listen more intently, than I will if I suspect that you are only trying to spread rumor and venom, based not on experience, but merely acquired as second hand gossip and threw stories heard from others.

In a nut shell : My experience is that Bonaire has a growing crime problem and you should take some extra measures that normally are not required if you go there in order to reduce the chances of being victimized by the criminals and enjoy one of the top rated dive destination in the Caribbean with out an incident.

Further it does no one any good to pretend any of the above is anything but exactly as I said it.

I would consider it no different then learning by word of mouth via the internet about the Mexican 200 peso trick at the gas stations in the Yucatan tourist zones, becoming informed and avoiding being victimized. Cause the Mexican government isn't going to print it in their tourist brochures, just like the Bonaire government isn't going to print anything in their tourist brochures (if they had any) about their issues either.

Pretty simple stuff, pretty simple concept, even though you guys find it so personally offensive and can't be objective about Bonaire and end up looking like you do over it.