KRALENDIJK — Following the deferment of the debt reconstruction of pension fund APNA, the Netherlands are now threatening to defer the renovation of the runway of Bonaire International Airport (BIA) as well. It regards an amount of 15 million guilders.
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The final decision on this matter has not been taken yet. The quartermaster will continue with the project preparations. In a pronouncement, BES-commissioner Henk Kamp states that ‘now that Bonaire is debating the basic agreement with the Netherlands from 2006, namely that Bonaire would become a public body with the Dutch government, the relevant consequences on all points should be considered regarding the initiated activities. The largest projects, concerning tens of millions guilders, will be considered first’.
No large amounts will be invested as long as the Board of Governors of Bonaire does not agree with the concluded agreements on the political changes. For the time being, the renovation of the runway is scheduled for next year and all preparations have already been made. According to quartermaster of Traffic, Pieter Langebaerd, 2010 would be ‘on time’. However, there is the risk that the runway will be rejected if the renovation is not realized next year. Previous uncertainties on the standpoint of the coalition ADB-Nicolaas regarding non-observance of the concluded agreements had already caused the Netherlands not to proceed with the reconstruction of the APNA-debt. The Board of Governors is busy organizing the referendum in conformity with UN-standards, so that there is little promise of change in this matter until that time, which will be probably be March.
Blackmail
Many people on Bonaire consider the deferment of the finances required for the renovation of the runway as ‘blackmail’ by the Netherlands. The coalition ADB-Nicolaas had already stated previously that financial agreements (should) be detached from the process of political changes. There are increasingly more anti-Dutch sentiments amongst the population.
Opposition party UPB warns for the disastrous economical consequences if the renovation of the runway remains forthcoming and attributes this to the ‘negative attitude of the current government of Bonaire with regard to the process of political changes’.
Many people on Bonaire consider the deferment of the finances required for the renovation of the runway as ‘blackmail’ by the Netherlands. The coalition ADB-Nicolaas had already stated previously that financial agreements (should) be detached from the process of political changes. There are increasingly more anti-Dutch sentiments amongst the population.Opposition party UPB warns for the disastrous economical consequences if the renovation of the runway remains forthcoming and attributes this to the ‘negative attitude of the current government of Bonaire with regard to the process of political changes’.
In a press report, former deputy Elvis Tjin (UPB) writes that ‘It is hazardous for the future of Bonaire, now that the Netherlands also state that they will not finance the renovation of the runway after they had already deferred the reconstruction of the APNA-debt, if the government’s standpoint of Bonaire will not become clear soon’. If the runway is not renovated soon, this could possibly be the end of KLM and other large airline companies arriving on Bonaire, Tjin Asjoe states, as the current runway will be rejected within short. UPB paints a doom scenario where large airline companies will no longer fly to Bonaire with the consequence of the island losing substantial revenues from tourism. It is not certain whether this stage would be reached, but it is a fact that the political relations between Bonaire and the Netherlands are on edge more than previously.
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