Monday, November 06, 2006

Arkefly’s Inaugural Flight Arrives on Bonaire

This past Saturday, Arkefly’s inaugural flight to Bonaire landed at Flamingo International Airport, beginning weekly flights that will continue throughout the high season.

The inaugural flight created much publicity with diginitaries arriving on the flight which originated from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.  The weekly flight will accommodate over 200 passengers traveling from Europe.  (Source:  Various Internet sites)

The Queen’s Final Schedule for Bonaire is Announced

Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands will be visiting Bonaire this week on November 8th and 9th, and her final schedule has been announced.

November 8th:

10:10-10:25 Arrive at Flamingo International Airport. She will be received by the Governor and Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles, and the Lt. Governor of Bonaire. Reception ceremony.

10:35-11:10 Arrival at Pasanggrahan followed by a meeting with the island council and executive council.

11:20-11:40 Visit at the Stichting Project.

14:10-14:30 Visit to the Kolegio Reina Beatrix grade school.

16:00-16:45 Visiting Klein Bonaire.

19:30-20:30 Reception at the Lt. Governor’s home.

November 9th

09:45-10:30 Visit to the village of Rincon.

10:50-11:20 Visit to the FORMA organization.

11:25-11:45 Visit to Kas di Arte to open the exposition “Homage to Bonairean Art.”

15:10-15:45 Visit to open Cruyff Court.

16:00-16:30 Visit to Bonaire Windsurf Place.

November 10th

08:30 Depart from Bonaire to Sint Maarten

(Source:  Island Government Press Release)

Friday, November 03, 2006

Holland and the Antilles Sign Agreement to Restructure the Antilles

The Dutch government and the Netherlands Antilles have signed a long-awaited agreement granting the Caribbean territories of Curacao and St. Maarten autonomy, and giving smaller islands in the group the status of Dutch municipalities, officials said Friday.

The Netherlands Antilles — which includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten — has been a self-governing territory since 1954, deferring only the issues of foreign policy and defense to the Netherlands.  However, the smaller territories have complained they are underfunded and overlooked by the Antillean government, based in Curacao’s capital of Willemstad. The larger territories argue they are economically viable to stand alone.  For more information, click here.  (Source:  International Herald Tribune/Europe)