By ronn brown (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 10:15 am: |
As a family we have always hoped to dive Bonaire - and originally we were booked to arrive over Christmas. I am now considering cancelling as I am not sure Bonaire is safe for my daughters 18 and 20 years old as a result of the recent horrific kidnapping and murder of Marlies van der Kouwe. So two questions:
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By Cecil (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6991) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 11:00 am: |
Welcome to BT Ronn, I'm just sitting here shaking my head on how to answer your concerns. My first thought is Dr Phil's response, "get real". Bonaire has had ONE kidnapping/murder EVER. Let's see you are from Philadelphia, let's do the math. Phili averages 27 violent deaths per 100,000 per year (more for rapes and violent crimes from here), Bonaire's rate is around 0.5 per 100,000. This means you are 60 times safer on Bonaire than Phili and that is probably an understatement.
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By Jennifer Parmley (BonaireTalker - Post #79) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 11:12 am: |
Ronn I've been to Bonaire twice travelling with my mom. Neither of us has ever felt in danger or afraid on Bonaire. We've actually felt very safe walking around in town at night. That being said you and your family should use common sense as I'm sure you do in Philadelphia and all will be fine.
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By Gail T.** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3520) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 11:18 am: |
Same good common sense that you would apply at home, Ronn. If your girls go out at night, they stay TOGETHER. Never do they let one go off alone. (That was my rule here for my kids in Orlando.) Or else, if you are an especially nervous dad, you stay together as a family.....
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By Barry Gassert (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #570) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 11:18 am: |
Hmmm. I believe if you extrapolate the Bonaire figures, based on a population of 12,500, you will find that there are 8 incidents per 100,000. If the population is lower, then more per 100K. That still doesn't make Bonaire a dangerous place, though.
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By ****Tink**** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #7558) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 11:33 am: |
Ronn, welcome to BT. Take the advice of others. Nine trips, some solo without my husband. I go downtown at night for dinner and feel very safe. As others have recommended, use common sense. Keep valuables in the room safe (remember, you are going to a high tourist destination, just like any other high tourist destination around the world).
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By Cecil (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6994) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 12:06 pm: |
Barry there are 13,000 locals but at least that many or more tourista's, so that 26,000 or so then throw in one incident per ten years and you end up with 0.25 per year. I actually over estimated the risk.
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By Ann Phelan - www.bonairecaribbean.com (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3442) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 12:10 pm: |
Welcome to Bonaire Talk and Bonaire soon!
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By Randy P (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #821) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 12:47 pm: |
Hi Ronn,
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By Kristi...PBD, need plane tickets quick!! (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3843) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 1:14 pm: |
I must "ditto" Cecil here...
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By David M Aguirre (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 1:16 pm: |
Ron, I am from Philadelphia myself. I have a vacation planned from the 29th of Nov, until Dec 7th, and there is absolutely nothing that could keep me away from Bonaire. Like everyone has said, do the math, Bonaire is an exceptionally safe and friendly island. Use your head, and you will be just fine.
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1594) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 1:19 pm: |
ronn, welcome to BT. i agree with all of the above. we have never felt unsafe on bonaire, in any area, at any time of the day or night. we lock our house when we leave and leave nothing of value in the truck when we dive (except extra tanks and those aren't a high-theft item). when mary's sister and brother in law visited us a few years ago we had dinner in town and were walking back to the truck to go home. my brother in law said we should slow down to make sure they were safe and could catch up to us. i said there was nothing at all to worry about....and even after the recent tragic event i still feel that way about bonaire.
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By RA. aka Agent 99(*) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3261) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 1:29 pm: |
I returned to Bonaire this August for my 21st trip since 1987. This year I travelled solo with my two children ages 10 and 6. I have always felt safe and will continue visiting the island for as long as I can. I can't add much more to what already has been said other than don't miss out on an opportunity to visit one of the most peaceful islands with unmatched underwater beauty.
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By Vince DePietro (Bonaire Beach Condo ) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1746) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 2:09 pm: |
Ronn. I'm going to assume that your first post on this board was meant to be in good faith. I'm also going to assume that you have not done much traveling in the Caribbean.
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By Fiona Rattray (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #398) on Friday, November 7, 2008 - 11:32 pm: |
Vince, thank you.
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By ronn brown (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Saturday, November 8, 2008 - 12:07 am: |
Wow - thank you to everyone for so kindly responding to my concerns. It seems that I am being overly cautious, and from all your assurances will definitely come and experience the island for myself. I really do want to see what it is about Bonaire that makes people return year after year.....
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By J.J zambrano mazzei (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #185) on Saturday, November 8, 2008 - 3:07 pm: |
Cecil....you are right !the average of crime in BONAIRE is so LOW if you compare with most of the cities of the U.S.A !
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By Tom C. (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #8430) on Saturday, November 8, 2008 - 3:17 pm: |
Ronn, IMHO there is no such thing about being overly cautious, especially in matters concerning our children. I hope you and your family enjoy your vacation as much as many of us have over the years.
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By Ron Folds (BonaireTalker - Post #60) on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 6:16 pm: |
We went twice this year. First time in May and read all about the stealing that goes on while you are diving. I never saw a thief or a cop. We went back in September for two weeks and never saw a thief and saw a cop one morning about 4 pm patrolling HH homes.
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By Fid Chinoy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #107) on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 - 11:37 pm: |
The fact that everyone knows everything about the one and only serious crime on the island says it all. How many crimes occur in our own cities that the media does not even bother to cover?
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By pat murphy (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1603) on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 - 10:23 am: |
i agree....there was a shooting a few years ago...it was a domestic thing. every restaurant we went to we had people asking if we had heard about the shooting. it was in the reporter for a few weeks. and as far as i know the guy who was shot didn't die. back home here it probably wouldn't have made the paper at all....maybe had the victim died we might have read about it for a day or so. but like people have said, crime like that is so very rare on bonaire that anything like that is big news.
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By Tim (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Friday, November 21, 2008 - 3:23 pm: |
I lived on Bonaire for 2005/6 and am desperate to return! I always felt "safe", and only had one case of the "petty" problems myself (my fault too).
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By Ric Spratlin (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #107) on Monday, November 24, 2008 - 1:26 pm: |
IMHO Bonaire is a safe place. The problems that they do have are with the current police. Hopefully the Dutch will improve the police very soon.
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