By Greg Lambert on Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 10:01 pm: |
I just got around to looking at the last couple issues of the Bonaire Reporter, and it seems Sandals has been negotiating with Harbor Village. It also appears that Harbor Village has just reopened. I'm sure opinions will vary, but I think the last thing that Bonaire needs is a Sandals resort.
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By DIVER DEBBI on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 12:15 am: |
what is wrong with Sandels ? as long as they bring some live bodies to Bonaire to spend some $$$ and help the economy....NO GOLF COURSE PLEASE that would really hurt the diving don't you think ? I thought Sandels catered to honeymoon couples ? they " dive " don't they ? smile
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By Julia Graves on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 6:23 am: |
In many places Sandals resorts provide all inclusive accomodation and activities. This means that many people do not bother to leave the resort. In this way the local economy does not benefit. In some places I have heard that much of the produce they use is shipped in so it also does not benefit the local economy. It has been reported that some large companies also bring in labour if the cost of employing local people is more than they want to pay but I do not know if this applies to Sandals. They are great resorts to stay in but I'm not sure if Bonaire is the right place for one.
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By gregg brewer on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 7:59 am: |
Julia,
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By Angela Strozier on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 9:46 am: |
What kind of charters go to Plaza?
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By thomas brossard on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 10:19 am: |
Greg,
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By gregg brewer on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 12:48 pm: |
Thomas,
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By Jake Richter - NetTech on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 1:01 pm: |
I thought the work force at HV (when it was still open) was mostly Venezuelan (made sense considering the Venezuelan ownership of HV).
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By Ann Phelan on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 1:45 pm: |
In Antigua Sandals did fly in many Jamaicans but also some Antiguans went to other resorts. Yes, the tourist does not venture out of the property to visit dining spots but it will give revenue for diving, adventure sports, taxis, airport,govt. and MORE. The Sandals name is BIG and many folks like the concept of an all inclusive. I for one do NOT but it might have some value here. Butch Stewart will certainly profit from a resort here which I assume would specialize in watersports.
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By Jamie Barber on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 3:13 pm: |
Diver Debbie's right about keeping those stinkin golf courses away! No offense to those of you who love the sport, it's just that the "typical" course is SOOOOO environmentally horrific. I recently read that such a course can use 15-30 times the agrichemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers)and a HECK more water than a similarly sized corn field uses (sorry folks, can't remeber the citation)! Not to mention the typical course is built either on the water or with waterways incorporated in the design (it looks pretty). Here in Maryland it seems the developers are not constrained by the same laws as homeowners or commercial properties when it comes to maintaining riparian buffers (the golf courses are zoned agricultural land, I believe, which allows for significant non-point-source pollution). Hope there is no such loop-hole in Bonaire.
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By thomas brossard on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 4:22 pm: |
Jake, all of the workers I was in contact with incuding their supervisors at HV were Dominican. Perhaps that changed after my time ended...
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By Jake Richter - NetTech on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 5:00 pm: |
May be a moot point - looks like Harbour Village is open for business again, as a villa rental company (not a Hotel). See http://www.harbourvillage.com
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By Greg Lambert on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 5:14 pm: |
Yes, I mentioned that it had reopened in my original post. According to the Bonaire Reporter, even with the reopening, talks with Sandals had not been abandoned.
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By Karl H on Friday, August 16, 2002 - 10:07 pm: |
No Sandals resort for Bonaire please!
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By Ann Phelan on Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 9:39 am: |
Perhaps Butch Stewart would create a very different Sandals..one that is eco minded w/o the glitz and glimmer of his others..it is up to BON to make their voice heard. Annie
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By Jan Klos on Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 6:08 pm: |
All inclusives do have their places--- They represent a vacation to those who are looking not to leave the complex. Atmosphere, Food, drink, games, entertainment, etc. They are not always a bad thing. Not everyone who vacations enjoys staying at an all- inclusive-- I have stayed at an all- inclusive in the past-- but only for short stays 3-4 days-- Made it alot easier not to have to decide where we would eat our meals-- Some all - inclusives also have made arangements with local restaurants to include them with the package as it would give the guests the ability to sample the local fare.
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By DARLENE ELLIS on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 8:31 am: |
Prior to discovering Bonaire, we always went all-inclusive and the part that we enjoyed most was not having to worry about money while vacationing. When you travel on a tight budget. some all-inclusives can be woth while although Sandal's prices were always quite high. My husband and I golf and I am not opposed to an inviornmentally friendly golf course but I would like to add that we did a Caribbean golf vacation once and the heat is a bit much and my preference is by far to be in the water and not out in the hot sun golfing!
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By Mickey McCarthy on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 3:37 pm: |
Ouch!
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By JIM KENNEDY on Sunday, August 18, 2002 - 8:50 pm: |
Jamie Barber~
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By Jamie Barber on Monday, August 19, 2002 - 11:42 am: |
Jim,
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By Mark Director on Monday, August 19, 2002 - 1:12 pm: |
Numerous valid concerns have been raised in the preceding messages. Allow me to add one more: hundreds of “resort-certified divers” loose on the reefs. While I have no first-hand knowledge of Sandals’ dive operation and how it does resort divers, I have seen first-hand what happened in the early days of Club Med’s Columbus Isle resort on San Salvador, Bahamas. I got certified in Feb 1993 at Columbus Isle when it first opened and went back later that year. I watched with horror as the Club Med catamarans (two at the time) dumped upwards of 50 resort divers onto the reef with only a few divemasters in the water. Most of the resorts divers had little if any regard for the then-pristine reefs, and the damage these people did was quickly seen. Can you imagine the effect of this on Bonaire’s reefs?
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By Jan Klos on Monday, August 19, 2002 - 6:12 pm: |
Jamie,
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By Jamie Barber on Tuesday, August 20, 2002 - 2:01 pm: |
Jan,
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By Nadine Rubin on Tuesday, August 27, 2002 - 10:11 pm: |
OK...unless you own a place on Bonaire you don't have knowlege of gov't regs and Bonaire's fierce political support in protecting the environment. It's NOT like in the states and more so, Jaime, it's nothing like Maryland (When not in Bonaire I reside in Md.). First to address the golf course issue - HV went through years of development and research to be able to get the gov't to agree to build an "environmentally friendly" golf course.(water recycling, no chemicals, etc) Only then would the Bonaire gov't grant a permit. They are very much aware of the devistating effects. Secondly, the Sandals issue... All of you need to know that Butch Stewart owns Air Jamaica - He turned that airline around from a reputation of stolen carry on luggage to the BEST airline in the caribbean within 5 years. They are looking to have a hotel in Bonaire to do vacation packages. Also, they are probably interested in the property as more of a "boutique" hotel due to the small amount of rooms. Even if expansion of HV is in the future, Bonaire NEEDS a big name hotel - which need NOT be synonymous with destroying the environment. The people who built HV are developers , not hoteliers. They do not know how to run a hotel efficiently and therefore it is time they turned over the management to a company who does. Just because they sent out a press release saying they are re-opening - ha..there is NO operational dive shop - they will hook you up with someone elses and get you picked up at the dive dock. Also, the Spa isn't open, nor is the main restaurant. If Sandals or any big resort comes in, they will have to obey the rules of the island, and believe me, the gov't will not approve, issue permits, or allow such things as jet ski rentals or boat loads of resort divers anchoring boats into the coral. The gov't is very aware of how this has ruined other islands.
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By Natasha on Wednesday, August 28, 2002 - 12:22 pm: |
Very interesting. I have been to Sandals St. Lucia, Sandals Royal Bahamian, and Sandals Antigua more then once. Being in the travel industry for %$#*& years, I know the reputation Butch Stewart has. It would make sense that since he is bringing people here, he would want them to stay at his resort.
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