The high prices we visitors find are usually a much bigger problem for Bonaireans, since local wages and salaries are mostly modest. They are largely the result of import tariffs and business monopolies. With very little manufacturing and without enough rainfall for most food crops, Bonaire is heavily exposed to prices of imports.

Boi Antoin, editor of Extra Bonaire, reports a new plan by the Curaçao-dominated government to squeeze money out of imports, in order to support interests mostly located in Curaçao. He says:

"Segun análisis di AKIB, Minister Cova ta bai purba pa introdusí kitamentu di e lei positivo pa "bouw af" protekshon di merkado. Gobièrnunan anterior a tuma e desishon pa baha gastu di e konsumidó i habri merkado pa importashon. E lei
ta regla ku e produktornan tin ku bai kompetí ku produktonan djafó, nan a duna e fábrikanan 5 aña pa poko poko bini na e nivel nesesario."
-- www.extrabon.com (22 Nov. 2003)

Does anyone know the recent history of the "trade protection" laws for Netherlands Antilles? Antoin implies that they were beaten back but are likely to be imposed again.

Correct, St.Maarten en Bonaire both vigorously opposed this in the past, with only a handful of companies of Bonaire benefitting from it while the general cost of living would rise. Now the Government (read: Curacao) is talking about it again.

Actually, no companies on Bonaire have benefitted from the protectionist tariffs on some goods (like paper, furniture, soap, etc.) in many years, if at all. All the benefit, in theory, goes to Curacao-based companies. I got something in from our local business & industry group yesterday about possible new tariffs, but it was more than I could easily translate from (it was in Dutch).

Jake

Well it may be worth a bit of effort with the Dutch. Èxtra Boneiru continues to sound alarms and claims that the effect will be "[p]rohibishon di importashon di limonada, djus, serbes, malta i bebidanan alkohóliko." Might be serious (those last two items anyway).

Remembering that roots of the current financial crisis were in backing down from the proposed 10% increment in sales tax. Curaçao is stuck, with such a large fraction of untaxable income.

The roots of the current (and on-going) financial crisis are a blend of corrupt and incompetent politicians, and not yet another tax designed to remove more money from people who in many cases have no more to give the politicians to spend on their pet causes.

Jake

Well, yes, the politicians. Although not so much involved in smuggling as, say, eighty years ago, otherwise I'm sure some of ours in eastern Massachusetts could give most of those in Willemstad a lesson. Despite all, Netherlands Antilles seemed to get along until a recession came and Netherlands had to turn off the faucet.