Aruba and Bonaire largely lack the Spanish rule: the islands have little to offer. 

Aruba and Curaçao have benefited from their American and Dutch refineries for decades; Bonaire misses that. Cruise tourism also largely ignores Bonaire.

In 1954, Aruba and Curaçao become sovereign countries within the Kingdom; Aruba receives a "status aparte". In 2010, Bonaire becomes a municipality of the Netherlands.

These three different governance models mean that a joint approach to economic problems is lacking. With that background, we start one of the most difficult jobs ever.

The history of Bonaire can be compared to that of Aruba, although the Spaniards did not ignore this island; they remain there for more than a century. But when Spain starts blocking the Dutch supply routes of salt from the Cape Verde islands, the Netherlands must search for sources of salt at the Caribbean islands. Hence, the WIC -West Indian Company conquers Bonaire in a few hours from a handful of Spaniards.

For three centuries, Bonaire's salt finds its way to fisheries in Newfoundland and the Baltic Sea. But the abolition of slavery means a significant reduction in production and exports.

From then on, Bonaire's economy depends on Curaçao, legally and logistically alike. There are hardly any direct connections with the rest of the Caribbean, South America or the USA. The supply of fresh fruit and vegetables from Venezuela also largely goes via Curaçao.

In the 20th century, commodity trader Cargill purchases the salt pans with exclusive rights to production and export.

It is the time of mass tourism and Bonaire is getting its share. But poor accessibility and a desire to preserve the island and its coral reefs ensure that Bonaire is spared mass tourism and becomes a paradise for divers. Cruise ships dock in Bonaire on a small scale, but not comparable to the numbers in Aruba and Curaçao.

Recently, all Caribbean islands are recovering from the covid 19 pandemic. In 2023, United Airlines has three flights a week from New York to Bonaire.

During our preparation in 2013, we noticed a staggering amount of strategies, reports and long-term plans, mostly written by Dutch prophets. So we decide not to add another one. Moreover, our options in Bonaire are limited: Dutch government does not provide a budget for implementation.

It is good that the Chamber of Commerce refers us to Anja Romeijnders. With her husband she runs an ICT company in Kralendijk and is actively involved in employers' associations. She accepts our proposal to join the team. This prevents us from making the classic mistakes that bring Bonaireans to despair every time prying eyes from The Hague pass by.

We limit ourselves to a Quick Scan, which contains detailed business cases with the introduction "Bonaire 202020", a glimpse into daily life in Bonaire in 2020. The title refers to 10-10-10, the date on which Bonaire became a Dutch municipality . A charged topic in Bonaire.

Unlike Aruba, where we select Latin America as the main market for trade and investment, here we need to identify Dutch companies willing to set up a subsidiary in Bonaire. This is only possible if we find a unique selling proposition -USP-, with which Bonaire can compete with big brothers Aruba and Curaçao.

We soon notice that agricultural initiatives make little sense:

• In Statia and Saba with 2,000 inhabitants you can make a difference with small projects, but it is pointless for Bonaire with 20,000 inhabitants.

• Producing for import substitution is a dead end street - as we have learned. There is ample supply fromVenezuela*, where only dollars - not margin - play a role.

* Supply from Venezuela resumed in 2023

In islands like Bonaire, all cost items are counterproductive, so if you can't offer a unique product, don't do it. That was the case with Schunck's garments workshop.

Bonaire's unique proposition is "water". Bonaire is the Netherlands, the Netherlands is water, so Bonaire is water. This USP fits in with the image of "Bonaire divers' paradise", with a Dutch "value added" as a leader in water management. This concept can easily be marketed in the Western Hemisphere.

We draft a first sketch of "Blue Brainport", a mini High-Tech Campus

• With famous Dutch companies and institutions, specialized in off-shore or management of rivers, sewer/wastewater, drinking water, but also hurricanes.

• For markets such as the USA, Caribbean countries, Central America and Andino countries.

• For research, meetings, conferences and trade fairs and everything that generates employment and traffic.

The spin-off in the service sector and catering industry is enormous; not only the happy few will benefit from it.  There is no downside for the environment and nature.

On November 24, 2013, Public Entity of Bonaire (PEB), Chamber of Commerce, Bonaire Business Association and the Center for the Promotion of Imports sign a declaration of intent for the establishment of BTIB, a Trade & Investment Bureau, which will implement Blue Brainport.

Back in the Netherlands we discuss the idea of a franchise with Brainport chairman, who refers us to the management. There we end up in famous Brabant loam layers with no progress at all.

We decide to shift our attention and tackle another hurdle: connections. You cannot fill up Blue Brainport without direct flights to Bonaire from the USA and South America.

We meet with KLM Vice President Ben Swagerman. Bonaire is not a far-fetched story at KLM. Not surprising, many members of the KLM top management have a house there and Dutch government provides a well-stocked business class on this tourist route.

KLM has flights from Amsterdam via Aruba to Bonaire, so feeding passengers from Latin America is interesting. We hear that KLM has taken a stake in GOL, a Brazilian airline so as to benefit from one special advantage that Bonaire has: the seventh freedom in aviation*. It means that GOL can reach the USA via Bonaire with smaller aircrafts, like the B-737. This applies to many other airlines from Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru.

*Includes the right to operate passenger services between two countries outside the airline's country of origin.

We hear that Dutch consultancy firm KPMG has been commissioned by a Venezuelan investor to prepare a position paper for a Marriott with 140 rooms.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs confirms that money is available if we deliver concrete projects. However, Bonaire says it receives zero support from Ronald Plasterk -Minister of Home Affairs.

It is a difficult road. In one of our meetings in The Hague with Maarten Camps, Secretary General of Home Affairs and representatives from Bonaire, the tension is palpable: Camps' patriarchal attitude and wrong jokes arouse Winklaar's anger.

In Bonaire we go from one meeting to another to bring parties to the table. PEB officials say they are the target of aggression from the business community; the business community stereotypes the inertia of governments. There is mutual misunderstanding of each other's positions.

We stalk PEB. Governor Rijna and deputy Winklaar are cooperating positively, but the loam layers in Bonaire are as thick as those in Brabant.

Island Secretary Nereida Gonzalez - the queen of PEB - is the only one who talks in no uncertain terms “There is a vision based on distrust, a post-colonial trauma” and “Give me an example of where your ideas have turned into reality!”

At the end of 2014, we submit the Quick Scan with a detailed business case for Blue Brainport. This is as far as CBI can go, given its limited mandate and budget in the Caribbean Netherlands. The BTIB must take over.

A notarial draft deed of incorporation of the BTIB is drawn up in 2016, but that's it. We understand that discussions to obtain financing through other sources - such as the EU or World Bank - have come to nothing.

To date, the Chamber of Commerce has a very concise information page about "doing business in Bonaire". Public Entity Bonaire does not mention anything on its official site about trade with - or investing in-  Bonaire.

In 2020, a start is made with "Master Plan 2030", a report that expresses the wishes of the population, without the authors' own opinions. But the brief website shows two things clearly:

• A rarely seen multitude of themes - especially for a small municipality - guarantees "impracticable implementation"

• No updates on the website since 2020; no results on the PEB site for the search "Masterplan 2030"; local media refer to the plan as yet another "groundbreaking initiative"

It is tempting to give an opinion on the lack of action on both sides. But what also applied to the many reports: no new analysis. The articles below will suffice:

"The Tragedy of Bonaire"

"Dutch inability on a village island where nothing is what it seems is the story of a special island in a remote corner of the Kingdom. A piece of tropical Netherlands since October 10, 2010. Divers' paradise and robbers' nest. Playground for CDA politicians, a leading role for Hans Hillen. The paralyzing culture of silence. But also the story of an idyllic island that has gone into a whirlwind. The invasion of officials in The Hague, led by a Minister, who tells them that everything must be different. Say yes, do no. Geopolitics in the backyard of the United States. But especially the history of the people for whom the island has been the navel of the world for many generations."

NRC June 16, 2015 

"Relations have soured, people are complaining about "recolonization"

De Telegraaf September 12, 2015 

The entire Kingdom Relations department of Ronald Plasterk's ministry went on an exotic trip last week. The 28 civil servants flew to the Caribbean Curaçao for a few days.

On the island, where the temperature currently exceeds 30 degrees, the entire management had to "gain insight into the practice" during a business trip and talk to the employees there. Normally these types of meetings are always held in The Hague, but this year the management chose to hold discussions in the southern Caribbean Sea.

The officials at Kingdom Relations are responsible for relations with the former Antilles, but eyebrows in other ministries are raised when they hear that the entire management of 28 people has traveled to the island. “That can no longer be called a business trip, but a nice team outing,” whispers an official from another department.”

"Everybody was in economy class" a spokesperson said.

NRC November 14, 2022 

"Every year, the islanders hospitably receive the many Dutch politicians who like to come on a sunny working visit; MPs, ministers and also high-ranking civil servants. Every year the conversations turn to the dire poverty. Lip service is always paid to the islanders, but there is no concrete result. The BES municipalities themselves are not allowed to engage in income policy. They are therefore completely dependent on reluctant politicians in The Hague."