In a strong call for unity, a 42-year-old Bonairean citizen, Layonel Anthony, expressed his deep concern over how the culture and tranquility of his island are being affected by external influences, especially those coming from the Netherlands. In an interview on Radio Live 99, he issued a call for his fellow Bonaireans to UNITE.
A Call for Unity The citizen began his account by emphasizing the importance of Bonaireans uniting during these difficult times. In his opinion, Bonaire was not like this before, and many locals feel fear or simply do not want to rise up against the changes taking place. “Unity is strength,” he declared, urging his fellow citizens to stop sleeping and start defending what belongs to them.
Changes in Tradition and Culture The testimony highlights a drastic change in the social life of the island. According to the citizen, there used to be parties and cultural celebrations everywhere, but since the Dutch influence has grown stronger, this has changed, and they no longer live peacefully on their own island.
- Restricted Festivities: Currently, locals face many “overlast” (nuisance) complaints when they want to organize cultural festivities, limiting the freedom they once had to celebrate in their own neighborhoods.
- Impact on Local Fauna: The citizen also mentioned the situation of the donkeys in Bonaire. He pointed out that urban development and the increase in housing construction for outsiders are taking away and destroying the donkeys’ natural habitat, creating a problem that did not exist before.
Loss of Identity and Space The greatest concern is the feeling that locals are being stripped of their own island. The citizen feels that new development is being carried out in a way that prevents locals from enjoying their neighborhoods, the island where they were born and raised, and their traditional freedoms. “I see that bit by bit they are trying to take everything from us,” he concluded in a very pessimistic tone regarding the direction the island is heading a direction he claims is the desire of the Dutch, not the Bonaireans