Hi, everyone,

I thought I would share this with all of the BT family. Some of you have received the same bulletin but in case you have not, here it is. I can't imagine what it would be like attempting to navigate around these areas on the days the cruise liners are in town. It will not be fun for those who live in the areas, work in the areas or own business in these areas dealing with customers who come to them via automobiles, etc.

Very interesting, indeed.

If anyone out there has not yet responded or participated in the new surveys created to obtain input from residents and repeat visitor you should do so after reading the story on this link. I will add the survey link to the very bottom of this post for those who would like to participate now....it's never too late! Carole

http://www.bonaireinsider.com/index.php/bonaireinsider/closing_of_streets_on_bonaire_for_cruise_ship_season_begins_next_week/

Survey Link: http://www.bonairesurveys.com/

Be advised that the cruise ship survey is not at this link. Funny how the
"repeat visitor" cruise ship survey has disappeared yet the "Bonaire Resident" cruise ship survey is still there. You don't suppose they'd "skew the data" in favor of cruise ship tourism do you?

Marcus, I'm afraid I have to disagree with you. As the developer of the bonairesurveys.com site, NetTech has all initial surveys still available through its portal main page at www.bonairesurveys.com. There are currently two cruise ship surveys--one for repeat guests and one for Bonaire residents (in English or Papiamentu; a Bonairean ID# is needed for the English residents survey just to authenticate the survey taker as a bonafide Bonaire resident, but the repeat guests survey has not such requirement.

If you're not seeing the Repeat Guest Survey, please get in contact with me at susan@nettech.an and I can talk you through it.

Susan

One other thing, since many of the surveys are authored by our clients, and they simply use our software to get the word out about their surveys, Jake and I have absolutely no interest in skewing any results. That would defeat the purpose of the new survey site and be harmful to the site's credibility. Susan

Susan: I have already completed the cruise ship survey. What I am saying is that when I click on the link in Carole's post and then click on the "repeat vistors" link at the site, a survey comes up, but its not the cruise ship survey that I completed earlier. As far as "skewing the results" goes, I was not referring to you, Jake or the site. I was referring to the political powers to be that, I assume, will be using the data in the decision making process. If you felt that my comments were directed at you or Jake and if this is simply a technical problem whereby the cruise ship survey is still posted on the site for repeat visitors to access, then I sincerely apologize.

Can someone translate a portion of the closing list for me? I will be on island for two closings: 31 Oct 07 11am-5pm and 2 Nov 07 11am-5pm. I'd like to know what portions of what streets are closed, particularly if it affects getting from Buddy Dive to, say, Cultimara, or from Buddy Dive to the southern dive sites. Any help would be appreciated. Four days and counting til trip number 9!

Basically it's saying they will close Kaya Grandi from the beginning of the road for all ships carrying over 3000 passengers on the dates and times highlighted. I'll be there (on Bonaire) at the same time, but don't know my way around well enough to tell you road alternatives. I'm sure the people at Buddy Dive will know!!

Thanks, Marcus for the explanation. When I just clicked on the second link in Carol's post #6258, I was properly taken to the BonaireSurveys.com portal page. There I saw all four current surveys, the two Nettech-authored surveys (favorite Airline and favorite Dive Sites), and at the top I saw the two client-authored surveys, the Repeat Guest Cruise Tourism survey and the Resident Cruise Tourism survey (this one available in either English or Papaimentu.) I clicked on each of these, and the appropriate survey came displayed, so I don't what else you are expecting. Perhaps you thought the repeat guest survey was not about the current trend in cruise ship expansion?

But in any event, thanks for the vote of confidence on our not skewing the results. On the case of our client-authored surveys, all results go to directly to the client, in this case, the Concerned Citizens of Bonaire. As I understand it, there are not any members of Bonaire's governmental or political agencies within this group at this time, it is merely a group of citizens on Bonaire who are doing market surveys to ascertain the feelings of various sector markets, two of which are on the Bonairesurveys.com, Repeat Guests and Bonaire Residents.

Hope this long explanation helps.

Susan

Hi, Susan! Yes, your explanation is very helpful and explains "who is what and who gets what and why".

I hope lots of folks respond to the surveys and that the results might possibly be shared with all of us at some point in time. Any chance of sharing the results or at least a summary report of the responses?

Thanks again, Susan! Ayo. Carole

PS I still recall your kindness with the coffee delivery way back in 2000 or so...so nice of you to do that and I have never forgotten. Still have the puppies/doggies? cb

all I can say is that it was fun to watch the procedure for cruise ship departing, as we sat on the cement wall one night. There's alot happening with little tugs , unting of ropes, whistles blowing, people waving from decks, and that huge monstrosity leaving the port , making the island seem so small and quiet again....anyway it was free entertainment while enjoying a Lovers ice cream cone...you'd never enjoy a night dive with all that engine noise underwater anyway

Carole,

It's up to the authors of the surveys if they wish to make results public or not. I believe in the case of the Concerned Citizens of Bonaire, it is something they are considering. Should they wish to publish them, we are happy to assist with the dissemination of that information through a story on the Bonaire Insider, so keep watching. I do know they plan to have the survey run for quite some time, though, so as to get as complete a picture as possible.

Susan

Scott,

I believe the translation you are looking for is that the road along the water (Kaya Grandi) will be closed to auto traffic for a length of a few hundred yards roughly centered on the Town Pier (the 'landing point' for cruise ships moored at the Town Pier). That should not interfere with general downtown traffic very much at all.

(Message edited by glenr on October 28, 2007)

It's not exatly a 10 mile detour if you have to take an alternative road!!