KRALENDIJK – The Executive Council of the Public Entity Bonaire (OLB) aims to implement several improvements to the Visitor Entry Tax (VET) by July 1. The tourist tax has been a contentious issue since its introduction nearly two years ago. 

While a majority in the island council supports the tax, practical drawbacks have emerged. Although the MPB/UPB council that proposed and implemented the tax promised multiple times to make adjustments, they did not fulfill this promise before being dismissed.

Commissioner of Finance, Clark Abraham, hopes that the Island Council will approve three short-term changes to the current system during a decision-making meeting on June 11. First, the reduced rate of $10 will apply to all those born on Bonaire, who do not reside on Bonaire. This rate already applied to visitors residing on other Antillean islands but not to Bonerians living in the Netherlands or elsewhere outside of the former Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. 

The second adjustment concerns the exemption of the tax for Bonaire students living abroad for study purposes. The rate for these students will be reduced to zero.

The third adjustment extends the validity of the QR code received after payment to one month. This will allow visitors to make trips to neighboring islands without having to pay the full $75 again upon returning to Bonaire.

Temporary

During the presentation of the proposals on Tuesday, Abraham pointed out to the Island Council that these are temporary adjustments. “These changes aim to alleviate pain points in the current regulation. Other desired adjustments need more time to be developed and implemented” said Abraham. The current executive council advocates for eventually replacing the current regulation with a better one, which will also require more time than a few months to realize.