KRALENDIJK – The Island Council of Bonaire has unanimously adopted a motion urging the Executive Council to develop an integration program for newcomers who do not speak Papiamentu.
The program should offer courses in language, norms and values, supported by a public awareness campaign highlighting the importance of Bonaire’s cultural identity. According to MPB leader Hennyson Thielman, who tabled the motion, the island’s rapid population growth — now at 27,000 residents — risks eroding local culture and language if no action is taken.
Mandatory
The Island Council also requests that participation in the program be made mandatory for foreign employees at institutions such as RCN, Fundashon Mariadal and JICN. Over time, the program should expand to include local music, gastronomy, traditional festivities and the history of Bonaire.
