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The Dutch postal code lottery, the Nationale Postcode Loterij, will financially support the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) with half a million euros in the coming five years. The Dutch Bird Association (Vogelbescherming Nederland) announced on Thursday that it was happy with the decision of the Nationale Postcode Loterij to extend the cooperation with the association’s partner in the Dutch Caribbean for five years. DCNA receives support from the lottery since 2008.
According to the Bird Association, the financial assistance for DCNA is “good news” since the new Dutch Government has scrapped the 10 million euros that had been reserved earlier this year for nature management and sustainable development on the Dutch public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba.
The new coalition parties, the conservative VVD party and the Labour party PvdA, recently agreed that the 10 million euros, part of a larger amount that had been reserved in the draft 2013 budget, would no longer be available. “This was a big blow for the local nature organisation DCNA, a partner of the Bird Association for many years.” The 500,000 euros of the Nationale Postcode Loterij is very welcome so DCNA can continue its work to protect national parks and natural areas on the islands. According to the Bird Association, the fragile, yet very diverse nature on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba is very special and deserves support. DCNA Director Kalli de Meyer said the continued financial support by the Dutch lottery could not have come at a better moment. “We are very happy. It means that we can continue our work, in cooperation with nature protection organisations on the islands. Preserving nature is of vital importance for the islands’ economies. Tourism is largely based on diving and the beauty under and above water,” she said. The Bird Association said it would continue to support nature in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba by assisting DCNA with various projects aimed at protecting nature and monitoring vulnerable bird species. The organisation will keep reminding the Dutch Government of its responsibility to also protect the Dutch nature overseas.
Source: “The Daily Herald” 2012-11-09