Business View Caribbean | March 2021

65 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN MARCH 2021 DELF INS BEACH RESORT terrible to see no guests at the resort. At that point, I acknowledged the importance of having the medical staff here, so I negotiated long-term for them here; and they’re still here. We dealt with the tourism situation by finding different revenue. That’s the creativity we’re using.” Rietveld’s resourcefulness has helped Delfins manage during this challenging time. He admits, “What is frustrating with COVID is that you are powerless. If you are running a business, it’s out of your hands.” The Government of the Netherlands has allowed the restaurant to remain open, but only for guests. To work within this mandate, Delfins offers locals heavily discounted rooms so they can enjoy the restaurant. Despite these frustrations, Rietveld acknowledges that the government has been very good towards entrepreneurs. One helpful measure has been NOW– The Temporary Emergency Bridging Measure for Sustained It’s a beneficial solution for everyone because the hospital will have more beds available; and patients will convalesce in a tropical paradise with less mental and financial stress. Delfins and Fundashon Mariadal are even investigating the possibility of flying an electric plane between islands. It would act as an air ambulance and a tour guide for the ABC (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) islands. If this were to move forward, Bonaire would be one of the first Caribbean islands to offer electric flights. Medical tourism is one possibility to explore when considering potential new revenue streams. According to Rietveld, “We had a couple of months where the island was closed. That was terrible. I used the opportunity to do a bit more diving; if I came out of the sea, cleaned the gear, and then jumped into the pool, I didn’t see anyone. So, if I did the dive, there was a mixed feeling. The dive was wonderful, absolutely gorgeous. You see beautiful creatures, especially when it’s quieter, but when you get out, it’s