Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, With Saba Day celebrations just days away, I have taken note of the program line up. How sad it is that the entire weekend activities do no have not even one single cultural event on it. For those of you who kept informed or even went to Statia …

Letter to the Editor of The Daily Herald: Dear Editor, This letter concerns our good government’s solution for the waste disposal problem on Saba. After so many complaints about the toxic emissions from the present incinerator and the health hazards it poses to the entire school population and residents of …

In their editorial The Daily Herald writes today: It’s a democratic decision taken by the Island Council, but going over the various options in next month’s constitutional referendum of St. Eustatius one can’t help but wonder what prospects the result will create. One argument often used to justify a third …

In March 2015 there will be elections for for our local government. For those interested, there may be some lessons learned from the recent elections on St. Maarten. The Daily herald published today the following “Letter-to the Editor” from student. To whom it may concern: Dear Editor, I’m a third …

Editorial The Daily Herald: Questions were being asked following Wednesday’s plane crash off the St. Maarten coast in which one person was killed and another still missing up to press time last night. Some people wondered whether it had been responsible to take off from Princess Juliana International Airport SXM …

In its editorial The Daily Herald writes today: MAN leader Charles Cooper did the right thing by apologising for saying “blood will flow” should the Kingdom Government try to apply in Curaçao the same instruction given to the Governor of St. Maarten on the screening of candidate ministers (see related …

In their Editorial of today, the Daily Herald writes that it appears that the incoming UP/DP/Marlin-Romeo coalition plans to fight tooth and nail the instruction by the Kingdom Council of Ministers regarding the screening of nominees to become minister. Today’s Parliament meeting probably will lead to some type of action …

Dear Editor, We all know that the SCS has gone through hectic times since August 18th. First we did not have all the teachers in place due to visa regulations etc. In a news letter the director applauded the Dutch colleagues for being here on time (THEY DID NOT NEED …

The Daily Herald writes that Brighter Path Foundation (BPF) objects to the composition of the evaluation committee, which is to supervise the evaluation of the new constitutional status for the Dutch public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. BPF is disturbed by the fact that no persons from Saba and …

In an opinion in The Daily Herald one can read as follows: Today’s plenary debate in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on the proposal to take away the voting rights of foreign residents in the Caribbean Netherlands promises to be interesting. At least two opposition parties oppose such …

Dear Editor, I’m sure everyone by now knows about the Saba Educational Foundation Board members have stepped down.  Some people say that they were forced to depart.  Does it matter under what circumstance they resigned?  No, it doesn’t but we had an opportunity to correct an educational system in desperate …

Dear Editor, It is very sad to see where we have come since teachers and Mr. Hemmie were told we were no longer needed at SCS. The Board and the powers to be should have taken a hint from the protests of the students, the teachers and the community….but they …

In their Editorial, The Daily herald writes today, that the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament member Ronald van Raak has taken a position that – for a change – truly seems in the best interest of the islands (see related article). His Socialist Party (SP) in cooperation with the …

(Opinion, published in The Daily Herald)  Dear Editor, Last Monday, the answer of Minister Plasterk on behalf of his colleague Minister Kamp directed to the General Assembly in the Netherlands was made public. He indicated in his answer that at this moment, the time and opportunity to explore geothermal energy …

Dear Editor, On Wednesday August 20th, 2014, two young men were sent from Statia to Bonaire for pre-trail detention.   They are suspected of committing various robberies on the island.   I do not know the intricacies of the two cases to comment on these charges and will absolutely make no attempt …

Dear Editor, First of all, thank you Rene, for bringing some light in this darkness out of Statia. It seems that miracles work. Reason for this is because here on Saba we are still in the dark and not knowing which course we should sale. The school board promised us …

Dear Editor, The attached letter was sent to Saba Educational Foundation Board on Thursday, August 14, 2014, and up to now we haven’t received a response from the school board. I went to the school this morning and found out that the new teachers are not in school today, only …

(Opinion published in The Daily Herald) Dear Editor, The dissolution of the country Netherlands Antilles, and the constitutional transition known as 10-10- 10, came to us on Saba with much promise yet much uncertainty. We were excited to join the fold of the Netherlands as it meant greater benefits for …

“I think communication was obviously lacking” was what Raquel Granger said in the article published in The Daily Herald on July 17, 2014, which recapped the long awaited meeting between the Saba Educational Board and the Saba Parent Association.  I think many of us would agree that communication was lacking.  …

Dear Editor, There is an age old expression that actions speak louder than words.  The illustrious school board was slapped in the face today by the returning teachers.  Before, I get to the point you need to know that the board accused the former director Mr. Hemmie van Xanten, of …

Opinion published in The Daily Herald. The questions posed by St Maarten’s Member of Parliament Johan “Janchi” Leonard (UP) about Winair (see Friday Daily Herald) deserve an answer. If indeed the government-owned carrier owes US $4.1 million to a company in Guadeloupe for wet-leasing an ATR plane, the former policeman’s …

Statia News has published the following contribution from Mr. Koos Sneek, President DP Statia. It focusses on issues that also are being discussed on Saba. Dear Editor, There is a continuing discussion steered up by organizations such as Brighter Path Foundation, the Pro Statia movement and most political parties on …

The letter-to-the-editor published below has been first published in Statia News. The issues may also apply to students from Saba. Dear Editor, Please allow me some space to share the sentiments of my heart concerning a matter that is dear to me. It pertains to the guidance program put in …

We expect good governance and transparency from the Dutch. But Stolte, Isabella and now the secret appointment of a very senior civil servant for the RCN in Bonaire have ruined that perception. In a country where spying and lying go hand in hand, Plasterk should now face serious questions about …

In its editotrial of today the Daily Herald applauds the launching of an Expat Handbook for St. Maarten (see Wednesday paper) as a promising development. Titled “Welkom op Sint Maarten! The Friendly Island,” it targets families and individuals moving here (temporarily) from the Netherlands and (Flemish part of) Belgium to …

Is It Time for Saba Educational Foundation Board to Go? I’m following all the articles in the Daily Herald and Saba–News along with all the commentaries and my question is, “is it time for the board to go?” Parents and residents feel left out and without a voice in how …

Dear Editor, I was talking to a parent a few days ago and she told me that prior to Hemmie Van Xanten’s arrival the situation at SCS was deplorable.  Gangs, bullying, fighting and calling the police were the norm and since he became the director all that stopped.  I think …

Dear Editor, To be clear, I’m talking about the SEF Board. I’m not really interested, at this moment, in asking for the board to explain why they chose not to renew certain teachers’ contracts since they claim that’s their exclusively right.  I’m willing to accede that specific point at the …

Dear Editor, I’m sure by now everyone has heard that the SEF Board decided to unilaterally cancel a meeting with the parents of students at SCS.  The board cited a lot of reasons why they needed to reschedule the meeting one of which was that OCW could attend.  Is that …

The Daily Herald published this opinion  Dear Editor, Permit me a space in your newspaper to express my concerns regarding the ZVK office on Saba and the referral of patients to Colombia. Fellow Sabans, you all stand up and speak out for your interest, if you do not do it, …

Dear Education Commissioner Johnson I have some comments for you regarding the SCS Boards decision not to renew our contracts. Here are some things to think about and hopefully consider. 1. When we were hired by the ‘Board’ we never interviewed with the Board. We were interviewed by the school …

The agreement to involve the Dutch Government with geothermal research in the Windward Islands (see Saturday paper) is one of the positive points to come out of last week’s Inter-Parliamentary Consultation Kingdom IPOK. St. Eustatius and Saba as special overseas public entities of the Netherlands probably would be able to …

The health care in the Caribbean Netherlands can be further improved without the need for extra money. This is apparent results from the advice of the Working Group Health Care Caribbean Netherlands. Minister of Health, Welfare and Sports (VWS) Edith Schippers who established the Working Group last year, has adopted …

As of the 1st April, pensioners are now being charged USD45 to view their favorite television programs supplied by Statia Cable TV. For the last few years, this provider has maintained fees at USD30 for local residents over the age of 65. But such a spike in the cost of …

The Daily Herald published a comment on the Kingdom Conference writing that it certainly wasn’t shocking news, but last week Tuesday’s report about agreeing during the recent Kingdom Conference to continue in writing discussions on the movement of people is a positive sign. Rather than persisting with the political rhetoric of directly opposing views …

Winair’s decision to increase its airfares for a round trip to Statia literally flies in the face of sound business practice. It is a work of fiction and fantasy. This government owned company could have chosen a better day than April 1st to announce their hike.  Still, the people of …

In the Health & Beauty supplement of the Daily Herald, the following article is published related to education of children. Dear Mr. Psych, Our daughter is five and she is very defiant in school. We are completely out of ideas. At first, my husband and I thought there might be …

The Daily Herald published the following comment: Dear Editor, On March 5, 2014 the College Voor De Rechten Van De Mens submitted an advice concerning human rights in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (BES) to the Dutch Parliament. In the BES, The Netherlands is responsible for human rights since the …

This comment has been published in The Daily Herald. Dear Editor, I attended the gathering and presentation on Saba on Thursday, March 20, and must take issue with some of the points in the article. First, the only piece of Saba Lace that was present in the exhibition was done …

The Daily Herald writes in their Editorial, that the ruling by the Court of First Instance on the lawsuit to bring the old age AOV pensions of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (the BES islands) more in line with those of the Netherlands is food for thought. Provisions allowing for …