News

The marine biodiversity and fishery management in the waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Kingdom in the Dutch Caribbean will be discussed on Saba, October 11 and 12. The so-called EEZ Commission involved with this consists of delegates from each island of the Dutch Caribbean and Ministry …

Saba University School of Medicine organised a “Global Health Seminar” last week, during which students had the opportunity to present their medical experiences within various settings around the world. Presenting students during the seminar came from all semesters and, most importantly, from various backgrounds. The seminar’s goal was to raise …

Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) Caribbean Netherlands is to conduct a labour force survey on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. The objective of the survey is to measure developments in the labour market. The survey is carried out every other year. This year, the survey will also be carried out …

Doctoral candidate with the Guadeloupe Laboratory of Marine Biology Charlotte Dromard presented her thesis research on herbivorous damselfishes during a Sea and Learn lecture at the Saba Coffee House in The Bottom on Sunday. Live music was performed by Sea and Learn volunteers Luann Andrew, Scott Kinyon and Jerry Williams, …

At least once a year the highest boss of the Royal Navy comes to the Dutch Caribbean for a working visit. Last week vice-admiral Matthieu Borsboom was on board station ship Van Amstel that is currently touring the islands. As known, the Defence Ministry in The Netherlands must economise structurally …

Chief of Police Herman Oosterveen explained the role of the police in enforcing a court decision to remove a child off-island. He said the police assisted Youth and Family Centre (YFC) on Monday, to implement a court decision to place a 15-year-old boy in a correctional institution on Curaçao. The …

Tax relief will be one of the major issues for the representatives of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba when they meet with the Dutch Ministry of Finance today, Tuesday. Tax revenues on the three Dutch public entities in 2011 have surpassed the initial amount that had been agreed on when …

Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten reminded the general public on Monday that as part of St. Maarten’s transition to the North American Numbering Plan, the use of country code “599” is now discontinued for St. Maarten. All calls to St. Maarten now need to be made by using our …

International public health advisor and consultant with The Hague’s Public Health Department GGD Melissa Diaz visited Saba last week to meet with stakeholders to assess sexual-health issues and programmes. Her visit was a result of the collaboration between GGD Den Haag and the local Public Health Department. Such consultations are …

Delegations from Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba attended the presentation of the documentary “Mountains and Molehills” about Saba and Vaals in Limburg at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BZK in The Hague, on Monday. When Saba became a Dutch public entity on October 10, 2010, the highest …

The joint Catholic congregation of Saba gathered Sunday in Hell’s gate for the Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration of Queen of the Holy Rosary Church on its patron’s feast. Theme of the golden jubilee was “Faith in Christ through Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary,” in line with the “Year of Faith” …

Between October 15th and December 15th 2012 Statistics Netherlands (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek- CBS) will conduct a Labor force survey (Arbeidskrachtenonderzoek (AKO)) on Bonaire, Saba and  Sint-Eustatius. The objective of the survey is to measure the developments on the labor market. The survey is carried out every other year, …

On February 3, 1958, the Kingdom of the Netherlands signed the treaty establishing the Benelux Economic Union with the Kingdom of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Like the Dutch-American Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, this treaty has consequences for all the countries in the kingdom and the …

On October 8th, 2012, the Kingdom Representative, Wilbert Stolte, and the Head of the Inspectorate for Safety and Justice, Gertjan Bos, signed a protocol in which, according to the Law concerning Public Security Dutch Caribbean (in Dutch: Veilgheidswet Caribisch Nederland), the implementation of the monitoring of disaster and crisis management …

Returning Sea and Learn lecturer Mark Moffett held a presentation titled “Adventures of Pollinators and Other Stories” at The Brigadoon restaurant in Windwardside on Friday. The overcrowded event was a visual delight regaled with sometimes hilarious and at times deeply moving personal adventure stories by the world class photographer. Moffett …

Everyone can obtain a free flu shot at A.M. Edwards Medical Centre, Saba Health Care Foundation announced at the beginning of a new influenza immunization campaign. Flu symptoms may appear from one to seven days from infection. The most common symptoms are related to the respiratory apparatus. It spreads easily …

SABA–Deep sea explorer Edie Widder held a well-attended Sea and Learn presentation on “Exploring and Protecting Planet Ocean” at The Cottage Club in Windwardside Wednesday evening. Widder made over 250 dives in submersibles. Her deep sea research has been featured in BBC, PBS, and Discovery Channel and National Geographic television …

  The SCF is excited to report that on September 24th our Marine Park, as well as the Saba Bank, officially attained National Park status. Additionally, the Saba Bank patrol boat was launched, after lengthy repairs and upgrades. Since September is International Coastal Cleanup month, our staff, pupils and teachers …

The tenth Sea and Learn season opened in Fort Bay Harbour on Monday evening, October 1, with an ambitious Big Splash programme. Governor Jonathan Johnson officially opened the season with remarks about the history of the initiative. Gathered for the event was a diverse mix of people, with a noticeable …

The Governor’s Office released a public notice on the postponement the Island Council Meeting, previously scheduled for October 3. The official last minute notice read: “After consultation with the two fraction leaders of the Island Council, I would hereby care to inform the public that the scheduled Island Council meeting …

SABA–The tenth Sea and Learn season opened in Fort Bay Harbour on Monday evening, October 1, with an ambitious Big Splash programme. Governor Jonathan Johnson officially opened the season with remarks about the history of the initiative. Gathered for the event was a diverse mix of people, with a noticeable …

Twelve Dutch universities feature in the latest Times Educational World University Rankings’ top 200, making the Netherlands the third-best performing country. Only the US (76) and Britain (31) have more universities in the top 200. But despite the strong Dutch performance overall, none are in the top 50. Leiden is …

The Dutch inflation rate remained at 2.3% in September, the national statistics office said on Thursday. Inflation has now been stable for three months. The Dutch inflation figures are lower than the average for the Euro zone. The price of air tickets increased the inflation figures, but this was compensated …

SABA–Saba Comprehensive School (SCS) held a graduation ceremony of the class of 2012 in the auditorium of Saba University School of Medicine in The Bottom. The motto of Saturday’s ceremony was “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” a fitting choice for the eight students whose …

SABA–Saba Girls and Boys Sports Society (SGBSS) celebrated its 50th anniversary with an ecumenical service and blessings at Sacred Heart Church in The Bottom on Friday, and a drum band parade on Sunday. The parade, led by SGBSS drum band, started from Saba University School of Medicine campus and ended …

Most clubbers in the Netherlands have problems with their hearing after visiting a concert or disco and one-third still report hearing peeping and whistling sounds the next day, according to research by the national hearing association. Some 130,000 people aged 18 to 35 took part in the survey. Very few …

THE HAGUE–The Dutch Government is contributing up to 7.8 million euros to limit the excessive increase of electricity and drinking water tariffs in Bonaire to 15 to 20 per cent.   Dutch informed the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Monday that the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation and …

SABA–Vocational teachers at Saba Comprehensive School (SCS) participated in workshops last week geared towards the implementation of the Dutch mid-level vocational education MBO curriculum. The goal was “to create awareness with teachers on how to work on vocational based education” while at the same time “to assess the local needs …

The Police Force Caribbean Netherlands must strongly improve the accepting, registering and processing of reports from citizens. The Council for the Administration of Justice concluded this in its analysis of the reporting procedure on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. A similar conclusion had been drawn earlier for the Force in …

A regional “Powering Sustainable Development” Conference took place on St. Eustatius, September 25 to 27, organised by St. Eustatius Tourism Development Foundation with financial aid from local and regional sponsors. The conference emphasised the urgent need for a democratic development process; a plan for sustainable tourism in Statia; wide cooperation …

Government Service Caribbean Netherlands RCN organized a joint town hall meeting Thursday, with representatives of Immigration and Naturalization Service IND, Social Affairs and Employment Unit SZW, the Police and Royal Dutch Marechaussee and the Civil Registry. The meeting attracted a lower number of participants than previous town halls. Due to …

Dutch passports are to be valid for 10 years rather than five, and fingerprints will no longer be taken for inclusion, the cabinet agreed on Friday, Nos television reports. However, the passports for children under the age of 18 will still only be valid for five years, because their faces …

Commissioner Chris Johnson updated the Central Committee on matters pertaining to his portfolio, including the Audit Chamber for the Caribbean Netherlands. Carl Buncamper (WIPM) opened the discussion on Bonaire’s proposal concerning the Audit Chamber, which “had at the very least raised some eyebrows.” He stressed that while the document claimed …

Foundation Social Workplace Saba (FSWS) launched this school year’s intake for Second Chance Education SKJ and Adult Continuing Education (ACE) with a small opening ceremony at Adult Continuing Education Centre in The Bottom on Monday. The Second Chance programme gives young people aged 18-23, a second chance at obtaining an …

The customer service workshop organized by the Saba branch of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry ended Wednesday evening at Juliana’s Hotel conference room in Windwardside. Workshop facilitator Patricia Puschmann was pleased with the good number of motivated participants who proved there was real interest in professional upgrading opportunities. Each …

Thursday’s Central Committee meeting, which was chaired by Island Council member Carl Buncamper, in the absence of Chairman Rolando Wilson and member Ishmael Levenston, discussed the 2013- 2016 draft Budget with Commissioner Bruce Zagers offering an overview. He said the budget draft for 2013 was balanced and already approved by …

Want a top-notch university education but unable to commute the thousands of kilometers to one of the world’s best universities—including Stanford, Brown, Columbia and Princeton in the United States and Scotland’s University of Edinburgh and the University of Toronto in Canada? Or perhaps you’re lacking the $54,000+ (about 41,700 euro) …

Foundation Social Workplace Saba (FSWSaba) board chair René Caderius van Veen expressed high hopes for Saban agriculture following Monday’s visit of a delegation headed by Annemie Burger, Director General of Nature and Regional Policy of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (EL and I). Burger was interested in …

Commissioner Bruce Zagers extended an interview Tuesday morning, while overseeing the running of Saba’s brand new garbage disposal machine, the Airburner. “As you can see there is little to no smoke compared to what it used to be. It is not a perfect solution, but it is a great, great …

Based on the fact that passenger and airline fees at the airport have not increased since 2005, the Princess Juliana International Airport operating company PJIAE will increase its airport departure fees (ADFs) as of November 1. PJIAE explained in a release that fees had not increased “despite the fact that …