News

The Children Rights Festival in The Bottom on Wednesday, November 20, the International Day for the Rights of the Child, had a good turn-out by children, youngsters, parents, volunteers, and representatives of government, the schools and a few organizations. Commissioner of Youth Affairs Rolando Wilson performed the official opening with …

On Tuesday, November 19th , a 29 year old man, with initials K.W.R. was arrested for threatening on the Captain Mathew Levenstone Street on Saba. KPCN

Officials of the Public Entity Saba on Friday, November 15 met with representatives of the United States, Boca Raton firm Cadwell Inc., to discuss the options of the Saba recycling program and way how to further improve the process. Cadwell Inc., has been removing recyclables that have been stored at …

Interim General Commander of the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department (BKCN) Albert Gieling and Chief of the Fire Department on Saba Julio Every met with Island Governor Jonathan Johnson and representatives of the Public Entity Saba on Friday, November 15 to discuss a number of developments. The agenda of the periodic …

Since 2014, a new coral disease has been spreading through the reefs of the Caribbean. Known as Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), this disease appears to be fast spreading and extremely lethal to the corals that are susceptible to it.  In August a meeting was organized by MPA Connect …

For the past 7 years teacher Rhiannon Jorna has been a high school teacher on Saba. She writes about her life and work in her blog “Island Stories”. In a recent post she explains the complexities of education on this intricate island in six paradoxes without it being a tedious …

Pensioenfonds Caribisch Nederland (PCN) keeps the premium for 2020 at the same level as in previous years, namely at 22% of income. In addition, during their meeting last week, the PCN board decided to grant an indexation of three-quarters (0.75) percent per January 1, 2020. Although the indexation of less …

On the 20th of November 2019, marks the 30th anniversary of the Children’s Rights Convention. The implementation of this convention has helped improved the lives of children all over the world, including Saba! In order to celebrate this special day, we have worked hard to put together our 4th annual Children’s Week. During this …

United States Ambassador to the Netherlands Mr. Pete Hoekstra visited Saba on Thursday, November 14. He met with local authorities, climbed Mt. Scenery, the highest point in the Dutch Kingdom, and went to the landfill to be informed about the successful recycling project. The Ambassador was very positive about his …

Since April 1st, 2019, victims of violent crime on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba are eligible for a one-off compensation payment from the Schadefonds Geweldsmisdrijven (Violent Crimes Compensation Fund). Since the introduction of the fund in the Caribbean Netherlands, 47 applications have been submitted. Applications that meet the conditions and …

The Island Council on Wednesday, November 13 adopted the 2020-2023 budget of the Public Entity Saba, but not without the members sharing their great concerns about the lack of structural funding from the Dutch Government and after hearing the urgent message of Finance Commissioner Bruce Zagers. Zagers explained in his …

On Wednesday, November 13, Island Governor Jonathan Johnson  handed out certificates to the participants of the first administrative law enforcement course on Saba. Police officers of the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force (KPCN), military police workers of the Royal Marechaussee who also work in basic police care on Saba, and civil …

Stakeholders in the sports sector recently had a meeting to discuss the further developing of sports on Saba and to share ideas on how to enhance the sports structure and related activities on the island. In attendance were Commissioner of Sports Rolando Wilson, Sports Coordinator of the Public Entity Saba …

The think tank to ban single-use plastics on Saba in 2020 had its introductory meeting last week Thursday, November 7. Different stakeholders attended the meeting, including representatives of the business sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Public Entity Saba and local residents. Participants at the meeting discussed the parts that they …

This week the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and World Wide Fund for Nature The Netherlands (WWF-NL) join forces with Wolfs Company to assist the Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF), St. Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA) and the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten (NFSXM) with strengthening their ability to achieve sustainable financing of …

Saba has been able to generate much exposure in the United States tourism market through a large number of articles that were published online and in the print media in the past few years. This has been achieved in large part through the efforts of D&D PR, the firm that …

PUBLIC NOTICE The Island Governor of the Public Entity Saba hereby invites you to attend an urgent Public Island Council meeting on Wednesday November 13th, 2019 at 10:00 am at the Government Administration Building. The agenda is as follows: 1.            Opening and announcements 2.   …

Income in the Caribbean Netherlands continues to rise as of January 1st, 2020. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment raises the minimum wage on Bonaire by 6.2%, on Saba by 5.3% and on St. Eustatius by 2.7%. Inflation is included in this. The amounts of the various benefits will …

On Sunday, November 10th,  a burglary was reported at a tourist accommodation on Troy Hill Road on Saba. Strangers probably entered the room through a window and took cash. According to the owners, this is the 1st time in 13 years that there has been a burglary. KPCN

Last Thursday the Rescue and Coordination Center of the Coast Guard received a notification from the St. Kitts authorities that a sailboat had drifted near Saba. The sailboat named Caribella was 32 miles south of the Saba Bank with a person on board. The captain had been drifting with his …

Members of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament are supportive of Thursday’s action by Saba’s Island Council to stage a walkout in protest of the lack of structural funding by the Dutch government. Member of the Second Chamber Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) immediately submitted written …

Mark Zagers has been appointed managing director of Saba Electric Company SEC N.V. SEC’s Supervisory Board of Directors decided to appoint Zagers in order to strengthen the company’s managing board with a second director. Together with now President Director Charles Dexter Johnson, Zagers will make up SEC’s Managing Board of …

On Wednesday, November 6th, 2019 the Fire Department Caribbean Netherlands (BKCN) organized an open day on Saba. This in context of the recruitment of new staff. During this open day BKCN also provided information on fire prevention to the residents of the island. This year, the brigade purchased new equipment …

The Island Council decided during its meeting on Thursday, November 7, to give off a clear signal to the outside world that the fragile financial situation of the Public Entity Saba caused by the continued lack of structural funding by the Dutch Government is unacceptable. The Island Council Members walked …

Representatives of the Public Entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, and of the Ministries of Social Affairs and Labor (SZW), Public Health, Wellbeing and Sports (VWS), Education, Culture and Science (OCW) and Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations (BZK) had a three-day meeting on Saba from Monday, November 4 to Wednesday, …

In the near future, Sabans will no longer have to make the trip to St. Maarten to file petitions or pay their court fees at the Court House in Philipsburg. Per October 1, 2019, the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten and of Bonaire, St. Eustatius …

On Saba Facebook is the most common communication medium that seems to suit the needs of many for staying in touch with the community. But there are also other aspects to the use of this technology, aspects that may well endanger the quality of life as we enjoy it today. Also …

On Thursday, October 31st , a meeting took place on Bonaire with governments and the business community about an MBO ICT training that will start in 2020, in order to reduce the scarcity of IT specialists in the Caribbean Netherlands. Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland is working with MBO-Bonaire to start the …

Cadwell Inc., the United States-based compa­ny that has been contracted by the public entity Saba to remove all recyclables from the island, has already taken 310 tonnes of scrap metal off the island. “This is a fine example of cooperation between pri­vate American companies, local contractors in Saba, and the …

The British Embassy in The Hague has appointed G.R. “Rik” Bergman to act as British Honorary Consul for St. Maarten with additional ju­risdiction for St. Eustatius and Saba. Bergman’s primary role will be to provide consular assistance to British na­tionals in the Windward Islands, but he will also be an …

On Wednesday afternoon the Dash 8 detected a sailboat with a group of persons on board of a vessel waving frantically. The Rescue and Coordination Center (RCC) immediately dispatched the Coast Guard cutter Poema to the sailboat to assist. MRCC Fort de France (FDF) in Martinique was also informed. Onboard …

KLM will execute two flights per week to the island from the end of October until mid-January. The frequency will increase to three times a week from mid-January to late March. The exact flight days are not known as yet.   KLM makes use of an Airbus 330 with a …

During the 2019 edition of the DCNA Convention on Bonaire, biologists from local protected area management organizations including Aruba National Park Foundation, STINAPA Bonaire, Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire, CARMABI Curaçao, Saba Conservation Foundation, Sint Maarten Nature Foundation, STENAPA and CNSI of Sint Eustatius will be united on October 28th for …

The Caribbean Netherlands Healthcare Insurance Office (ZVK) is organizing an information session themed Permission for own choice: the right to Article 10, paragraph 4 of ZVK’s healthcare claims regulation. It concerns the right of persons instated with the ZVK on Saba, Bonaire and St. Eustatius, to consult a healthcare provider …

“I have been there for you all my life.” It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of ISHMAEL MATHEW AMEAL LEVENSTON Affectionally known as “Ezzy or Ishi.” Sunrise: July 23, 1940. Sunset: October 19, 2019   He leaves to mourn his: Beloved children: Dave Levenstone & family …

PUBLIC NOTICE The Island Governor of the Public Entity Saba hereby invites you to attend a Public Island Council meeting on Wednesday October 23rd, 2019 at 4:00 pm at the Government Administration Building. The agenda is as follows: 1.   Opening 2.   Tribute to the late former Island Council …

PUBLIC NOTICE The Island Governor of the Public Entity Saba hereby invites you to attend a Public Island Council meeting on Thursday November 7th, 2019 at 2:00 pm at the Government Administration Building. The agenda is as follows: 1.      Opening and announcements 2.      Approval of the …

Recently a supply of new garbage bins arrived on Saba. In the coming weeks, the Public Works Department will make an inventory on the island and relocate existing bins or place new bins where needed. Thee same color system applies for the new bins: orange for recyclables (glass, plastic, tin …

Former Member of the Island Council of Saba Ishmael Matthew Ameal Levenston passed away at Henry Every Senior Citizens Home in The Bottom at the age of 79. His son Dave Levenstone announced his father’s death on Saturday. Levenston entered Saba politics in 1975, following in the footsteps of his …

In 2018, the Caribbean Netherlands produced 136 million kWh of electricity. Of this amount, 45.1 million kWh came from renewable sources, equivalent to 33 percent of total electricity production. Production levels on the three islands were just as high as in 2017, but a larger part has been produced sustainably. …