News

A delegation of the Public Entity Saba visited Ghent University on Monday, April 29 for the wave simulator tests in preparation of the Fort Bay harbor project. Commissioner Bruce Zagers, Island Secretary Tim Muller, harbor master Travis Johnson, policy advisor Sarah van der Horn, harbor project manager Ton van der …

Saba will get the opportunity to arrange the logistics of medical referrals abroad following a very positive meeting with the Ministry of Public Health, Wellbeing and Sports (VWS) in The Hague earlier this week. During a meeting with Acting Secretary-General of the VWS Ministry Gea van Craaikamp, Commissioner Bruce Zagers, …

State Secre­tary of Public Health, Wellbe­ing and Sports Paul Blokhuis does not agree with Saba’s Ex­ecutive Council that the Car­ibbean Netherlands Health Insurance Office ZVK should have informed local authori­ties before implementing changes in the transport of pa­tients on-island and off-island. Blokhuis stated in his re­sponse to written questions of …

By Susan Portnoy In the southern waters of the Dutch Caribbean, twenty-eight miles from St. Maarten, is Saba (pronounced “Say-ba”), a small, tropical paradise. Among scuba divers, it’s well-known for its rich marine life, but outside of this circle of enthusiasts, few know it exists. Which is one of the …

In 2018, the labour participation rate on the three islands of the Caribbean Netherlands was higher than two years previously. On Bonaire, 70 percent of the population aged 15 to 74 years were in paid employment in 2016, versus 73 percent last year. The employment rate on St Eustatius increased …

Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Kajsa Ollongren is willing to look at the system of using proxies in the elections in the Caribbean Netherlands as part of an evaluation of the March 20 Island Council and Electoral Council elections on the three islands. Dutch State Secretary of …

Member of the Lower House Jan Paternotte (D66) has urged Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuizen of Infrastructure and Water Management to take action against the high ticket prices charged by Winair for the barely 15-minute flight between Sint Maarten and – what he indicated as the smallest airport at world – …

The Public Entity Saba and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) on Thursday signed an agreement which arranges the transfer of the responsibility for the construction and renovation of the school buildings on Saba to the local government. Commissioner of Education Bruce Zagers signed the covenant on …

Commissioner Bruce Zagers had positive meetings with several Members of the First and Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday. A delegation from Saba is currently in The Hague for meetings with the various ministries and other stakeholders. Commissioner Zagers handed the Members of the First and …

In Q1 2019, prices of goods and services on Saba were on average 0.6 percent up year-on-year, whilst still being at the same level in Q4 2018. Fresh fruit and vegetables increased in price. Petrol and airfares had an upward effect on consumer prices as well. Petrol, for example, was …

The Saba Lions Club recently donated a pic­nic bench to the grounds of Harry L Johnson Museum in Windwardside. This do­nation was in honour of Earth Day, celebrated an­nually on April 22. “The museum grounds hold such a uniqueness with a beautiful and tran­quil setting. Many people come here to …

Dear Editor, The other day, a beautiful quiet afternoon was unusually disturbed by the sudden loud cry of a goat badly hurt and in severe distress. It was an unusual sound and the sound did not stop. A cry for help, which went on for about ten minutes. The sound …

By Esther Henry. The Saba Bank and the coral reef around Saba, one of the largest reefs in the world, has had to deal with anchoring, algae growth, aggressive fish species and coral bleaching in recent years. Only eight percent of Saba Bank was stable in January 2018 , according …

Recently the Executive and Island councils discussed the goat situation on Saba. (Read this here) In their first technical meeting after the March elections they concluded that “the goats are of a tremendous nuisance to the community, and at times they create dangerous situations, i.e., with falling rocks as well …

A new exhibition by Anna Keene opens at Five Square At Gallery in Windwardside, today, Thursday, 4:00-6:00pm. The exhibit, entitled “In­digo Inspiration,” features 41 wall hangings and what Keene calls “wearable works” — items of clothing such as sarongs, jackets and scarves. The title of the exhibition stems from the fact that …

  Our hearts go out to our friends Trish, Michael and Mr. Sawyer who lost their homes on Tuesday in the fire. We are so very sorry for your loss, but we’re also so thankful that you and your beloved pets were all okay. In the midst of this tragedy …

Update Public Entity Saba: Update Fire at the Landfill #3; Effective immediately the landfill is closed for safety reasons!!!! Citizens are advised not to venture there for sight seeing etc. It is still burning but under control and contained and It is being closely monitored as it continues to burn. …

A section of Zion’s Hill was on fire Tuesday morning. The roaring blaze has consumed at least two buildings and one vehicle. Firefighters were stretched to their limit as they were battling heavy winds to bring the growing fire under control. All the island’s water trucks were on the scene …

Update 1 pm: At the moment the Fire Department is still working to control the fire in Lower Hell’s Gate, while not completely contained, the Fire Department has better control of the situation. A second set of fire fighters from St. Eustatius has arrived on the island to assist. The …

Two Fishermen from Nevis in the process of being dramatically rescued from their overturned boat (V4-439-CH) on Friday 12th April 2019, by the Big B ferry that runs between St. Martin and Saba. The two men, Ismael Lorenzo and Carlos Jimenez, were missing from Wednesday afternoon, 10th April 2019 and …

On Friday April 13th Minister for Legal Protection, Sander Dekker, during meetings with Island Governor Jonathan Johnson and key partners in the justice chain on Saba  highlighted several new and positive developments for the island in keeping with the ministry’s effort to improve victim support. Among these changes are the …

On Wednesday, April 10th, the Executive Council and the Island Council met in their first technical meeting since the inauguration of the new Councils. These meetings provide the opportunity to improve communication between both Councils and are additional to the regular Central Committee and Island Council meetings. Among the topics …

For the next months, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) will carry out a survey on production revenues and costs in the Caribbean Netherlands: the National Accounts Survey 2017. The survey aims to show the economic development on the three islands. The organisations on the islands will be approached by CBS to complete …

This year again the students with special needs in Teacher Helen’s class at Sacred Heart School enjoyed a jiu-jitsu class on Sunday, April 7th, 2019 at Peter L. Granger Sports Auditorium. Last year it was a great success therefore Teacher Helen decided to contact the Head Instructor Melissa Bardfield again. …

High school and sports teams from nearby is­lands will be coming to Saba late May for the Inter-Island Sports Competition. The four-day event is a joint ven­ture between the Saba Com­prehensive School (SCS), the Public Entity Saba and the Saba United Sports Federa­tion. Teams can compete in soccer, volleyball, basket­ball, …

To get a further understanding of the situation of children in St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, UNI­CEF and the respective governments will organize consultation workshops with local experts and de­cision makers. UNICEF is analysing children’s rights on the islands as a follow-up of the research done in 2013. The …

Saba will have more hotel rooms when the construction at Juliana’s Hotel has been completed and the new Saba Arawak Hotel has been built. At the same time, the promotion of the island abroad continues and local authorities keep striving to increase connectivity. Juliana’s Hotel has started its expansion and …

In a letter sent today, the organisations Ocan (formerly known as the Dutch Caribbean Consultative Body) , Cooperation Platform Moroccan-Dutch (SMN) and the Consultative Council of Turks in the Netherlands (IOT) have called on various cabinet members to reconsider how the government communicates about crime and  the country of origin. …

Minister Dekker for Legal Protection will visit St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba from April 10th until April 13th. During the visit various parts of the justice area will be key. On St. Maarten, Minister Dekker and State Secretary Knops (Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations) will visit four different detention …

Member of the Second Chamber Nevin Özütok (GroenLinks) is deeply disappointed in the answer from State Secretary Raymond Knops of Kingdom Relations to her written questions about the criticism of National Ombudsman Reinier van Zutphen on the fact that the Dutch government lets continue the poverty in the Caribbean Netherlands …

On Sunday April 7, World Health Day is being observed in many parts of the world, and Saba is no exception. Commissioner of Public Health Rolando Wilson pointed out the importance of having a healthy life style. “Our health should be everyone’s priority and especially when we can do something …

In light of the importance of making continuous investments in the day care facilities for children on Saba, a lot of efforts have been and are still being undertaken at the Laura Linzey Day Care, all to the benefit of the children and the staff. The Day Care has undergone …

High school and sports teams from nearby islands will be coming to Saba late May for the Inter-Island Sports Competition. The four-day event is a joint venture between the Saba Comprehensive School (SCS), the Public Entity Saba and the Saba United Sports Federation. Teams can compete in sports like soccer, …

The Public Entity Saba on Thursday, April 4, approved and published an Island Decree to assign the functions and to establish the portfolios of the Executive Council following last week’s installation of Commissioners Bruce Zagers and Rolando Wilson. According to the Island Decree, Island Governor Jonathan Johnson will be in …

Update: The site “BES Reporter” published an article describing the efforts of the company BES Air to start operations in the Caribbean Netherlands. Mr. Wim Hesselink, CEO BES Air, objects to the content of this article. Read his views on the situation below the original article. BES Reporter: BES Air …

This year again Sacred Heart School on the island of Saba showed their support, acceptance, understanding, love, and  awareness for someone with Autism. “The tree is blooming,” said teacher Helen, the Remedial/ Special Ed teacher. Everyone wrote their  names on the hands to show they care. Nearly a quarter century …

An American tourist visiting Saba last week, discovered a 337-year-old coin, the oldest that was ever found on Saba. The tourist, Craig Harrison who lives in Puerto Rico, found the coin on a trail and submitted the artifact to the Saba Archaeological Center (SABARC). Harrison (45) was walking on the …

Last week, Saba Electric Company (SEC) initiated a ten­der for the replacement and consequently the improvement of its first solar park’s foundation to ensure the park’s sub­structure meets safety and building require­ments. Through several in­vestigations initiated by SEC, it was determined that the park’s founda­tion did not meet the necessary requirements to …

It was a proud moment when the large ceiling painting of Heleen Cornet was unveiled at Tropics Café and Restaurant on Saturday, March 30. The two by three meters art work consists of six panels which together depict a scene from the Elfin Forest on Mount Scenery. Cornet’s daughter Johanna …

On March 5th, the First Chamber in The Hague passed the bill that stipulates that the ‘Wet Schadefonds Geweldsmisdrijven’ will also apply to the Caribbean Netherlands. This is an important first step in improving the position of victims in the Caribbean Netherlands. From April 1st, 2019, victims of violent crimes …