News

By Suzanne Koelega Wednesday’s elections brought major disappointment for two members of the Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament: Committee Chairman Jeroen Recourt and Roelof van Laar, both of the Labour Party PvdA, were not re-elected. Five other members of the Kingdom Relations …

Cayenne, French Guiana, March 13 2017- Great news for shark conservation in the Caribbean. On March 13th, 2017 it was officially decided to protect eight shark species under the international Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol following a proposal by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs in cooperation with …

The Community of Saba, The Dutch Caribbean Police Force (KPCN)  is herewith inviting the community of Saba to a Town Hall Meeting with the Community Officer, Gregory La Croes & Chief of Basic Police Care. Effective August 22nd, 2016, Saba has a new Community Officer in the person of Officer …

There are still many people with chickenpox on Saba. The Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is very contagious and as people are infectious before they have symptoms it is very hard to stop further spread. The virus is, therefore, expected to spread for some time on Saba, the Public Health Department stated. …

The majority of Sabans voted for centre-democrat D66 in Wednesday’s election for the Dutch Parliament’s Second Chamber. Saba saw a considerably large turnout of voters. With a population of about 2,000, almost 900 residents were eligible to vote and a total of 385 persons (or more than 40 per cent) …

Police officers in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba should have decent insurance in case something happens to them, according to Members of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Jeroen Recourt and Roelof van Laar of the Labour Party PvdA. Recourt and Van Laar have posed written questions to Minister …

Great news for shark conservation in the Caribbean. Today it was officially decided to protect eight shark species under the international Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol following a proposal by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs in cooperation with a team of shark experts. The SPAW protocol is …

Saba Commissioner Bruce Zagers is urging the people to vote in this Wednesday’s elections for a new Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament. “The Members of the Second Chamber are also our representatives. We have to make our votes count.” Zagers said on Monday that in the past few weeks …

Members of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Jeroen Recourt and Roelof van Laar of the Labour Party PvdA on Monday demanded answers from the Dutch Government about the pending reduction of the pension payments of the Caribbean Netherlands Pension Fund PCN. Responding to reports that the PCN is …

Elections Second Chamber 2017 On March 15th, 2017 the people of the Dutch Caribbean will participate for the first time in the election of the members Second Chamber (Tweede Kamer – Dutch Parliament). The Second Chamber consists of 150 members; they represent the Dutch population, thus you too. The Second …

Commissioner of Culture, Rolando Wilson, would like to announce the launch of The Saba Festival Slogan Competition and invites the entire community to participate in this event. The slogans should focus on the 42nd anniversary of carnival and should be a catchy theme. Please submit your entries by March 31st, …

By Suzanne Koelega Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Mustafa Amhaouch of the Christian Democratic Party CDA is relatively new to the Kingdom Relations portfolio, but he is committed to the Kingdom, as is his party. “The connection with the islands is important.” Amhaouch (46) was installed …

The two-day conference “Education as a basis for children’s rights” took place on the 7th and 8th of March. The conference is an initiative of the Inter-Country Task Force for Children’s Rights organized by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations in cooperation with UNICEF. Professionals from Curacao, Aruba, …

The Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations of the First Chamber of the Dutch Parliament KOREL is calling State Secretary of Social Affairs and Labour Jetta Klijnsma to the Senate on March 28 to discuss the plan for an objective methodology to establish a social minimum for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and …

Veteran fireman James Hassell of the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Brigade BKCN was promoted to shiftleader Tuesday during a brief ceremony in which Commander of the Saba Fire Brigade Julio Every presented him with his decree and stripes. “At BKCN we invest a great deal in the training and education of …

International Women’s Day will be observed in grand style on Saba with a church celebration and a reception today, Wednesday, March 8. On behalf of the Commissioner of Women’s Affairs, Saba’s “phenomenal” women over the age of 18 are invited to get together and celebrate their day. The festivities under …

The quality of education in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba has greatly improved in the past few years, but the progress is vulnerable and a number of permanent risk factors remain. The position of vulnerable students requires more attention. Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science Jet Bussemaker and State …

Commissioner of Health Rolando Wilson formally opened Fit Park Saba on Friday, March 3. The outdoor fitness area is free for all and can be used any time of the day. The Public Health Department initiated the park as a new way to help people become more active. “An active …

The social welfare “onderstand” in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba has been increased per March 1, 2017, and is now 40 per cent of the legal minimum wage. Also, independent research will be carried out this year to establish the cost of bare essentials on the islands. Dutch State Secretary …

The late or non arrival of voting papers of Dutch voters abroad has raised concerns. Democratic Party D66 candidate Eelco Keij is taking action and D66 Member of the Second Chamber Sjoerd Sjoerdsma is seeking clarity from the Dutch Government. The voting papers arrived timely in the Dutch Caribbean. The …

Last week, the first digital tax returns were received and processed by the Tax Department, and assessments made for taxpayers in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. This means that some taxpayers have been informed already about the amount they have to pay or that will be refunded. Some have even …

After an increase in Zika patients over the last weeks of 2016, recently there have not been any confirmed cases on Saba, the Public Health Department said. Pregnant women are, however, still strongly advised to take measures against mosquito bites as it is too soon to say that there is …

Saba’s one and only outdoor fitness park will be opening next to Queen Wilhelmina Library in The Bottom, today, Friday, from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. At Fit Park Saba residents and visitors will be able to exercise whenever they want and pick their own dates and time to get fit. Over …

The automatic payment of childcare benefit (“kinderbijslag”) for children after the first-born of parents in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will not take place, Dutch State Secretary of Social Affairs and Labour Jetta Klijnsma decided earlier this week. Filing a separate request for each newborn will remain necessary. The State …

Candidate number 23 of the Dutch Labour Party PvdA Jeroen Recourt will go to Bonaire this Saturday to campaign for the March 15 Parliamentary elections in the Netherlands. He wants to urge the people of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba to vote. Recourt is known on the islands as the …

The Christian Democratic Party CDA wants to know whether there is an agriculture and/ or food policy for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba to curb the high food prices and trade defi cit on the islands. CDA Members of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Mustafa Amhaouch and Jaco …

Saba resident Els Mommers was invited to present her work at the International Quilt Festival in Mexico City. Entries should be based on the motto: “Endemic flora and fauna Mexico”. Els selected the Mexican tree frog sitting on an enlarged banana leaf as her principal motif. She worked several months on this quilt …

The Dutch Municipality Leiden and the public entities Bonaire and Saba have established a cooperation to strengthen job placement on the islands. The intention is to add St. Eustatius to the project. The islands have the ambition to take job placement to a higher level, and want to make use …

Carolien Giesen is the new “Press Judge” in St. Maarten for the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, and Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. She will assume the position from March 1. Giesen will succeed Mauritsz de Kort in the position of the Court’s spokesperson. She will …

Divers, on Wednesday, found a number of packages which could possibly contain narcotics in the waters off Saba. The Caribbean Netherlands Police Force KPCN seized the packages and has launched an investigation, which is led by the Prosecutor’s Office of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. The Prosecutor’s Office said in …

Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that Bonaire’s trade deficit has risen for the second consecutive year in 2016, whereas the trade deficits on St Eustatius and Saba declined relative to 2015. Since the first measurements were carried out in 2011, imports on Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba have exceeded exports. Production …

As of Monday, February 20, taxpayers on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba can submit their tax return for income tax of 2016 online. The director of the Caribbean Netherlands Tax Office Nichalin Martina filed the first online tax form on Monday. “I hope that many taxpayers will choose to fi …

Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN,  has published today their crime statics 2016 for Saba. In summary: Traffic accidents increased significantly; Total number of violent crimes remained virtually unchanged: only one “Atrako” was observed. The number of property related crimes increased, in particular the number of domestic and commercial burglaries. The completed …

Listen to the latest address of the Lieutenant Governor, Jonathan Johnson, to the Saba residents: TROPICAL CYCLONE BULLETIN NO. 17 Date: Wednesday September 20, 2017 Time: 05:02 local time Watches/warnings: The Strike Phase of the Tropical Storm Warning will remain in effect for Saba for probably several more hours. A …

Recently, Chez Bubba restaurant proudly announced the opening of Bubbas Bottles, a wine room with exceptional specialty wines from the greatest vineyards across the globe. The wine room opened with a private showing on Saturday, February 11, with live tapas and wine flowing alongside live music from Braxi Music of …

St. Eustatius and Saba are well on their way to become islands with the highest percentage of sustainable generated electricity in the world. The solar power trajectory is progressing steadily with wind and geothermal energy being a future perspective. The first phase of the solar panel field in St. Eustatius, …

During the last months of 2016, the Saba Tourist Bureau held its first “Saba Through Your Lens” Facebook photo competition, which was open internationally. The competition consisted of 10 categories, which were: Nature, Underwater, Cuisine & Cocktails, Attractions, Culture & Heritage, Architecture, Sights to See, Travel/ Transportation, Shopping and Special …

Emergency services were still busy controlling the fire at the sanitary landfill at Fort Bay on Thursday, which caused a huge amount of smoke on Tuesday. During the fire heavy smoke dispersed and spread to St. John’s and The Bottom. Residents of both neighbouring villages were advised to close all …

On Thursday March 2nd, 2017, the Labour Inspectorate is hosting an information evening for all companies that deal with diving on Bonaire. The information evening is meant to inform employers about the inspection project ‘ dive companies ‘. The inspection project will be carried out in the second quarter of …

On Thursday February 16th, Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland (RCN) launches an information campaign about the Second Chamber elections that will take place on March 15th on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. The campaign will run for four weeks. Its central theme is ‘My vote determines our future’. Eligible voters on the …