News

Update: Attentive readers noted that in the original press release of the SCS it was stated that Natalia Peterson was Valedictorian when in fact she was Salutatorian. Jordan Every was Valedictorian. The person in the picture is Salutatorian Natalia Peterson as Jordan Every is in Holland pursuing his studies and was …

On Friday November 18th the Ministries of Interior & Kingdom Relations, Social Affairs and Employment and the Executive Council of Saba have concluded a two-day’ work conference regarding the benchmark for minimum subsistance of inhabitants of Saba. Parties held frank, open and sometimes tough discussions regarding income, care and social …

On October 3, 2016, the Dutch Inspectorate of Education visited the Saba Comprehensive School (SCS). The inspectorate concluded that the Secondary Education maintained the Basic Quality Standard and that the Vocational Education also achieved the Basic Quality Standard as prescribed by the Dutch Ministry of Education (OCW) secondary and vocational …

Breastfeeding is the best start in life for babies. It protects against infections and also reduces the risk of obesity and diabetes later in life. Breastfeeding helps the mother to build a strong emotional bond with the new-born, as well as helping them to lose weight, and reducing the risk …

Children’s Ombudsman Margrite Kalverboer during her visit to Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba this week and next week wants to hear from children on the islands how they experience life and where things could be improved. Kalverboer will start her first working visit in Bonaire today, Thursday. She will be …

The social benefits in the in the BES islands will not be increased on January 1. This is in contrast with an announcement made earlier this year. Nevertheless, the required budget has been reserved. However,  State Secretary for Social Affairs, Jetta Klijnsma, has decided that she first will await the …

The Dutch Caribbean Police Force arrested two male suspects, S.M.M.A. and E.G. on Saba, Saturday, November 12. The arrest order was given by the Prosecutor after suspicion arose, based on a complaint filed, that the suspects had sexually abused a victim who is considered not competent. In the meantime, the …

Saba Reach Foundation (SRF) recently organized two management courses through the Netherlands based organization MDF. The courses were held from November 2 to 9 in the Sunny Valley Youth Center in The Bottom. Each of the courses were attended by 12 professionals representing the Sacred Heart School, Saba Comprehensive School, …

RCN announces that. effective January 1st , 2017 a new policy rule imposing fines regarding lost wages laws BES will be put into force. This policy states that an employer can be fined if he or she does not comply with the rules that are set out in the Law …

The first Children’s Week Saba will take place from Sunday November 20th until Saturday November 26th. During the week entertainment, lectures and educational activities will be provided for different age groups, all linking to children’s rights. The week will kick-off on Sunday November 20 with a potluck event at Cove …

Child Focus Saba is one of the semi-finalists for the Appeltje van Oranje prize awarded by the Oranje Funds for social initiatives within the Dutch Kingdom. This year, the theme is “Powerful Children” and it is focused on initiatives that are committed to children who are growing up in vulnerable …

On December 6 the  Committee for Kingdom Relations of the First Chamber will meet with State Secretary Jetta Klijnsma of Social Affairs and Employment and Minister Ronald Plasterk of the Interior about defining a minimum for the social subsistence in the Caribbean Netherlands. The Senate urged the Cabinet already for …

Transport Company Accessible Ventures started providing special transportation for persons on Saba, insured by BES Healthcare Insurance Office ZVK, as of November 7. ZVK has contracted Accessible Ventures to provide transportation to and from medical or other treatment centres for persons, who on the indication of a general practitioner or …

The Committee for Financial Supervision CFT of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (BES) earlier this week gave the green light for the draft 2017 budget of the Public Entity Saba. The budget is balanced and complies with the legal requirements. CFT Chairman Age Bakker informed Chairman of Saba’s Executive Council …

The seven contestants competing in the fourth edition of the Miss International Elegance Mothers Pageant arrived in St.Maarten on Wednesday to participate in the competition which will be held on Saturday, November 12, at the St. Maarten Festival Village in Philipsburg. Participating countries are Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Saba, …

A Cooperation Agreement between Saba Health Care Foundation (SHCF) and the Public Health Department (PHD) was signed on Monday. The agreement formally defines the cooperation between both organisations. The roles of the two organisations are complementary and overlap at times, and as a simplification the PHD’s main task can be …

The National Ombudsman Reinier van Zutphen and the Dutch Children’s Ombudsman Margrite Kalverboer will visit Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba this month. Van Zutphen and Kalverboer will first visit Bonaire, on November 17 and 18, then Saba, on November 20 and 21, and finally St. Eustatius on November 23 and …

“The HR Policy Manual is the Holy Grail for SEC [Saba Electric Company N.V. – Ed] employees,” said SEC Supervisory Board Chairman James R. Hassell, on Thursday, at the official presentation of the newly established labour agreement to SEC’s employees. “It is a document for the employees, by the employees,” …

The next publication of Saba writer Angie Ignacio will be a children’s picture book. Baby Toucan touches on relevant topics such as adoption, discrimination and making friends despite differences with others. “Being adopted as a child gave me insights I now want to share with adopted kids, and their parents …

Altair, from St. Barths, was crowned champion of the 9th edition of the Budget Marine Wahoo tournament Sunday. Altair jumped out to an early lead landing 11 wahoo for a total of 427.2 pounds of fish, Saturday. Sunday Altair only added four more wahoo to the tally for 528.2 pounds. …

Local airline Windward Islands Airways Winair hosted a cocktail reception in honour of its 55th anniversary at Sonesta Maho Resort and Casino on Friday evening. Governor Eugene Holiday, Prime Minister William Marlin and Member of Parliament Theo Heyliger were among the guests at the event. Managing Director Michael Cleaver said …

The ex-Chief of Police in The Netherlands, Gerard Bouwman, states in a report that the police on the BES islands has an integrity problem. The police in the Caribbean Netherlands has been guilty of non-integer behavior for many years. This concerns the private use of official cars, unauthorized claiming and …

In a press release the police on Saba announced that on Thursday, November 3rd  a man with initials M.P. was arrested at his home for violating the Opium Act.

World Sight Day, which was observed on October 13, was marked on Saba with a series of free glaucoma tests offered by Saba Lions Club together with Eye Care Optical, Body, Mind and Spirit, Saba Healthcare Foundation, and the Public Health Department from October 15 to 22. Some 58 persons …

The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard intercepted a transport of illegal immigrants in the vicinity of St. Maarten and Saba. The immigrants have been handed over to the Police and Immigration. The Coast Guard ship Poema stopped a sailing vessel between St. Maarten and Saba on October 31. During the inspection …

iLanders is a project that aims to stimulate young professionals with a Caribbean Netherlands heritage, who live overseas, to return to their roots. With their recently acquired knowledge and competences, iLanders can provide new impulses to the social and economic development of our islands. Last month RCN has welcomed its …

Saba and surrounding sea did not win one of the three awards of the Most Beautiful Nature Area of the Netherlands. In fact, Saba came out last of the thirteen nominees with a mere 2,666 public votes. The Dutch Wadden Area, the Veluwe and National Park Hollandse Duinen (dunes) were …

During October a multidisciplinary hurricane exercise took place on Saba. The Emergency Services and Safety partners trained together with the Dutch Military, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment and the Dutch Weather Services, KNMI. The goal of the exercise was to improve cooperation between various partners. Unfortunately, this year, a …

On October 10th, it was announced that Saba was nominated to be a part of the “Most Beautiful Nature Area of the Netherlands” elections. Over the past few weeks, the voting period was in progress, and the nature areas’ representatives encouraged the public to vote. These efforts included press releases, …

The Dutch citizens have elected the Wadden Sea area, the Veluwe and the Dutch dunes as the most beautiful areas of the Netherlands. The professional jury added the Biesbosch delta and Haringvliet as a fourth winner to the three areas chosen by citizens. In the Dutch TV program “De wereld …

The Saba Female National Team will participate in the World Championship Qualification Volleyball Tournament on St. Maarten this weekend. The Commissioner of Sports and Culture was at the airport to wish them well. Jarmila Berkel ,Christina Hassell, Movida Williams, Joyann Robinson, Sheritsa Oleana, Aureanna Nation, Erica Hassell, Nakeisha Leverock and …

Vote for Saba as the  “Most Beautiful Nature Area of the Netherlands”! Saba, with the highest point in the Netherlands, Mt. Scenery, and its surrounding waters has been nominated for the “Most Beautiful Nature Area of the Netherlands” elections. Mt. Scenery’s Elfin Forest has an exotic, even mystical aura, with …

Preparation for the celebration of the 41st anniversary of Saba Day on December 2, is “now in full swing,” announced Saba Culture Commissioner Rolando Wilson on Thursday afternoon. A detailed programme for the official ceremonies and celebration is being finalized. This year’s theme for Saba Day is “Hold My Memories …

The Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday adopted two motions with the aim to alleviate poverty in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba through the establishing of a so-called child bound budget (“kindgebonden budget”) and setting a social minimum that is based on the cost of living. The Labour …

The First Chamber of the Dutch Parliament, the Senate, on Tuesday approved the proposal to amend the Dutch Constitution to secure the constitutional position of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. The law proposal to establish an Electoral Council (“Kiescollege”) was also approved, which means that residents of the islands will …

On Monday October 24th at approximately 11.30 AM Police on Saba received a report of a loud explosion in a residence on Samuel Charles street no. 8 in The Bottom.  Police and Fire Department were dispatched to the scene.  The Fire Department entered the dwelling and concluded that the loud …

The Haitian community on Saba, together with Saba Red Cross team, held a donation drive on Saturday to collect goods for the survivors of Hurricane Matthew, which killed more than 800 people, and left many homeless and without basic necessities. The Haitian community representatives plan to personally see that items …

So-called air-soft guns will no longer be permitted on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (BES-islands) effective January 1. The reason is that they look too much like the real thing and can effectively be used in robberies. Customs has already been confiscating these items brought in at the airport and …

On October 3rd and 4th the Ministry of Economic Affairs, in cooperation with the Dutch Elasmobranch Society, organized an expert meeting on the management of sharks and rays in the Dutch Caribbean on the island of Bonaire at which more than 25 people from science, policy, fishermen, NGOs, control and …

The Executive Council is releasing a disaster preparation smartphone app. The app contains, for example, information on what to do during various disasters, how to prepare for the disasters and emergency numbers. Before, during or after a disaster, the app will have the latest information from the Public Entity Saba …