News

Since January 2016, the Dutch weather institute. KNMI, is providing weather forecast for Saba & Statia, a maritime forecast for our sea area and warnings. Surprise: YES IT IS IN ENGLISH!!!! There is a special forecast for our sea area: and there are warnings for hurricanes and other significant weather. …

Kralendijk, January 27, 2016 – On International Privacy Day the BES Commission for the Protection of Personal Data Privacy (the Commission) will focus its attention on the relationship between employers and employees. In doing so, it will stimulate both parties to engage in a meaningful dialogue about the rules that …

At a joint press conference with Commissioner Chris Johnson on Monday evening, State Secretary of Social Affairs and Employment Jetta Klijnsma announced plans to increase Saba’s minimum wage and discussed the new child allowance. Both issues stem from the historically high cost of living and low wages, making it difficult …

The Executive Council of The Public Entity Saba informed the Island Council of the ongoing sale of the Captain’s Quarter property. In the memo to the Island Council Members which was presented by Island Governor Jonathan Johnson, it states that in June of 2004, the Island Council whose members at …

On Monday January 26th, The Executive Council of Saba met with State Secretary of Social Affairs, Mrs. Jetta Klijnsma. The main topics of discussion were the increase in poverty, the high cost of living, and the motion that was passed in the Second Chamber to establish a poverty line. Commissioner …

Saba is the most positive island in the Caribbean Netherlands about the changes following October 10, 2010, according to the results of an opinion survey held on all three islands by Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies KITLV. Between Bonaire (63 per cent), St. Eustatius (51 per …

State Secretary of Social Affairs and Labour, Jetta Klijnsma, is visiting the Caribbean Netherlands this week. Her first stop is Saba where she held talks with the Executive Council, Island Council, employers in the private sector and important social partners on Monday. Both the Executive Council and private sector explained …

State Secretary for Social Affairs, Jetta Klijnsma, paid a visit to the Saba Boys & Girls Scout Afterschool Programme on Monday afternoon. There she met with founder of the programme Mrs. Elka Charles, who gave an explanation about when the project was first started. She also explained about the challenges …

On Monday State Secretary of Social Affairs and Labour, Jetta Klijnsma, met with Project Manager, Ginno Romero, to discuss the progress of the Job Programme during her visit to Saba. Romero is working on Saba since 2013 and has had approximately 25 participants in various Job Programmes. Klijnsma also spoke …

  De Telegraaf reports that the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) will assist the Dutch-Caribbean islands Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, to determine possible infections with the Zika virus. This is  confirmed by prof. Dr. J T van Dissel, director of the RIVM Centre for …

Dion “Mega D” Humphreys, along with the children and adults connected to the Mega D Youth Foundation MYF, headed to Saba from St. Eustatius on Friday, from Charles A Woodley Pier on Dawn II, writes The Daily Herald. The trip is the launch party for the second motivation album titled …

The KPMG tax lawyers announced that on March 1, 2016 a new bilateral regulation for the avoidance of double taxation between the Netherlands – including its Caribbean territories – and Sint Maarten (“BRNS”) will enter into force.  The  BRNS will generally  be  applicable  as  from January 1, 2017 and replace the …

Following a long period of meetings between de Public Entity, the Central Government Building Agency and the Hassell, Barnes, Wilson and Winfield families, the way has been cleared to transfer a piece of undeveloped land near the school complex in St. Johns to the Public Entity. The land is needed …

A cheque was presented Thursday to Saba fire victim Lillian Leverock, who lost her home in a fire on November 18, 2015. The cheque was presented by Commander of the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department of St. Eustatius Andre Bennett, accompanied by colleague firemen here on Saba at the Fire Station …

State Secretary Jetta Klijnsma of Social Affairs and Labour (SZW) will be in the Caribbean Netherlands in the week of January 25th. On January 25th and 26th she will be on Saba, on the 26th and the 27th on St .Eustatius and from the 27th until the  29th, on Bonaire. …

Mega D Youth Foundation MYF will be launching its motivation album “Incredible” on Saba with a weekend filled with activities on January 22 and 23. Foundation founder Dion “Mega D” Humphreys said the weekend, organised in collaboration with Child Focus and Centre for Youth and Family, will start Friday with …

Saba had its second Sister Talk, which consisted of three workshops led by Lysanne Charles-Arrindell. This weekend, Saba’s girls had the chance to envision their future. Participants in the workshops had to fill out a personal project plan, which gave them obtainable goals to strive to achieve. Charles is originally …

Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community on Saba organized a screening of the new documentary “One Kingdom, One Love” Saturday at Eugenius Johnson Centre in Windwardside. The documentary tells several stories about LGBT people on and from the Dutch Caribbean islands and ties this in with …

Government Appeals to Residents to Help Reduce Mosquito Population; Measures to Be Taken Against Non-ComplianceThe Public Entity Saba is appealing to residents to do their part to help reduce the mosquito population. Because of the ongoing rains there has been an increase in the mosquito population around the island. Regular …

On Monday January 11th, 2016 11 participants of the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department (BKCN) started the commanders’ training. It regards 1 participant from Saba, 3 participants from Statia and 7 participants from Bonaire. The commanders’ training is an intensive training for people who manage the crew of the single spout …

A group of 40 people from Saba took part in a “Live your Best Life Now” workshop, which was hosted by Beverly Whitfield, who is originally from Saba and was visiting from the Netherlands. Last weekend’s event was sponsored by Body, Mind and Spirit and Saba Lions Club. After an …

Public Notice The Central Committee of the Public Entity Saba will meet on Thursday January 21st, 2016 at 10:00 am at the Government Administration Building. The agenda for said meeting is as follows: Opening Approval of the agenda Approval of the Minutes from the Central Committee meeting on November 5th, …

On Thursday 21 January, between 8:00 and 9:30 pm, KITLV researchers Dr. Wouter Veenendaal and Prof. Gert Oostindie will present the results of their opinion survey on Saba. The presentation will take place at the Eugenius Johnson Centre in Windwardside, and all those that are interested are cordially invited to …

Saba is the new surfer’s paradise. Yesterday, Paul Fleuren spotted this scene in Well’s Bay. Enjoy.

On the basis of the consumer price index (CPI), Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that the inflation rates on the three islands of the Caribbean Netherlands were all negative in Q4 2015. The rates on Bonaire and St Eustatius were negative in all quarters of 2015; the rate on Saba has …

Between September and November 2015, the KITLV executed a large-scale opinion survey on all six Caribbean islands of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. On each island, a random sample of addresses was drawn to be visited by a locally-recruited interviewer. KITLV researcher Dr. Wouter Veenendaal organized and supervised the survey, …

Government officials from Saba and Sint Eustatius recently met with Mr. Andin Bikker, an Aruban parliamentarian and Mr. Ton Jansen. Mr. Jansen is currently working on a feasibility study for a high-speed ferry service for cargo, cars and passengers between Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. Mr. Jansen and Mr. Bikker took …

St. Maarten is back at the annual Dutch Holiday Expo (Vakantiebeurs) which started in Utrecht on Tuesday, and with two large booths, no less: one combined stand with the sister islands St. Eustatius and Saba, plus one large booth of Port St. Maarten and Caribbean Luxury Club. St. Maarten’s absence …

Dutch Government Representative Gilbert Isabella called upon civil servants of Government Service Caribbean Netherlands RCN to support the execution of a number of plans on the basis of the Multi-Annual Programme. “As civil servants, your support is also needed in this regard. The preparation of your work should help the …

The Hideaway bar and restaurant officially opened at Breadline Plaza. The new eatery, which is operated by Camilo Usuga, his girlfriend Courtney Hassell and Chef Ryan Jacobs from Atlanta, Georgia, is open for lunch and dinner. The Hideaway held its grand opening Friday, with many patrons filling the restaurant and …

  With 26.3 thousand US dollars per household, the highest disposable income in the Caribbean Netherlands in 2013 was recorded on Statia. Compared to 2012, the median disposable income on Bonaire rose marginally in 2013, but households on St Eustatius and Saba saw their incomes decline. Incomes fell most dramatically …

Alleviation of poverty, economic development and more efficiency are to become the priorities if it were up to Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba following last year’s evaluation of the islands’ constitutional status as public entities. These focal points were defined Saturday afternoon on the conclusion of a two-day summit with …

Pressured by the Dutch National Ombudsman, the Caribbean Netherlands Tax Office will continue to accept cash payments in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. The National Ombudsman announced in a press release on Thursday, that the Caribbean Netherlands Tax Office had acted upon the Ombudsman’s recommendation to reverse the decision to …

The general public is invited for an informal Meet & Greet with members of the First and Second Chamber on Saturday January 9th from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm at Hideaway Restaurant at the Breadline Plaza. A delegation consisting of First and Second Chamber members from the Committee for Kingdom …

The Caribbean Netherlands Tax Office has implemented an amendment to the law on General Expenditure Tax ABB, which is applicable to entrepreneurs who provide telecommunication, radio and television, and electronic services. The amendment came into effect on January 1. For entrepreneurs who provide the abovementioned services to entrepreneurs outside of …

Residents of Saba are invited to attend a Townhall meeting hosted by the Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs, Chris Johnson on Wednesday, January 6th, 2016. The purpose of the Townhall is to present to the public, the Public Entity’s Standpoint on the Constitutional evaluation, which is the government’s response to the …

Saba enjoyed a festive spirit over the 2015 Christmas season with entertaining events and parties all over the island, culminating with the traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks display early on the evening of December 30. The fireworks show was held early to ensure children and New Year’s Eve partygoers could …

The highly anticipated End of Year Annual Fireworks Display hosted by The Public Entity Saba will be held on Wednesday, December 30, writes The Daily Herald. The display at Flat Point, near Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport below Hell’s Gate, will start at 7:00pm. The pyrotechnic extravaganza is held ahead of …

Family doctors in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will start an extensive four-year training programme next year in order to qualify with Dutch/European requirements. Dutch Minister of Public Health, Wellbeing and Sports Edith Schippers announced this in a letter that she sent to the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday that contained …

The delegation of the First and Second Chambers of the Dutch Parliament, during their visit in January 2016, will not only take part in the Inter-Parliamentary Consultation for the Kingdom IPKO in St. Maarten, but will also attend a Caribbean Netherlands constitutional summit in Saba. The twelve-member delegation will participate …