News

Recently all members of the Island Council of The Public Entity Saba traveled to the Netherlands to attend a workshop and participate in a congress and met with various Dutch delegations. During this lobbying/study trip the members met with a group of Saban students, met with the Island Councils of both …

Saba University School of Medicine’s (SUSOM) fifth-semester students organised a poker tournament Saturday at Topo Gigio bar and restaurant in The Bottom, reports The Daily Herald. Nine players participated in the event, which was won by SUSOM-student Michael Atkinson. The tournament was part of an ongoing fundraiser by Alpha Phi …

On Monday and also today, Tuesday, Saba Reach Foundation’s (SRF) Adult Education department organises two computer courses at Eugenius Johnson Centre in Windwardside, writes The Daily Herald. On Monday, the Microsoft Office Excel Level 1 course was taught to a group of 13 students, and nine more students will be …

Dutch News reports that the public prosecution department has issued a revised statement about the death of a 42-year-old holidaymaker in The Hague at the weekend, which no longer states he became ill while in the back of a police car. Mitch Henriquez was arrested at the Night in the …

On Monday, June 29th , 2015 the draw was held for the ‘Ministerplaatsen’ available for the Caribbean Netherlands. Notary mr. Aniek Schouten conducted the draw in the presence of the students who had submitted a request for a ‘Ministerplaats’ and other guests. The Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, …

The Daily Herald writes that a “Direct Assistance Grant Scheme” workshop was held at the Saba Roads Conference Room in The Bottom on Friday. The workshop was intended for businesses and business service organisations who are interested in applying for a grant. The 10th European Development Programme started recently. This …

Over the weekend, The Daily Heralds writes, Chief Prosecutor of Bonaire Henry Hambeukers, announced that the provisional detention of the suspect who was arrested on June 1 will be prolonged by another 30 days. This is the latest development after the magistrate extended the suspect’s detention by eight days twice …

Dear editor: I regularly stay in Hellsgate and, although I am a visitor, I contribute money regularly to the economy and love Saba the way it is. I understand that the future of Saba is ultimately up to the people who live there, even if the final decision might adversely …

Last Thursday teachers and other staff from the schools in Statia were treated to a high tea at the Lynch Plantation. The high tea was organised by RCN/OCW to thank the school staff for their efforts and dedication in the past school year. It has been a very busy year …

In the ongoing investigation into the positive and negative changes Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba endured after October 10, 2010, Evaluation Committee members Frans Weekers and Fred Soons returned to Saba, writes The Daily Herald. This time, the Evaluation Committee arranged a meet-and-greet on Wednesday evening at Island Flavor restaurant …

The St. Maarten News Network reports that the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) Hon. Claret Connor announced on Thursday that Ministry TEATT will be purchasing two fuel calibration tanks that would be used to test and re-calibrate fuel meters to make sure customers are getting …

The Public Entity Saba will be hosting an Island-Wide Cleanup on Tuesday, June 30th. The purpose of the cleanup is to pick up trash that has accumulated in hard to reach areas and also to bring attention to the problem of littering on the island. Participating in the cleanup will …

Recently all members of the Island Council of The Public Entity Saba traveled to the Netherlands to attend, amongst others, a workshop/study day called D1000.   During this D1000 study day the island council members together with more than 750 colleagues, mayors, commissioners, employers and inhabitants were inspired to think …

The Daily Herald writes that member of the First Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Ruard Ganzevoort of the green left party GroenLinks is the new Chairman of the Senate’s Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations. Ganzevoort (50) was recently appointed by the Presidium of the First Chamber for four years. A …

Saba Festival Foundation (SFF) will host a pre-carnival Jump-up on Saturday starting at 8:00pm in St. Johns and ending in The Bottom. Entyce Band will lead the festivities. After the Jump-up, revellers will be entertained in Carnival Village by DJ Outkast from St. Maarten, and for the first time ever …

On behalf of the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV) based in Leiden, the Netherlands, Stacey Mac Donald visited Saba for a week, writes The Daily Herald. Mac Donald is conducting research as part of the Confronting Caribbean Challenges (CCC) project initiated by KITLV. This project …

The Minister of the Interior and Kingdom relations, dr. R.H.A. Plasterk, has responded to a letter from the SMA. A copy was send to the Second Chamber. You can read this below (translated from Dutch). Dear Ms. Johnson, Thank you for your letter in which you express the problems that …

The Daily Herald writes that the Prosecutor’s Office in the Caribbean Netherlands was faced with a large increase in investigations into more serious and debilitating forms of crime, the Bonaire- based organization said in presenting its annual report over 2014 and its annual plan for 2016. “Our inflow in recent …

The Attorney- General has issued a new directive for opium offences for the Prosecutors of Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius), writes The Daily Herald. The new directive goes into effect as of July 1. It focuses on drug traffickers, intermediaries, street vendors, organisers …

Dear Editor, With much interest I read the letter by some of the leaders and lecturers of the University of St. Martin (USM) on the opinion page in The Daily Herald of Saturday, June 20. I believe it is a good initiative whereby an objective view is given on what …

The Daily Herald writes that the Saba Lions Club installed its new president and board of directors Friday evening, at Eugenius Johnson Centre in Windwardside. Jessica Gumbs is the newly appointed president and at 29 years of age also the youngest Lions president ever on Saba. Gumbs replaces Paula Mayers-Childs. …

  From June 8th  to 12th,  the Netherlands Caribbean week (CN-week) took place in The Hague. Priorities during this week were as stated before: poverty alleviation, children’s rights and promoting the economic development. Multi-annual Programme (MAP) and development plans for each island Since taking office as Kingdom Representative, Gilbert Isabella …

It is with pride that Department Head Hans Kuilder from the Caribbean Netherlands part of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (RCN/OCW) transfers the management of this department to Reynolds (Nolly) Oleana. Nolly Oleana has been working for RCN/OCW since May 2011, in the last two years as the …

In an effort to support and stimulate Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), the Department of Economy, Transportation and Telecommunication of St. Maarten will be hosting a workshop to assist entrepreneurs interested in applying for direct grant funding from the European Union funded COSME Programme. Click here to check out the …

The Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF) now has a second ranger for the Saba National Marine Park with the hiring of Odin “Koki” Delgado (34) as of June 1, writes The Daily Herald. The avid diver has already been a volunteer for the marine park for a number of years. Delgado …

The Daily Herald writes that information about investing in the Dutch Caribbean has become more easily accessible with the website www.investdutchkingdom. com launched during the Kingdom Conference in Curaçao on June 16. It concerns a collaborative effort between the four countries of the Dutch Kingdom with the aim of providing …

Statement Kingdom Representative, Gilbert Isabella Administrative Supervision June 17th, 2015  Dear Residents of St. Eustatius, As Kingdom Representative for Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius I would like to inform you about recent developments in the relationship between Public Entity St. Eustatius and the Central Government. Last week during Caribbean Netherlands …

Today the examining magistrate in St. Maarten, in the absence of the examining magistrate on Bonaire continued the provisional detention of the suspect previously held by the initials O.J.E. with 8 more days. Last week, the examining magistrate on Bonaire already ordered a provisional detention for the period stipulated by …

Stichting Ocan is urging youngsters who have ties to the islands of Saba and Statia and who currently reside in the Netherlands to partake in a group discussion in which they have the opportunity to voice their opinion on current affairs within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and make known …

Brigadoon restaurant in Windwardside has changed ownership, writes The Daily Herald. Tjeerd “T.J.” Abma, a Dutch chef living on Saba for six years, took over the restaurant as of June 1 from long-time owners Michael and Tricia Chammaa. One of the first major changes, signalling the change of ownership, has …

Saba will be able to improve its waste management and increase recycling with expert help from the Netherlands writes The Daily Herald. Saba Commissioner of Public Works Bruce Zagers signed the “Green Deal, better waste management Caribbean Netherlands” in The Hague on Thursday. The Green Deal is a cooperation format …

On 12 June the evaluation committee informed its mandators about the research being carried out. During this mandator consultation, the visit of the researchers to the islands in April was one of the topics which was discussed. The mandators were also updated on the upcoming visit of members of the …

The Daily Herald writes that Saba has offered to host a political summit of the Caribbean Netherlands and the Netherlands in January 2016 to discuss the future of the islands, their relation with the Netherlands and how to achieve more self-reliance. Saba Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs Chris Johnson launched his …

Update: The actual agreement signed (in Dutch. We’ll try to get a translated version ASAP)   With the signing of the Multi-Annual Programme in The Hague on Thursday, Bonaire and Saba secured the much needed financing by the Netherlands for the infrastructure and social-economic development of the two islands, writes …

On Friday, June 5th , 2015 the investigators of the team of the Guardianship Council BES achieved a crucial milestone. They have experienced an “intensive week” with trainers from the Netherlands as part of their Youth Protection training, a one-year post-graduate training. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality …

In the week of July the 6th, VOBESS will take place simultaneously on Saba and Bonaire. The prospective students will this year be received and guided in the Netherlands by the new foundation BESST (VOBESS stands for Preparation BES students). This foundation originated from a separation from the Foundation S4 …

Over the last weeks many people have experienced vomiting and diarrhoea. The Public Health Department Saba and the Saba Health Care Foundation are investigating the cause through laboratory testing; based on current information a virus (like Noro) seems most likely. If you are sick: – drink plenty of fluids (especially …

In the Multi annual program, Bonaire and Saba established agreements with the Dutch government on amongst others poverty alleviation, children’s rights and economic development. Minister Plasterk of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) agreed upon this with the delegations of the Dutch Caribbean islands during the Caribbean Netherlands week, which …

The activities of the independent Committee Evaluation Judicial Kingdom Laws that accompanied the constitutional changes per 10-10-10 have entered a new phase. The members went through the available literature on the issue, conducted an extensive written survey and consulted several focus groups on their experience with this legislation regarding the …

The Daily Herald writes that according to the latest figures from the Caribbean Netherlands Labour Force Survey, released Wednesday by Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS), the labour force in the Caribbean Netherlands differs from the European Netherlands in a number of ways. Relatively more people in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and …