News

The Daily Herald writes that an action plan was signed Friday for the merger of Benevolent Foundation Saba (BFS), which manages Honourable Henry Carlyle Every Home of Saba, and Saba Health Care Foundation (SHCF). BFS and SHCF first announced their intention to merge in November 2014. A supervisory committee and …

Represented by President Paula Mayer, Director of Membership Rudolph Hassell and Secretary Carl Buncamper Saba Lions Club presented a US $1,200 cheque Monday to Sacred Heart School in St. John’s. This writes The Daily Herald. The cheque was handed over to sixth-grade teacher Ashley Hassell. The donation is towards the …

The Daily Herald mentioned the working visit of State Secretary Teeven and his delegation for an official working visit. The visit is to get acquainted with the islands and mainly with their prison system, rehabilitation and judiciary youth policy. Teeven arrived on Saba on Monday. And will hold talks there …

On their website, the Electoral Council explains how the election of the Island Councils on the BES islands is organized legally. The Electoral Council consists of seven members. These members are appointed by Royal Decree for a period of four years, and can be reappointed twice. They are appointed on …

The Daily Herald writes that the wo suspects, who allegedly were involved in attempted manslaughter on Saba in the early morning of January 31, were transported Friday to Bonaire, where they are to continue their pre-trial detention. Saba residents L.E.H. (30) and M.A.G.H. (20) are both suspected of involvement in …

The St. Maarten Medical Center is proud to announce the addition of a radiologist to its medical staff. Radiologist Dr. Armand Brice is originally from the Republic of Congo. Having completed his studies in Cuba, he worked in Guyana in specialties of Emergency Medicine and Orthopedics. After seven years, he …

The Daily Herald writes that the joint Public Assistance Programme between Saba and the Dutch government under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, which provides funding to seniors to repair their homes, has received US $60,000 in additional funding. The Executive Council asked the ministry for …

In November 2014 Benevolent Foundation Saba (BFS) and Saba Health Care Foundation (SHCF) signed an intention to merge. To work towards the merger a plan of action was made as a guideline. It was decided in the process to form two committees; the Supervisory Committee and the Working Committee. The …

Seniors on the island on Sunday were able to give their input on the Island Government’s plans to improve senior care. An important aspect of these improvements is to establish a senior care center. In an information session organized by Ms. Cassandra Wilson of the Friends of the Senior Citizens …

  The State Secretary of Security and Justice, Mr. Fred Teeven, will pay a visit to Saba, Statia and Bonaire from Sunday February 15th till Friday February 20th 2015. The main purpose of the visit is getting acquainted with the islands, with the focus on the prison system, rehabilitation and …

The Windward Islands People’s Movement party has recently published its program for the March 18, 2015 elections. You can download the full program by clicking this link. (1.7 MB) The introduction reads: 2015 marks the 45th year that the Windward Islands People’s Movement has been continuously serving the island and …

Statia News announced that, further to the elections of March 18, 2015 the Democratic Party of Statia has requested their elected and appointed officials to sign a “Code of Ethics”. CODE OF ETHICS FOR ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ST. EUSTATIUS This code will require politicians …

The Dutch economy grew 0.5% in the final quarter of 2014, compared with the previous quarter, the national statistics office CBS said in preliminary figures published on Friday. Year on year, economic growth was 1%, the CBS said. The figures show the economic recovery is continuing at a cautious pace, …

Dear Editor, How can any government say that a civil servant has to vote for them because they “gave” them their job? Aren’t people hired because the ought to be the one best or more qualified for the job? You can only give what is yours to give( your money, …

Commissioner Bruce Zagers said that the fire at the landfill was not lit by a government department or by the landfill contractor. The fire ignited because there are still areas around the landfill that retain heat from the previous fires some weeks ago. Measures are being taken to remedy the …

The Daily Herald writes that the 2015 Kingdom Conference on Curaçao has been moved from April 8 to June 16, Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk informed the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday. Plasterk explained in his letter that he received word from …

The Daily Herald writes that Port St. Maarten management concluded meetings with Government representatives of Saba and St. Eustatius, held on those islands, on February 4. The meetings focused on assistance in port handling, operations and economic development. A Port St. Maarten press release said the objectives of the meetings …

An article in The Daily Herald Weekender by Frans van Drunen This time, we have Dr. Jennifer Rahn in the spotlight. Who is Jennifer Rahn? She is an associate professor of geography at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Born in New Jersey, she loved the Jersey Shore and was a …

The Daily Herald writes that a total of 3,550 persons of Dutch Caribbean descent were locked up in a Dutch prison in 2013, according to recent figures provided by the Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS). The percentage of inmates from the islands in prison in the Netherlands amounted to …

The Telegraaf reports that the elderly and people with a chronic illness are wise to quickly go see their doctor as soon as they feel flu symptoms. They can then get antivirals that inhibit the flu. That has virologist Ab Osterhaus said on Saturday. Osterhaus is the head of the …

A fully operational integrated dispatch centre for emergencies is needed for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba to enhance communication between emergency services and communication between the islands in case of a crisis or disaster. But such a centre is not feasible in the short term. This writes The Daily Herald. …

The government of Saba is inviting all senior citizens and caregivers who are involved in the care of a senior family member, neighbour or friend on Saba, to attend a gathering on Sunday, February 8, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the Eugenius Johnson Centre.The goal of this meeting is to …

The Public Entity Saba has discussed a plan of approach of how increased monitoring of seismic activity on the island will take place. The plan of approach was discussed between the government and the organisation in the Netherlands responsible for the task, the Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute KNMI. Officials from …

Three men were arrested in a case of public violence on Paris Hill Road in The Bottom in the early morning of Saturday, January 31, around 2:15, the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force reported Tuesday. A 25-year-old man from Saba was seriously injured. The police was alerted and arrested two suspects …

The Daily Herald writes that the collection of taxes should be cost-effective,but until now that has proven not to be the case in the Caribbean Netherlands and for that reason levies were increased as of January 2015. The Tax Service provided an overview of the charges that are now applied, …

Postulation Day 2015 for the March 18 Island Council election, led the island’s traditional two political parties to register at the government building in The Bottom. Windward Islands People’s Movement (WIPM) currently holds four of the five seats in the Island Council and Saba Labour Party (SLP) holds the remaining …

The Daily Herald writes that Captain Age Brouwer has retired, after touching down at SXM Princess Juliana International Airport for the last time at 6:24pm on Saturday. He was given a water salute by the airport Fire Department and welcomed by a large gathering of Windward Island Airways International Winair …

The Daily Herald reports that Commissioner of Economic Affairs Christopher Johnson and representatives of My Store, Big Rock and Unique supermarkets signed a covenant of cooperation that sets a maximum price on fifteen goods that are sold in supermarkets. The agreement is in effect since February 1. On January 29, …

Children younger than twelve must have their own passports when travelling, as of April 1. From that date, it will no longer be possible for children to travel on the passports of their parents, not even when they have been included in their parents’ passports, Government Service Caribbean Netherlands RCN …

The Daily Herald writes that Bas de Haan, a 26 year old resident of St. Eustatius, took first place in the Saba Triathlon with a total time of only 1:37:29 Saturday. De Haan, born and raised in the Netherlands in the small town of Meedhuizen, said this was his first …

Construction of the new parking lot in Windwardside officially started Friday with the late afternoon gathering of a large crowd across from the Catholic Church. This writes The Daily Herald. Commissioner Bruce Zagers mentioned that traffic congestion is getting worse in Windwardside even though this is hard to believe it …

The Daily Herald writes that the healthy lifestyle promotion programme called “I Love My Body” returns with a new edition for 2015. This programme is organised by the Saba Health Care Foundation and the Island Government of Saba. Host Dr. Gina Boorsma invites previous and new participants to join. There …

The Curaçao Chronicle writes that a 11-member delegation from the Dutch Caribbean territories of St Eustatius and Saba will visit the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) in Barbados on 29 and 30 January 2015.The team will be on a fact-finding mission to gain a better understanding of CXC and its examinations. …

The Daily Herald writes that the Dutch lottery “Postcode Loterij” has approved a grant of US $1.9 million for a three-year project aimed at shark protection in the waters of Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten. The money will be made available to local marine parks through …

Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Wassila Hachchi of the democratic D66 party wants answers from Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk about reports in the media that Saba’s volcano might become active again. Hachchi submitted no less than 19 written questions to …

For the first time this year, Saba Lions Club organised a festive event Sunday, at Henry Every Old Age Home in The Bottom. The Occasionals Band played tunes from the old days and there were plenty of cakes and sweets to keep the residents in a party mood. One of …

The Daily Herald writes that today, January 28, is International Day of Privacy. In connection herewith, the Commission for the Protection of Personal Data Privacy for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba assembled this week to provide information and to discuss the importance of handling personal data, such as names, addresses, …

State Secretary of Education, Culture and Science Sander Dekker is very pleased with the implementation of the new board at Saba Comprehensive School (SCS). This writes the Daily Herald. “I am happy that the conditions have been fulfilled for the school to proceed with the necessary developments and improvements to …

The Daily Herald writes that public consultations on rules based on the draft Electricity and Drinking Water Law BES have started on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba on Tuesday. Topics of these consultations include drinking-water quality, the reimbursement for excess durable electricity that users feed into the grid and consumer …

For the first time in history, Statistics Netherlands has surveyed incomes in the Caribbean Netherlands. In 2011, the average disposable household income in Bonaire was over US $19,000 dollars, in Saba nearly US $21,000 and in St. Eustatius US $24,000. This reports The Daily Herald. The income differences on the …