News

The Daily Herald writes that the Dutch Museum in Windwardside organized two presentations for Saba Comprehensive School (SCS) on Thursday and Friday. The presentations were about the relationships between Saba and the Netherlands, and the history of Dutch West India Company (WIC). Initiator of the Foundation Dutch Museum Saba René …

The Public Entity Saba is and has been working on improving its disaster preparedness response capacity over the past few years, writes The Daily Herald. This includes the monitoring and collection of seismic data on the island. This means that the government is aware of the threat posed by any …

The Daily Herald writes that Education Implementation Service DUO again offers former students from Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius the possibility in 2015 to use a local account with Maduro and Curiel’s Bank (MCB) and its subsidiary Windward Islands Bank (WIB) for the repayment of their student debt. Residents of …

Kingdom Relations Minister Plasterk hopes that the new hospital being built in Otrobanda will get a regional function, writes The Daily Herald. He indicated this during his short stay on Curaçao. The Dutch Minister requested a visit to the construction site for “Hospital Nobo Otrobanda” (HNO) as part of his …

Carmen H. Simmons has been an organ player at Sacred Heart Church in The Bottom for seventy years, writes The Daily Herald. A great number of attendants came to pay their respects at the church on Thursday evening. A plaque was handed over by Father Ranulfo Goneda, with an inscription …

The Daily Herald writes that the Council for Law Enforcement recently presented five reports regarding various aspects of law enforcement to St Maarten’s Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson. The presentation of the reports had been delayed due to the council having to await the completion of a new government formation …

The Daily Herald writes that Regional Director of United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF and expert on children’s rights Nils Kassberg hosted a roundtable discussion day Friday at Eugenius Johnson Centre in Windwardside. The aim was to create more awareness about child abuse and to start working on a programme to …

Life expectancy in the Caribbean Netherlands does not differ much from life expectancy in the European Netherlands, Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS) reported. At birth, life expectancy in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba was 80.2 years, based on CBS figures of January 1, 2013. This is 0.9 years lower than …

The Daily Herald writes that the Prosecutor’s Office published a new directive for firearms cases yesterday, to be applied on all islands of the Caribbean Netherlands, including St. Maarten, a press release states. “The illegal possession of firearms on St. Maarten, Curaçao and the BES islands  is cause for concern. …

The Daily Herald writes that the new board members of Saba Comprehensive School (SCS) were presented at Tropics Bar & Restaurant in Windwardside by Commissioner of Education Chris Johnson on Tuesday. The new board members are La-Toya Charles, Stacey Simmons and Gied Mommers. A declaration was signed by all three …

In order to obtain the views of senior citizens on the needs of senior care on the island, Public Entity Saba is organising a survey among Saba’s older inhabitants. This writes The Daily Herald. The main focus behind the survey is to determine what is going well in the provision …

Stock markets raised but the Euro is at it’s lowest point in 11 years after the measures of the European Central Bank (ECB) The ECB launched an aggressive bond-buying program Thursday in an effort to shore up Europe’s flagging economy, ushering in a new era for a central bank that until …

The Daily Herald writes that screening of newborn babies was implemented on Bonaire per January 1, 2015. Later this year, St. Eustatius and Saba will follow. Bonaire’s Public Health Department and the local hospital, Mariadal Foundation, are working together with the Dutch Ministry of Public Health, Wellbeing and Sports VWS …

The Daily Herald writes that Commissioners Chris Johnson and Bruce Zagers recently met with St Maarten’s Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs to discuss “a number of pressing matters” to be dealt with by the two Dutch Caribbean entities, according to a government press release. A key issue discussed was the method …

A 60-year-old resident of Saba has been arrested for two offences of theft, one of which was cattle from a pasture. It is not known what was stolen in the first theft. The man was arrested on Monday afternoon by the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force on Saba, on the instruction …

The Daily Herald writes that the Executive Council of Saba has presented visiting Minister of Interior and Kingdom Affairs Ronald Plasterk with the Saba Development Plan on Tuesday, a press release stated. The establishment of a development plan has been a priority of the Executive Council since it was embraced …

In the past week, Frank Nolles, who is a 27-year-old staff member of top Dutch professional soccer team Feyenoord, located in Rotterdam, came to Saba. This writes The Daily Herald. In Rotterdam he coached a total of 34 children, ranging from seven to 12 years old. In cooperation with Child …

The Police reported that a stabbing took place in an apartment on Airport Road in Zion’s Hill Monday morning at approximately 8:30. Police officers went to the scene and detained a 28-year old male suspect with initials P.H.N. for physical abuse and abuse with a weapon. The suspect was questioned …

Recently The Daily Herald reported on United Nations Educational and Scientific Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) representative Himalchuli Gurung coming to the Dutch Caribbean islands and in particular to St. Eustatius. Gurung’s mission is to coordinate and give support to representatives on each island on safeguarding local culture through the Intangible Cultural …

Country coordinator Marja Hendriksen of “Programma Uitzending Managers,” (ManagerDeployment Programme-PUM) visited St. Eustatius and Saba from January 8 till January 16. After her introductory visit in September last year, this was her second visit to the islands. This reports The Daily Herald. Assisted by PUM’s local representative Koos Sneek, she …

The Daily Herald writes that Friday, the Saba Labour Party (SLP) announced its programme and list of candidates to the public at Topo Gigio’s bar and restaurant in the Bottom. The event started with the introduction of the board members, Joseph Louimaire, Kenneth Hassell, Pamela Meijvogel, Damaris Barnes, Eddie Peterson, …

The chikungunya epidemic in the Dutch Caribbean has passed its peak point, but is expected to periodically return to the region in the coming years, probably in a smaller format, Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk informed the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament earlier this …

As per January 1, the Court of First Instance welcomed two new judges: Mauritsz de Kort and Maria Paulides. With their arrival, the St. Maarten branch of the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten and of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba now has five judges. This …

Caribisch Netwerk states today that, “Instead of giving families a child allowance of 38 dollars per month  on the BES islands , it would be more efficient for the Dutch government to subsidize basic necessities for families, such as food.” says coordinator Danny Winands of the Center for Youth and …

The Caribisch Netwerk published an article discussion the social security situation on the BES islands. They claim that, even after the reductions of 1 January of the package benefits in the Netherlands, the residents of the Dutch municipalities in the Caribbean have fewer rights when it comes to social benefits. …

Statistics Netherlands announced today that inflation has fallen on the three islands collectively referred to as Caribbean Netherlands. The rate on Bonaire fell from 1.5 to 0.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014, mainly as a result of price developments for clothes and petrol. On St Eustatius, the rate …

During the second day of the UNESCO conference on Statia, the officials were charmed by the culture heritage presentation. Himalchuli Gurung, UNESCO Programme Specialist for culture in the Caribbean, is deeply impressed with the diversity of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) on St. Eustatius. This writes The Daily Herald. During the …

On Wednesday, the official Saba crime figures for the year 2014 have been released during a press conference held at the recently constructed police station in the Bottom. This writes The Daily Herald. The figures were presented by head Commissioner of Police of the BES islands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and …

Long-time volunteer and bird expert Binkie van Es joined Saba Bank Officer Dahlia Hassell and Saba Ranger Jelle van der Velde; and Statian Ranger Ambrosius van Zanten at a water bird workshop on Curaçao. Also present were bird specialists from Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire who participated in a four-day workshop …

The Daily Herald writes that the Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk will visit the three Windward Islands from Sunday, January 18, to Wednesday January 21. The minister travels to St. Maarten this Sunday, Plasterk’s spokesman confirmed on Wednesday. He will visit St. Eustatius and Saba …

During Friday’s White Coat Ceremony at Saba University School of Medicine (SUSOM), President of the Honour Society, Karen Peng, presented monetary donations to Child Focus Foundation and Foundation for Protection and Cruelty against Animals FPCA. This reports the Daily Herald. Child Focus project leader Stacey Simmons and veterinary assistant Cassandra …

Experts will be flown into Saba next week to start construction of the new recycling plant located at the landfill “dump” at the end of Fort Bay. This writes The Daily Herald. The foundation for the plant is already in place and two prefab buildings will be constructed this week. …

Nature conservation in the Dutch Caribbean took a lap toward a more sustainable future with Saba National MarinePark, the Man O’ War Shoal Marine Park in St. Maarten and St. Eustatius National Marine Park now officially recognised as protected areas under the protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW), …

In the absence of St. Maarten from the annual Vacation Fair in Utrecht this week, the promotion of the Windward Islands is left up to St. Eustatius and Saba. This writes The Daily Herald. St. Maartener Marlon Beauperthuy of Le Beau Reizen at the United States pavilion is helping out …

Commissioner Bruce Zagers said the recent fire at the Saba landfill was not lit by a government department or by the landfill contractor. This writes The Daily Herald. The fire ignited because there are still areas around the landfill that retain heat from the previous fires some weeks ago. Measures …

Caribisch Netwerk reports that, on Statia, five parties have registered for the elections for the new island council to be held on Wednesday, March 18th. These parties include the United People’s Coalition (UPC) of current commissioner Reginald Zaandam and St. Eustatius Empowerment Party (STEP), led by Councilman Franklin Brown. Even …

The Daily Herald writes that from January 2 until January 17, eleven students of Samford University in Alabama (USA) are staying on Saba to conduct the Saba Eco Immersion Programme. This project-based adventure programme is to enhance diver awareness of the underwater world. The goal is to spend less time …

The presentation, “What to expect when you’re expecting” was held at Centre for Youth and Family in The Bottom on Sunday. The Daily Herald writes that this informative event was held to give expecting mothers more information about what to expect when they are having their baby. Many tips and …

The Daily Herald reports that (former) Dutch Caribbean students in the Netherlands can make use of a more lenient arrangement to repay their study debt. Graduated students of the islands have been facing problems with repaying their study debt, which is in euros. Many of them have payment arrears because …

The Daily Herald reports, that, today, the majority of the electricity power on Bonaire comes from renewable sources. For local residents the switch from fossil-fuel to green energy systems has made a world of difference. Like many Caribbean islands, Bonaire originally relied on diesel fuel to generate electricity for residents, …