News

Update: The press conference of Commissioner Johnson is now available on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7aRtHrEFvw Original article: On Friday, Commissioner of Education, Chris Johnson held a press conference on the ongoing developments at the island’s sole secondary institution, the Saba Comprehensive School, to address the concerns of the community. On Monday September …

Dear reader, On request of GIS Saba, the press release that was published today has been replaced by a new one that you can read here.    

In a letter to the Second Chamber Minister Schippers writes that a new contract for a new helicopter has been made. She concludes: “After evaluation of the bids on price and quality, the contract is awarded to National Helicopters. It is a so-called Bell 430 placed next to the existing …

Today, the Commissioner of Education of the Public Entity Saba, Chris Johnson, has made his letter to the Saba Educational Alliance public. Its contents are depicted below: Dear Members of the Saba Educational Alliance (in oprichting) and to all others addressed, Please be informed that I am in receipt of …

On 16 September 2014, the King delivered the Speech from the Throne. The speech sets out the government plans for the coming year. Members of the States General, In the summer of 2014 freedom and security once again proved vulnerable – even in this part of the world, even in …

The website Caribisch Netwerk reports today that, according to the 2015 budget published yesterday, the Dutch Caribbean will receive 258 million euros. This is an increase of 6 million euros with respect to the 2014 budget. The largest sums are earmarked for health care, education and social affairs. The expected …

The focus in year 2015, when it comes to Kingdom Relations will be on the evaluation of the constitutional relations that went into effect on October 10, 2010, stated Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk on Tuesday, the day of the presentation of the 2015 budget. For …

Traditionally, on the 3rd Tuesday of September the King opens the new year for the Houses of Representatives. Subsequently, the finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem,  presents  in the the financial outlook for the next year. “Cautious concerning additional spending, the burden on citizens and businesses, and statements about the future,” said …

The Daily Herald reports today hat at the close of the two-day Strategic Conference held at the CNSI office in Satia, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for St. Eustatius and Saba, the Executive Councils of Saba and St. Eustatius, Saba Business …

The Daily herald reports today, that St. Eustatius has received a no-go from the Dutch Government to its original request for a formal declaration regarding the status of the American University of Statia Medical School Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science Jet Bussemaker last week informed the Second Chamber …

An informative talk on tax was given by Jaap Rutger Kos, a tax lawyer at KPMG Meijburg Caribbean, during the Strategic Conference held on St. Eustatius, which was attended by people from Saba, Statia and Bonaire. The Strategic Conference was organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for St. …

The Daily Herald writes that Socialist Party (SP), together with the Saba Labour Party (SLP), is questioning the move by Dutch Minister of Public Health, Wellbeing and Sports Edith Schippers to partly remove physical therapy from the health insurance package in the Dutch public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba …

In a letter to the Executive Council, the association of parents and other stake-holders express their demands regarding the elections of a new schoolboard, now that all former board-members have resigned. The letter can be seen here-after or can be downloaded at: http://www.sabaweb.nl/New%20SEF%20Board.pdf

Saba Reach Foundation (SRF) held its third annual Art in the Garden event on Saturday, September 13th at the Social Workplace Organoponics Garden in The Level. Consistent with the previous two Art in the Garden occasions, the event was organized in collaboration with local artist Heleen Cornet and several volunteering …

The Police reports that on Saturday, September 13th a fatal accident took place around 2:15 PM on Saba. The 80-year-old driver of a pickup supposedly became unwell and thus lost control of the steering wheel causing the vehicle to end up in the ravine. Despite that the firefighters acted swiftly, the victim sadly …

The Daily Herald writes that the fiveday United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) series of workshops focused on preserving Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) concluded Friday, September 12, at Divi Little Bay Beach Resort after a series of lectures, discussions and fieldtrips. The project concerned, currently being implemented, is …

The Daily Herald writes that St. Maarten-based Windward Islands Civil Servants Union/Private Sector Union (WICSU/PSU) has renewed its Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) with Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. This is the second CLA the union has with the three islands. The three-year CLA, signed about a week ago, covers most …

With the signing of the contract for the civil works for the new recycling facility at the landfill, Saba is one step closer to introducing island wide recycling. This writes The Daily Herald. The contract to build the facility was signed by Commissioner of Public Works, Bruce Zagers and a …

Press Release by Chamber of Commerce Date:     Sept 8th 2014 Strategic Conference opened in St. Eustatius On Monday morning a two day strategic conference was opened by Mr. Koos Sneek, the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce St. Eustatius & Saba. The conference, which is held in the CNSI building, was a …

Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Henk Kamp’s decision to hold off on researching the potential of geothermic energy on Saba for now has resulted in written questions by the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament. Second Chamber Members Roelof van Laar of the Labour Party PvdA and André Bosman of …

The Daily Herald writes that the Executive Council of Saba is working on a framework policy on how the Public Entity will deal with prescriptive rights of landowners on Saba. In order to develop the framework with a proper legal structure, lawyers from the law firm VanEpsKunneman-Doorn have been retained …

Frans Timmermans in an official portrait. Photo: foreign ministry website Dutch foreign minister Frans Timmermans is to be the new ‘right hand man’ to EU president Jean-Claude Juncker. Presenting his new line up on Wednesday, Juncker said Timmermans will be the ‘first vice president’ – out of a group of …

The Daily Herald reveals that researching the potential of geothermic energy in Saba, which would especially benefit St. Maarten consumers, is currently not a priority of Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Henk Kamp. Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk stated this in his response to the …

A two day strategic conference was opened by Koos Sneek, the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for St. Eustatius and Saba, on Monday, writes The Daily Herald. The conference, which is held in the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute (CNSI) building, is a combined effort of the Chamber of Commerce …

A five-day regional United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) series of workshops focused on preserving cultural heritage commenced at Divi Little Bay Beach Resort yesterday, September 8. The project is called “Strengthening the capacities of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, Saba and Suriname to implement the …

The Daily Herald reports that the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT is concerned about the cash position of the Saba government, which has dwindled by almost US $1 million in the second quarter of 2014. In a letter dated September 2, CFT Chairman Age Bakker informed Saba Island Governor Jonathan …

The Saba Reach Foundation (SRF) has completed its first term of accredited language courses in collaboration with the University of the Dutch Caribbean (UDC) located on Curaçao. This writes The Daily Herald. The English as a Second Language (ESL), Dutch and Spanish courses were developed and offered in line with …

The Daily Herald writes that the rotational detachment of the Netherlands Royal Marines based on St. Maarten made a training trip to Saba. On Monday, they arrived on their Fast Raiding Intervention Special Craft (Frisc) from St. Maarten, having first visited St. Eustatius where they remained for the day, conducting …

The Daily Herald writes that an international effort by the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture UNESCO hosted on St. Maarten in May called “Capacity Building Meetings on Heritage Conservation in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS),” resulted in the “Philipsburg Declaration and Action Plan,” which outlines the …

As of July 1st, 2014 the Regulation Safety Seagoing Vessels (Regeling Veiligheid  Zeeschepen (RVZ)) has been amended. The requirements for the commercially used  vessels registered in the Caribbean Netherlands, have been modernized and adapted to  the international developments in the Caribbean Trading Area (CTA). The RVZ only contains the requirements …

The Daily Herald writes that following a month-long intensive training session the Dutch Caribbean Council of Education and Labour Market (Raad Onderwijs Arbeidsmarkt Caribisch Nederland-ROA CN) recognised this week a large group of job trainers, who will consolidate the vocational education effort on the island. Saba’s ROC CN advisor and …

Gilbert Isabella started in his new position of National Representative for the public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba,  (the Caribbean Netherlands), on Monday, September 1. He announced to start a spelling check for Papiament and the support of the world-wide use of that language. An initiative that was very much appreciated. …

Press release  Date: Sept 3rd 2014  Following the Trade Conference in St. Maarten, held in May this year, a strategic conference will be held on St Eustatius on September 8-9th. The conference is a joint initiative of the Statia and Saba Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Executive Councils …

The Netherlands has failed to improve its position on the World Economic Forum’s list of the world’s most competitive economies after falling from fifth to eighth place last year. The Netherlands has failed to improve its position on the World Economic Forum’s list of the world’s most competitive economies after …

The Daily Herald writes that a press meeting was held on St. Eustatius on Monday to inform the public about the increase of mosquito-borne infections Dengue and Chikungunya on the island. Island Governor Berkel, Dr. Sharda Baboe and Director of Health Carol Jack-Roosberg were present at the briefing to inform …

Per September 1 he exchanged his job as director of National Service Caribbean Netherlands RCN for a new challenge, writes The Daily Herald. After five years Sybren Van Dam’s term in office is over, one year longer than initially intended. Jan Helmon, until recently Secretary of the Public Body St. …

On Monday September 1st Jan Helmond started in his new position of secretary to the Kingdom Representative/director of RCN/Central. “I expect in my dual function to contribute to the necessary improvement of the service level and the development of the islands in relation to the Multi annual Development Plan.” He …

The Daily Herald writes that Public Prosecutors in charge of youth affairs from St. Maarten, Curaçao, Bonaire and St. Eustatius and Saba (BES) met on Thursday and Friday in Willemstad. The meeting was coordinated and hosted by the Attorney-General, and was an initiative of the Prosecutor’s Office St. Maarten. The …

The Sint Maarten Newsnetwork reports that the United Peoples Party got a resounding amount of votes from the voting population on Friday. The massive campaign paid off for the UPP but UPP will not be part of the next government as coalition talks just started with the National Alliance (NA), …

Agreement reached The unions reached an agreement with the RCN director, Mr. Sybren van Dam, concerning the labour conditions 2013-2014. This result was reached after a year and a half of intense negotiations and its duration is from January 1st up and till December 31st, 2014. In principal the agreements …