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PRESS RELEASE OF MAY 16TH, 2014 – NATIONAL COMMITTEE BICENTENIAL KINGDOM YOUNGSTERS FROM ALL OVER IN THE KINGDOM IN DEBATE IN SINT MAARTEN   For the first time in the 200 years of existence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, there will be a Kingdom Youth Parliament. This is organized …

Caribisch Netwerk reports on the Consultation meeting on the Dutch Caribbean in the Second Chamber yesterday. ” What will be the business model for Bonaire , Saba and St. Eustatius ? How can people there earn their money ? And : who is responsible for a good future of these …

For the first time in the 200 years of existence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, there will be a Kingdom Youth Parliament. This is organized in honor of the celebration of 200 years of Kingdom. The celebration will take place in Sint Maarten on May 20th to May 22nd. …

The Daily Herald announces that Parliament’s Permanent Committee of Kingdom Affairs and Inter-Parliamentary Relations will meet on Friday at parliament house starting at 10:00am. The first agenda point for the public session is an invitation received by Parliament to attend the 18th Trade Mission, themed “Connecting Sustainable Business from the …

With an eye on the joint-venture agreement between the hospitals of St. Maarten and Saba, St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) recently donated an equipment sterilizer machine to Saba Health Care Foundation (SHCF). SMMC recently upgraded another much larger sterilizer to be able to handle a larger quantity of medical equipment, making the one donated …

The Daily Herald writes that Winair has announced the ending of its service to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic as of May 31 and Willemstad, Curaçao as of May 15, due to disappointing financial revenues on these services. The airline will defer flights to these destinations until they are more viable …

In small intimate ceremony, nurses of the Saba Health Care Foundation celebrated Nurses’ Week and honored Head Nurse Naomi Wilson, at the hospital. At the well-attended ceremony was the Commissioner of Health Bruce Zagers; Director of SHCF, Dr. Joka Blaauboer and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the SHCF, Mr. …

Island Secretary for the Public Entity Saba, Menno van der Velde will be leaving his current post to take up another position within the organization as the Senior Policy Advisor to the Executive Council. Mr. van der Velde has been Island Secretary for the past 10 years. The senior policy …

The Daily Herald writes that some ten persons attended the information session at the police station in Windwardside, Saba. Eighteen persons attended a similar information session on Statia, while on Bonaire approximately 100 persons attended. The Police is presently campaigning for candidates to register for the two-year training for aspiring …

Nineteen researchers of renowned Dutch institutions will engage in nine new research projects in the Dutch Caribbean in the areas of biodiversity, geology and society. This writes The Daily Herald. The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science OCW is making 12.5 million euros available for this large, multi-disciplinary programme …

In a comment The Daily Herald writes that news of a large research programme for the Dutch Caribbean (see related article) is most welcome. Scientific study is something of which the islands certainly could use a bit more, also to help decision-makers set policy in a more knowledgeable and therefore …

The Daily Herald writes that the Saba Reach Foundation (SRF) Director La-Toya Charles and Organoponics agricultural programme foreman Otto Manuel Andéres Ramos said the former Foundation Social Workplace Saba has undergone more than just a name and image change, and has professionalized its community service programme. However, SRF remained faithful …

Representatives of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, St. Maarten Nature Foundation and the Saba Bank Management Unit attended a regional meeting concerning the management of Marine Mammals, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, recently, reports The Daily Herald. The Eastern Caribbean island chain, which includes St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius, …

The Daily Herald writes that the Dutch Inspection of Education is generally positive about the improvements that have been made in primary education on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, but is concerned about lack of progress in some areas. The Inspection stated in the report The State of Education over …

The Daily Herald writes that the road leading to the Old Age Home in The Bottom is currently being resurfaced. The work on Oranjestraat is being executed by the Department of Public Works and is being financed through the Island Government’s budget. Commissioner of Public Works Bruce Zagers stated that …

Contractors were brought up to date on tender bid information concerning the contract “Designing and Implementing the renovation of Caribbean Netherlands Airports” for the Juancho Yrausquin International Airport last week Thursday. A formal meeting to inform the contractors on the terms of reference was held by the relevant organizations. The …

The Daily Herald reports that Saba University School of Medicine (SUSOM)’s White Coat Ceremony for the entering class of Summer 2014 and the induction of a select group of fifth semester medical students into the Alpha Omega Phi Honour and Service Society were held Friday evening in the New Building …

As member of the Executive Council, Commissioner Bruce Zagers said he had accepted the invitation of students of Saba Comprehensive School to come to the school on Friday and listen to their grievances. This writes The Daily Herald. The students are concerned about the dismissal of Principal Hemmie van Xanten …

Dutch News reports that it is not illegal in the Netherlands to take a self portrait photograph in a voting booth, a court in The Hague said last Friday. The craze for taking ‘stemfies’ (vote selfies) took hold at the local elections in March and was actively encouraged by several …

St. Martin News Network reports that Saba will likely end the year 2013 with a budget surplus, which will be added to its reserves. These reserves contribute to the improvement of the resistance capital of Saba. The reserves are for instance needed for unforeseen events and natural disasters. The budget …

The Caribbisch Netwerk reports that Saba would like to decide themselves how the Dutch funds for nature and agriculture will be used. According to Commissioner Chris Johnson, the negotiations with The Netherlands concerning the agricultural projects are experiencing delays because the Ministry of Economic Affairs distinguishes between nature and agriculture. …

We’re almost there! From May 19-22 Kingdom Youth Parliament will meet on St. Maarten. Princess Beatrix will open the meeting where fifty young people will debate about topics that have something to do with our Kingdom. There are five teams of ten young people. The teams come from The Netherlands, …

Sometimes you just got to stand up for what is right and take a stand! Wake up Saba; inquire what is happening at the Saba Comprehensive School and why 25% of the teaching staff plus the Director have not had their contracts renewed by the current school board for the …

Organised by Living Water Community, youth will be holding a fundraising bingo for a follow-up, week long summer trip in July to Living Water Community on Barbados and the sister community on Trinidad. About this writes The Daily Herald.  This first fundraiser takes place with a food sale and bingo …

The Daily Herald writes that concerned parents protesting Saba Comprehensive School (SCS) board’s decision to fire the principal and a quarter of teachers are angered by the lack of answers from any officials. Parents showed up at school at the appointed time on Friday morning, only to see Island Governor …

Saba Comprehensive School (SCS) students protested Friday morning the school board’s decision not to renew the contracts of a quarter of all teachers and the principal’s contract in the midst of ongoing Caribbean Examinations Council CXC exams. This writes The Daily Herald. SCS form-four student Veronic Alvarez Londoño said students …

Mr H.J.E. Hambeukers will be  Chief officer of Justice on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. The National Council of Ministers has decided to nominate him on the proposal of Minister of Security and Justice. The appointment takes effect on July 1, 2014. Mr. Hambeukers is prosecutor at the Office of …

The Daily Herald writes that Saba will likely end the year 2013 with a budget surplus, which will be added to its reserves. These reserves contribute to the improvement of the resistance capital of Saba. The reserves are for instance needed for unforeseen events and natural disasters. The budget for …

The Daily herald writes that there is limited support in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament for the proposal of the First Chamber to establish an Electoral College (Kiescollege) for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. The Socialist Party (SP), the Christian Democratic Party CDA and the Democratic Party D66 …

The Daily Herald writes that Dutch State Secretary of Health, Welfare and Sports Martin van Rijn will adopt the recommendations in the report from the Inspectorate of Youth Care to improve the youth care in the Caribbean Netherlands even further. In the coming years, he is determined to work in …

The Daily Herald writes that former Governor of Curaçao and the Netherlands Antilles Frits Goedgedrag, former President of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Gerdi Verbeet and former Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Laurens Jan Brinkhorst will help to select a new National Government Representative for Bonaire, St. Eustatius …

Some parties in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament are questioning the law proposal of the Dutch Government to take away the voting rights of foreign citizens of the Dutch public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, writes The Daily Herald. Representatives of the Socialist Party (SP), the Labour …

The Executive Council of the Public Entity of Saba met with Members of the CFT board and their delegation on Monday May 5th, to discuss the financial management of the island. Present for the Public Entity were Island Governor Jonathan Johnson; Commissioner of Finance, Bruce Zagers; Island Secretary Menno van …

Saba Government Information Service Saba April 25, 2014 Workshop on results “What is Saba’s Nature Worth?” and start of the Nature Policy Plan for Saba. “Maintaining the healthy natural environment of Saba is very important for our future economic prosperity,” these were the opening words of Commissioner of Economic Affairs, …

The Labour disputes Law 1946 BES, which on 10-10-10 replaced the “old” Netherlands Antilles federal decree, knows the function mediator. This function has so far not been filled. In agreement with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, The Kingdom Representative has now appointed of a mediator. For the work …

The Daily Herald writes that Dutch author and researcher Jos Rozenburg has discovered the names of 37 more people of Dutch Caribbean origin who got killed during World War II. One of those victims was Saba-born Thelma Esther Polak, who died in Nazi concentration camp Sobibor. War monuments in the …

Island Council Holds First Meeting For 2014 The Bottom/SABA-The Island Council of Saba unanimously approved the dividend policy for electricity provider Saba Electric Company N.V.  on Wednesday April 30. Present at the meeting which began at 9:00am was Island Council Members Rolando Wilson, Carl Buncamper, Eviton Heyliger and Ishmael Levenstone. …

The head of the Caribbean Public Health Authority (CARPHA), Dr James Hospedales, has declared the Chikungunya virus has reached epidemic proportions in the Caribbean. “By definition this is an epidemic since it represents an unusual number of cases of this problem where we would never have it before,” Dr Hospedales …

 In 2011 the average price level on Bonaire was nearly 15 percent higher than in Curacao. On Aruba consumer products are about as expensive as in Bonaire. St. Maarten is almost 2 percent more expensive than  Bonaire. This is evident from the 2011 International Comparison Program (ICP) published on April …