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News

Fire Department Commanders discuss developments with Saba Government

Interim General Commander of the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department (BKCN) Albert Gieling and Chief of the Fire Department on Saba Julio Every met with Island Governor Jonathan Johnson and representatives of the Public Entity Saba on Friday, November 15 to discuss a number of developments. The agenda of the periodic …

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Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Management Update

Since 2014, a new coral disease has been spreading through the reefs of the Caribbean. Known as Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), this disease appears to be fast spreading and extremely lethal to the corals that are susceptible to it.  In August a meeting was organized by MPA Connect …

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TEACHING ON SABA EXPLAINED IN SIX PARADOXES

For the past 7 years teacher Rhiannon Jorna has been a high school teacher on Saba. She writes about her life and work in her blog “Island Stories”. In a recent post she explains the complexities of education on this intricate island in six paradoxes without it being a tedious …

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PCN: premiums unchanged and modest indexation per 1/1/2020

Pensioenfonds Caribisch Nederland (PCN) keeps the premium for 2020 at the same level as in previous years, namely at 22% of income. In addition, during their meeting last week, the PCN board decided to grant an indexation of three-quarters (0.75) percent per January 1, 2020. Although the indexation of less …

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Children’s week 2019 November 18-23

On the 20th of November 2019, marks the 30th anniversary of the Children’s Rights Convention. The implementation of this convention has helped improved the lives of children all over the world, including Saba! In order to celebrate this special day, we have worked hard to put together our 4th annual Children’s Week. During this …

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US Ambassador Pete Hoekstra visits Saba

United States Ambassador to the Netherlands Mr. Pete Hoekstra visited Saba on Thursday, November 14. He met with local authorities, climbed Mt. Scenery, the highest point in the Dutch Kingdom, and went to the landfill to be informed about the successful recycling project. The Ambassador was very positive about his …

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47 applications filed with Schadefonds CN

Since April 1st, 2019, victims of violent crime on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba are eligible for a one-off compensation payment from the Schadefonds Geweldsmisdrijven (Violent Crimes Compensation Fund). Since the introduction of the fund in the Caribbean Netherlands, 47 applications have been submitted. Applications that meet the conditions and …

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Island Council reluctantly approves skeletal budget 2020-2023

The Island Council on Wednesday, November 13 adopted the 2020-2023 budget of the Public Entity Saba, but not without the members sharing their great concerns about the lack of structural funding from the Dutch Government and after hearing the urgent message of Finance Commissioner Bruce Zagers. Zagers explained in his …

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Certificates administrative law enforcement course presented

On Wednesday, November 13, Island Governor Jonathan Johnson  handed out certificates to the participants of the first administrative law enforcement course on Saba. Police officers of the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force (KPCN), military police workers of the Royal Marechaussee who also work in basic police care on Saba, and civil …

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Commissioner Wilson meets with sports stakeholders

Stakeholders in the sports sector recently had a meeting to discuss the further developing of sports on Saba and to share ideas on how to enhance the sports structure and related activities on the island. In attendance were Commissioner of Sports Rolando Wilson, Sports Coordinator of the Public Entity Saba …

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Think tank single-use plastics ban has introductory meeting

The think tank to ban single-use plastics on Saba in 2020 had its introductory meeting last week Thursday, November 7. Different stakeholders attended the meeting, including representatives of the business sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Public Entity Saba and local residents. Participants at the meeting discussed the parts that they …

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Sustainable finance project to help Saba Conservation Foundation

This week the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and World Wide Fund for Nature The Netherlands (WWF-NL) join forces with Wolfs Company to assist the Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF), St. Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA) and the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten (NFSXM) with strengthening their ability to achieve sustainable financing of …

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Positive US media exposure about destination Saba

Saba has been able to generate much exposure in the United States tourism market through a large number of articles that were published online and in the print media in the past few years. This has been achieved in large part through the efforts of D&D PR, the firm that …

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Minimum wages and benefits increase as of January 1st, 2020

Income in the Caribbean Netherlands continues to rise as of January 1st, 2020. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment raises the minimum wage on Bonaire by 6.2%, on Saba by 5.3% and on St. Eustatius by 2.7%. Inflation is included in this. The amounts of the various benefits will …

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Second Chamber support for Saba Island Council protest

Members of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament are supportive of Thursday’s action by Saba’s Island Council to stage a walkout in protest of the lack of structural funding by the Dutch government. Member of the Second Chamber Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) immediately submitted written …

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Mark Zagers is SEC’s second director

Mark Zagers has been appointed managing director of Saba Electric Company SEC N.V. SEC’s Supervisory Board of Directors decided to appoint Zagers in order to strengthen the company’s managing board with a second director. Together with now President Director Charles Dexter Johnson, Zagers will make up SEC’s Managing Board of …

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Fire Department Caribbean Netherlands (BKCN) organized an open day

On Wednesday, November 6th, 2019 the Fire Department Caribbean Netherlands (BKCN) organized an open day on Saba. This in context of the recruitment of new staff. During this open day BKCN also provided information on fire prevention to the residents of the island. This year, the brigade purchased new equipment …

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Walk-out Island Council to protest lack of structural funds

The Island Council decided during its meeting on Thursday, November 7, to give off a clear signal to the outside world that the fragile financial situation of the Public Entity Saba caused by the continued lack of structural funding by the Dutch Government is unacceptable. The Island Council Members walked …

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Saba hosts BES(t) 4 Kids meeting with islands, ministries

Representatives of the Public Entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, and of the Ministries of Social Affairs and Labor (SZW), Public Health, Wellbeing and Sports (VWS), Education, Culture and Science (OCW) and Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations (BZK) had a three-day meeting on Saba from Monday, November 4 to Wednesday, …

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GROWING PRESENCE COURT HOUSE ON SABA

In the near future, Sabans will no longer have to make the trip to St. Maarten to file petitions or pay their court fees at the Court House in Philipsburg. Per October 1, 2019, the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten and of Bonaire, St. Eustatius …

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New MBO training must reduce scarcity of IT specialists

On Thursday, October 31st , a meeting took place on Bonaire with governments and the business community about an MBO ICT training that will start in 2020, in order to reduce the scarcity of IT specialists in the Caribbean Netherlands. Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland is working with MBO-Bonaire to start the …

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310 tonnes scrap metal removed from Saba – updated photos

Cadwell Inc., the United States-based compa­ny that has been contracted by the public entity Saba to remove all recyclables from the island, has already taken 310 tonnes of scrap metal off the island. “This is a fine example of cooperation between pri­vate American companies, local contractors in Saba, and the …

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British Honorary Consul for St. Maarten, Saba, and Statia

The British Embassy in The Hague has appointed G.R. “Rik” Bergman to act as British Honorary Consul for St. Maarten with additional ju­risdiction for St. Eustatius and Saba. Bergman’s primary role will be to provide consular assistance to British na­tionals in the Windward Islands, but he will also be an …

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Illegal immigrants rescued by the Coast Guard

On Wednesday afternoon the Dash 8 detected a sailboat with a group of persons on board of a vessel waving frantically. The Rescue and Coordination Center (RCC) immediately dispatched the Coast Guard cutter Poema to the sailboat to assist. MRCC Fort de France (FDF) in Martinique was also informed. Onboard …

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The path to Coral Recovery: Scientific Foundations and Practical Lessons

During the 2019 edition of the DCNA Convention on Bonaire, biologists from local protected area management organizations including Aruba National Park Foundation, STINAPA Bonaire, Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire, CARMABI Curaçao, Saba Conservation Foundation, Sint Maarten Nature Foundation, STENAPA and CNSI of Sint Eustatius will be united on October 28th for …

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Death and funeral announcement of ISHMAEL LEVENSTON

“I have been there for you all my life.” It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of ISHMAEL MATHEW AMEAL LEVENSTON Affectionally known as “Ezzy or Ishi.” Sunrise: July 23, 1940. Sunset: October 19, 2019   He leaves to mourn his: Beloved children: Dave Levenstone & family …

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Public Meeting Island Council, November 7

PUBLIC NOTICE The Island Governor of the Public Entity Saba hereby invites you to attend a Public Island Council meeting on Thursday November 7th, 2019 at 2:00 pm at the Government Administration Building. The agenda is as follows: 1.      Opening and announcements 2.      Approval of the …

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New waste bins arrive in Saba

Recently a supply of new garbage bins arrived on Saba. In the coming weeks, the Public Works Department will make an inventory on the island and relocate existing bins or place new bins where needed. Thee same color system applies for the new bins: orange for recyclables (glass, plastic, tin …

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Ishmael Levenston passes away age 79

Former Member of the Island Council of Saba Ishmael Matthew Ameal Levenston passed away at Henry Every Senior Citizens Home in The Bottom at the age of 79. His son Dave Levenstone announced his father’s death on Saturday. Levenston entered Saba politics in 1975, following in the footsteps of his …

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One-third of electricity renewable on Caribbean islands

In 2018, the Caribbean Netherlands produced 136 million kWh of electricity. Of this amount, 45.1 million kWh came from renewable sources, equivalent to 33 percent of total electricity production. Production levels on the three islands were just as high as in 2017, but a larger part has been produced sustainably. …

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First cases completed by the Medical Disciplinary Court Dutch Caribbean

The Medical Disciplinary Court Dutch Caribbean (Medisch Tuchtcollege Caribisch Nederland – MTCN) completed its first cases this week. It concerned three disciplinary complaints against two doctors and one dentist. One of the complaints was partially declared justified and a warning was issued. The other two complaints were declared unfounded. Every …

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