Winair — the only com­mercial airline with daily flights to Saba — stopped transporting bulk cargo to the surrounding islands at the beginning of this month, limiting shipments to “speed mail” of 20 kilo­grammes, or 44 pounds, per flight. This causes severe delays in transporting cargo and significantly increases costs for the residents.

Mr. Peter van Haasen, Member of the Second Chamber for the Party for Freedom (PVV) – spokesperson “Kingdom Relations” reacted:

Saba is the most isolated part of the Netherlands. This Caribbean volcanic island, formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles, has been a ‘special’ municipality of the Netherlands since 10-10-10. It is part of the Windward Islands and is only accessible via Sint Maarten, either by ferry or by plane. Saba also has the shortest commercial runway in the world.

Before 10-10-10, Saba and Sint Maarten were both part of the Netherlands Antilles, but after Sint Maarten gained autonomy in 2010, increasing unforeseen problems arose regarding the connectivity of Saba and Sint Eustatius (Statia). Flights and transport that were previously domestic suddenly became international. This led to huge price increases on both Saba and Statia, affecting both the cost of living and passenger transport. Since both islands are dependent on healthcare services in Sint Maarten, a hospital visit there now costs about 300 dollars for a return flight.

The approximately 5,000 inhabitants of both islands are caught in the grip of Winair, the airline that holds a monopoly on the short fifteen-minute flight route. Winair has now also stopped transporting cargo and only carries urgent parcels, with a maximum weight of 20 kilograms. These islands lie in the so-called ‘hurricane belt’ and are regularly inaccessible by ship. Additionally, Saba’s harbor often becomes unusable after a storm or hurricane.

Winair has halted cargo transportation because it wants to qualify for a special IOSA certification. The De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters, the aircraft Winair uses for flights to Saba and Statia, do not meet the requirements for IOSA certification. Winair is pursuing this certification for their other Caribbean routes, where they operate with larger aircraft.
Sint Maarten and the Dutch government are co-owners of Winair and are therefore responsible for this policy. This policy effectively cuts off around 5,000 Caribbean Dutch citizens from the outside world. I will consult with my colleague, who holds the aviation portfolio, to discuss what steps we can take to reduce the isolation of the people of Saba and Statia.

Mr. Peter van Haasen