In its new State of Law Enforcement in the Caribbean Netherlands 2025, the Council for Law Enforcement warns that law enforcement on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba remains structurally vulnerable and, without substantial reinforcement, is not future-proof. According to the Council, capacity, border control, information exchange, detention, forensic care and …

How does a bank send out “URGENT ACTION REQUIRED” emails threatening loss of access to accounts within 45 days if no compliance is completed, while at the same time temporarily closing the only branch on the island? Residents are being instructed to visit an RBC branch, contact their “relationship manager” …

Scenery Hotel Saba has taken a further step toward sustain­able operations with the commissioning of a new grid-tied solar energy sys­tem, aimed at reducing the property’s carbon footprint while maintaining its archi­tectural character. The installation was car­ried out by energy solutions provider Dynaf Group, which operates across sev­eral islands in …

On May 18th, 2026, the Harry L. Johnson Museum in Saba proudly celebrated International Museum Day for the very first time with a meaningful and heartwarming cultural event that brought generations together in the spirit of unity, heritage, and storytelling. The event was initiated and organized by Pamela Meijvogel-Whitfield of …

No strategic reserves of (drinking) water, food, medicines, or fuel have been established for the in­habitants of Bonaire, St. Eu­statius and Saba. Despite the vulnerability of the Carib­bean Netherlands to natural threats, such as hurricanes or volcanic eruptions, and the tense situation in Venezuela, located less than 70 kilome­tres from …

The Dutch government intends to stim­ulate agriculture in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (so-called BES islands) with fis­cal benefits. These are part of a larger package of mea­sures to modernise the tax system. State Secretary for Finance Eelco Eerenberg sent his proposal for a leg­islative amendment to the House of …

A Dutch delegation of fire service ad crisis manage­ment experts visited Saba this week for consultations with lo­cal stakeholders on the further development of fire services and emergency preparedness on the island. The mission fo­cused on strengthening the organisation of the fire service and developing a future-proof coverage plan. Working …

Yesterday, Prime Minister Rob Jetten arrived on Saba, and was welcomed by Island Governor Jonathan Johnson and Island Secretary Bram Streppel. Prime Minister Jetten met with the Executive Council to discuss a range of important topics including the high cost of living, connectivity challenges, and tourism development. The urgent need …

Customers of RBC Royal Bank on Saba have reported ongoing issues with bank transfers to accounts at other financial institutions, raising concerns among residents and businesses on the island. According to multiple customers who contacted BES-Reporter, funds transferred from RBC accounts are being deducted but are not consistently reaching their intended destination …

On the morning of Monday, April 27th, around 6:30am, a group of thirty (30) senior citizens from Life Center’s seniors came to the island on a boat trip to St. Eusta­tius. The seniors arrived on the island on board the MV Makana Ferry Ser­vice. The group left Saba around 5:00am …