1-News – offline

Consumer prices rose faster year on year on Saba and Bonaire in the third quarter of 2026, while inflation eased on St Eustatius, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Year-on-year inflation CBS bases its figures on the consumer price index for the Caribbean Netherlands. Saba: Inflation stood at 5.2 percent, up …

Public Entity Saba has taken note of RBC Royal Bank’s announcement that it will permanently close its physical branch on Saba in January 2027. While the eventual departure of RBC was not entirely unexpected given the ongoing developments of its own operations and surrounding the intended arrival of ING, the …

RBC Royal Bank has announced that its branch and ATM on Saba will permanently close on January 27, 2027, following what the bank describes as “careful consideration.” The bank acknowledges that the decision will require adjustment from its Saba clients and says it is committed to supporting them throughout the …

An island-wide power outage affected Saba on Tues­day afternoon, plunging of­fices, stores and restaurants into darkness for more than four hours. Residents reported that elec­tricity first went off around 1:15pm. The lights came back on several times over the next hour, but only for a few min­utes before going dark …

From September 14th to October 2nd, the Netherlands Armed Forces in the Caribbean will be conducting their annual hurricane emergency response exercise on the Windward Islands. The exercise takes place on Sint Maarten and Saba and is known as “Calm Horizon”. The purpose is to deploy troops quickly and effectively …

The management of Sacred Heart School on Saba is no longer under intensified supervision by the Ministry of Education and Emancipation. This was announced by State Secretary Judith Tielen. In 2024, intervention was decided upon after the Education Inspectorate reported structural mismanagement: the management had for a long time fallen …

On March 30, 2026, Public Entity Saba and Public Entity St. Eustatius signed a Public Service Obligation (PSO) agreement with Makana Ferry Service, marking an important step toward improving reliable and affordable connections between the islands. This agreement reflects the continued collaboration between Saba and St. Eustatius in addressing shared …

The islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba face significant economic and social pressures due to rapid population growth from migration and an aging population. To address these challenges, the Dutch government and local authorities must make decisive policy choices, focusing on overdue infrastructure maintenance, a reliable energy and fuel …

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment will adjust the amounts for minimum wage, child benefit, and social security benefits on Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba as of 1 January 2025, based on 2025 inflation figures. The statutory minimum wage will be indexed across all three islands. For Bonaire, it …

The growing impact of migration and population ageing on the islands of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba poses significant challenges for the local economy and overall prosperity. To address these developments, both the central government and the local authorities will need to make tough choices in the coming years. Key …