The site BES-Reporter wrote that PEP party leader and Island Council member Saskia Matthew has issued an official statement explaining her absence from the Saba Island Council’s Central Committee meetings on May 20 and 21, while sharply criticizing what she describes as procedural violations and a lack of democratic engagement …
Read More »Harmful tick species discovered on iguanas in St.Maarten, Saba, Statia
A recent scientific discovery has raised new concerns for biodiversity and public health in the Dutch Caribbean. Researchers Matthijs P. van den Burg (Burg Biologica) and Adolphe 0. Debrot (Wageningen University) have identified the soft-bodied tick Ornithodoros puertoricensis on iguanas across St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius, the first time …
Read More »Childcare Quality on Saba Continues to Improve Step by Step
The quality of childcare services on Saba and across the Caribbean Netherlands is steadily improving. This is the conclusion of the Dutch Inspectorate of Education following its third round of inspections in 2024. Most childcare locations on Saba are making clear progress, ensuring children are cared for in safe, healthy …
Read More »Greater Role for Private Sector to Boost Self-Reliance in the Caribbean Parts of the Kingdom
The Dutch government is adopting a new approach to strengthen economic self-reliance across the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. Local entrepreneurship will take center stage, supported by both public and private investment. The first application of this strategy will be the €24 million previously allocated by the Cabinet to improve …
Read More »Historic First for Saba: Island Welcomes First Female Fire Department Shift Leaders
Saba is celebrating a major milestone in its fire service history: the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department (BKCN) has trained and certified the island’s first-ever female shift leaders. These two trailblazing women are among ten new shift leaders prepared to take charge during emergencies across Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba. The …
Read More »BES population increased by nearly 1,600 last year
The population of the Caribbean Netherlands stood at nearly 32,000 at the beginning of this year, an increase of five percent or 1,583 people compared to the previous year, according to figures from the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS). Most of the increase was attributed to Bonaire, the largest …
Read More »Dutch Parliament strongly backs BSN rollout in Caribbean Neths.
The rollout of the Citizen Service Number BSN in the Caribbean Netherlands has received broad support from the Dutch House of Representatives, following assurances regarding data security and a multilingual public information campaign. State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Ferenc Zsolt Szabo responded positively to a motion calling for additional support …
Read More »Greater role of business community for self-sufficiency Caribbean parts of Kingdom
The business community is being given a greater role in the cooperation with the Caribbean islands and countries in the Kingdom. Local entrepreneurship is encouraged by combining money from the Central Government and local private parties. This new approach is now the first to be deployed with the 24 million …
Read More »PES attends Zero Waste Seminar
Last week, Commissioner Bruce Zagers attended the second edition of the Zero Waste Seminar in St. Barthelemy. The event was part of the INTERREG Zero Waste in the Caribbean program, initiated by SYVADE. The INTERREG program is an initiative funded by the European Union, to promote sustainable waste management and …
Read More »Emergency police assistance no longer guaranteed 24/7
The Council for Law Enforcement today publishes its State of Law Enforcement in the Caribbean Netherlands 2024. While the Council acknowledges the hard work and progress of various justice chain partners—particularly the Dutch Probation Service and the efforts of the Board of Chiefs of Police to improve inter-island cooperation—it issues …
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