Saba News News and Information from Saba Island, Dutch Caribbean
Marijke Geelhoed approved the publishing of her last column on the site DossierKoninkrijksRelaties before leaving Saba for Bonaire.
Anyone following the news knows that education on Saba is in dire straits—an understatement, to say the least. As yet another group of professionals investigates recent years’ events, more skeletons tumble out of closets. The revelations are disheartening. Facts are laid bare, opinions are shared—sometimes muddled together—creating an atmosphere of confusion and frustration. What remains undeniable is that one group bears the brunt of it all: the students.
In the year and a half, I’ve had the privilege of living and working here, I had hoped to witness tangible improvements for the students. Sadly, that hope was in vain. In the schools, teachers give their all, working tirelessly in challenging circumstances. Yet, it feels like bailing water with the tap left running. Reports and studies repeatedly point out that the root of the problem is not (just) the teachers but systemic mismanagement.
Organizations come and go, each conducting investigations and assessments. The amount spent on flights to Saba alone is staggering, yet the results remain elusive. It’s both incomprehensible and unacceptable. Who will take charge? Who will understand that education reform cannot be a long, drawn-out process? Every year of delay translates to another year of lost student potential.
Now, to the title of this column. Every morning, as the gardener comes by to trim the trees and pull weeds, his song echoes through the air: “Saba, I really, really love you.” This gardener, who also happens to be a taxi driver and singer-songwriter, has written a tune that begins with these heartfelt lyrics. It’s a song every Sabian knows by heart. All it takes is someone to sing, “Saba…” and the refrain follows almost instinctively.
It is with a heavy heart that I share that this will be my final column. My family and I have made the difficult decision to leave this beautiful island. Life sometimes takes unexpected turns, compelling us to choose a new path. Leaving is bittersweet. This place, its people, and that iconic song will remain close to our hearts. I imagine that, even in our new home, the song will often play in our living room, and we’ll sing along at the top of our lungs.
Goodbye, Saba. I really, really love you.
Marijke Geelhoed
The Commissioners of Saba Bruce Zagers and Eviton Heyliger and their dis-graceful lack of leadership, they cannot even handle a simple porfolio such as Education. The Education system on the island of Saba Dutch Caribbean Is a total mess.
The Government pays in a whole Lot of money to do research and all kinds of studies, paying expensive plane tickets to different organizations but nothing Is done for the students and the quality of Education does not improve. We have Bruce Zagers elected due to nepotism serving as commissioner in the same position for more than 15 years and he still cannot serve Saba right, he still has not learned his job and cannot even do it properly but yes he Is willing to go him with a pay-cheque as fat as he is at the end of the day; and to lead his partner Eviton Heyliger in the same ditch, two blind captains Steering Saba to sink.
There is no visible or concrete improvement of the School system in the last 15 years on Saba. Teachers they are willing to work hard but they are not given all the necessary tools and resources and support from commissioners Bruce Zagers and Eviton Heyliger! This indicates that there is no proper management and oversite by Bruce Zagers and Eviton Heyliger, I think they are the ones who we need to keep in check! The State of the Schools shows the commissioners incompetence at the highest level! Instead of looking for Solutions they are busy drinking up the money they are steeling from the Saba Government coffers. Their unreasonable ego Is more important to them than actually caring for the Saba students and all people living on the island Saba. This Is a testimony to see their deceit and unfairness in their conceited failed leadership.
I stand confidently me: Cristian Hassell Feliciano as a witness to this. While attending college in the United States in Nashville, Tennessee as the First Saba student ever to attend David Lipscomb University: I completed my First year of college 2007 to 2008. The then Commissioner in 2007 Distinguished and Honorable Commissioner Lisa Hassell (1999-2007) helped me get a Scholarship from the Netherlands Antilles Government.
While I was in the States in 2007 elections were held and the commissioners changed to Bruce Zagers and Chris Johnson who took Office. In 2008 when I went to register for classes at the Registrar Office at Lipscomb University the nice and polite Tennessean lady informed me that the Government of Saba did not send the cheque and that until it Is paíd I won’t be able to register for classes. I immediately called the Education Department on Saba and Ms. Sharon Oleana Hassell informed me that Commissioner of Education Chris Johnson refuses to sign my cheque.
The then Saban Junior Minister of the Netherlands Antilles Honorable Max Nicholson called the Education Department: He scolded Franklin Wilson head of the Education Department of Saba and asked “What the Hell Is going on with the Boy’s Scholarship!” Franklin answer that the School Is to expensive and the Executive Council under Chris Johnson refuses to pay. But the hypocrisy stands in that they paíd for the second Saba student to attend that same University Paloma Hassell who greeted me so warmly when She saw me at the School. So, I was short-changed and descriminated against by the under-serving Pin-heads Commissioners Chris Johnson and Bruce Zagers. Under serving Commissioner Eviton Heyliger also descriminated against me saying and making fun that Will Johnson did not Let me join the WIPM Party because I was not born on Saba; Small minded island retarded mentality! I said , I am a Dutch Citizen and I have the same rights as you!
These are the types of jokers we have leading Saba as commissioners is a crying Shame! Drunken captains Steering Saba to sink!
Cristian Hassell Feliciano
Small correction Mr. Hassell.
Paloma’s parents paid for her tuition.
I did not know that! Understood!
Hello Cris,
I hope all is well with you.
I just wanted to point out two small things based on your story above. Firstly scholarships always went (and still go) through the Federal Government. During those days specifically the Netherlands Antilles. So I, nor any other Commissioner of Education, had the authority, or were ever in a position to sign checks for students to go directly towards Universities. So that not being true makes the rest of your story inaccurate as well. Hope that helps to clarify what seems to be some deep feelings you have about the past. Feeling discriminated against would most certainly leave wounds so I hope this helps you to be able to move past those.
This leads me to my second point. You also revert to name calling, even criticizing people based on their weight, as well as naming persons who never help public office specifically in your story. It is quite fine to publicly name people who held (or hold) public functions, but specifically naming others in your story who are not in the public domain is something that I would advise you not to do. Also name calling in general doesn’t help your point about discriminating when you yourself are doing the same thing in your writings.
I sincerely hope my points above help you and please feel free to contact me directly if you would ever like to discuss further.
Kind Regards,
Chris Johnson
Thank you Mr. Johnson for clarifying this issue further.
If Saba’s Government does not have a say or advice on the budget to whom Scholarship are awarded to or if it can actually be granted than what will be the need for a Department of Education or Commissioner of Education on Saba as a functioning Office within the Netherlands Antilles? To dismiss someone and categorize them as a liar is a good way to make yourself look good. If i name past public figures in a good way where Is the harm done? If I name call someone to point out to the public that they are imperfect humans just like us and an allegorical truth than why do you call it discriminating? But I understand you most people when they feel that someone does not belong they have a natural tendency to push them out or consider them to be less important; Trust me I know we are human.
(Edited -Editor)