Saba News News and Information from Saba Island, Dutch Caribbean

The Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure has established that Starlink satellite dishes are being used in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, but the international internet provider does not hold a concession to operate in the Caribbean Netherlands. “Possessing such a satellite dish is not prohibited. However, it is not permitted …

On Tuesday, July 2, the new Dutch cabinet, led by Prime Minister Dick Schoof, was formally sworn in. Zsolt Szabó was sworn in as the new state secretary for kingdom relations and digitalisation at the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations. “One of the areas I want to focus …

Emancipation Day celebrations took center stage yesterday at the Princess Juliana Sports Field, highlighting powerful speeches and dynamic presentations. The evening began with an uplifting steelpan performance by Nacio Sutton, setting the tone for a night dedicated to honoring the past and inspiring the future. Master of Ceremonies Elsa Peterson …

On June 28th, the Princess Juliana Sports Field buzzed with excitement as around 40 students from Sacred Heart School showcased their musical talents as part of the Leerorkest Saba program. The event was a delightful display for parents, teachers, and community members. Students from Grades 2 to 6 took to …

Vito Charles, Chairman of the Committee for Emancipation and the Commemoration of the History of Slavery on Saba presented a speech today in Oosterpark, Amsterdam. This year marks the 22nd time the National Institute of the Dutch Slavery History and Heritage (NiNsee) organized the National Commemoration of the Dutch Slavery …

Starting July 1, 2024, new regulations for the Visitor Entry Tax, commonly referred to as the tourist tax, will come into effect in Bonaire. These changes aim to accommodate children of the island who live elsewhere and Bonairean students studying abroad. Reduced Rate for Island Children Children with connections to …

The Public Entity Saba is excited to announce a significant initiative to make water more affordable for residents. As part of the annual effort to lower water costs, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has allocated additional funding for 2024 under the purchasing power package for the Caribbean Netherlands. …

From July 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, officers of the Dutch Caribbean Police Force will temporarily wear a dark blue sports shirt combined with a safety vest, instead of the usual black polo shirt with a horizontal yellow stripe. The sports shirt, typically used by officers during sports activities, …

Zsolt Szabó, the upcoming state secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digi­talisation, aims to work towards improving the relations between the Netherlands and the islands in the Caribbean part of the kingdom. Last week, the state secretary emphasised this during the introductory public hearing for the upcoming cabinet in the Dutch …

House­holds in the Caribbean Netherlands will get slightly lower electricity bills from July 1, due to the price re­duction of fossil fuels. The Authority Consumer and Market (ACM) has set slightly lower maximum rates for energy suppliers on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (BES). As a re­sult, an average household …

During a special ceremony at the newly renamed Scenery Hotel, various stakeholders gathered to celebrate the achievement of reaching the highest point of construction for the new establishment. The event took place in the newly constructed area that will house the restaurant/lounge area, with representatives from PMCN, PCN, QBR, Saba …

The Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations (BZK) and the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) are intensifying their collaboration. A significant development is the establishment of the VNG Caribbean Desk, which will serve the Caribbean Netherlands—Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. This desk, co-financed by BZK, will commence operations on …

Vernisha Robinson received her Marechaussee beret. The class of students of the Royal Dutch Marechaussee (military/bor­der police) received their blue berets on Tuesday from Chief Guard Alexander Pas-veer, sector basic training instructor of the Education, Training and Knowledge Center in Apeldoorn. They had gone to the Netherlands on April 8 to follow …

In recognition of Emancipation Day, July 1st is a civil servant holiday, and all government offices will be closed. Due to this, school bus services will not be operating, and schools will also be closed. We ask all residents to plan accordingly for this holiday. We warmly invite the community to participate …

A large portion of medical treatments that cannot be performed on Bonaire are conducted on the near­by islands of Curacao and Aruba. This information comes from the recently published report, “The Caribbean Nether­lands Health System Review.” Medical referrals from St. Eustatius and Saba in 2023 went to St. Maarten 90% …