Saba News News and Information from Saba Island, Dutch Caribbean

Scheduled alcohol check SABA During the afternoon hours of Saturday, June 1st, the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (KPCN) conducted a scheduled alcohol check on the E.A. Johnson Road in Saba. During these checks, fifteen (15) drivers were checked for their alcohol consumption with a breathalyzer test. This test indicates whether …

The site Bes-Reporter writes that, despite optimistic and comforting words over the past weeks, the governments of St. Eustatius and Saba have failed to reach a timely agreement with Makana Operator Blues & Blues and avoid the implementation of higher, unsubsidized fares. Makana had previously announced the increase on May …

The Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS) coverage limit for the BES islands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba) will be increased to USD 25,000 from 1 January 2025. If a bank goes bankrupt, customers will now receive up to USD 25,000 back. Previously, it was USD 10,000 per person. This means that …

The Dutch Ministry of Economic Af­fairs and Climate Policy has asked Pioneer Consulting, an American full-service submarine fibre optic tele­communications consulting and project management company, to deliver its ex­pertise by producing a comprehensive investigation into enhancing the digital connectivity of the Carib­bean Netherlands. The study will focus on subsea cable …

On January 1, 2024, Saba had 2,060 residents, an increase of 25 (1 percent) compared to the previous year. More people moved to Saba (60) than left. Natural growth was limited. The number of residents of Saba born outside the Caribbean Netherlands increased by 34, mainly from Central and South …

On May 30, 2024, Phase II of the Under the Hill project was officially opened, in the presence of State Secretary of Kingdom Relations and Digitalization, Alexandra van Huffelen, Acting Island Governor, Shamara Nicholson, Commissioner of Housing, Eviton Heyliger, and Island Council Members. This project was completed through collaboration with …

The Hydroponics farm at Rendezvous has found its new name with the creative input of the community. Tim Preston emerged as the winner of the naming contest, with his submission of ‘Saba Grows’, which captures the essence of the farm’s mission and the island’s commitment to sustainable agriculture. A total …

From May 23rd to May 26th, the Ambassador of the EU Delegation in Guyana, Mr. Rene van Nes, visited Saba. He was hosted by EU contact, Courtney Hassell. He started the visit by meeting with Francine Zagers, Saba’s OCT (Overseas Countries and Territories) Youth Network Representative, where topics explored included …

Acting Kingdom Repre­sentative Jan Helmond, in agreement with the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, recently appointed Richard Arends to the position of labour dispute mediator for Bo­naire, St. Eustatius and Saba. As of July 1, Arends will succeed Anselmo Pontilius, who has been in the role since 2014. …

Unexpectedly but not illogically, Dick Schoof characterized his nomination as the new prime minister. After 36 years in the civil service, he wants to contribute to restoring trust in politics and being prime minister for all Dutch people. Schoof parked difficult questions for a while. More than six months after …

From the 21st to the 24th of May, the third edition of the ‘Week of Crisis Management Caribbean parts of the Kingdom’ was held in The Hague, and was attended by Saba representatives: Bram Streppel, Island Secretary, Walle Bos, Head of Public Order and Safety, and Berry van de Ven, …

Public Entity Saba representatives, Brenda Tjipjes as Head of Human Resources, and Devi van Groningen, as Head of Legal Affairs, as well as representatives from Sint Eustatius, Bonaire, the National Government Service RCN and the Shared Service Organization of RCN SSO-CN attended a work conference in The Hague from May …

On Sunday, members of the Dutch Caribbean Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries Alliance (DCALFA) visited Saba to learn more about the various projects and initiatives in these sectors that contribute to local food production and help stimulate the local economy. In June 2023, all 6 Dutch Caribbean islands signed a memorandum …

Caretaker State Secretary of Kingdom Relations and Digitisation Alexandra van Huffelen is visiting Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten from Sunday to Friday, May 26-31. This is expected to be her last work­ing visit to the islands. The visit is marked by the Gover­nors’ Consultation in Aruba, the …

Have you been trying to beat the heat lately? In recent decades, there has been an increase in global temperatures, with 2023 being the warmest year so far. The global average temperature rose by 1°C from the 1900’s to the present. Near-record heat can also be expected until October, especially …