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Twentyfour professionals from Statia, Saba, and Bonaire have completed a three-day Protocol and Eti­quette Training in Statia, strengthening regional co­operation and profession­al standards in protocol, official representation, and government commu­nication. The training was organ­ised and hosted by the Statia Government from August 25th to 27th after identifying the need to further strengthen prac­tical protocol capacity, particularly as the island prepares for major official events and visiting del­egations. Colleagues from Bonaire and Saba were invited to participate, creating an opportunity to build capacity together and strengthen coopera­tion across the Caribbean Netherlands. The programme covered precedence, national sym­bols, greeting and seat­ing arrangements, forms of address, cultural dif­ferences, diplomatic and business etiquette, net­working, and the man­agement of official cer­emonies and dignitaries. Participants also worked through practical scenar­ios involving interaction with dignitaries and the handling of difficult situ­ations. The training was delivered by Protocolbu­reau, based in The Hague, and led by Director Bengt-Arne Hulleman. The final day included a practical case study on Statia Day 2026 and the 250th anniversary of the First Salute, before con­cluding with a certificate ceremony and the sign­ing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Saba and Statia. The agreement was signed by Island Governor Jocelyn Levenstone on behalf of Saba and Island Governor Alida Francis on behalf of Statia. It provides a framework for closer cooperation in communication, public information, media rela­tions, crisis and emergen­cy communication, and protocol and ceremonial affairs. It also supports knowledge sharing, pro­fessional exchanges, joint training, and mutual assis­tance during major events, emergencies, and periods of increased workload. The Statia Government thanked the governments of Bonaire and Saba, and all participating col­leagues, for joining the initiative and contributing to three days of practical learning, knowledge shar­ing, and stronger regional cooperation. The Daily Herald.

Saba’s goat removal project began in 2021, targeting free-roaming goats that were damaging vegetation, causing erosion, and affecting coral reefs through sediment runoff. The original population was underestimated at around 5,000; the government now says the actual number was likely much higher, since roughly 8,750 goats have been removed to date (about 5,100 by local hunters). Fewer than 100 are believed to remain, though the final animals are proving hardest to track down. Ecological Results Satellite data show vegetation greenness increased 33.7% between 2017 and 2025, suggesting ecological recovery, though the government says longer-term monitoring is still needed. Costs Total funding allocated since 2019 is $2.61 million, with about $2.23 million spent by mid-2026. Major costs include external hunters ($690,000), goat farming/meat handling ($600,000), and bounty payments ($275,000, at $65/goat, paid to 12 hunters between Jan 2022–Jan 2025). Remaining funds ($383,575) will go toward training Saba’s own animal control team. Controversy Goat owners and hunters raised concerns about property loss, cultural traditions, carcass retrieval, and animal welfare during culling. The government maintains that since roaming goats weren’t tagged or registered, ownership couldn’t be verified, and owners aren’t entitled to compensation for illegally roaming animals under local law. It has since hired local help for carcass retrieval and trained hunters to minimize suffering. Outlook The program isn’t close to finished — officials expect at least 2 more years to eliminate remaining goats, plus 1–2 years of monitoring afterward, warning that stopping early could let the population rebound and waste the investment made so far.

Starting Friday, August 28th, at 8:00 a.m., Public Entity Saba will launch the new centralized system for ordering and coordinating water deliveries. With the launch of the new system, all water orders will be placed through the centralized ordering system. Orders can be placed by calling +599 416 5363 directly or through WhatsApp, or through the new online ordering system at saba-water-delivery.vercel.app/login. The centralized system is intended to provide a clearer overview of outstanding requests and better coordinate the available water supply and trucking capacity. Ordering Water Telephone and WhatsApp calls can be made to +599 416 5363 during the following hours: Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The online ordering system is available 24/7 at https://saba-water-delivery.vercel.app/login. Please Be Patient During the Initial Launch As the new system becomes active at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, a high volume of calls is expected, particularly during the first few days. You may receive a busy signal or experience a wait before your call can be answered. If you need water immediately and are unable to reach dispatch by phone, you can place your request through the online ordering system. If your water situation is not urgent, please consider ordering online or waiting a few days before calling. This will help keep the telephone line available for those who may need more assistance in ordering. How Water Requests Will Be Handled When placing an order, you will be asked to select either Normal or Critical. Normal requests will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis. The system automatically assigns each order to one of the five participating truckers in rotation to distribute orders evenly among the truckers. Critical should only be selected when your current water situation requires more immediate attention. You will be asked to provide additional information explaining your circumstances. Critical requests are flagged for review by the distribution team. Based on the information you provide, the team will determine whether the request should be moved to a different position on the delivery list. The team will consider the circumstances described in the order such as vulnerable residents, available water supply, existing orders and their circumstances, and available trucking capacity. Selecting Critical does not guarantee immediate delivery. Please ensure you provide complete and accurate information, as the distribution team can only assess a Critical request using the information submitted with the order. Cost and Payment The cost of delivered water remains $40 per load, with a maximum of two loads per order. Payment will continue to be made directly to the trucker at the time of delivery. No payment is collected through the centralized ordering system. More Information Detailed information about ordering water, including first-time orders, online account setup, ordering for multiple properties, moving to a new property, and placing future orders, is available at https://www.sabagov.nl/residents/water-services/order-ro-water-delivery Please note that the water distribution system is still under development. Adjustments may be made as we continue to improve the ordering and distribution process. Public Entity Saba asks for patience during the initial launch and as the new system is put into use. PES.  

Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (so-called BES islands) can achieve a stronger, more stable economy through a number of measures. Among other things, it is important that residents receive better consumer protection and that rules regarding competition are established. This is stated by the advi­sory organisation “Econo­misch Bureau Amsterdam” (EBA). The Dutch govern­ment informed Parliament that it will respond to these recommendations in the autumn. “According to EBA, a more coherent system for consumer protection and fair competition would contribute to better mar­ket functioning, stronger consumer protection and a more predictable business and investment climate,” wrote the Ministry of Eco­nomic Affairs and Climate Policy in an explanation of the “Fair Markets, Better Protection” report. The reason for the study was a proposal from the So­cial Minimum Committee Minimum for the Carib­bean Netherlands in 2023 regarding the approach to poverty on the three is­lands. Better consumer protection and competition legislation could lead to lower prices on the islands, according to the committee chaired by Glenn Thodé. Commissioned by the min­istry, EBA investigated the possibilities. Researchers concluded that consumer protection on the three is­lands is at the lowest level within the Kingdom. This protection is necessary be­cause a number of entre­preneurs take advantage of their dominant position. “During the investigation, several serious signs of anti­competitive practices were found in various sectors. (…) Additionally, there were ex­amples of unsafe products posing significant risks to consumers,” according to EBA. The advice is to improve consumer protection and competition policy in several phases. The first step focusses on raising awareness regard­ing consumer rights and im­proving cooperation between the organisations involved. This will be followed by the introduction of legislation. The final step is cooperation between consumer and com­petition organisations within the Kingdom. Minister Heleen Herbert said the report will be studied by her ministry, the govern­ments of Bonaire, St. Eusta­tius and Saba, the Authority for Consumers and Markets as well as other stakeholders. “Possible next steps will be determined jointly and with due regard to the local context. Your House will be informed further about this in the autumn of 2026,” she wrote in an explanatory note. The Daily Herald.

Jan Helmond has requested the King to grant him resignation as Acting Kingdom Representative effective January 1, 2027. Although his statutory appointment continues until he reaches the age of 70, he has chosen to retire earlier. Until that time, he will continue to dedicate himself fully to the interests of citizens and governments in the Caribbean Netherlands and the Kingdom. After this period, he will apply his knowledge and experience broadly in an independent role as a networker/advisor within the Kingdom at his own company.  Jan Helmond: “After having held this wonderful position for nine years, it is time for someone else to take over. It is also a natural moment, as the discussion regarding the renewal of the WolBES and the FinBES will in all likelihood require a different type of administrator. Over the past few years, I have experienced intense moments, such as the reconstruction following the hurricanes, COVID, the many changes in leadership, and the administrative intervention on Sint Eustatius. But I have also seen wonderful initiatives that contributed to the well-being of the citizens on the islands. Much has improved, but there is still much to be done.” RCN

The Public Entity Saba is taking action to address the current water situation, with measures focused on increasing water production and improving the coordination of deliveries during the prolonged drought. An additional desalination plant became operational on Wednesday following maintenance and produced approximately 25,000 gallons of water before experiencing a mechanical failure on Thursday. The affected part is being taken to Sint Maarten for repair, and production is expected to resume once repairs are completed. Looking beyond the immediate shortage, Public Entity supports AquaSab’s ongoing expansion of its production capacity and will invest in an additional desalination plant capable of producing more than 6 cubic meters per hour or approximately 38,000 gallons over 24 hours. The plant has an estimated lead time of about five months and is intended to provide Saba with additional production capacity and redundancy. Starting next week, water requests and deliveries will also move to a centralized system. A webpage and central phone number, accessible through WhatsApp, will provide one point for all water requests. This will allow requests to be coordinated across the island and prioritized based on urgency and the date received, with priority given to households without water, those at immediate risk of running out, and vulnerable residents requiring additional assistance. Once the system is in place, all requests for water deliveries must be made through the centralized system, and orders will no longer be placed directly with individual truck drivers. “This situation has our full attention. We are working every day to stabilize the immediate situation, while continuing the investments and improvements necessary to strengthen Saba’s water system for the future,” said Commissioner Bruce Zagers. In the coming days, we will share details on the new water request system with the community. Residents are asked to continue conserving water, and where they have sufficient water available, to consider delaying non-urgent requests while the current pressure on supply continues. PES  

Update: the meeting is rescheduled to 1 PM Public Notice The Central Committee of the Public Entity Saba hereby cares to inform the public that there will be a Central Committee meeting on Thursday, August 27th at 9:00 am at the Government Administration Building. You may also view the Central Committee meeting on the Saba Island Council website and the Saba Government YouTube page. The agenda is as follows: 1.Opening 2.Approval of the agenda 3.Approval of the minutes 4.Citizens right to speak on agenda points 5.Oral Question round: concerning announced questions from the Island Council incoming and outgoing correspondence list during the period May 16th, 2026- May 29th, 2026 (Article 18) 5.1 Island Council incoming and outgoing correspondence 5.2 Executive Council decision list 5.3 Written questions to the Executive Council (article 35) 5.4 Answers to written questions to the Executive Council (article 35) 6. Island Council Proposal 2026.5: 2nd Budget Amendment and 2nd Implementation Report 2026 7. Island Council Proposal 2026.6: Island Ordinance Audit Chamber Saba 8. Closing Looking forward to your attendance. Sincerely, The Island Registrar: Akilah M. Levenstone   The Chairlady of the  Central Committee: Elsa O.F. Peterson Note: The general public is allowed to examine the documents on the agenda for the abovementioned Central Committee meeting, at the Office of the Island Registrar which is located in the Government Administration Building. If you have any questions, please free to contact the Island Registrar (Akilah M. Levenstone) at akilah.levenstone@sabagov.nl or call 416-3311ext 202. If you want to make use of the opportunity to speak to the members of the Central Committee at this meeting you have to inform the Island Registrar at least 48 hour before the meeting in order for the Registrar to explain the rules of the meeting and process your request. The general public is welcome to attend the meeting as an observer. PUBLIC NOTICE The Island Governor of the Public Entity Saba hereby cares to inform the public that there will be an Island Council meeting on Thursday, August 27th, 2026 at the Government Administration Building. The Island Council meeting will begin shortly after the Central Committee adjourns. You may also view the Island Council meeting on the Saba Island Council website and the Saba Government YouTube page. The agenda is as follows: Opening and announcements Approval of the agenda Approval of the minutes Oral Question time (article 36) Incoming and outgoing correspondence and announcements during the period May 30th, – August 14th,2026 5.1 Island Council incoming and outgoing correspondence 5.2 Executive Council decision list 5.3 Written questions to the Executive Council (article 35) 5.4 Answers to written questions to the Executive Council (article 35) 6. Island Council Proposal 2026.5: 2nd Budget Amendment and 2nd Implementation Report 2026 7. Island Council Proposal 2026.6: Island Ordinance Audit Chamber Saba 8. Motions 9. Closing Sincerely, The Island Governor: Jocelyn R. Levenstone

Homeowners in the Caribbean Nether­lands whose houses are considered monuments can soon apply for a one-time subsidy for building resto­ration. The application pe­riod runs from September 1 to September 30. A total of US $1.1 million has been made available from the Dutch National Restoration Fund. “With this pilot, the Min­istry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) gains practical experience for future monument manage­ment in the region,” nation­al government service RCN said in a press release. “In the European Netherlands there have been subsidy schemes for monument owners for quite some time, but not yet in the Caribbe­an Netherlands. And that whilst the need for it is con­siderable on the islands.” Owners of monuments in the Caribbean Netherlands are dealing with high main­tenance costs due to the scarcity of specialist materi­als, and high transport costs to the Caribbean. The subsidy scheme will be implemented by the RCE, the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands. The scheme focuses on pri­vate owners of residential monuments in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba that are in need of maintenance or restoration. The preservation costs eligible for subsidy must ex­ceed $25,000 and are subsi­dised up to $100,000. Historical buildings older than 50 years, without pro­tected status are also eli­gible for the subsidy. These include “buildings that are of general importance due to their beauty, artistic val­ue, or historical meaning,” RCN said. The Daily Herald.

Commissioner Bruce Zagers addressed the Saban community’s concern about the ongoing drought and the pressure on the island’s water supply. In this message, he provides an update on the measures being taken to increase water production and asks the community to continue conserving water and being mindful of those who may be experiencing shortages PES

The Public Entity Saba has issued an update regarding an incident that unfolded earlier today and continued into the evening, after local fishermen reported a vessel on the rocks near the All Too Far Trail, between Sulphur Mine and Diamond Rock. Upon receiving the report, the Harbor Master was notified and Saba’s Search and Rescue (SAR) team was dispatched to the location. When responders arrived, they found the vessel unmanned — except for a dog that was still on board. The dog was safely brought ashore and is currently being cared for. Information received later in the day indicates that the vessel belongs to a resident of St. Barths, who had reportedly been searching for both the vessel and their dog for several days. The suspected owner will be contacted to confirm the details and arrange the next steps regarding the vessel and the animal. The Public Entity Saba expressed its gratitude to everyone involved in reporting the vessel, coordinating the response, rescuing the dog, and ensuring proper care afterward. Their quick actions helped bring the situation to a safe conclusion.