Recent posts on Saba News

The island of Saba is taking part in the DEMA Show 2026, one of the world’s leading trade events for the diving industry, where it is showcasing its diving, natural beauty, and tourism offerings. The island’s presence carries extra weight this year. Saba has received nine awards in Scuba Diving magazine’s Readers Choice Awards, up from seven last year. Commissioner of Tourism Bruce Zagers and Director of Tourism Courtney Hassell accepted the awards on the island’s behalf. Saba was recognized in the following categories: Top 10 – Health of Marine Environment One of the Best – Wall Diving One of the Best – Big Animals One of the Best – Advanced Diving One of the Best – Underwater Photography One of the Best – Macro Life One of the Best – Best Value One of the Best – Best Overall One of the Best – Beginners The wide range of categories shows Saba’s appeal to divers of all levels, from beginners to advanced divers looking for dramatic walls, rich marine life, and strong photography opportunities. Saba is represented at the show by Saba Tourism, Sea Saba, Juliana’s Hotel, and Scenery Hotel. Together they are promoting the island as a distinctive Caribbean destination with world-class diving, warm hospitality, and a commitment to protecting its natural environment. The show gives Saba a valuable chance to build relationships with international dive operators, industry partners, and diving enthusiasts. Beyond its dive sites, the island offers an authentic Caribbean experience, with unspoiled landscapes, scenic hiking trails, charming villages, and boutique accommodations. With nine awards and a strong presence at DEMA’s 50th edition, Saba continues to strengthen its position in the international diving market. PES

The site BES Reporter announces that the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy has decided that the same company will continue to deliver mail on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Minister Heleen Herbert has signed the decision granting Flamingo Express Dutch Caribbean N.V. (FXDC Post) a new ten-year concession, effective 1 January 2027. FXDC thus retains the exclusive right to deliver mail on the three islands. A concession is a government license that gives a company the exclusive right to provide a public postal service, subject to certain quality and delivery requirements. FXDC has operated the postal service on the BES islands since 2014. The current concession will expire on 31 December 2026. The decision goes against the advice of a study by Economisch Bureau Amsterdam (EBA), published in 2025. The bureau concluded that postal delivery in the Caribbean Netherlands structurally fails to meet quality requirements and that statutory delivery times are regularly exceeded. According to the researchers, this is partly due to logistical obstacles, such as irregular flight connections between the islands, the small market, the lack of street names and postcodes, and manual processes. In addition, postal volume has fallen by about a third since 2014. EBA advised splitting the concession and granting one per island. The bureau also proposed introducing postcodes, particularly on Bonaire, to enable ‘community mailboxes’, and adopting a new quality framework that distinguishes between local mail, mail between the islands and international mail. According to EBA, a financial contribution from the government, linked to performance requirements, may be needed in the future. The bureau also called for more active oversight by citizens, businesses, and local authorities. Conditions still unknown With the new decision, however, FXDC has again been granted a concession for all three islands, from 2027 through 2036. It is still unknown which conditions or improvements are attached to the new concession and why the minister chose not to award a separate concession per island. Neither FXDC nor the ministry has yet responded to the decision. BES Reporter

Last Tuesday, a female passenger arriving on a flight from Saba was intercepted at Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten by the Alfa Team after authorities discovered firearms in her belongings. 721news contacted the Public Prosecutor’s Office for official confirmation of the incident. In a statement to 721news, the office said: “A woman arriving in Sint Maarten on a flight from Saba was arrested after three firearms were found in her luggage. All weapons were confiscated, and the woman was released from police custody after questioning. The investigation into the importation of the firearms into Sint Maarten remains ongoing.” The incident raises questions about security screening at Saba’s Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport. Authorities have not yet explained how the passenger was able to board a flight to Sint Maarten with three firearms in her belongings, prompting scrutiny of whether departing passengers undergo physical or scanner-based checks at the airport. No further details were provided on the case. Sint Maarten authorities continue efforts to combat the illegal importation of firearms on the island. 721 News.

Organisations involved in the Caribbean Netherlands immigration chain met on Bonaire for their annual mini conference, focusing on how to cooperate better, work smarter, and use new technology responsibly. Director-General of the Migration Chain Esther Pijs and Island Governor John Soliano attended as speakers. The event looked back on the chain’s launch on 10-10-10 and its development since, including progress on actions from earlier meetings and the “Moving Forward Together” theme of the 2025 conference. Contributions came from, among others, former Saba Island Governor Jonathan Johnson, Statistics Netherlands, and the Ministry of Justice and Security. Innovation was a major topic. Speakers from the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) and the SBIR Programme discussed AI and chat functions in work processes, and participants considered whether technologies such as AI, drones, algorithms, and biometric identification could make the chain’s work more effective. In breakout sessions, participants discussed new ways of working and integrated partnerships, involving external parties such as civil-society organizations or private service providers, and applying new technologies. The aim was to see how greater information exchange and closer collaboration could strengthen the chain. The conference was organized by the Repatriation and Departure Service, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, IND CN and the Ministry of Justice and Security’s Migration Policy Department. RCN

Representatives of the Maritime Historical Museum Curaçao paid a visit to the Harry L. Johnson Museum during their stay on Saba, a meeting that brought two Caribbean heritage institutions closer together. Michaela Kuckelkorn and Stephan Smeets of the Maritime Historical Museum Curaçao were given a wonderful and extensive tour by Pamela Whitfield. Both visitors were particularly impressed by the passion and enthusiasm with which she shares the rich history of Saba. In a personal and welcoming way, the museum offers a fascinating glimpse into island life in earlier times. It also highlights the importance of preserving these stories, traditions, and cultural heritage for future generations. The visit was more than an introduction to Saba’s past. It also gave both sides the chance to exchange experiences and ideas about the work that takes place behind the scenes at their respective museums. The Harry L. Johnson Museum Saba and the Maritime Historical Museum Curaçao will stay in contact to keep sharing knowledge and experiences. Wherever possible, they also intend to support one another in preserving and presenting the historical heritage of their islands. Two islands, each with its own unique history, united by the same passion for keeping the past alive for future generations. Maritime Historical Museum Curaçao

Representatives from the Caribbean pub­lic entities of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (BES) and the five Wadden Is­lands Texel, Vlieland, Ter­schelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog gathered on Texel on October 1 and 2 for a two-day work pro­gramme. These eight islands are united in the so-called E8 partnership. E8 serves as the collective voice of the Dutch island communi­ties in dealings with gov­ernment and the political establishment. The group also meets regularly to exchange knowledge and work on shared issues. The programme began at the TESO ferry terminal in Den Helder, where officials were met by King’s Com­missioner for North Hol­land Arthur van Dijk, be­fore travelling to Texel. On arrival, the delegation was welcomed by Texel Mayor Mark Pol. The first day included a presentation and a visit to “De Zoete Toekomst” (The Sweet Future), an innova­tive approach to freshwater storage for agriculture on Texel. Participants learned about the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable freshwater management for islands. The programme contin­ued with a thematic ses­sion on integrity and good island governance, led by Van Dijk. Representatives from the Wadden and Ca­ribbean islands exchanged experiences regarding ad­ministrative resilience, sub­versive crime, transparent and reliable elections, and the governance of founda­tions and semi-public or­ganisations. During the session Joc­elyn Levenstone, Island Governor of Saba, also gave a presentation on the upcoming 2027 elections and the use of proxy voting, followed by an exchange of experiences and viewpoints among the participants. John Soliano, Island Gov­ernor of Bonaire, gave a presentation on good gov­ernance within public and semi-public organisations. He addressed the complex environment in which these organisations operate, the role of the government as a shareholder, and the various roles and responsi­bilities within these organ­isations. The presentation highlighted how good gov­ernance can support organ­isations in achieving their objectives. On October 2, the pro­gramme continued with an excursion to De Slufter, organised in collaboration with the Texel Bird Infor­mation Centre and Staats­bosbeheer (State Forestry Service). The excursion covered Texel’s approach to nature management and the protection of vulner­able coastal areas. This was followed by an E8 working meeting, intro­duced by Michiel Schrier, Mayor of Vlieland and Chair of the E8. Represen­tatives from the Wadden and Caribbean islands re­flected on the partnership and discussed the substan­tive topics on which the E8 will collaborate in the com­ing year. Subsequently, the E8 welcomed members of the Dutch House of Represen­tatives, including members of the Standing Commit­tees on Infrastructure and Water Management and on Kingdom Relations. In her address, Statia Is­land Governor Alida Fran­cis outlined three key pri­orities that emerged from the E8 discussions: equal investment, stronger local implementation capacity, and increased climate ac­tion. She emphasised that equal treatment should not mean the uniform applica­tion of mainland policies to the islands; rather, fair outcomes must be achieved that take into account their unique size, logistical reali­ties and cost structures. Francis also highlighted challenges facing small is­land administrations — such as limited staffing and ac­cess to specialised expertise — and stressed the need to strengthen their capacity to implement policies effec­tively. Regarding climate resilience, she called for greater focus on implemen­tation, underscoring the need to look beyond strat­egies and “turn paper into practice”. To reinforce these shared priorities, Pol and Francis presented Member of Par­liament Heera Dijk with a board displaying the E8’s three key messages. She accepted the joint message on behalf of the delega­tion, along with colleagues Marieke Vellinga-Beem­sterboer, Luciënne Boels­ma-Hoekstra and Bjorn Schutz, thereby formally presenting the E8’s shared priorities to the House of Representatives. Schiermonnikoog Mayor Henri Meendering then ad­dressed the topic of water safety, including the role of natural systems — such as salt marshes — in coastal protection. The discus­sions also touched on the connection between the functions of coral reefs in the Caribbean and coastal protection measures on the Wadden Islands. The two-day programme concluded with a visit to De Schorren, led by nature con­servation organisation Natu­urmonumenten, after which the participants left Texel to travel back to Den Helder. The Daily Herald.

A floating silt curtain is being added at the Black Rocks Harbor construction site on Saba to stop fine sediment from spreading into surrounding wa­ters as work on the new harbour continues. According to project manager Peter Bieremond of Public Entity Saba, the project’s environmental impact was studied before con­struction began, and various mea­sures have been implemented to limit and compensate for that im­pact. Turbidity caused by excava­tion and breakwater construction is being followed closely and has mainly been contained within the project area, he said. Supervising engineer Luc Jor­dens of Dutch engineering com­pany Witteveen +Bos said silt­ation — fine soil particles — has been observed flowing out of the project area. “Though visible, the levels are low and kept within permissible limits,” he said. Turbidity is being kept to a minimum through adjusted work methods and the construction of temporary bunds. It is monitored daily by a fixed monitoring buoy, as well as by manual measure­ments taken twice a day at three different locations. If permitted levels are exceeded, work is sus­pended. Further restrictions apply during coral spawning season, including suspension of works, lower allow­able turbidity levels and more fre­quent measurements. As part of the project’s environ­mental measures, approximately 1,400 corals were relocated from the project area to an area near Hole in the Corner. The corals are being monitored regu­larly, and their survival rate has so far been very high. Other compensation mea­sures include the addition of three marine protected areas to the Saba National Marine Park. Public En­tity Saba has also allocated funds to Saba Conserva­tion Foundation (SCF) and Saba Research Center to further protect marine life. With work continuing and landside excavations sched­uled for the coming months, Bieremond said higher levels of turbidity may be expected. The silt curtain is being installed as an additional measure to further reduce the amount of fine material flowing into the surrounding waters. The yellow curtain will form a floating barrier around the work site. It is made of per­meable fabric, measures 220 metres long and 10 metres high, and has been custom­ised to the project’s specifi­cations. The buoys that will anchor the curtain have already been installed. The curtain has been prepared on land and will be towed into the water. The Daily Herald.

The Executive Council of the Public Entity Saba hosted a gathering for Sabans residing in the Netherlands on Saturday, October 3. Community members from across the country came together to reconnect and to meet with members of the Executive Council and Island Council. Island Council Member Vito Charles welcomed the attendees and thanked them for taking the time to join. The full Island Council delegation was present. In his remarks, Charles stressed the importance of community and of keeping strong ties among Sabans living in the Netherlands before handing the floor to Island Governor Jocelyn Levenstone. Governor Levenstone also thanked everyone for attending. Reflecting on his move into his new role, he said that while he once knew one Saba, he is now getting to know a different Saba as Island Governor. He noted that many Sabans living abroad have had a similar experience, having known a Saba that has changed over the years, and said that learning about and understanding the community is an ongoing process. After the Governor’s remarks, members of the Executive Council and Island Council mingled with attendees and heard about their experiences living in the Netherlands and their continued connections to Saba. The Public Entity Saba thanked everyone who took part in making the gathering a meaningful occasion and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strong relationships with Sabans living abroad and recognizing the important role they continue to play in the wider Saban community. PES

During their stay on Saba, representatives of the Maritime Historical Museum Curaçao visited the Harry L. Johnson Museum. During the visit, Michaela Kuckelkorn and Stephan Smeets of the Maritime Historical Museum Curaçao were given a wonderful and extensive tour by Pamela Whitfield. Michaela and Stephan were particularly impressed by the passion and enthusiasm with which Pamela shares the rich history of Saba. In a personal and welcoming way, the museum offers a fascinating glimpse into life on the island in earlier times and highlights the importance of preserving these stories, traditions, and cultural heritage for future generations. The visit was not only a wonderful introduction to Saba’s history, but also provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas about the work that takes place behind the scenes at both museums. Harry L. Johnson Museum Saba and the Maritime Historical Museum Curaçao will remain in contact to continue sharing knowledge and experiences and, wherever possible, to support one another in preserving and presenting the historical heritage of our islands. Two islands, each with its own unique history, united by the same passion for keeping the past alive for future generations.

Restaurants and other food and beverage estab­lishments on Saba were found to be in good compliance during multidisciplinary inspections last week by Public Entity Saba Enforcers, together with Police, the Hygiene Department and the Fire Department. The inspections checked general safety, hygiene and fire safety requirements. A new establishment was also in­spected as part of the process for obtaining its operating licence. A few points requiring attention were found, and the es­tablishments concerned were given time to address them. All were cooperative, the Public Entity said. The inspections are held throughout the year as part of regular enforcement and prevention efforts. The Daily Herald.