Saba News News and Information from Saba Island, Dutch Caribbean
- July 7, 2026
Support for aviation in Windward Islands
Financial backing for air traffic in the Windward Islands is one step closer. On Thursday, the Dutch Parliament’s Second Chamber (House of Representatives) approved the bill enabling assistance, including the submitted motions. Based on an exploratory study, a decision will be made after the summer recess regarding the manner in which interisland flights will be supported. “In principle, I will do that after the summer, this autumn,” said Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Vincent Karremans. The proposal concerns a Public Service Obligation (PSO) — a guarantee for affordable air connections. The government views this as the most efficient arrangement for affordable flights between St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba. The same structure is used by European countries such as Greece, Italy and Scotland for affordable connections to islands. During a recent debate in The Hague, all legislators present emphasised that Statians and Sabans are dependent on air traffic. “For the residents of Saba and Sint Eustatius, an air connection is not a luxury, but a lifeline. Without reliable flights, not only will mobility come under pressure, but also access to healthcare, education, family, work, and economic development,” said Ula Köse of D66. However, MPs did have some concerns regarding implementation. CU’s Don Ceder referred to a note made by Karremans stating that funding must be available for the support. That remains uncertain, the minister said. “I believe it is a matter of political will,” Ceder responded. Together with PRO’s Mikal Tseggai, he submitted a motion to apply slightly more pressure. Before the end of the year, they want to demand a package for the PSO or a tender process. Karremans responded positively. “I certainly have the political will, and I am certainly willing to make an effort,” he said. The VVD minister also promised attention to innovations in the field of sustainable aviation. That topic was mentioned by, among others, CDA’s Jantine Zwinkels. “For major international aviation, electric flying will not be an alternative for the time being, but for short distances, this technology actually offers prospects,” said Zwinkels. Finally, all the MPs mentioned ticket prices. “If you are on Saba, you can see Sint Eustatius, and vice versa. It is about a 30-kilometre flight. That flight costs 400 dollars. (…) For the same amount, we fly from Amsterdam to Dubai,” said Hidde Heutink of Groep Markuszower. Like Tseggai and Köse, he asked about the possibility of lowering ticket prices for residents, but keeping them at the current level for tourists. The draft law is intended to keep air traffic reliable and affordable, so ticket prices are a focus of the government. “They are very dependent on that connection, so it is important that we pay attention to that,” he added. The possibility of different prices for residents and visitors is being investigated, but the minister did note that the islands are partly dependent on tourism. The Daily Herald.
Students completing internships in Curacao, Aruba and St. Maarten will not be covered by a draft legislation that would grant students the right to receive compensation for mandatory internships. The proposed law announced by the Dutch government, will apply only in the European- and Caribbean Netherlands. The public entities of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (so-called BES islands) thus stand to benefit, but not the autonomous Caribbean countries within the Dutch Kingdom of Curacao, Aruba and St. Maarten. The bill aims to ensure that students enroled in secondary vocational education, MBO, higher professional education, HBO and scientific education WO universities receive compensation for mandatory internships or internships that form part of their educational programme. Under the proposal, no nationwide minimum internship allowance will be established. Instead, the amount would be determined through sector-specific or company-level agreements. Because Dutch education does not extend to Curacao, Aruba and St. Maarten, the proposed legal right to internship compensation would have no direct effect there. This also means that students from the Netherlands who complete internships on those three islands would not be able to claim the proposed statutory right to compensation. Interns and host organisations in Curacao, Aruba and St. Maarten would still be free to negotiate internship allowances on their own. However, according to the Dutch Ministry of Education, whether such agreements are legally enforceable depends on the law governing the internship contract. The proposed legislation is expected to be released for public Internet consultation before the summer of next year, after which it will continue through the Dutch legislative process before being considered by Parliament. If adopted, the law would mark a significant change for students in the Netherlands and the BES islands, while leaving internship compensation in Curacao, Aruba and St. Maarten subject to existing contractual arrangements rather than a statutory entitlement. The Daily Herald.
- July 5, 2026
On Saba, the Netherlands feels far away
The Dutch Newspaper De Volkskrant published a 4-page article on Saba in their weekend edition of July 4th. The article in Dutch can be read here. An automatic translation is available below.
The Acting Island Governor of the Public Entity Saba hereby cares to inform the public that there will be a special Island Council meeting on Thursday, July 9th, 2026 at 3:00 pm at the Princess Juliana Sports Field. You may also view the public meeting on the Saba Government YouTube page. The agenda is as follows: 1. Opening 2. Speech by Representatives of the Island Council 3. Speech by Representative of the Executive Council 4. Passing Governor’s chain 5. Reading of the Royal Decree 6. Adress by Acting Kingdom Representative 7. Administration and signing of the Oath 8. Receiving Governor’s chain 9. Speech by Island Governor 10. Words of thanks 11. Closing Sincerely, The Acting Island Governor S.A. Nicholson
The website BES-Reporter pointed to a report from the University of Curacao that researched the consequences of a legal status change in relation to the European Union. Today, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba can rely on the legislative and executive capacity of the Netherlands in the event of a closer relationship with the European Union. But even then, sufficient local capacity will remain necessary to implement European rules, funds, and oversight in practice. This conclusion is stated in a new study by the University of Curaçao on the choice between the current OCT status and a possible status as an outermost region, UPG. The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations commissioned this report. The report is in Dutch with a summary in English. The latter reads: Executive summary (English) The choice between the status of Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) and the status of Outermost Region (OR) determines the legal, economic, and administrative relationship of Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius with the European Union (EU). This choice presents both opportunities and obligations and requires a careful assessment of the consequences for governance, the economy, and society. As Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius currently hold OCT status, the evaluation of advantages and disadvantages is centered on whether to maintain this status or transition to OR status. From a legal perspective, OCT status entails limited applicability of EU law, whereas OR status implies that EU law generally applies in its entirety, subject to possibilities for specific derogations. Both statuses are equally advantageous for an island. The value of OCT or OR status depends on a combination of the policy objectives pursued by the Kingdom and the island concerned, the legal frameworks within which these objectives are realized, and the actual opportunities and constraints facing the island. The assessment framework in this report focuses on the extent to which a chosen status contributes to an island’s effective capacity: the ability to effectively represent and safeguard the interests of its population within the prevailing legal, economic, and administrative circumstances. Provided there is mutual agreement between an island and the Kingdom, a change of status is legally possible within the existing European and Kingdom legal frameworks. At the same time, a status change entails significant legal obligations regarding the introduction, implementation, and enforcement of regulations. The practical feasibility of a status change therefore depends largely on the implementation capacity available to an island, whether or not supplemented by support from the Kingdom (and the EU). Consequently, a change of status involves transitional costs. These primarily concern the costs of adapting and implementing laws and regulations resulting from the scope of EU law. Furthermore, these costs include the necessary institutional and organizational adjustments within governments and implementing agencies, such as strengthening personnel capacity and expertise and establishing administrative systems for supervision, reporting, and data exchange. The economic advantages and disadvantages of transitioning to OR status are highly dependent on the economic characteristics of the island concerned, including scale, economic diversification, and institutional capacity. It must be taken into account that while access to European funds can contribute to economic development, it does not in itself guarantee sustainable economic growth. Ultimately, the ability to translate opportunities offered by EU funds into structural economic progress depends on the island’s capacity to effectively apply for, utilize, and report on these resources. This is therefore contingent on the island’s implementation and absorption capacity. The choice for or against a change of status is not exclusively a legal or economic decision but is, to a large extent, the result of a political and administrative assessment. Central to this assessment are the islands’ right to self-determination, the Kingdom’s responsibility for the enforcement of EU law, the possibility of making exceptions within European law, and the administrative feasibility of a change of status. The social impact of a status change becomes apparent in the contrast between existing vulnerabilities in the island’s socio-economic situation and what the status change would concretely alter in the lives of residents, for example in the areas of employment, purchasing power, and public services. The magnitude of these effects depends, among other things, on how the new status is implemented and on the institutional capacity available to the governments involved. The experiences of the French overseas territories Saint-Barthélemy and Mayotte demonstrate that a successful status change depends primarily on careful preparation, sufficient implementation capacity, and a proper alignment between the status and the economic structure. An insufficiently prepared transition can lead to administrative and financial risks. In essence, the choice between OCT and OR status constitutes a coherent set of strategic trade-offs. At the political and administrative level, it must be determined whether local political will leans toward further integration into the European legal order or toward greater autonomy to define and pursue independent economic, social, and cultural development. A corresponding choice must also be made at the Kingdom level. At the legal level, it must be assessed whether there is a willingness to establish a legal framework that guarantees compliance with EU law. At the social level, existing vulnerabilities within the population, such as poverty and aging, must be considered. At the economic level, various indicators must be used to assess whether a status change strengthens economic resilience and mitigates existing vulnerabilities. University of Curacao
- July 3, 2026
Screening of justice personnel in the Caribbean Netherlands falls short and entails significant risks
The integrity of employees within the justice system is an important prerequisite for trust in the rule of law. Justice personnel have access to sensitive information, often hold far-reaching powers, and work in positions where reliability is essential. For that reason, careful, timely, and complete screening is of great importance. The Law of Enforcement Council has conducted an investigation into the screening of justice personnel in the Caribbean Netherlands. The investigation focused on the Public Prosecutor’s Office BES, the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force, the Caribbean Netherlands Correctional Institution, the Caribbean Netherlands Child Protection Board, and the Caribbean Netherlands Probation Foundation. The Council concludes that the current screening of justice personnel at the organizations investigated in the Caribbean Netherlands falls short and entails significant integrity risks. The current legal and organizational framework for screening no longer meets the requirements that justice organizations may and must set for a careful, timely, and complete assessment of the reliability of current and future employees. As a result, integrity risks cannot be fully identified, including on a periodic basis. This leads to unacceptable vulnerabilities that put pressure on the functioning and credibility of justice organizations in the Caribbean Netherlands. It also occurs that employees start work before the screening process has been fully completed. As a result, individuals without complete screening may gain access to confidential information. The Council also notes that existing legal possibilities are not being used sufficiently. For example, police data are not included in the assessment of a Certificate of Good Conduct in practice, even though this is possible under certain conditions. In addition, the Caribbean Netherlands does not have a variant of the Certificate of Good Conduct based on police data, while such a more stringent form of screening has already applied in the European Netherlands since 2022 for certain positions within justice organizations. It also occurs that employees start work before the screening process has been fully completed. As a result, individuals without complete screening may gain access to confidential information. Regarding the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force, the Council observes that the ministerial regulation that should have further elaborate reliability investigations — a more stringent form of screening specifically for the police — is still lacking. The Council qualifies this as negligence on the part of the Minister of Justice and Security, who is also the administrator of the police force. As a result, there is still no elaborate and legally safeguarded framework available for the screening of police personnel. Consequently, most police officers have not yet undergone this form of screening. According to the Law of Enforcement Council, central direction is also lacking. The organizations involved endorse the importance of this and recognize the current limitations of screening in the Caribbean Netherlands, but in practice it is insufficiently clear who isresponsible for what. The Council therefore calls on the Minister of Justice and Security to take central direction and to make clear and binding agreements with all parties involved. Partly in view of the conclusions and the risks identified, the Council will closely monitor the follow-up to the recommendations and keep itself informed about progress. The inspection report can be read on the website of the Council for Law Enforcement: https://www.raadrh.com/reports-bes Law of Enforcement Council.
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has increased the maximum electricity tariffs for the Caribbean Netherlands effective July 1, with average monthly household electricity bills expected to rise by about US $27 on Bonaire, US $17 on Saba and US $12 on St. Eustatius. According to the ACM, the tariff adjustments are the result of increased oil prices. The ACM sets the maximum tariffs for the production and distribution of electricity in the Caribbean Netherlands each December for the following year. Energy suppliers then determine the tariffs they charge residents and businesses based on those maximum rates. To account for fluctuating fuel prices, the ACM may adjust the variable electricity consumption tariff from July 1 each year. The maximum standing charge is not affected by this adjustment. The authority said the maximum standing charge established on January 1, remains unchanged. It noted that the standing charge continues to be subsidised by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate to the average European Netherlands level. On Bonaire, the maximum variable usage rate will increase from about US $0.39 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to about US $0.50 per kWh. The maximum pagabon (prepaid) tariff will increase from about US $0.74 per kWh to about US $0.85 per kWh before application of subsidies on the standing charge. According to the ACM, the increase will raise the monthly electricity bill of an average household on Bonaire by about USD 27. On St. Eustatius, the maximum variable usage rate will increase from about US $0.33 per kWh to about US $0.38 per kWh, increasing the monthly bill of an average household by about US $12. On Saba, the maximum variable usage rate will rise from about US $0.48 per kWh to about US $0.55 per kWh, resulting in an average monthly increase of about US $17 for households. The ACM said the tariff adjustments took effect on July 1. The Daily Herald.
- July 1, 2026
Two new ATM machines have been openend
Public Entity Saba is pleased to announce the opening of two new ATMs on the island, located at Juancho E. Irausquin Airport and Fort Bay Harbor. Two additional ATMs are planned for The Bottom and Windwardside. Construction of these locations is currently underway and is expected to become operational in the coming months. The official opening took place on Monday, June 29 with Governor Jonathan Johnson making the first withdrawal alongside representatives from DNB, Brink’s and Public Entity Saba. At this time, the newly installed ATMs accept Visa cards only. Public Entity and DNB recognize that many residents and visitors also rely on Mastercard services. Work is ongoing to expand services to also include Mastercard in the future. Commissioner Bruce Zagers welcomed the introduction of the new ATMs stating, “Although digital payments continue to grow, reliable access to cash remains important for residents, businesses, and visitors. These additional services improve convenience and accessibility for residents, and we appreciate the partnership and collaboration with DNB and Brinks in making this possible”. Public Entity Saba thanks DNB and Brink’s for their continued efforts and support to improve financial services on the island. PES
- July 1, 2026
Public Entity Newsletter No 24 – June 2026
There is political will to make flights between St. Eustatius, Saba and St. Maarten cheaper, Minister Vincent Karremans (Infrastructure and Water Management) assured the House of Representatives late Tuesday evening. Whether the money to make that happen can actually be found, however, remains far less certain, according to the website Dossier Koninkrijkszaken. The assurance came during a House debate on introducing a so-called Public Service Obligation (PSO) between the islands. “Having a law that makes something possible doesn’t mean it will actually happen,” one MP said during the debate. “So I’m not yet reassured, but this matters, and the islands have been asking for it for a long time. Can the Minister explain when he’ll decide whether to use this legal option? To me, it’s ultimately a question of political will.” Karremans responded that a decision is expected this autumn. “In principle, I will decide this autumn whether to make use of the legal option for the PSO. The only real showstopper I see is whether the resources become available. That’s the sole condition. I intend to proceed with the project, provided the funding is there. The annual cost of implementing the scheme is estimated at 3.8 to 7.6 million dollars. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is unwilling to cover this itself and instead argues the funds should come from the 30 million dollars set aside in the coalition agreement to strengthen social security in the Caribbean Netherlands. How that money is ultimately divided will be decided as part of the Autumn Memorandum. Karremans also stressed that any support scheme would be temporary. “How long would the subsidy measure run? A PSO is valid for a maximum of five years. It can be extended, but that has to be reassessed each time. So the duration is five years. This is a temporary measure, not a permanent one.” The debate showed that the bill has broad support and is likely to pass by a large majority in the upcoming vote. Even so, its actual implementation may take time. “The details will of course depend on the exploratory study we’re still working on,” the minister said. Dossier Koninkrijkszaken
