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King William-Alexander gave his annual speech to the States General on the third Tuesday in September. The king emphasized that solving political problems in the Netherlands takes time. “Not everything can be done at once,” he said on Tuesday during the speech from the throne, in which he announced the government’s plans for next year. King Willem-Alexander began his speech by insisting on the importance of community spirit and cooperation as an “antidote to polarization.” According to him, politics plays an important role in this. “One of the most important questions is whether people still have confidence in politics and government to solve the problems.” Nevertheless, the king emphasized that solving problems takes time. “The honest message is: not everything can be done at once,” he said. In doing so, the cabinet mainly encounters financial limits. “Because we should not saddle our children and grandchildren with an irresponsibly high national debt.” That is why the government is pursuing a budgetary policy “that does not postpone the bill.” One political problem is more of a priority for the cabinet than the other. For example, it is irresponsible to postpone or cancel efforts to address the nitrogen problem. Earlier this year, the cabinet presented a nitrogen approach, but it met with considerable resistance from right-wing parties. These plans also led to farmers’ protests in various places in the country. The cabinet will continue to discuss the plans with farmers and provinces. There is a lot of money available to help farmers adapt their business. The king acknowledges the pain and uncertainty of farming families in the vicinity of vulnerable nature. “Farmers deserve clarity and perspective.” The king also paid attention to the heated debate around asylum and migration. According to him, there should always be room in the Netherlands for people fleeing war and oppression. He discussed demonstrations earlier this year in Loosdrecht and Engelen, where an asylum seekers’ center was almost set on fire and houses and vehicles were destroyed and defaced. “It must be clear that threats and violence are unacceptable. Stricter controls at EU external borders and cooperation with countries outside the EU should reduce the influx. Getting a grip on migration is a topic that is about togetherness.” The king also discussed the importance of investments in defense and Ukraine, the threat of organized crime in the Netherlands, and the need for a pragmatic approach to the housing shortage. Cabinet still has to seek support for plans Each year, the prime minister writes the Speech from the Throne, which the king delivers on Budget Day. This year, Rob Jetten wrote it for the first time. Parliament still must approve the plans read out in the speech from the throne. This year, the minority cabinet will have to seek support to guide its plans through the Senate and House. The opposition has already criticized the leaked plans and the cabinet’s attempts to collaborate with opposition parties. That political game continues during the General Political Reflections on Wednesday and Thursday, when the House of Representatives debates the plans read out by the king.  

Collision between scooter and car On Monday, the 14th of September, at around 7:15 AM, the central control room received a report of a collision between a car and a scooter at the intersection of Pasture Street and Gray Bush Street. The driver of the scooter was injured and was taken to the hospital by ambulance for medical treatment. In accordance with the ‘botsen is blazen’ policy, a breathalyzer test was administered to the driver of the car, which showed no indication of alcohol consumption. Due to medical reasons, a breathalyzer testcould not be administered to the driver of the scooter. KPCN

A colorectal cancer screening programme will launch in Saba on September 28. The screening is intend­ed for men and women between 55 and 75 years old. “This is the first screening programme on Saba in which men are also eligible to participate,” national government service agency RCN said in a press release. “The colorec­tal cancer screening programme makes it possible to de­tect colorectal cancer at an early stage, giving everyone the best possible chance of receiving effective treatment.” Everyone in the target group will receive an invitation to participate in the colorectal cancer screening programme within a two-year period, RCN said. “Once they have received their invitation, they can reg­ister to participate. Residents between the ages of 55 and 75 who have not yet received an invitation but would still like to participate can contact the screening organisation on Saba directly from September 28, 2026. Participation is free of charge,” RCN said. The colorectal cancer screening programme will be car­ried out by Saba Cares. To ensure that follow-up examina­tions can be offered in the event of abnormal test results, Saba Cares is collaborating with Bonaire’s Fundashon Mariadal hospital. For more information, persons can contact Saba Cares at tel. 599-416-3288 or tel. 599-416-6033 (WhatsApp). Persons can also send an e-mail to info@sabacares.org. The Daily Herald.

Mental health issues among young people, bullying, and dan­gers originating from other countries are the primary concerns of children and youngsters in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. This is according to the 2026 UNICEF Youth Advice, for which young people on the BES islands were surveyed for the first time. Alongside their concerns, young people express a clear wish: they want to be taken more seriously by policymakers. What is currently most on the minds of children and young people? UNICEF Netherlands asks this ques­tion every year to a repre­sentative group of children and young people (aged 10-18). Their concerns, ideas, and recommenda­tions form the UNICEF Youth Advice. For the first time, young people in Bonaire, St. Eu­statius and Saba have been included in this advice. On the islands, mental health issues, bullying and dangers from other countries make up the top three concerns. Mental health issues top the list, cited by 28% of re­spondents. Young people see their peers struggling with stress, feelings of gloom and loneliness, and they worry about the short­age of psychologists and therapists. They are calling for more accessible mental health support and for safe spaces where young people can talk about their feel­ings. Bullying follows closely in second place, with 27%. Young people state that bullying is widespread and often involves discrimina­tion; they also note a lack of clear instructions at school regarding how to address and report bullying. A 15-year-old girl from Saba comments: “Thera­pists could come from out­side the island, because I know most people don’t feel comfortable talking to people from Saba — people they see every day.” Ranking third is the issue of threats from other coun­tries. Young people from Bonaire and Saba, in par­ticular, fear that insecurity in neighbouring countries could impact the islands. They point out, for in­stance, that illegal weapons and drugs reach the islands relatively easily by sea. Young people were also asked whether they feel heard by policymakers. It turns out they do not: the Public Bodies receive a score of 5.4 for listening, while the Dutch govern­ment scores a 5.0. “We of­ten fill out surveys, but too little actually changes as a result,” says one of the young people. The Youth Advice is shared with politicians across all the islands, and the recommendations and insights are incorporated into the Child-Friendly Cit­ies programme. Research methodology Commissioned by UNI­CEF Netherlands, Ipsos I&O conducted research among young people aged 10 to 17. The study consist­ed of both quantitative and qualitative phases. A total of 113 young peo­ple across the BES islands completed a comprehen­sive questionnaire regard­ing social issues they con­sider important, their con­cerns about these issues, and potential solutions. The questionnaire first gave young people the opportu­nity to suggest social issues they felt deserved attention. Next, they could select the themes they deemed important from a broad list of topics. They were then asked to rank these topics by order of importance. In this way, the study identifies not only the issues young people mention but also those they prioritise most highly. In addition to the ques­tionnaire, a focus group was organised with young people from the BES is­lands to explore these top­ics in greater depth. As the world’s most in­fluential children’s rights organisation, UNICEF champions the rights of ev­ery child. UNICEF holds a unique mandate from the United Nations to ensure all children receive what they are entitled to — a mis­sion it has pursued for over 75 years, stated a release. “Thanks to our global presence, we can respond quickly whenever and wherever help is needed. We work systematically to improve living conditions by engaging governments, parents, and children them­selves. Together with part­ners, donors, and volun­teers, we ensure that every child can simply be a child — always and everywhere.” The Daily Herald.

The 11th meeting of the BES Summit was held on September 4th 2026, at the Corallium Conference Room in Bonaire. The summit brought together the island councils of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba to discuss matters of shared importance and to strengthen cooperation among the three public entities. Sint Eustatius currently chairs the BES Summit and will continue to do so until June 2027. One of the agenda items that was discussed during the summit was the results of a new study by the University of Curaçao on the choice between the current OCT status (LGO) and a possible status as an outermost region, UPG. The report was commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and the researchers were tasks with an analysis of the pros and cons of a OCT or UPG status for the islands of the Caribbean Netherlands. As a focus of this study 4 of the 6 islands were included mainly Aruba, Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. In a reaction to the findings of this study, the public entities had an exploratory session where each island took note of this research and the findings and exchanged their initial views on the matter. The island councils reaffirmed that, before considering a position relating to a possible change in status, they will explore relevant and objective expert information. Information is needed to provide the councils and communities with a clear understanding of the potential advantages, disadvantages, opportunities, and implications of a possible transition. The councils agreed that citizen participation must be a priority in any decision concerning the future status of the islands including whether the manner of association to the European union should be revised. Further due diligence will be pursued by each island as they commit to return to the discussion as soon as possible. During the summit concerns were also raised for a current topic that is being discussed in the second chamber. This relates to the 30 million allocated by the ministries to address the high cost of living on the BES islands. During the discussion, concerns were raised regarding the distribution and allocation of these funds that were allocated through the coalition agreement of the current government. The main purpose of these funds, which according to the coalition agreement is meant to lower the cost of living on the islands, is being distributed and allocated in a manner that merely keeps the cost of living afloat as opposed to lowering it. The councils agreed to prepare a joint letter outlining their concerns and seeking further clarification regarding the allocation of the 30 million and to direct this to the house of representatives. In a continuous effort to provide structural, efficient and sustainable mechanisms of cooperation, the summit also discussed the importance of documenting the developments, achievements, and ongoing goals of the BES Summit. In preparation for upcoming elections and possible new councilmembers, the importance of transition and transfer documents was emphasized. The proposed transfer document would serve as a guide for incoming island councils, providing them with an understanding of the purpose of the BES Summit, its history, the issues addressed, and the work that remains ongoing. The summit also raised the importance of establishing an overview that captures the developments of the BES Summit to date and identifies which goals and action points have already been accomplished. The importance was also raised that the eventual transfer document should include the history and reasons behind the establishment of the BES Summit, ensuring that future councils understand its origins, purpose, and continued importance. As a continuation of the previous BES Summit, a dedicated section was included for the petit committees, which were specifically tasks with priority issues and action points of shared importance to the islands. During the meeting, the petit committees on healthcare, education, and the establishment of a BES Representative provided updates on their progress and made agreements on the way forward. Education The petite committee on education explored the joint principles that the education system on the islands need to be guided by. To this end a proposal was presented for a joint motion on education, aimed at encouraging and strengthening cooperation between the islands and establishing stronger on island organizational capacity with the intention to address the challenges facing each island’s education system. The proposed motion will be reviewed by the respective island councils, with the intention of having it formally ratified on each island and work towards structural improvement. BES Representative The petite committee working on the establishment of a BES Representative provided an update on the steps being taken to secure financing for the position. The committee also discussed a proposed profile and detailed description of the position. Agreements were made regarding further actions and a timeframe, with specific follow-up points assigned to each island. Healthcare The healthcare petite committee is working toward establishing a more structured and documented approach to gathering information directly from the communities. The goal is to better identify and highlight challenges and experiences within the healthcare system. To this end the committee is reviewing a collective data gathering process that will be launched across all three islands. The results of this process will give strategic data markers to be presented to the policy makers and law makers that better suit the needs of the people of the island. The next BES Summit will take place in December The island councils remain committed to continued cooperation, open dialogue, and joint action on matters that directly affect the communities of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba and look back on a successful summit. PES.

From September 14th to October 2nd, the Netherlands Armed Forces in the Caribbean will be conducting their annual hurricane emergency response exercise on the Windward Islands. The exercise takes place on Sint Maarten and Saba and is known as “Calm Horizon”. The purpose is to deploy troops quickly and effectively in case a hurricane passes us and we request assistance. Following their deployment to the islands, small-scale activities will take place on both islands. For this purpose, amongst others, drones will be used in coordination with relevant local authorities in the morning hours of September 18th, 21st, and 24th. The deployed teams will also use their time on the islands to familiarize themselves with the local terrain and to engage with relevant stakeholders, including government organizations, non-governmental organizations, and companies that play a key role in disaster response. As part of getting to know our community better, Saba’s community is invited and encouraged to participate in a trail run that is organized on Saturday, September 19th starting at 05:30 a.m. at the Ladder Bay Trailhead and ending at Cove Bay. For more information and sign up: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=444179. Another trail run takes place on September 22nd and 25th. However, please note that on those days it is only for the armed forces. The majority of the military personnel involved are already stationed in the Caribbean region. Participating units include personnel from the Marine Detachment Sint Maarten, the Curaçaoan and the Aruban unit (respectively CURMIL and ARUMIL). Exercises like ‘Calm Horizon’, contribute to the armed forces being optimally prepared to provide emergency assistance, support civil authorities, and maintain public order immediately after a hurricane has passed. This is one of the three core tasks of the Netherlands Ministry of Defence in the Caribbean Region. PES.

President of the All For I Union, Charles Woodley, representing the St. Eustatius Healthcare Foundation (SE­HCF), speaking to healthcare workers prior to the meeting. Negotiations between employers and unions over a new Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) for healthcare workers in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba have been suspended after five days of intensive discus­sions. The negotiations, which took place from August 24 through August 28, ended without an agreement. The parties said they regret that they were unable to reach a deal. At the centre of the negotia­tions is the shared goal of achiev­ing employment conditions for healthcare workers in the Carib­bean Netherlands that are equiv­alent to those in the European Netherlands. The parties agree that residents of the European Netherlands and the BES islands are equal citi­zens of the Netherlands and that healthcare employees in the BES should therefore have equivalent employment conditions. Employ­ers, however, must also have the financial resources to implement those conditions. The main differences in em­ployment conditions concern the working week, salaries and pen­sions. 36-hour working week. The introduction of a 36-hour working week has emerged as a key point in the negotiations. Unions are calling for the shorter working week to be introduced as of January 1, 2027. Employers said they are unable to meet the demand because the financial re­sources required to imple­ment the measure are not available. All parties agree that a 36-hour working week would contribute to greater equal­ity in employment condi­tions. They also acknowl­edge potential benefits for employee wellbeing, work-life balance and the labour market position of the BES islands. At the same time, the par­ties agree that the availabil­ity and continuity of health­care for residents must be taken into account when considering the introduc­tion of a 36-hour working week. Unresolved issues  The impasse over the working week also prevent­ed the parties from reaching agreements on several other issues where progress had reportedly been made. These include a salary in­crease, improved continued payment of wages during illness and special leave ar­rangements. After five days of negotia­tions, the CLA parties con­cluded that an agreement could not be reached at this stage. The parties have docu­mented the status of the negotiations in a suspen­sion agreement and are now considering how to proceed. All parties expressed their regret that they were unable to reach an agree­ment, while reaffirming their commitment to con­tinuing discussions towards improved and more equal employment conditions for healthcare workers in the BES. The Daily Herald.

The Island Councils of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba have warned the Dutch House of Representatives that a promised €30 million in structural funding may not deliver what it was intended to: measurable relief from the high cost of living in the Caribbean Netherlands. A Promise at Risk The €30 million was included in the coalition agreement to help reduce living expenses on the three islands, where prices remain considerably higher than in the European Netherlands. The Island Councils are concerned, however, that from 2028 onward an estimated €19 million of the fund will be used for existing subsidies for electricity, drinking water, telecommunications, and transportation. Until now, the budgets of the responsible ministries have largely financed these. Their argument is simple: maintaining existing subsidies prevents costs from rising but does not provide additional relief. Using the new €30 million to replace existing ministry spending would therefore shift costs between government budgets rather than make life more affordable. The councils also fear the move could set a precedent, allowing other existing ministerial responsibilities to gradually transfer to the new fund. The Electricity Gap Electricity illustrates the problem. Households on Ameland pay roughly €0.26 per kilowatt-hour, while rates on the BES islands can reach about US$0.56 per kilowatt-hour. Existing subsidies help prevent this difference from becoming even greater. But the councils argue that the additional €30 million was intended to narrow such gaps, rather than simply finance measures already needed to maintain the status quo. Islands Want a Say The councils also criticize the process. They say they have had little meaningful involvement in how the money will be spent in 2027, even as those plans are included in the national budget. They argue that this conflicts with the principle of partnership: decisions directly affecting daily life on the islands should be developed with the islands, not decided in The Hague and explained afterward. What the Councils Want For 2027, they are asking Parliament to examine whether any of the €30 million is replacing expenditures that should remain the responsibility of individual ministries. For 2028 and beyond, they want the full allocation reconsidered in genuine consultation with Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, recognizing that each island faces different circumstances. The Central Question The dispute ultimately hinges on one question: Is the €30 million genuinely additional funding to reduce the cost of living, or is it becoming a new way to finance existing government obligations? The Island Councils are asking Parliament to safeguard the original promise: use the money to make life more affordable and give the islands a meaningful role in deciding how that is achieved. BES Island councils

Arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol on Saba On Saturday, the 5th of September, at around 6:35 PM, a 50-year-old man with the initials S.B.v.H. was arrested on Thais Hill Road on Saba for driving under the influence of alcohol. The suspect reversed his pick-up truck into another vehicle. In accordance with the “botsen is blazen” policy , a breathalyzer test was administered, which revealed that he had consumed more alcohol than legally permitted. He was arrested and taken to the police station. Because a formal breath analysis could not be conducted, the public prosecutor decided to withhold the suspect’s car keys until the following day. Additionally, the suspect was issued an official report for driving under the influence. KPCN

Caribbean libraries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands made significant progress during a week-long conference in El Salvador, signing a joint network plan that outlines shared ambitions and collaboration going forward. The plan, developed with guidance from Common Eye, focuses on strengthening the libraries’ positioning and building future-proof institutions. The KB (the national library of the Netherlands and the BES islands) and Rijnbrink, both partners in the network, attended as knowledge and expertise supporters, with Rijnbrink contributing to organizational and content development, and both organizations helping advance the plan’s goals. Beyond the network agreement, the week included visits to libraries in El Salvador, where Caribbean library professionals exchanged knowledge and practical experience with local counterparts, comparing working methods and drawing mutual inspiration. The organizers described the conference as a successful combination of network-building and international exchange, with connection and shared learning as central themes. Going forward, the libraries plan to continue implementing the ambitions set out in the network plan and deepen collaboration across the islands. Queen Wilhelmina Library