Mooi om te zien dat het nieuwe kleine weerstation bij het Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) op Statia nu zichtbaar bijdraagt aan lokale weerbewaking en crisisbeheersing. 🌧🌡 Dit sluit rechtstreeks aan...

Op woensdag 11 december 2024 hebben de vakorganisaties in het sectoroverleg (ABVO, ACOM, NAPB en STrAF) en de directeur RCN als voorzitter van het sectoroverleg nadere afspraken gemaakt over arbeidsvo...

Erik Matthijsen wordt inmiddels 108 dagen vermist nadat hij op Saba vertrok voor een wandeling en niet terugkeerde. Ondanks een dagenlange zoekactie met tien...

The Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) are proposing important updates to financial rules in the Caribbean Netherlands. These changes are necessary because the current regulations have not been updated for several years and no longer match recent laws or modern business practices. By updating these guidelines, the authorities aim to provide clearer expectations for companies operating in the region. This will ensure that businesses better understand their legal obligations regarding their operations and risk management. All market participants are encouraged to share their feedback on these proposals during the official consultation period. Interested parties can submit their responses starting June 26, 2026, until August 28, 2026. After this period, the regulators will publish a final decision.

The Dutch House of Representatives has passed a new law to increase the number of island council members and commissioners in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. This change follows years of population growth since 2010. By adding more seats and commissioners, the government aims to strengthen local democracy and help island leaders manage their daily work more effectively. These adjustments will start with the upcoming elections in March 2027, provided the Senate also approves the plan. An evaluation will happen after the first increase to ensure these changes work as intended. The new law links the number of seats on the councils to the number of people living on each island. This makes the system similar to how municipal councils work in the European part of the Netherlands. The government is also talking with island leaders about costs and support. The final decision now lies with the Senate. If approved, the changes will be ready in time for the next island elections, giving the islands better administrative capacity to serve their local communities.

The number of people living in the Caribbean Netherlands increased by 4 percent in 2025. On January 1, 2026, the total population reached over 33,000 inhabitants. This growth is mainly because more people moved to the islands than left. Bonaire saw the biggest increase with over a thousand new residents. Most new inhabitants came from countries like Colombia and the European Netherlands. Sint Eustatius and Saba also grew. Saba’s population increased by 5 percent, the highest percentage growth. Most new residents moved from places like Sint Maarten and the Philippines. Statistics Netherlands reported these figures today.

Op Saba is nog altijd geen spoor van Erik Matthijsen. De zoektocht naar de vermiste Nederlandse wandelaar gaat door met USAR en speurhonden.