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No Meeting To Approve Ipko Delegation Due To No Quorum
MP Ludmila de Wever, standing, about to sign in for the meeting, which could not be held due to no quorum, on Thursday morning.
PHILIPSBURG--Thursdays scheduled meeting of Parliament to approve the composition of the delegation to participate in the Inter-Parliamentary Kingdom Consultations IPKO and Tripartite, did not take place due to a lack of quorum.
IPKO Is scheduled to be held in The Hague, Netherlands from May 31 to June 5.
Chairperson of Parliament Sidharth Cookie Bijlani opened a gathering of Parliament, and told MPs present that the meeting was not able to start as there had been no quorum Read more
Island Council Training On Bonaire Was Very Valuable.
SABA--The three-day training on Bonaire on April 11, 12, and 13 provided valuable insights for the new Island Council.
The training brought more insight into the role and responsibilities that you have as an Island Council member, said Elsa Peterson of the Windward Islands Peoples Movement (WIPM). For me, it was a bit more empowering, coming from the governments executive branch. As an Island Council member, it is important to realize that you are in fact the highest legislative body of government and the responsibility and authority that comes with that, she said.
Vito Charles (WIPM) reiterated it was good that the training was held very soon after the installation of the new Island Council Read more
SABA:--- The Island Council left Saba Sunday morning, April 9 for training on Bonaire.For three days, the four Island Council Members will participate in an introductory course about the functioning of the Island Council and the role of the members. While on Bonaire, the Island Council will also meet with the management of the Care and Youth Caribbean Netherlands (ZJCN) to talk about healthcare, particularly the medical referral system and the medical care abroad for Saba clients. This is the first working trip of the new Island Council since its installation on March 29.For Island Council Member Saskia Matthew of the Party for Progress, Equality, and Prosperity (PEP), this is the first working visit abroad since her swearing-in Read more
Pfp Faction Suspects Procurement Fraud In Awarding Of District Cleaning Contracts
PHILIPSBURGThe Party for Progress (PFP) faction in Parliament is requesting information from Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Egbert Doran regarding the 2022-2025 District Cleaning Tendering and Awarding Process. PFP believes there is reason to suspect fraud being committed.
A March 31, 2023, letter to the minister, signed by Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson said there are valid concerns of fraud and/or corruption related to this tendering process, similar to the concerns expressed in the Ombudsmans 2022 Systemic Investigation Report into the garbage collection tendering process Read more
New Saba Island Council Installed, Commissioners Appointed
SABA — The new Saba Island Council 2023-2027 was installed on Wednesday, March 29. Five new members of the Island Council, Saskia Matthew, Hemmie van Xanten, Rolando Wilson, Elsa Peterson and Vito Charles, were sworn in, as well as two new members of the Executive Council, Commissioners Bruce Zagers and Eviton Heyliger.
The new Island Council has two new faces, and both are young females. Saskia Matthew became Island Council Member for the Party for Progress, Equality and Prosperity (PEP) and Elsa Peterson for the Windward Islands Peoples Movement (WIPM) Read more
Carl Buncamper Says Farewell To Island Council After 16 Years
SABA — Carl Buncamper of the Windward Islands Peoples Movement (WIPM) held his farewell speech in the last meeting of the outgoing Island Council on Tuesday, March 28. Buncamper has been a member of the Saba Island Council for 16 years.
Buncamper ran in six elections. He participated in five Island Council elections from 2007 to 2023 and in one election for the then Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles. When he first got elected in 2007, Saba was still part of the Netherlands Antilles and Saba had a seat in Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles.
Buncamper was a candidate in the March 15 Island Council elections and ran as number 6 on the WIPM slate Read more