The Bottom, Saba- Caretaker State Secretary Raymond Knops sees a lot of visible progress on Saba. “Visits to Saba always have a lot of content. The discussions with the Executive Council and the Island Council from the onset have been consistent with the issues and constructive in tone”, said Dutch caretaker of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations during his visit to Saba on Monday, May 17th, and Tuesday, May 18th.

“Saba is a true example of it takes two to tango. The local government and the Island Council take the initiative and assume responsibility, and we in The Hague do our part. Talks are always constructive. The mindset is always: what are the problems, and how do we solve them. I like that attitude. But they are also not afraid to be critical, and the Island Council has made it clear to me what they wanted for Saba.”

Realistic

Knops lauded the level of government. “There is no unrealistic ambition, and the support that we provide is utilized dynamically. There are multiple examples of this: the construction of the new harbor, improvements in waste management, and how Saba handled the pandemic. Whenever I come here, I see progress. The local government thinks ahead. I like that. Besides providing the basic services for the residents, the government looks at ways to continue the development. That is no easy job, such a small island with big challenges. I always say it, and I’ll continue to say it: Saba is a prime example of good, solid governance. If you only look at the reports of the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT, you see that there is one island that scores good, and that is Saba.”