From 2 September to 6 September 2019, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Carola Schouten will visit the Caribbean Netherlands. The visit is aimed at strengthening mutual cooperation and the advancement of various projects in the field of agricultural and horticultural development, nature conservation and fishing on Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire. In addition, attention is paid to the question of how the independent food supply on the islands can be increased.

During the visit, the program focuses on the themes of nature conservation and local food security in relation to agricultural and horticultural development and fishing. The Dutch Caribbean is largely dependent on imports for its food supply, and local food production is vulnerable to climate change, water shortage, water pollution and erosion.

This makes groceries expensive and fresh food is not always available. For a more self-sufficient food system, circular food production and efficient use of resources are of great importance. Minister Schouten will visit various projects that will get started with new forms of smart agriculture that contribute to increasing local food supplies. Attention is paid to the exchange of knowledge and ideas in the field of circular agriculture.

Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire
Minister Schouten starts her visit on Saba, where she is informed about, among other things, efforts in the field of coral protection and local vegetable growing. She then travels to St. Eustatius, where she enters into discussions with local fishermen, market vendors and the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Department (LVV). The minister concludes her trip on Bonaire, where she visits various agricultural entrepreneurs, a healthy nutrition initiative for children, and various organizations that focus on nature management.

Regio Envelop
To improve the quality of life and broaden prosperity, the government is investing in the socio-economic development of the Caribbean Netherlands through Regio Deals. The cabinet has made € 30 million available from the Regio Envelop for Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. This is used, among other things, to fight poverty and improve food security and food safety in the Dutch Caribbean. Minister Schouten will visit various projects funded from the Regio Envelop.

https://frontpage.fok.nl/nieuws/821084/1/1/50/schouten-naar-caribisch-nederland.html?token=bb36687da805e03b51f5d80ed7a7215c&allowcookies=ACCEPTEER+ALLE+COOKIES

** SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN # 2 – Tropical Storm Dorian **

DATE ISSUED: Sunday, 25 August, 2019 TIME: 05:30AM (09:30UTC)

At 5:00 am today the center of Tropical Storm Dorian was located near latitude 11.0 North, longitude 51.6 West, or about 905 miles southeast of St. Maarten. Dorian is moving toward the west near 13 mph (20 km/h) and this general motion is expected to continue today, followed by a motion toward the west-northwest on Monday and Tuesday. On the forecast track, Dorian is expected to be near the central Lesser Antilles late Monday or early Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Dorian could be near hurricane strength over the eastern Caribbean Sea.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 1008 mb (29.77 inches).

Meteorological Department St. Maarten will continue to monitor this system and keep the public updated accordingly.

FORECASTER: Connor

The condolence register that has been opened online to condemn the royal family with the death of Princess Christina is only rarely used since the cremation last Thursday. For example, three messages were placed on Saturday, and another nine on Friday. The intention is to close the register in the short term, as the Government Information Service announced last week.

The condolence register was used by official institutions such as the embassies of Bangladesh and Turkey, the office of the minister of St. Maarten and Royal Visio, who recalled the music and dance workshops that the princess arranged. In addition, there were people and institutions that had personally been involved with Christina over the years, such as KLM in Rome on its regular flights to the Netherlands, or former staff of the Consul General in New York when she was still living there. But also, somewhat spicy, an appraiser who had been with her for two days.

Former classmates or schoolmates of the princess, girlfriends of her sisters and her children, as well as the ‘Princess Christina New York Fanclub’ who spoke of dancing and singing together and a voice that sounded like a clock and an inpromptu performance after a Nia class. But many ‘ordinary Dutch people’ also expressed their participation. “The Christmas CD she made: it has ensured that it is only Christmas time with us when the princess has sounded. Special ”, was a condolence.

King Willem-Alexander has already thanked on behalf of the whole family on Friday for the signs of compassion upon the death of his aunt.

https://www.ditjesendatjes.nl/condoleances-na-overlijden-prinses-christina-druppelen-nog-binnen/

ST MAARTEN – Passengers on a KLM flight have been stuck on St Maarten for two days. Flight KL789 was to depart via Curaçao to Amsterdam on Friday, but the aircraft is struggling with a defective part.

According to a KLM spokeswoman, a new part is currently on its way to the Antillean island. The idea is that it will be replaced on Sunday, so that the aircraft can still depart on Sunday night.

“An unpleasant situation,” said the spokeswoman, who said that KLM accommodated the passengers in hotels during the delay.https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1972452565/passagiers-klm-vlucht-vast-op-sint-maarten

Philipsburg – KLM flight 789 from Amsterdam to Curaçao and vice versa was stranded on Friday afternoon during the planned stopover on Sint Maarten

due to a technical defect.

To remedy the problem, a part must be flown in from the Netherlands. KLM assumes that the flight can be resumed today – with a 24-hour delay. Passengers complained about being insufficiently informed on social media.

SOURCE: KONINKRIJKSRELATIES

The first Health Psychology training course starts in November in the Caribbean Netherlands and the autonomous islands of the Kingdom. To this end, initiator Mental Health Caribbean (MHC) signed a contract with training institute RINO South last week.

“After several attempts, we have now finally succeeded in setting up a BIG-registered health care psychologist together with RINO Zuid,” says Erik Jansen, director of MHC, the GGZ institution for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. “Together, MHC and RINO Zuid want to give an impulse to the professionalization of mental health care in the Caribbean Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.”

Collaboration

Last week, MHC and RINO Zuid signed a contract, making the training a fact. GZ psychologists receive local training in collaboration with institutions on the various islands. Psychologists who work in Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten will also participate in the training. In total, eighteen employees from eight institutions are expected to follow the training.

Travel distance

The training course meets all the requirements set in the Netherlands, the initiators emphasize. Various didactic and substantive innovations will be applied. “Classroom lesson days once a week is not practical because of the distances between the islands” explains course coordinator Rachel Sistermans of RINO Zuid. “The training therefore consists of six blocks of 60 to 120 hours of cursor education, whereby the link with practice is guaranteed. In addition, the participants gain work experience in practice. That is a requirement for the training. There will also be more interim supervision and intervision with video calling and there will be more e-learning in the training. ”The training lasts more than two years. From May 2022, the first certificates are expected to be issued.

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After the revelation of the first Caribbean Foiling Championships which will take place from February 21-23, 2020, the organization now announces that registration for the event has officially opened. To celebrate this, those who join the wave of innovation before October 31, 2019 will be rewarded with a 20% discount.
Sacha van der Wouden (co-founder of the Caribbean Foiling Championships) says, ‘After receiving so many positive and enthusiastic reactions from the St. Barths, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Maarten/St. Martin as well as from America and Europe especially the Netherlands, France and Greece it was time to open up the registration.’ In addition to this, all kite- and windfoilers that sign up before October 31, 2019 receive a 20% discount on their entry fee. Sacha adds giggling, ‘In case you already signed up you will also get the 20% discount!’.

Foilboarding is a recent and popular development in the kitesurfing and windsurfing world. It consists of adding a hydrofoil under the board to limit water resistance which elevates the rider above the water. As such, foilboarders seem to be floating above the surface in a fast, free and fluid movement.

The entire foiling industry seems increasingly happy with this new three-day event in the Caribbean on St. Martin. On the first day, Friday February 21 in 2020, the competition will be held in and around Orient Bay Tintamarre. The best place to watch the race will be on Tintamarre. The organization will create a special boat transfer/package for all those that want to get up close. For those who just want to catch a glimpse of Race Day 1, Orient Bay will be sufficient as well.

On Saturday during the second race day, the fleet will move from Orient Bay to Nettle Bay (Marigot). The best viewpoint from shore will be Nettle Bay Beach. You can get there by car, or join the event on a trip by boat.

The last racing day, Sunday February 23 in 2020, will be the spectacle ending: the around the island race! Current around the island record holder and kite foiler Sebastien Queney from Guadeloupe says,’ I’ve already signed up for the Caribbean Foiling Championships to defend my own record of 1 hour 29 minutes 32 seconds. I believe I can beat my own record, but with so many good/professional kitefoilers showing interest it is going to be tough to keep the record on my name!’