SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – The number of positive coronavirus tests reported to public health institute RIVM soared to 8,868 on Saturday, a rise of 1,260 on Friday’s figure.

Last week, the number of positive tests a day averaged 7,239, an increase of 14% on the previous seven-day period. The sharp increase can be partly explained by the increase in testing and the number of tests carried out over the past week has risen by 8.5%.

Nevertheless, the percentage of tests proving positive has risen from 7.7% to 8.4%, showing that the virus continues to spread. The number of coronavirus patients in hospital is also rising slightly.

There are now 2,238 people with the virus in hospital, of whom 643 are in intensive care.

(DutchNews)

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Prime minister Mark Rutte has said the EU and Britain will sort out their differences over coronavirus vaccines by Saturday, following Thursday’s online meeting of EU leaders, EUObserver reported.

EU leaders did give ‘muted backing’ to the Commission’s plans to tighten export rules for vaccines, after claims that AstraZeneca in particular is not keeping to the terms of its delivery agreements with Europe.

A drug making company in Leiden is at the centre of that dispute. Rutte told broadcaster NOS that he is not in favour of measures to limit exports by choice, and that ‘it is important to keep the gun unloaded’.

Nevertheless, EU leaders voted unanimously for the plan.

The EU signed framework agreements with the pharmaceutical companies but it is the member states that contract the firms for the specific amount of jabs they want, EUObserver said.

EU leaders were also unhappy with calls by Austria for a bigger share of the EU jabs. ‘At this moment it is difficult to conclude that Austria has an issue now,’ Rutte said after the meeting.

He also said he is ‘very much open’ to finding ways to help Croatia, Bulgaria, and Latvia, whose own vaccination programmes have been hit hard by the lack of AstraZeneca supplies.

Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told the meeting that the EU is on track to vaccinate 70% of its adult population by the summer. Some 88 million vaccine doses have been delivered to the EU so far and 62 million have been administered, she said.

(DutchNews)

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Talks on forming a new coalition government will restart on Friday following Thursday’s debacle involving a positive coronavirus test for Kajsa Ollongren and a photograph of her discussion notes.

Ollongren and Annemarie Jorritsma stood down after the faux pas, with Tamara van Ark and Wouter Koolmees taking over the role of finding out what coalition has the best chance of succeeding.

In the meantime, prime minister Mark Rutte has told reporters that neither he or D66 leader Sigrid Kaag had discussed the position of highly popular CDA MP Pieter Omtzigt with the outgoing coalition scouts – whose name was listed next to ‘another function’ in Ollongren’s document.

Insiders, however, say the damage has been done, particularly with regard to Omtzigt who has been a strong critic of the outgoing government’s strategy. And according to the Telegraaf, the CDA is meeting on Friday to discuss its response to the crisis.

On Thursday, leader Wopke Hoekstra described the photographed notes as ‘bizarre’. On Friday, a majority of MPs, including MPs from the VVD and D66, called for a parliamentary debate on the notes with the two former scouts, who were appointed to their jobs by parliament. As yet, it is unclear when that debate will take place.

Test

Questions have also been asked about why Ollongren was at the parliamentary complex while waiting for the results of her coronavirus test. Like other ministers, she had been tested after junior economic affairs minister Mona Keijzer was found to have coronavirus last week.

On social media people wanted to know why Ollongren was not in quarantine waiting for the results. At the same time, television images of ministers holding face to face meetings, while the government urges everyone to work from home, have also raised questions.

Sticking to the rules

According to the NRC, Ollongren was sticking to the public health institute rules, which are broken down into three categories: household members, close contacts and other contacts.

The third category applies to people who have been talking to someone who is positive for coronavirus for more than 15 minutes but at a 1.5 metre distance, and that applies to everyone who held meetings with Keijzer on Friday, the paper said.

The RIVM recommends people have a test after five days, but not that they stay home until they have had the results.

Party leaders

Nevertheless, several party leaders who held talks with Ollongren over the past few days have gone into voluntary self-isolation, including Lilianne Ploumen (PvdA), Sylvana Simons (BIJ1) and Gert-Jan Segers (ChristenUnie.

‘People expect that their leaders pay attention to the health of those around them in times of crisis,’ VU University psychology professor Mark van Vugt told the NRC. ‘That gives a clear sign of how important a politician considers the issue to be.’ Ministers have decided they will only meet online for the time being.

(DutchNews)

SABA (THE BOTTOM) - With a wide range of afternoon activities in place, children on Saba do not have to be bored after school. From dance, arts and cooking classes to basketball, volleyball and swimming there are more than 40 activities that children can choose from to keep occupied in a positive manner after school.

In total 313 children from both the primary and secondary school are enrolled in the youth activities: 50 at Saba Nature Foundation, 117 at Child Focus, 111 students from the Saba Comprehensive School (SCS) and 35 at the Queen Wilhelmina Library.

The Saba Nature Foundation and Child Focus host activities for youngsters between the age of 4 and 12, while the SCS hosts the after-school activities, called clubs, for its students ages 12 to 18. A selection of the activities that are offered are: hiking and science, arts and crafts, boxing, homework support, snorkeling/diving, softball/baseball, theatre, yearbook, Djembé drumming, boardgames, IT, bellot, carnival costume design, Saba Fit, Junior/Sea Rangers, soccer, Lego tech, LGBTQ+ Pride club, animal care, track and field, guitar and piano lessons, West Indian cooking, chess, ballet, Leo’s Club, ceramics and textiles, sewing, triathlon swimming and biking, Latin dance, math, astronomy, Boys and Girls Society.

The possibilities are almost endless with children combining several of the activities from Monday through Saturday. Children can also go to the library three times a week for Dutch lessons, English lessons, Spanish lessons, Math is Fun and homework support.

Integral part

The youth activities have been in place for several years and are an integral part of the community and of growing up on Saba, with the involvement of many volunteers, teachers, staff and youth leaders.

Lauren Risley, project leader at the Public Health Department said the youth activities were a good way for children and youngsters to learn what they are interested in. “It helps them to discover their passions, what they like, they develop their talents, and keeps them busy.”

Commissioner of Social Affairs Rolando Wilson praised the many after-school activities. “All organizations involved work hard to provide opportunities for Saba’s children. This is an important investment in the development of these young people, a cause that the Public Entity and the different stakeholders are committed to. I am happy to see that stakeholders joined forces to make this possible. Also, it helps to guide the young people on this island and to ensure that they are staying on the right path. Our youth is the future of Saba. It’s good to see them showing their talents in different fields,” he said.

Keeping busy

Sapphire Ramkissoon, Program Manager at Child Focus, said the after-school activities were very important for the children, especially on a small island like Saba. “The children are kept busy with activities that they like and it takes some pressure off the parents.” She explained that at Child Focus, which was set up in 2001, parents pay no fee. Per day, Child Focus has about 30 to 40 children with activities taking place at different locations.

The vast majority of the children come from the Sacred Heart School. They are brought to Child Focus after school by the bus drivers of the Public Entity Saba. Child Focus hosts between 15 and 17 activities per week, in the afternoons on weekdays and on Saturday morning, with a maximum of three activities per child. A sensory room is being prepared for special needs children. Child Focus also hosts the summer camp during July as well as cultural exchange trips with St. Eustatius and other islands, and day trips to St. Maarten. The COVID-19 pandemic unfortunately put a stop to these trips.

Positive attitude

For the SCS students, participating in after-school activities is compulsory. They have to attend at least two clubs from 2:30 to 4:00pm on weekdays or on Saturday morning. There are about close to 35 clubs that the students can choose from. The program has been in place for three years and it is very successful, said SCS Club Coordinator Tracy Zagers-Johnson. “We see a real positive attitude from the children and their parents, and we receive positive feedback.”

“Our students have become stronger and gained more self-confidence. The clubs provide them the opportunity to do something that they like, to have something useful to do. It broadens the students’ horizons, teaches them about leadership and working together,” said SCS Principal Anton Hermans.Zagers-Johnson said that the clubs contribute to more motivation and self-discipline. The after-school activities are also positive for the students’ CV and their tertiary studies. The clubs are organized based on the interest of the children. For example, a female basketball club was recently added based on the large interest of female students. Some clubs are multiple times per week.

There are about 35 club leaders who get paid for this work. Many teachers are club leaders.

Build relationships

According to Hermans, this pays off because through the clubs, the teachers build on the relationship with their students. The clubs can also count on the help of many volunteers. Apart from the regular clubs, there are also special activities such as the Christmas Assembly where the different clubs show their talents on stage. The different sports clubs are encouraged to participate in events such as the different runs and the annual triathlon. The basketball club participated in a competition with the visiting basketball team from St. Eustatius in December 2020 and will compete again in April this year. Saba basketballers also travelled to Statia in January 2020. In 2019, an inter-island competition took place.

In 2018 and 2019, SCS participated in the Saba Carnival parade with their own costumes, made by the carnival costume club. Last year, a Saba Day show was organized in the week leading up to Saba Day. The SCS organizes a club market at the start of the schoolyear, enabling children to take a look around at the booths of the different clubs and to pick their clubs for the new schoolyear.  

Aladdin musical

A highly successful event this year was the musical Aladdin, performed by members of SCS’ drama club under the guidance of club leader Dahlia Hassell. For two weeks in March, Saba residents flocked to the Eugenius Johnson Center to marvel at the talents of the youngsters and the wonderful costumes. “The two hours of splendor means four months of hard work and dedication. A show like Aladdin brings Saba together. We could not have done it without the volunteers. A show like this opens people’s minds to the unlimited talents and the abilities of our children. It shows possibilities and opportunities,” said Hassell.

Drama club teaches valuable skills, discipline and responsibility. “Drama is a good way to express, to explore. Self-expression helps you to build as a person, especially when you are in your puberty, which is a really weird phase in your life. Drama club is another chance for the children to create beautiful memories,” said Hassell. “Some children come in with extreme shyness or a stutter. Some are very insecure. I see them grow and develop. We treat the drama club as a family; we bicker, but we still love each other like a family. I am very proud of my students. We get it done, that is showbiz.”

Different sources

The youth activities on Saba are financed from different sources. The funding for Saba Nature Education, the library, After School Care and Day Care dance class comes from the BES(t) 4 Kids, a program aimed at improving quality in childcare in the Caribbean Netherlands. Funding for the Child Focus and SCS clubs comes from the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). The Saba Fit, or Fit with Lee program is funded by the Saba Public Health Department.

Apart from the regular youth activities, there are also annual events that cater towards children and their families. Some of these annual events are: the Easter Family Day, the Book Week, Summer Camp, the UNICEF Film Festival, Halloween, the Children’s Rights Week, Saba Day and the Spelling Bee.

The actors of the very successful Aladdin show.

Dance class.

The basketball team during training.