SABA–The Public Entity Saba is implementing a one-time relief package for residents and will waive the business license fee, it was announced on Thursday.
Saba’s micro-economy has been hard-hit by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The island has been closed for visitors since March, and there are only a few students of the Saba University School of Medicine (SUSOM) left on the island. Tourism and the medical school are two of Saba’s main economic pillars. With financial contributions from the Dutch Government, the tourism sector and other businesses have been receiving assistance through the economic relief package, which includes salary subsidy and a fixed cost allowance for self-employed persons who have entirely lost their income.
To help the people in need because of the effects of COVID-19, the Public Entity Saba, with funding from the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (SZW), is implementing an additional measure in the form of a one-time relief package.
This relief package is for persons that lost their jobs, fort he loss of rental income because of the departed medical students, for taxi drivers who have no income since no tourists are coming tot he island. Also, the one-time relief package can be of help with rent, utility bills, and food packages. And, to assist the local private sector, the business license fee is waived per March 13.
Applicants can send their completed and signed form to the Public Entity Saba at onetimerelief@sabagov.nl no later than August 21, 2020, with a copy of their valid identification card.
The forms can be found on these two links: http://www.sabagovernment.com/2020/Relief_Vulnerable_groups.pdf
http://www.sabagovernment.com/2020/Apartment_Taxi_Others.pdf
