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Saba
 
[National flag of
                            the Netherlands]
1635 - 1810, From 1816
[Netherlands
                            Antilles flag, 1959-1986]
15 Dec 1959 - 6 Dec 1985
[Saba flag
                            (Netherlands)]
Adopted 6 Dec 1985
Map of Saba Hear National Anthem
"Wilhelmous van Nassouwe"
(William of Nassau)
Hear Local Anthem
"Saba Lied"
(Saba  Song)
Adopted 6 Dec 1985
Constitution
(1815, 17 Feb 1983)
CapitalThe Bottom
(Leverock Town 1868-19..;
Fort Bay 1640-1659)
CurrencyUS Dollar (USD); Netherlands Antillean
Guilder (ANG)(1952-1 Jan 2011) 
National Holiday: 27 Apr (1967)
King's Day (Koningsdag)
-------------------------------------
Local Holiday6 Dec (1985)
Saba Day (Saba Dag)
Population: 1,911 (2022)
GDP: $47 million (2017) Exports: $501,000 (2018)
Imports: $20.89 million (2018)
Ethnic groups: Dutch 58%, American/Canadian 21%,
Latin American 15%, others 7% (2017)
Total Police Force: N/A
Defense is the Responsibility of The Netherlands
Merchant marine: N/A
ReligionsRoman Catholic 43.7%, Anglican 7.8%,
Evangelical 2%, Hindu 1.9%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 1.6%,
other 13.5%,
no religion 24.2% (2018)
International Organizations/Treaties: ACS (associate), AOSIS (observer), DLU, UPU
Saba
Chronology

13 Nov 1493                Discovered and claimed for Spain by Columbus, 
                             named Isla de San Cristobal.
 
4 Nov 1595                Mentioned as Saba by Sir Francis Drake.
28 Sep 1624                Earliest mention of Saba from a Dutch source when
                             Pieter Schouten passes by the island.
1632                       Shipwrecked English sailors land on island 

                             (no settlement).
1635                       Claimed for France by Pierre d'Esnambuc (but
                             no settlement).

Apr 1640                   Dutch colony (Saba)(subordinated to St. Eustatius
                             to 17 Jan 1803).
 
5 Aug 1665 - Oct 1665     English occupation.
 4 Jul 1672 - Apr 1681     English occupation.
1682 - 16 Mar 1792         Dutch West India Company administration.
Apr 1689                   Failed French invasion under Captain Pinel.
 
5 Feb 1781 - 26 Nov 1781  British occupation.
26 Nov 1781 - 11? Feb 1784 French occupation.
15? Apr 1795 - 16 Apr 1801 French occupation.
16 Apr 1801 - 17 Jan 1803  British occupation.
17 Jan 1803 - 15 Jan 1821  Saba a dependency of Sint Maarten.
 9 Jul 1810                Annexed along with Holland by France (nominally of
                             part of Indes-Occidentales including all former
                             islands of Dutch West Indies [not effected]).
22 Feb 1810 - 21 Feb 1816  British occupation.
1816 - 15 Jan 1821         Saba, Sint Maarten subordinated to Sint Eustatius.
15 Jan 1821 - 1848         Saba a dependency of Sint Eustatius.
20 May 1828 - 29 Oct 1845  Saba, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Sint Eustatius, 

                             Sint Maarten and Dutch Guiana united as 
                             the Dutch West Indies; with the governor
                             of Dutch Guiana as the governor-general
                             (see Suriname).
29 Oct 1845                Suriname colony is separated from Curaçao and its
                             dependencies.
27 Jan 1848                Islands united under the name of Curaçao and

                             Dependencies (from 20 Sep 1948, renamed
                             Netherlands Antilles, see under Curaçao).
1919 -  1 Apr 1983         Saba subordinated to Sint Maarten, as part of
                             Netherlands Windward Islands Territory
                             (Eilandgebied de Bovenwindse Eilanden).
20 Sep 1948                Netherlands Antilles a coequal part of Netherlands
                             realm.
29 Dec 1954                Netherlands Antilles an autonomous part of 

                             the Netherlands.
 5 Nov 2004                Referendum supports closer ties by becoming 
                             a separate part of The Netherlands by 86.05%
12 Oct 2006                Agreement with The Netherlands on becoming a 
                             municipality of The Netherlands.
10 Oct 2010                Saba a public body (openbaar lichaam) of The
                             Netherlands.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Vice-commanders

1640 - 1665                .... [unknown]
Commander
1665                       Thomas Edward Morgan               (b. c.1610 - d. 1665)
Vice-commanders
1665 - 1672                .... [unknown]
Commander
 4 Jul 1672 - 1672         William Burt
Vice-commanders
1672 - 1679                Andruson

1680 - 1681?               Peter Batterie (Battery)
                             (
English commander)
1682 - 15 Oct 1687         Jan Zeegers (Sagers)
15 Oct 1687 - 1689         Engel van Beverhoudt                (d. 1690)
                            
(commander)
1689 - 20 Jun 1696         Lucas Schorer (1st time)            (b. 1657 - d. 1707?)
1696 - 1698                Adriaan Runnels, Jr.
1698 - 1700                James Hassell
1700 - 1701                Lucas Schorer (2nd time)            (s.a.)
1701 - 170.                Jacob Leverock
                             (acting to 1702)
1705 - 1720                Jacob Simmons
20 Feb 1720 - 22 Jun 1743  Charles Simmons                     (d. 1743)
1743 - 1778                Peter Simmons
1778 -  4 Feb 1781         Thomas Dinzey (1st time) 
1781                       Sir James Cockburn                  (b. 1729 - d. 1804)
                             (British commander)
1781                       Thomas de Fitz-Maurice              (b. 1725 - d. af.1789)
                             (French military governor)
1781 - 1801                Thomas Dinzey (2nd time)
Commander

1801 - 1803                Thomas Dinzey
Vice-governors
1803 - 1810                Thomas Dinzey
1810 - 1816                Edward Beaks, Sr.
Vice-commanders
1816 - 1825                Edward Beaks, Sr. (acting to 1818)
1825 - 20 Jan 1829         Edward Beaks, Jr. (acting to 1828)  (d. 1862)
20 Jan 1829 -  5 May 1830  Richard Johnson (acting)            (b. 1747 - d. 1830)
 5 May 1830 - 20 Nov 1833  Thomas Dinzey Winfield              (d. 1836)
Commanders
20 Nov 1833 - 10 Jun 1836  Thomas Dinzey Winfield              (s.a.)
11 Jun 1836 - 27 Jan 1848  Edward Beaks, Jr.                   (s.a.)
                             (acting to Sep 1838)
Lieutenant governors
(gezaghebber)

27 Jan 1848 - 1862         Edward Beaks, Jr.                   (s.a.)
1862 - 22 Jun 1863         E.J. Beaks (acting)
22 Jun 1863 -  1 Aug 1875  Moses Leverock                      (b. 1814 - d. 1875)

                             (acting to 13 Apr 1865)
15 Oct 1875 - 20 May 1880  Jan Jacob Beaujon Quast             (b. 1836 - d. 1880)

20 May 1880 - 1880         John William Hassell (1st time)     (b. 1819 - d. 1889)
                             (acting)
1880 - Nov? 1881           Johan Hendrik Waters Gravenhorst    (b. 1833 - d. 1909)
Nov? 1881 - Apr? 1882      .... (acting)
Apr? 1882 - 25 Mar 1883    Marius Lodewijk Statius van Eps     (b. 1850 - d. 1883)
25 Mar 1883 - 1883         John William Hassell (2nd time)     (s.a.)
                             (acting)
1883 - 13 Nov 1885         Jacques Joseph Jonckheer            (b. 1851 - d. 1921)
13 Nov 1885 - 31 May 1888  Jacob Thielen II                    (b. 1834 - d. 1915)
31 May 1888 - 1895         Abraham Jan Cornelis Brouwer        (b. 1858 - d. 1919)
Nov 1889 - Mar 1891        John George Every Crossley          (b. 1860 - d. 1904)
                             (acting for Brouwer)
Mar 1893 - May 1893        Samuel Augustus Simmons             (b. 1848 - d. 1930)
                             (acting for Brouwer)
1895 - Jul 1897            Johannes Adriaan de Veer            (b. 1853 - d. 1899)
23 Jul 1897 -  2 Nov 1898  Gerard Raven Zeppenfeldt            (b. 1863 - d. 1915)

 
2 Nov 1898 - 31 Jan 1899  Thomas Holm (1st time)(acting)      (b. 1850 - d. 1913)
31 Jan 1899 - 15 Feb 1907  Hendrik Johannes Beaujon            (b. 1870 - d. 1956)
30 Jun 1900 -  1 Feb 1903  Hendrik August Willemsen            (b. 1873 - d. 1941)
                             (acting for Beaujon)
15 Feb 1907 -  5 Jun 1908  Jacob Achilles Petrus Thielen       (b. 1871 - d. 1942)
                             (acting)
 
5 Jun 1908 - 30 Jun 1908  Thomas Holm (2nd time)(acting)      (s.a.)
30 Jun 1908 - 1918         Pieter Lourens Gorsira              (b. 1877 - d. 1949)
17 Feb 1914 - 22 Sep 1914  Willem Anne Constant Willemsen
                             (1st time)                        (b. 1868 - d. 1932)
                             (acting for Gorsira)
 1 Sep 1915 -  1 Dec 1915  Willem Christiaan Jacobus van       (b. 1865 - d. 19..)
                             Leeuwen
                             (acting for Gorsira)
 
5 Sep 1917 - 26 Apr 1918  Antoine Raven Beaujon
                             (acting for Gorsira)

1918 - 12 Aug 1919         Willem Anne Constant Willemsen      (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) (acting)
Representatives of the
Lieutenant governors (plaatsvervangend gezaghebber)
12 Aug 1919
- 1920         Quintus Leopold Rigaud              (b. 1867 - d. 1934)
1920 - 1921                Johan Hendrik Peiliker Schrils      (b. 1884 - d. 1951)
May 1921 - 22 Apr 1925     Willem Frederik Meinhardt Lampe     (b. 1896 - d. 1973)

Receivers of revenue (
Ontvangers)
22 Apr 1925 - 24 Jul 1927  Willem Frederik Meinhardt Lampe     (s.a.)

25 Jul 1927 - 27 Mar 1930
  Xavier Henri Charles Marie Krugers  (b. 1896 - d. 1986)
                             (1st time)
28 Mar 1930 -  7 Mar 1932  Hendrikus "Henk" Anthonius Hessling (b. 1901 - d. 1966)
 
8 Mar 1932 - 29 Dec 1933  Jonkheer Willem de Brauw (1st time) (b. 1890 - d. 1946)
30 Dec 1933 -  5 Apr 1935  Xavier Henri Charles Marie Krugers  (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
 
6 Apr 1935 - 23 Aug 1935  Anthony Hendrik Marinus van Weel    (b. 1900 - d. 1987) 
                             (1st time)
24 Aug 1935 - 20 Mar 1936  Jonkheer Willem de Brauw (2nd time) (s.a.)
21 Mar 1936 -  5 Feb 1937  Anthony Hendrik Marinus van Weel    (s.a.)  
                             (2nd time)
Vice-Lieutenant governors (onder-gezaghebber)
 5 Feb 1937 - 19 Feb 1939
  Anthony Hendrik Marinus van Weel    (s.a.) 
                             (acting from 1938)
19 Feb 1939 - 25 Nov 1943
  Xavier Henri Charles Marie Krugers  (s.a.)
 
5 Mar 1941 - 14 May 1941  Howard Cyril Tjon Sie Fat           (b. 1911 - d. 1984)
                             (acting for Krugers)
25 Nov 1943 -  5 Dec 1943  P.E. Nassy (acting)

 
5 Dec 1943 - 23 May 1950  Maximillian Joseph Huith            (b. 1909 - d. 1993)
29 Nov 1944 - 22 Jan 1945  Johannes Maria J. "Jan" Chocolaad
                             (1st time)(acting for Huith)
11 Mar 1946 - Apr 1946     Johannes Maria J. "Jan" Chocolaad
                             (2nd time)(acting for Huith)

Apr 1946 - 31 Oct 1946     Walter Granville Buncamper          (b. 1908 - d. 1978)
                             (acting for Huith)  
15 Dec 1947 -  5 Mar 1948  Johannes Maria J. "Jan" Chocolaad
                             (3rd time)(acting for Huith)

23 May 1950 - 13 Mar 1951
  Pieter Dijkstra                     (b. 1916 - d. 2002)
Administrators (administrateur)
13 Mar 1951 - 27 Mar 1952  Pieter Dijkstra                     (s.a.)
27 Mar 1952 - 31 Aug 1952  Lijkele de Hoop (acting)            (b. 1900 - d. 19..)
 
1 Sep 1952 - 16 May 1955  Ludwig Reginald "Reggie" Carty      (b. 1910 - d. 1986)
16 May 1955 - 30 Jun 1958  Walter Granville Buncamper          (s.a.)
                            
(acting to 13 Sep 1955)
 
1 Jul 1958 -  5 Apr 1960  Edward Carrol Labega                (b. 1909 - d. 1979)
10 Mar 1960 - 26 Jan 1962  Henry Carlyle Every                 (b. 1933 - d. 1984)
                            
(acting to 5 Apr 1960)
26 Jan 1962 -  1 May 1962  Reinier Oswald van Delden           (b. 1928 - d. 2011)

                             (1st time)(acting)
 
1 May 1962 - 31 Mar 1964  Louis Meindert Overberg             (b. 1927 - d. 2010)
31 Mar 1964 - 16 Aug 1964  Reinier Oswald van Delden           (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)(acting)
16 Aug 1964 - 1969         Gerardus van de Wal
1969 - 1971                Joseph Emmanuel Richardson          (b. 1945? - d. 2018)
1971                       John Arthur Anslyn (Anslijn)(acting)
1971 - 1973                Eugenius Achilles Johnson (1st time)(b. 1930 - d. 1995)
1973                       Laurens Rosema                      (b. 1923 - d. 2015)
1973 - 1974                Victor R. Abraham
1974 - 1975                John Godfrey Woods (acting)         (b. 1909 - d. 1990)
1975 - 1977                George Reuben Sleeswijk (1st time)
1977                       William Stanley Johnson (1st time)  (b. 1941)
                             (acting)
1977                       Eugenius Achilles Johnson (2nd time)(s.a.)
                             (acting)
1977 - 1978                William Stanley Johnson (2nd time)  (s.a.)
                             (acting)
1978 - 1981                Thadeus George Larmonie             (b. 1932 - d. 2021)
1981 - 10 Jul 1981         George Reuben Sleeswijk (2nd time)
                             (acting)
10 Jul 1981 -  1 Apr 1983  Raphaël A. McKenzie Sorton          (b. 1946)
Lieutenant governors (gezaghebber)
 1 Apr 1983 -  9 Jul 1983  Raphaël A. McKenzie Sorton (acting) (s.a.)
 9 Jul 1983 -  1 Nov 1983  Peter Leicester "Cessie" Granger    (b. 1918? - d. 2012) SPP
                             (acting)
 1 Nov 1983 -  2 Nov 1989  Wycliffe Sylvester Smith            (b. 1948)

 2 Nov 1989 - 19 Nov 1998  Sydney Alton Eugene Sorton          (b. 1947)
                            
(1st time)
19 Nov 1998 -  1 Apr 2006  Antoine J.M. Solagnier              (b. 1964)
 1 Apr 2006 -  2 Jul 2008  Sydney Alton Eugene Sorton          (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
 2 Jul 2008 -              Jonathan Guus Ambrose Johnson       (b. 1976)

Leaders of the government (unofficial post)
1951 - 1982                part of Windward Islands Council
                           [see under Sint Maarten]
1982 - Jul 1991            ....

Jul 1991 - May 1995        William Stanley Johnson (1st time)  (s.a.)               WIPM
May 1995 - 1999            Ulric "Steve" Hassell               (b. 1947 - d. 2022)  SDLM
1999 -  2 Jul 2007         William Stanley Johnson (2nd time)  (s.a.)               WIPM

 2 Jul 2007 - 10 Mar 2011  Christopher "Chris" Johnson         (b. 1978)            WIPM
Deputy Chairmen of the Central Committee of the Island Council
10 Mar 2011 - 2016         Rolando "Rolly" Ricardo Wilson                           WIPM
                             (1st time)
2016 - 28 Mar 2023         Carl A. Buncamper                                        WIPM
29 Mar 2023 -              Rolando "Rolly" Ricardo Wilson                           WIPM
                             (2nd time)

Party abbreviations: SLP = Saba Labour Party/Partij van de Arbeid van Saba (center-left, Saba regionalist, est.1999); WIPM = Windward Islands People's Movement/Volksbeweging van de Benedenwindse Eilanden (center-right, christian-democrat, Saba regionalist, formerly West Indian People's Movement, est.1970);
- Former parties: SDLM = Saba Democratic Labour Movement/Saba Democratische Partij van de Arbeid (later renamed Saba United Democratic Party [SUDP], Saba regionalist, est.c.1987)





© Ben Cahoon