St. Martin News Network

Now what's next? Are they going to use a private air ambulance? Are they allowed to land in Saba? Another quick decision without thinking on the consequences.....mmmmmm

The Dutch have secured the services already for medical transport via Helicopter. Everything been in place for a while now. The Dutch are responsible for health care on the BES islands.

And are they going to be flying them to Holland?

Because if our Winair no more good, that mean, we St.Maarten hospital,
worserer.

dear journalist
can we please get some details on what exactly is wrong with winair planes?
Just taking their press release and copying and pasting it does not add up to journalism
Lets get some details !

This is another good reason why Sabans should not vote on September 12th 2012. Winair has been the life saver of many Sabans over the past 50 years. They hired a helicopter service that does not make any sense at all. Can you imagine your young two days old baby having to be rushed out in the middle of the night and the mother cannot accompany it because the helicopter cannot hold for three persons to go.

This is winair's press release informing residents of the bes islands that winair will no longer be providing air ambulance services to them. Do you think it would be right for the journalist to alter the press release and say bad things about winair's planes? Would that be ethical, would winair send press releases to smn news again?

Use ur brains, both winair and liat use old planes that are probably unsafe while charging ridiculous prices.

to: "@details"

Very good answer. Whenever Bibi posts articles, according to her views, she is criticized. When she prints press releases she criticized. This is ridiculous.

@ "detail"
During the press briefings she is the one who asks the most and indebt questions. Be patient and you will get all the details you seek after the COM weekly press briefing.

Anyhow, on the topic. Which company is operating the air ambulance service? Are they familiar with the "Winds" of Saba? This is not a decision that should be taken very lightly, they are playing with people' lives.

Bad move holland, winiar has been flying for over 50 years between the islands. Why not give winiar a specific time to upgrade or meet your rules and regulations to continue flying patients out?. Is this a political favor to someone? It all makes no sense to just take it away, and if its so that only the patient can fit in the chopper, then its even worst. Make a deal with winiar instead of just outsting them. If more than one person is injured, do you have more choppers to lift them to st. maarten?, or will you then ask winiar for a helping hand. Please reconsider and let winiar continue to transport injured pa**engers.

If winair plans are not up to par and not allowed to transport sick pa**engers from Saba & Statia.... Why would they be allowed to transport healthy pa**engers?

Very good post Velchi

Seperate and take over? ;-)

Where will the helicopter be taking the patients from Saba and Statia to? I do not think to St.Maarten for if our planes are no good soon they will be saying that our hospital is also not good.

All these problems were suppose to come in the light sooner. It is the decisions our politicians came up with for independence and separate status, now we the people suffer. The Netherlands Antilles was good. But instead of them working to make it better and proper, these fools who we call leaders were fighting to become the first prime ministers of an Independent country and left the BES with Holland. Now we our selves feel like foreigners in our sister Islands. People I am no Genius, but Common Sense says there will be a lot more hiccups, thanks to the wonderful Government and its greedy people.

this is nonsense. I dont like this decision

Something else behind this.

People please understand this, it is a very lucrative business. One that will be controlled by a White Dutchman. It has nothing to do with the planes. It's all about economics and who should benefit. For the past 50 years nothing was wrong with the planes. There were no accidents, no one died because of negligence. So what does it say to you? People wake-up. No the history of the Green Barbarians and you would save yourself much discomfort.

I can't agree more with Dave Levenstone. What will happen to multiple injured people that has to flown to SMMC after a hurricane hit both Saba and Statia. WInair can refuse transportation and can not be held liable for that. Suppose that one of the serious injured persons happens to be the governor of Saba or Statia or one of their family members. In that case some high profile politicians might You 'll don't see the writing on the wall already. The people are becoming strangers in their own island and all the lucrative contracts go to the white Dutch men. The questions they have to ask are the following:
- How BES is paying the helicopter business now on a monthly basis
- How much it would cost the Health Care Dept. to a**ist WInair in upgrading their planes
who executed this type of transport without any fatality in the past 50 years (not 50 days
padna)

The Executive Councils should call an urgent meeting with the Dutch to get some answers

It's 'business' as usual..... ;-)

Holland has already decided that SMMC is not up to standards. Where necessary, people of EUX and SA are referred to Martinique/Guadeloupe/Columbia.

I agree that Winair is not outfitted for air ambulance services, but something should have been worked out in getting the company up to par in that regard. If that was done, we do not know.

Holland, unlike governments of our islands, know the effect of liability issues, therefore, it will do all in its power to limit these. Our government and people can learn a lesson here as well.

Very simple

They could have asked Winair to get a helicopter.