Finance Minister submits 2026 budget to CFT after Feb. 10 COM approval

GREAT BAY--Following approval by the Council of Ministers on February 10, 2026, the draft 2026 National Budget has formally been submitted to the Board of Financial Supervision Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CFT) for advice, in accordance with Article 11 of the Kingdom Act on Financial Supervision of Curaçao and St. Maarten.

Additionally, in a unique approach to preparation of the country's budget, the CFT will join a meeting that will be held on February 12, 2026, bringing together the Council of Ministers and other key financial stakeholders such as the respective Secretaries General, Financial Controllers and the Chiefs of Staff to begin deliberations aimed at establishing the policy priorities for the 2027 budget. The CFT's presence will allow them to observe firsthand the Government’s commitment to achieving a timely budget for 2027.

Calling it a forward-looking approach, the Minister stressed that by initiating these discussions well in advance, the aim is to ensure that the 2027 budget process proceeds in a timely and disciplined manner. Also, that corrective measures for the 2026 budget are being coupled with this early and proactive preparation for the 2027 budget cycle.

With respect to the 2026 budget, the Minister acknowledged that the budget is to be submitted to Parliament by September of the preceding year. This timeline was not achieved due to technical delays related to the 2025 budget.

In reassessing the current circumstances, whilst taking the broader budgetary process into context, the Minister confirmed that the Government will not proceed with an amendment to the 2025 budget. As the 2025 fiscal year has already concluded, proceeding with such an amendment at this stage would not contribute to improved fiscal management and would instead further delay progress on both the 2026 and 2027 budgets and keep us trapped in the cycle of yearly late budget processes that we are trying to break. The Minister emphasized that this decision reflects a conscious and strategic choice to halt compounding delays and to focus Government capacity on advancing the upcoming budgets.

In response, the Minister has implemented an adjusted and realistic planning framework, aligned with the decision of the Kingdom Council of Ministers of January 30, 2026, which called on the Government “to do everything possible to establish the budget as quickly as possible and, where possible, to make up for lost time in relation to the submitted schedule by examining whether certain process steps can be combined or shortened.”

The Government is therefore working toward the submission of the draft 2026 budget to Parliament by May 2026.

Minister Gumbs reaffirmed her commitment to transparency, fiscal responsibility, and sound public financial management. She underscored that by taking decisive corrective action, making clear strategic choices, and initiating early preparations for future budgets, the Government is working to rebuild discipline, stability, and confidence in Sint Maarten’s budgetary process. The Minister of Finance Ms. Gumbs will continue to keep the public informed as the budget process progresses.

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