MPs question budget figures, execution, staffing and relief measures during 2026 budget debate

GREAT BAY--Members of Parliament raised a wide range of questions during the Central Committee meeting on the draft 2026 national budget, pressing Government for clarification on budget figures, project execution, public service staffing, government-owned companies, healthcare financing, infrastructure, housing and possible relief for residents.

The first major concern raised by MPs centered on inconsistencies between the Minister’s presentations and the budget documents. MP Ardwell Irion pointed to differences in figures presented for 2027, noting that one part of the presentation referred to Cg. 642 million while another referred to Cg. 670 million. He said the differences raised questions about which figures the public should rely on.

MP Egbert Doran also pointed to discrepancies, including different figures related to healthcare deficits. One slide referred to an annual healthcare deficit of approximately Cg. 35 million, while another referred to Cg. 50 million. Labega said such inconsistencies make it difficult for Parliament to properly carry out its oversight role, especially if members are expected to submit questions in writing without first having clarity on the numbers presented.

At the end of the session, the Minister of Finance responded briefly to clarify that differences between the 2026 budget presentation and the 2027 figures were linked to updated information received during preparation of the 2027 budget, particularly regarding TWO and Trust Fund funding. She also confirmed that the Cg. 35 million figure raised in connection with the healthcare deficit was a typographical error.

MP Doran raised several questions related to the budget presentation, including the stated healthcare deficit, Government’s approach to government-owned companies, shareholder representation, and the timeline for the new prison. He questioned whether the prison opening mentioned in the presentation was realistic, noting that, based on his understanding, no construction work had started beyond the symbolic groundbreaking.

Doran also requested an overview of all “onderlingen” over the past five years, saying previous requests for this information had not been answered. He further asked what consequences the Council of Ministers’ approval of the 2027 budget would have for the ongoing debate on the 2026 budget, especially with regard to Parliament’s right to propose amendments.

He also questioned why the first quarter 2026 actual figures had not yet been provided to Parliament, stating that the information is necessary to allow members to hold a more fact-based discussion. Ottley asked for clarity on the dividend withholding tax, the status of the disaster response or disaster risk fund, the source of the projected Cg. 61 million increase in revenue, and the Cg. 21 million increase in personnel costs.

Ottley also questioned whether lower-than-budgeted expenditures were the result of efficiency or simply a sign that projects were not being started. Pointing to positive first-quarter figures and additional government revenue, he asked why Government could not provide relief to residents, including possible fuel-related relief, if the financial position was more favorable than projected.

MP Omar Ottley focused heavily on staffing, public safety, GEBE, revenue measures, healthcare and social protection. He questioned the status of the Council of Advice issue, outstanding payments to fire department personnel, and what he described as a concerning number of civil service resignations.

Ottley said the fire department’s reported 47 percent staff occupancy is “a disaster waiting to happen” and called for a recovery plan addressing staffing, equipment, training, facilities and outstanding liabilities. He also asked for clarity on the funds borrowed for GEBE generators, questioning whether the generators can still be afforded, whether they have been ordered, and what Government’s plan is if costs have increased.

Ottley also questioned allocations for agriculture, Philipsburg beautification and the proposed senior rate for GEBE. He suggested that the senior rate should not be limited only to seniors with bills under a certain amount, especially given the impact of the fuel clause, but should be structured in a more standardized way.

He pressed Government on the status of the tourist tax, asking what is delaying the measure and who is responsible for moving it forward. Ottley argued that St. Maarten can remain competitive while implementing such a measure, noting that the country’s tourism product continues to attract visitors.

On justice matters, Ottley questioned proposed reductions in police material costs while Government speaks of strengthening public safety. He also asked about increases in Coast Guard salary allocations, the status of electronic monitoring, early release and conditional release measures, and the implementation of legislation intended to address issues such as insurance access for sole proprietors, bus drivers and taxi drivers.

Ottley also raised concerns about the General Health Insurance proposal, the status of SAHA, burial space, affordable housing, public housing, road repairs and the legal help desk. He requested statistics on the legal help desk, including its function, cost, whether it is free or subsidized, the number of walk-ins and the number of cases assisted.

MP Lyndon Lewis, in a broad set of questions to several ministries, focused on whether budget increases will translate into measurable results for the public. He asked how many vacancies will actually be filled in 2026, which positions have been prioritized, and how much of the personnel increase is linked to salary adjustments versus new recruitment.

Lewis questioned Government’s continued reliance on consultants, asking which consultancy contracts are expected in 2026, whether they will be publicly tendered, and how value for money will be measured. He also raised questions about digital services, public sector integrity, legislative lawyers and public service delivery.

On tourism and economic affairs, Lewis asked what measurable increases in stayover and cruise visitors are expected by the end of 2026, what campaigns will target higher-spending tourists, and how much of the tourism budget is being spent directly on destination marketing versus administration. He also asked what Government is doing to diversify tourism beyond cruise passengers and traditional North American markets.

Lewis further questioned support for small and medium-sized businesses, barriers to doing business, business license processing times, consumer protection enforcement, public transportation improvements, traffic congestion and the capacity of the Statistics Department.

On health and social development, Lewis asked about long waiting times for specialist appointments and medical procedures, mental health funding, ambulance capacity, funding for the St. Maarten Medical Center, labor inspections, minimum wage considerations, social assistance, elderly care, public health preparedness and vacancies within the Ministry of VSA.

On education, he raised questions about teacher shortages, school maintenance, special education, school safety, digital learning, scholarships, youth development, sports, early childhood education, school attendance and dropout statistics.

On justice, Lewis focused on violent crime, police manpower, gun violence, the new prison, cooperation among immigration, customs, police and Coast Guard, residency and work permit delays, juvenile delinquency prevention, victim support, inmate rehabilitation, community policing, witness protection and illegal firearms.

On finance, Lewis asked about the assumptions behind the projected Cg. 647 million in revenue, unpaid taxes, debt sustainability, budget execution, tax administration modernization, cost control, transparency, accountability and measurable financial objectives.

Lewis also raised several questions for the Ministry of VROMI, including which roads will be repaired, the criteria used to prioritize roadworks, the status of Dutch Quarter Road and Well Road, drainage projects, landfill rehabilitation, the landfill ring road, waste export, the reduction in the waste collection budget, affordable housing construction, land identified for housing, capital project execution, procurement delays, cost overruns and ministerial accountability.

MP Francisco Lacroes focused on the need to connect budget allocations to measurable outcomes. He argued that Government must invest in the ministries that generate revenue, including those responsible for permits, tourism and economic activity, and ensure that those ministries are properly staffed.

Lacroes asked Government to table key performance indicators for every ministry and commit to quarterly performance reports to Parliament. He also requested information on each ministry’s sources of income, how much was received, how much is pending and how much revenue was left behind in 2024 and 2025.

He asked for a list of advices per ministry valued between Cg. 46,000 and Cg. 449,999.99, saying those familiar with government would understand why such a list is important. He also asked whether, by the 2027 budget, each ministry will present measurable outcomes rather than only financial allocations.

Lacroes questioned the implementation dates for the General Health Insurance levy and tax reform, the financial sustainability of SZV, quarterly reporting by government-owned companies, sanctions for late audited financial statements, the expected revenue impact of improved tax compliance and how many individuals and businesses are outside the tax system.

He also questioned the projected Cg. 61 million increase in revenue, the projected surplus, claims against Government, contingency measures for tourism decline or hurricanes, new positions funded in the budget, government-wide vacancy rates, long-term sick leave, goods and services increases, the return on investment from borrowed capital projects, the debt-to-GDP ratio and the limited projected liquidity of approximately Cg. 5 million.

MP Ardwell Irion returned to the issue of budget credibility and execution, saying that the public needs clarity on what figures are factual. He commended the continued move toward policy-based budgeting, but stressed that the real test will be whether Government can execute the budget according to those policies and hold ministries accountable for results.

Irion questioned whether the reported surplus is truly savings or the result of under-execution, pointing to lower spending on goods and services and personnel costs. He argued that this should not be presented simply as Government saving money if the real issue is that projects and hiring are not being executed.

He also questioned whether the 2026 budget contains new revenue-generating measures or meaningful cost-saving policies, saying Government appears to be operating with a very thin financial buffer and little contingency room.

Irion raised questions about the dividend withholding tax, healthcare funding, tax income shifts in the first quarter report, permit revenue declines, delays in license invoicing, the difference between a projected Cg. 1.1 million surplus in the first quarter report and the Cg. 11 million surplus presented by the Minister, and the low level of capital project spending from available project loans.

He also questioned the use of Central Bank and IMF data for GDP projections, asking whether Government accepts those numbers as its official reality given the lack of accessible national statistics. Irion noted that the Statistics Department’s website remains offline and asked how the public is expected to access reliable data.

Irion further questioned loan redemptions, debt and liquidity projections, an increase in funds budgeted for former ministers and MPs, rising interest costs, the lack of an updated government programme, the absence of budgeted GEBE relief, Government’s obligations to TelEm, the tourist levy, subsidies related to schools, accountability following advice from higher councils, and a reported difference of approximately half a billion guilders in national debt figures referenced by advisory bodies.

The meeting was adjourned until Monday, when MPs are expected to continue posing questions. Members have been asked to submit their questions in writing by July 2 so they can be compiled, ratified and formally forwarded to Government for answers.

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