PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on March 31, 2026.

The Central Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 15.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Finance will be in attendance.

The agenda points are:

1. Approval of composition delegation and provisions for Members of Parliament to participate in a Workshop on care for Caribbean Parliamentarians from April 16-17, 2026, in St. George’s, Grenada (IS/798/2025-2026 dated March 10, 2026)

2. Discussion with the Minister of Finance on the future of the monetary union between Curacao and Sint Maarten and the role and functioning of the Central Bank of Curacao and Sint Maarten (IS/821/2025-2026 dated March 12, 2026)

Agenda point 2 was requested by MP D.C. Labega, MP V.V. Kotai, MP C.L. Wever, MP V.C. Jansen-Webster, MP S.D.M. Roseburg, MP R.A. Peterson, MP F.A. Meyers and MP S.A. Wescot-Williams.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament

PARAMARIBO:--- Former Surinamese President Chandrikapersad Santokhi has died at the age of 67 following a sudden medical emergency at his home earlier on Monday.

According to reports from Suriname, an ambulance was dispatched to Santokhi’s residence after he fell ill. He was subsequently rushed to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Santokhi, who served as the ninth president of Suriname from 2020 to 2025, was a prominent political figure and leader of the Progressive Reform Party. His death was confirmed by officials and has prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the region.

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali described Santokhi as “a fine statesman,” praising his years of public service and dedication to regional cooperation, according to reports.

Current Surinamese President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons also paid tribute, noting that Santokhi’s contributions to public life would be remembered for years to come.

Born on February 3, 1959, in Lelydorp, Santokhi began his career in law enforcement, rising to become a police commissioner before entering politics. He later served as Minister of Justice and Police from 2005 to 2010 before assuming the presidency in 2020.

During his tenure as president, Santokhi focused on economic reform and international cooperation, guiding Suriname through a challenging period marked by fiscal restructuring and social unrest.

His passing marks the end of a decades-long career in public service that spanned policing, governance, and regional leadership, including a term as Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Funeral arrangements and further official statements are expected to be announced in the coming days.

Marigot, Saint-Martin:---  The decision by the Collectivité of Saint-Martin to include a financial provision related to Air Antilles in its budget has sparked concern and debate among several officials, who are questioning both the necessity and the implications of the move.

During recent discussions, members of the Territorial Council expressed unease about the lack of clarity surrounding the provision. While the executive has indicated that the measure is linked to ongoing considerations regarding regional air connectivity, some elected officials argue that insufficient information has been provided to justify the entry.

At the heart of the issue is uncertainty over whether the provision signals a future financial commitment or simply reflects a precautionary accounting measure. Critics within the council have pointed out that no concrete agreement or finalized plan involving Air Antilles has been publicly presented, raising concerns about transparency and financial prudence.

Several officials also emphasized the broader financial context, noting that the Collectivité must remain cautious in managing public funds, particularly given competing priorities and existing budgetary constraints. They warned that any potential engagement with an airline should be backed by a clear strategy and measurable benefits for the territory.

It should also be noted that, according to several members of the majority, the Collectivité did not take a political decision to allocate new funding at this stage, but rather recorded a budgetary provision in line with standard accounting principles. This entry reflects a precautionary measure to account for potential financial risk associated with previous commitments, ensuring the sincerity and legal compliance of the 2026 budget, rather than constituting an immediate disbursement of public funds.

Despite this clarification, questions remain among some council members, who are calling for greater transparency and more detailed explanations from the executive. They argue that clearer communication is essential to avoid misunderstandings and to maintain public trust.

As discussions continue, the issue underscores the challenges the Collectivité faces in balancing fiscal responsibility with the need to support essential services, such as regional air transport. Further deliberations are expected as officials seek to better define the scope and intent of the provision.

By Terence Jandroep, CRA, CQA, CLA Certified Risk Auditor & Forensic Integrity Specialist

In the specialized field of Forensic Integrity Auditing (FIA) and preemptive risk analysis, we often identify vulnerabilities within systems that are not merely technical, but behavioral. One of the most corrosive structural risks to fiscal integrity emerged in the late 1980s and has since solidified into a systemic crisis: the transition of government tax inspectors into private independent consultancy.

To protect the sanctity of the public treasury and the objectivity of the audit process, we must address this "revolving door" not as a career move, but as a fundamental breach of state security.

The Genesis of Insider Advantage (Post-1980s)
Since the late 1980s, the complexity of global tax codes and the digitalization of audit trails created a premium on "inside knowledge." During this era, a pattern emerged where high-level officials began migrating to the private sector, selling the very blueprints they helped draft.

As a Certified Risk Auditor, I view this through the lens of Information Asymmetry. When a former inspector enters the private sector, they are not just providing legal advice; they are providing a map of the government's internal "blind spots."

A Case of Government Spionage
The term "consultancy" often acts as a polite veneer for what is effectively Government espionage. When a former official leverages their tenure for private gain, they engage in several high-risk activities:

• Systemic Mapping: They possess intimate knowledge of the "Risk Selection" algorithms used by tax authorities. This allows clients to structure transactions that intentionally bypass the triggers for a formal audit.
• Protocol Extraction: They carry confidential administrative benchmarks and internal "settlement ranges" that were never intended for public or commercial dissemination.
• The "Shadow" Influence: By maintaining social and professional ties with active inspectors, these consultants can exert psychological pressure or gain unauthorized intelligence on the progress of ongoing fiscal litigation.

 The Risk to Audit Integrity
From a forensic perspective, the presence of a former insider on the "defense" side of a tax dispute compromises the Forensic Integrity Audit (FIA).

1. Technical Manipulation: They understand the specific software vulnerabilities and data-entry shortcuts used by government staff, allowing them to "sanitize" records in a way that an external auditor might miss.
2. Erosion of Public Trust: When the public perceives that a tax inspector is simply "auditioning" for a lucrative private role while still on the state payroll, the moral authority of the tax office evaporates.
3. Conflict of Interest: There is an inherent risk that active inspectors may be less rigorous when auditing a firm represented by their former supervisor or colleague, fearing future professional repercussions or hoping for a similar "exit" path.

The Professional Mandate: A Call for a Permanent Ban

In the interest of ISO 9001 standards and the principles of preemptive risk containment, the solution is clear. We must implement a mandatory ban or, at minimum, a stringent ten-year "cooling-off" period for former inspectors.

The fiscal frontier cannot be defended if the guards are allowed to sell the keys to the gate. To restore integrity to our regional financial systems from Aruba to Sint Maarten we must recognize that the tools of the state belong to the public, not to the highest bidder in the private consultancy market. It is time to treat the "revolving door" as the National security threat it truly is.