PHILIPSBURG:---  During the Central Committee Meeting for the Second Draft Debate 2025, Member of Parliament Lyndon Lewis posed pointed questions to the Council of Ministers, seeking clarity on critical areas of governance. His inquiries spanned several ministries, encompassing fiscal policy, staffing shortages, infrastructure, education, justice, and tourism. Below is a summary of the key concerns raised by MP Lewis.

Questions to the Minister of Finance

MP Lewis expressed significant concern over fiscal compliance and revenue generation. He asked what specific measures have been implemented since the 2024 budget to improve compliance and whether the ministry is exploring new revenue-generating activities, including detailed timelines for implementation. Additionally, he queried the government’s plans to attract qualified personnel to the Inspectorate and Receivers departments amid anticipated capacity challenges due to upcoming retirements.

Small businesses and tax regulations also came under scrutiny. Lewis pressed for updates on plans to reduce the tax burdens for small enterprises, the status of revisions to tax laws, and the possible adjustment of income tax scales following the increase in the minimum wage. He inquired whether turnover tax rates would be lowered and whether essential goods could be added to the list of exempted items.

Finally, MP Lewis sought clarity on a previously announced collaboration with the Audit Team Sint Maarten to bolster compliance efforts, which was absent from the current budget.

Questions to the Minister of General Affairs

Addressing high-profile legal and property cases, MP Lewis requested an update on the “Jaijo Commercial Building” legal dispute, which allegedly carries significant financial consequences due to its use as the headquarters of the National Detective Agency (Landsrecherche). He also asked about the government’s decision to halt the transfer of the Exam Bureau to the old First Caribbean Bank and whether compensatory payments are planned for the property’s owners.

Topics for the Minister of VROMI

Critical understaffing across key departments of the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI) was a focal point of MP Lewis’ questions. He asked how the ministry plans to address these shortages, with specific recruitment targets set for 2025, and how it aims to retain skilled personnel.

Housing policy and environmental enforcement received considerable attention. Lewis probed for measurable outcomes of the new national housing policy and updates on VROMI’s legislative efforts, including the timeline for finalizing the VROMI Landsverordening and its impact on stakeholder engagement. He also sought clarity on plans to address conflicting land use issues and introduced questions about improving waste management, flood prevention, and pollution reduction.

Furthermore, MP Lewis questioned the ministry’s approach to ensuring better infrastructure maintenance, enforcing environmental norms, and integrating public feedback into zoning laws.

Questions to the Minister of Justice

The state of law enforcement and justice personnel drew sharp questions. MP Lewis asked about retroactive payments and pension prioritization for justice workers, as well as updates on national decrees affecting justice personnel. He raised alarms over delays in the availability of police records (VOG) and immigration services, highlighting the impact of such inefficiencies on the public.

Facility conditions featured prominently, with Lewis noting the deteriorating state of the police headquarters and requesting cost estimates for repairs. Additionally, he inquired about the police holding cells in Philipsburg and whether discussions are ongoing regarding universal insurance coverage for justice workers.

Questions to the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports (ECYS)

MP Lewis posed several critical questions to the ECYS Minister, focusing on inclusive education, curriculum reform, and teacher compensation. He pressed for updates on integrating student needs into an inclusive education system and inquired about the timeline for standardizing student assessments. Staffing shortages, curriculum improvements for adult learners, and alignment of vocational training with labor market demands also surfaced.

He sought answers on how revisions to the job classification book and teacher compensation study would benefit educators. Additionally, MP Lewis questioned plans to sustain youth programs and strategies to evaluate the success of sports initiatives, such as their role in promoting health and community engagement.

Questions to the Minister of VSA

Regarding the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA), MP Lewis requested details on the formation of a new commission to address Zorgfondsen concerns. Questions included its composition, oversight, expected costs, and the rationale behind forming the commission, given that problems had already been identified.

Questions to the Minister of TEATT

Economic growth through sustainable tourism dominated MP Lewis’ questions for the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunication (TEATT). He asked about the return on investment (ROI) for campaigns like “Sweet St. Maarten Spice” and queried the expected outcomes of the MSC Cruises campaign. He also questioned budget allocations for tourism development, including support for Philipsburg’s revitalization.

MP Lewis further inquired about tourism-driven job creation, plans to promote lesser-known areas of Sint Maarten, and strategies for attracting repeat visitors through personalized marketing. Data utilization in tourism policies and measures to safeguard tourism in the event of natural disasters also came under scrutiny.

Addressing Accountability and Oversight

Throughout his comprehensive questioning, MP Lewis emphasized the need for transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes across ministries. He highlighted issues of quality control, cost efficiency, and the transfer of knowledge related to consultant-led projects. Lewis also stressed the value of timely public reporting and meaningful stakeholder engagement in policymaking processes.

The Central Committee Meeting underscored MP Lyndon Lewis’ commitment to rigorous oversight and his demand for actionable solutions to address Sint Maarten’s pressing challenges. The ministers are expected to provide detailed responses to these queries in the days ahead.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) is currently investigating a series of armed robberies that have recently taken place at local supermarkets, various small businesses, and even involved a few of our island’s visitors over the last few weeks.

In several of these incidents, the suspects were seen fleeing on scooters. During some of these robberies, victims were physically assaulted and had to seek medical treatment for their injuries.

KPSM’s detectives, from the Special Robbery Unit, are working to identify and track down those responsible for these incidents.

 Despite these recent cases, we want to reassure the public that overall, armed robberies for this same time period in 2025 are actually lower compared to 2024. However, that doesn’t lessen the seriousness of what’s happening right now.

KPSM strongly believes that members of the public may have witnessed or heard something that could aid our investigations. If you have any information, no matter how small it may seem, please reach out to us. You can contact the Police Station at +1 (721) 542-2222 or call the anonymous Tip Line at 9300.

Your information could be the missing piece we need to solve these crimes.

KPSM Press Release.

PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs addressed the Central Committee of Parliament today, presenting the second draft of the 2025 budget that shed light on the challenges encountered during the ratification of the original submission earlier this year. Her remarks focused on the technical and procedural hurdles, the steps taken to resolve these issues, and the way forward for St. Maarten's budgeting process.

Challenges with the Original Budget
Minister Gumbs opened her presentation by acknowledging the significant obstacles faced during the ratification of the original 2025 budget, which had been unanimously approved by Parliament back in January. She outlined how amendments and modifications introduced by both Parliament and the Government created legal, numerical, and procedural inconsistencies that stalled progress.
"While the intentions of Parliament were clear, the amendments required further technical and legal refinement to be incorporated into the budget," she shared. Despite efforts to address these discrepancies, it became evident that the issues could not be resolved within the existing framework of the initial budget.
This led to the Government officially informing Parliament of its inability to move forward with ratification, opting instead to draft a new version of the budget that fully integrated the approved initial amendments.

Solutions and a Revised Draft
The newly submitted draft of the 2025 budget incorporates all amendments and modifications passed by Parliament in January. While this approach deviates from standard practice, it was deemed the most practical and transparent way to enact the approved budget. Minister Gumbs explained how technical adjustments were made to ensure that the revised figures remained consistent, aligned, and executable in practice.
One of the key aspects of her presentation was a slide-by-slide breakdown of how each modification had been incorporated. She highlighted instances such as discrepancies in figures caused by rounding and amendments that required corrections to maintain alignment with the overall budget totals. For example, a reduction in travel costs initially misstated in the amendment document was corrected from 5,000 guilders to 20,000 to ensure consistency.
Minister Gumbs reassured Parliament that the latest draft reflects the approved modifications and adheres strictly to the country's budgetary and legislative standards.

Focus on Financial Performance
Minister Gumbs dived deeper into the financial aspects of the new draft, providing a high-level overview of projected income and expenditures, as well as a review of Q1 2025 actuals compared to the submitted budget figures.
The 2025 budget projects total revenue at XCG 586 million and total expenditures at XCG 577 million, resulting in a projected surplus of XCG 9 million. Key revenue sources include tax income, which accounts for XCG 453 million, and funds from the Technical Assistance program.
Comparing the budgeted Q1 figures with the actual results revealed encouraging findings. Total revenue for the first quarter exceeded expectations by 15 million guilders, driven largely by higher-than-expected wage tax and turnover tax collections. On the expenditure side, actual Q1 figures were 19 million guilders lower than budgeted, mainly due to delays in personnel-related costs and project expenditures.
Unlike Q1 of last year, where revenues fell short early, forcing budget cuts, this year started with revenues exceeding expectations. This is an encouraging sign that our 2025 budget remains realistic and stable,” Minister Gumbs noted.

Addressing Structural Issues
The delay in ratifying the 2025 budget highlighted the need for improved processes in handling amendments, and Minister Gumbs reiterated her commitment to addressing these challenges. She emphasized the importance of collaboration between the Government and Parliament and proposed establishing a clear framework to manage amendments efficiently.
To that end, she announced plans to work with stakeholders—including the Governor, the Council of Advice, and external auditors such as SOAB—to identify solutions to prevent similar delays in the future. This initiative includes a more thorough legal and technical review of amendments before their incorporation, as well as ongoing consultations between relevant parties to ensure alignment.

Outlook for the Nation
Minister Gumbs concluded by highlighting the positive economic outlook, tied to the stability of the 2025 budget. She cited several factors, including an anticipated increase in tax revenue tied to economic growth, a projected 2-3% inflation rate, and promising Q1 results.
However, she also noted areas of concern, such as rising healthcare costs linked to an aging population and projected increases in personnel costs due to digital transformation initiatives, as well as operational expenses for new facilities.
"While we continue to focus on our financial stability and our commitments to the people of Sint Maarten, this experience underscores the need for vigilance, collaboration, and systemic improvements," she said.

Moving Forward
Minister Gumbs concluded her address with a call for Parliament to engage in constructive discussions as the country moves closer to ratifying the 2025 budget. "We must ensure that exercising our legislative rights does not come at the expense of the country. Through cooperation and mutual respect, we will meet these challenges head-on and continue to build a stronger St. Maarten," she concluded.
The second draft of the 2025 budget is now moving forward for review, with a public debate scheduled for next week to discuss its content further. For now, today’s presentation sets a promising tone of transparency and accountability as the Government and Parliament work to finalize this crucial piece of legislation.

PHILIPSBURG:---  During a central committee meeting of Parliament this morning, Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina introduced the second draft of the 2025 budget, outlining the unusual circumstances that necessitated its reintroduction and emphasizing the need for continued collaboration between Government and Parliament.

The Prime Minister began by acknowledging the unprecedented scenario surrounding the budget process. The original 2025 budget was unanimously approved by Parliament on January 17, following extensive discussions and amendments introduced by both Parliament and the Government. However, technical issues during the ratification process prevented the budget from being finalized.

“Government encountered obstacles during the ratification process, despite our efforts to align with Parliament's approval,” Dr. Mercelina explained. Over several months, the Government explored all legal avenues to resolve the situation, providing updates to Parliament, most notably on April 14. Unfortunately, these efforts revealed that the technical issues could not be remedied without restarting the process entirely.

To address the complications, the Council of Ministers resolved to make necessary adjustments to ensure smoother handling of the budget in the future and to restart the legislative process for establishing the 2025 budget. The new draft was prepared by the Ministry of Finance and circulated to all relevant stakeholders, including the Council of Advice and the Committee for Financial Supervision (CFT).

Dr. Mercelina expressed his gratitude for the productive and respectful collaboration between Government and Parliament during the initial discussions earlier this year, describing it as “an almost perfect display of Parliament exercising its budgetary rights and Government fulfilling its obligation to answer to Parliament.” He called for the same spirit of cooperation as lawmakers now deliberate on the revised draft.

The Prime Minister concluded his introduction by requesting permission for the Minister of Finance to present a detailed technical explanation of the draft budget. A public meeting is scheduled for next week, where the budget content will be reviewed in greater detail.

Parliamentary discussions today mark a critical step in moving forward with the 2025 budget, as both the Government and Parliament aim to overcome the challenges posed by the technical issues while maintaining a focus on accountability and mutual respect.