PHILIPSBURG:--- During the inauguration speech of the OSPP on August 1, 2013 the Interim Leader, Mr. Lenny F. Priest stated that the salaries of the council of ministers and the members of parliament should be cut drastically. This position was reiterated in his New Year address to the nation on January 6, 2014. The OSPP is elated to learn via the media that the ministers' salaries were cut by an average of 12.27% to be effective in the 2014 budget. The OSPP was hoping for a cut of minimum 15%, nevertheless we certainly applause this decision of the council of ministers but we anxiously await the members of parliament following suite in reducing their salaries. If it is good for St. Maarten it has the OSPP 100% support.
In a previous release we have proposed that the Minister of Finance make the 2014 budget available to the public after being approved by the council of ministers. Now that the council of ministers has approved the 2014 it can be put on the government webpage for easy access by the general public. It gives the general public an opportunity to participate in the budget debate by having access to it now. The budget is the most important policy document of any government and therefore the public should be able to go on line and review it and submit questions to parliament and make certain recommendations as well.
We can't continue doing things as we have been accustomed to for over forty years. Mr. Minister of Finance let the 2014 budget debate begin including the public.
OSPP Press Release
