PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Martin Hassink told reporters at the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday that he was disappointed that the 2014 budget amendments he wanted to make on June 30th were not handled due to a lack of quorum. Minister Hassink said the first amendment to the 2014 budget was simple. Two of the items that were included in the amendment was the purchase of the Emilio Wilson Estate and the Vorst property. The Finance Minister said that amendment also included some new income and expenses and the proposal by parliament to reduce their travel expenses.
Hassink said he expects that the meeting of parliament to make these amendments will take place during the first half of August 2014. When asked if he had intention to add the purchase of the Vorst property when he went to parliament on June 30th, Minister Hassink said he had intended to add a 2.2 million guilders to the budget to make the first payment to the Vorst family while the other payments would have been paid in the following years. When asked if he is allowed by law to commit government to make payments over a number of years. Minister Hassink said based on the advice of the CFT on the multi-annual budget he could have done that.
As for the 2015 budget which has to go to Parliament by September 2014, it will not make it there by that date. Minister Hassink said it is highly unlikely that he will meet the deadline especially with what is taking place right now.
The Finance Minister gave a breakdown of the 2014 budget which he said based on the current spending and income might be within the budget amount of Naf. 430 million or a little bit higher. As for the 2015 budget he said it will be based on the 2013 budget which will be about Naf. 440 million. "So far the various Ministries have submitted their budget which total to 465 million and this leaves him with a 25 million in excess that he has to get rid of in order to balance the 2015 budget. Minister Hassink said he expects to present the final figures for the 2015 budget to the Council of Ministers by next Tuesday.
The Finance Minister also admitted to reporters that he attended a meeting to discuss the expansion of the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC). Minister Hassink was asked by reporters if he was involved in any type of interference with the SMMC saga as indicated by Minister of Health Cornelius de Weever. Minister Hassink said he did attend the meeting but he made clear that Member of Parliament Theodore Heyliger asked him to attend the meeting and he did not know if the Minister of Health Cornelius de Weever was invited.
The Prime Minister of St. Maarten made clear that the situation regarding SMMC is not about the repairs and expansion but instead it is about quality health care.
