PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs said on Wednesday that the government of St. Maarten should get its act together and appoint several civil servants that have been acting positions for years.
The Minister made the comment after she was accused of being a nepo-baby after standing up for a civil servant that has been in an acting position for over seven years.
Gumbs said even though persons within the civil service accused her being related to the civil servant whose landsbesluit was counter signed on Tuesday by the Governor. That civil servant, she said stayed in the position as acting for several years and it is time to end the ongoing abuse of civil servants when it comes to appointing them to their rightful position.
Gumbs said the excuse being used by the government is that those civil servants are not qualified for the positions when they decide to recruit a candidate of their choice for the vacation positions.
The Minister said if someone is in a position for a number of years and they have been doing the work then they should be enough respect to place these persons.
Asked if she was able to move forward with the restructuring of the tax department where the head of the department also occupies the section head position.
Gumbs said while she is not blaming anyone at the tax department, one thing for sure is that business there cannot continue as is. Gumbs explained that the manner in which the tax department operates it is not beneficial to the government of St. Maarten or its people.
The Minister of Finance said that a one course model cannot fit everyone as is the case at the tax department as people’s personal situations are not the same.
Gumbs said to ask everyone to pay what is owed to the tax department within a nine-month period simply cannot work. The Minister said she does not know where the 9-month payment plan simply cannot work, and she does not know where it came from.
“I have been meeting people on a daily basis and these people want to pay what the owe the government but they just can’t because of their personal situation and to have a one size fits all is not working for anyone.
The Minister said that she intends to deal with all the issues affecting the services of the tax department. “A meeting is scheduled with the heads of department and this matter will be discussed in debt, I want to hear from each head what is their plans and or goals are in moving the country forward. What I am hearing is that there have not been any structural meetings with the departments of government. If this is case, then how else what their superiors want for each department.”
Gumbs made clear that when this meeting is held, she as Minister of Finance will be presenting her plans and goals so that everyone knows what is expected from each of the departments within government.
The Minister of Finance also made clear that people need to be more compassionate and take into consideration that the people of St. Maarten went through Hurricane Irma, they also went through the COVID 19 pandemic and GEBE crisis.
Due to these situations persons who owe the tax department cannot comply with the 9-month plan they are given.
