PHILIPSBURG:--- The government of Sint Maarten will continue to operate under the 2024 budget following the recent decision regarding the final text of the National Ordinance Budget 2025. As indicated by the response from Parliament, the 2025 budget in its current form requires corrective measures due to issues with the alignment of budget amendments and the budget itself. This has led to an extraordinary situation where the entire budgeting process must start over.
Because of these alignment issues, Parliament and government entities will revert to using the previously approved 2024 budget until all necessary corrections have been adequately addressed. Consequently, Sint Maarten may operate for a substantial part of 2025 without a newly approved budget, relying instead on the existing framework established for the previous year. Many promised payments and allocations scheduled for 2025 will either not happen or will be delayed until the new budget process is finalized.
The revised 2025 budget, which will incorporate the required corrections, is set to enter the legislative review process simultaneously with the previously submitted version. This 'novelle mechanism' will require both the original and corrected budget versions to be reviewed concurrently, effectively restarting the comprehensive budgeting procedure from scratch.
Under this novel mechanism, the revised budget is expected to undergo thorough evaluations by the Committee for Financial Supervision (CFT) and the Council of Advice and eventually require approval from the Governor. Parliament will likely engage in renewed debates, ultimately leading to a final vote.
This unprecedented development highlights the intricate and meticulous nature of the budgeting process in Sint Maarten, which aims to ensure strict compliance with legal, economic, and administrative standards. Consequently, the government and parliamentarians now face the unique challenge of potentially managing two separate budget debates and approval processes within the same fiscal year.
Additionally, these developments mean significant delays for budget amendments that include vital revenue-generating measures crucial to Sint Maarten's financial health and stability.
It is also noteworthy that Aruba currently faces budgetary instructions from the Netherlands, reflecting broader regional concerns regarding fiscal management within the Dutch Caribbean.
