PHILIPSBURG:--- On April 23rd, the Social Economic Council (SER) submitted its advice on the proposed Visitor’s Tax to the Honorable Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Mr. R. Brug. Copies of the advice were also sent to the Honorable Minister of Finance, Ms. Marinka Gumbs, and the Honorable Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic, and Telecommunication, Mrs. Grisha Heyliger-Marten.
The advice follows the review of two national draft ordinances submitted to the SER, which aim to establish a legal framework for the introduction of a Visitor’s Tax and to regulate the allocation of the generated funds. The legislation is designed to enhance the preparedness and resilience of Sint Maarten’s public health and tourism sectors in response to economic disruptions, including those caused by natural disasters or pandemics. The proposed legislation aligns with recent practices in the Caribbean part of the Dutch Kingdom. Bonaire and Aruba introduced similar visitor levies in 2022 and 2024, ranging from USD 10 to USD 75 per person. In Sint Maarten, the tax will amount to CG 27/USD 15 for adults and CG 18/USD 10 for minors entering the country.
The advisory body has finalized its two remaining legislative topics. The advice on Sustainable Affordable Access to Health Care Act (SAAHA) formerly known as General Health Insurance (GHI) which will be presented to the Board this month for further deliberation and approval. After the approval of the SAAHA advice the Board will enter deliberations on the Amendment of the Civil Code Book 7, Title 10, addressing temporary employment contracts and employment status. The Chairman of the SER, Mr. Harlec Doran, expressed satisfaction with the SERs progress, emphasizing that the SER continues to execute its legal mandate effectively. He further noted that the institution is receiving constructive cooperation from several ministers and key stakeholders, “these developments only improve the effectiveness and quality of the advice of the SER”. The SER remains committed to providing independent, data driven, and objective advice on socio-economic policy and legislative proposals that impact the development of Sint Maarten and all its citizens.
