PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Finance, Hon. Ms. Marinka J. Gumbs, has commissioned the Government Audit Bureau (SOAB) to carry out a financial audit of the OZR Fund, which is managed by the Social and Health Insurances (SZV) on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten.
While SZV has been audited annually, there has been no financial audit of the OZR Fund in the past 10 years. The audit aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the management of the OZR (“Overheidsziektekostenregeling”) Fund, which provides health coverage for civil servants, teachers, government-affiliated employees, and their dependents. This scheme plays a vital role in ensuring public sector workers and their families have access to quality healthcare.
While a financial audit of the fund was last completed in 2012, and an engagement was initiated for the 2016 through 2018 period, the financial audits have not been carried out. Minister Gumbs has now taken steps, together with SZV, to ensure that these financial audits are conducted annually as we advance.
“Regular, timely financial audits are essential to maintaining trust, transparency, and sound financial management,” said Minister Gumbs. “By making this a yearly process, we ensure proper oversight and strengthen confidence in how public resources are managed.”
In May 2025, the Council of Ministers approved an increase in the government’s monthly OZR contribution from NAf 5.5 million to NAf 6 million. This adjustment reflects the government’s commitment to maintaining the fund’s sustainability and ensuring that it continues to meet the healthcare needs of its beneficiaries.
For several years, there has been uncertainty regarding the exact amount owed by the government to SZV, largely due to the absence of consistent yearly audits. This issue will also be addressed through a separate assignment. The government remains committed to ensuring that the debt to SZV does not continue to increase annually and that proper measures are implemented, including enforcing annual audits, to prevent these issues from recurring and to ensure transparency and accountability.
Enforcement of financial yearly audits marks another step in our commitment to sound financial governance and transparency,” said Minister Gumbs. “By addressing long-standing challenges, we are building a stronger foundation for accountability and sustainability within our public finances.
