The temporary measure is expected to run for two to three months. Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs also told Parliament that only 3.5 million guilders of the proposed 9 million-guilder road construction program would be available on January 1, with the balance dependent on a loan.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Council of Ministers has approved a temporary 50 percent reduction in the special import duty on gasoline, Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs told Parliament on Monday, November 9. The measure is expected to run for an initial two to three months, after which the government could reassess it.
Responding to MP Darryl York during the 2027 budget debate, Gumbs said she first brought the proposal to Cabinet in March to ease fuel costs for households and businesses. She said the ministries of Finance, Justice and TEATT worked on the measure. She gave no effective date or estimate of the savings per liter. The 50 percent reduction applies to the duty charged on gasoline.
Gumbs puts January road construction funding at 3.5 million guilders
Gumbs told York that the government has allocated 5 million guilders in motor vehicle tax revenue for roads. Of that amount, 1.5 million guilders is for operating expenses, and 3.5 million guilders is for capital projects. The remaining 5.5 million guilders of the proposed 9 million-guilder capital program depends on loan financing.
The breakdown clarifies the 5 million-guilder figure VROMI Minister Patrice Gumbs Jr. cited during the debate. The finance minister put the amount available for road construction on January 1 at 3.5 million guilders.
She also said the Road Fund has had a legal basis since its national ordinance took effect on October 10, 2010. The proposal to operate it through a foundation funded by a subsidy requires a separate framework, which was still pending when the draft budget was prepared.
Capital projects depend on financing, and CFT concerns remain
Responding to MPs Egbert Jurendy Doran and Ardwell Irion, Gumbs said listing capital projects in the budget gives government the authority it needs to seek financing after parliamentary approval. If government fails to secure a loan, she said, affected projects could be postponed, carried out in phases or financed another way.
Gumbs said discussions with the Board of Financial Supervision, or CFT, have focused on how to submit the 2027 loan request and what information it must contain. She reported no financing decision. She identified five outstanding concerns raised by the CFT: healthcare fund deficits, financial risks from government-owned entities, limited liquidity, the need for a realistic multiyear investment plan, and insufficient information to assess compliance with the interest burden limit.
The minister said the government is preparing separate proposals on healthcare fund sustainability and financial risks associated with state-owned entities, including TelEm and the post office. She intends to report progress to Parliament and the CFT before the end of November, subject to Cabinet approval.
Visitor tax and pensioner relief could reach Parliament in early 2027
Gumbs said the visitor tax draft is undergoing final internal legal review and is expected to go to Parliament in the first quarter of 2027. She disputed Doran’s estimate that the previous administration had completed about 80 percent of the work. She said the draft required substantial revisions, including more stakeholder consultation and clearer arrangements for collection and enforcement. Finance is working with Justice and other stakeholders on how it would collect the tax.
Gumbs also expects to submit the proposed age pension tax relief legislation in the first quarter. She said her ministry received the calculations on October 23 and still has to select a scenario before the draft proceeds through legal review and the Council of Advice. She gave no date for pensioners to begin receiving relief.
On the financial transaction tax, Gumbs said Finance is awaiting further research with TEATT. The measure is outside Finance’s current phased tax reform program, and the ministry is preparing no legislation for it. The draft budget contains no revenue from the proposed tax.
Gumbs says she paused a proposed 90 million-guilder payment to verify the amount
During questioning about payments to SZV, Gumbs said she had been asked to sign off on 90 million guilders without documentation showing how the amount had been calculated. She said she paused the process to establish what the government owes. She acknowledged that the liability could be substantial.
The minister also said casinos and lotteries were current on their 2026 payments, while historical balances were still being checked. On long-lease revenue, she said Finance depends on VROMI to supply the leaseholder information needed to issue invoices and establish what is outstanding.
On Mullet Bay, Gumbs said the government’s priority is to establish the boundary between the public beach and Sun Resort’s property and determine when the property will return to market so St. Maarten can exercise its matching right. She said she was still awaiting an answer on who would pay for the proposed master plan and cautioned that government participation could affect the property’s value or its position in a sale.
