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Coat of arms of Sint MaartenGovernment of Sint Maarten
AZ

General Affairs

Dr. Luc F. E. Mercelina

Dr. Luc F. E. Mercelina· Prime Minister · Minister of General Affairs

The Ministry of General Affairs spends its budget mostly on running the whole of government — housing, insurance, ICT, facility services, the Fire Department and personnel/support functions that every other ministry relies on.

2026 spending
Cg 0M
Own revenue
Cg 0M
Share of ministries
0%
Staffed
0%
Where it spends

Spending by cost category

  • Personnel costsCg 34M38%
  • Material costs, goods & servicesCg 33M37%
  • RentCg 15M17%
  • Transfers and subsidiesCg 8M9%
2026 → 2029

Spending outlook

20262029Cg 97M

Capacity to deliver

Staffing — posts actually filled57%
254 filledof 445 budgeted posts
What it plans to do

Strategic objectives

  1. 01Strengthen public administration and support services: multi-year investments and reforms in P&O, JZ&W (Legal Affairs & Legislation), Facility Services and ICT to raise public-sector efficiency, improve service delivery to citizens and businesses, and advance a national digitalization agenda; supported via the country package (TWO) and the Reconstruction Fund.
  2. 02Promote national development and regional integration by deepening cooperation with Saint Martin, Kingdom partners, the Caribbean, the US, EU and Latin/Central America; in 2026 the focus is organizing a Kingdom Conference for open dialogue with the Netherlands, Aruba and Curacao.
  3. 03Realize long-delayed investments in disaster management and crisis response: strengthen the national disaster management office, modernize emergency infrastructure, procure critical equipment and prepare for climate-related risks, using financing from the Netherlands, the EU and the Reconstruction Fund.
Funded programmes

Key programmes & projects

Institutional Legal Capacity (ODM framework)Cg 160k

ODM fully operational with a clear mandate and approved institutional framework and operational roadmap.

Disaster Management Office staffing and trainingCg 200k

Fully equipped and trained staff able to respond effectively to disasters (expansion of staffing and training programmes for emergency preparedness).

Climate Resilience ProgrammeCg 250k

Risk assessments and resilience measures aligned with regional organizations and an improved climate resilience framework.

SDG Monitoring MechanismCg 160k

Reporting and coordination tools that track SDG progress across government, with annual SDG reports published and shared.

Strengthening Kingdom relationsCg 125k

Diplomatic engagement with Kingdom partners resulting in MOUs signed and cooperation strengthened.

Cross-Border Platform (with Saint Martin)

A joint cooperation framework with Saint Martin adopted and operationalized to support shared projects (disaster management, tourism, culture); carried out by existing staff, no separate budget.

Measured by

Indicators & targets

  • Overall staffing occupancy of total establishment
    Target: 57% occupancy (254 of 445 budgeted positions filled)
  • Personnel-cost growth cap vs 2025 (budget discipline)
    Target: No department's personnel costs increase by more than 50% vs the 2025 budget
  • Share of personnel costs on internal staff for core/support tasks
    Target: ~79.0% (Cg 27.0 million) of total personnel costs
  • Material costs as share of total budgeted expenditure
    Target: Cg 55.83 million, ~81% of total budgeted expenditure
What could go wrong

Key risks

  • Personnel risks: high vacancy rates at P&O, JZ&W, ICT and the Fire Department can delay reforms, weaken disaster preparedness and slow digital transformation, affecting all ministries supported by General Affairs.
  • Financial risks: budgetary constraints can delay projects or limit recruitment/training, with insufficient funds for essential operating costs and for vehicle/building insurance, inability to place ICT and Fire Department staff at correct pay scales under the 2025 job classification book, and risk of interest costs on long-outstanding invoices.
  • ICT risks: delays in developing and implementing digital platforms can undermine public and business confidence in government and harm the quality and continuity of service delivery.
  • Disaster risks: delays in strengthening essential infrastructure or procuring disaster equipment can increase Sint Maarten's vulnerability to disasters (with related diplomatic risk of losing external funding if action is not taken in time).