Parliament of Sint Maarten
Budget 2027

General Affairs

Ministry · Budget 2027

DraftBefore Parliament

General Affairs

AZAlgemene Zaken

General Affairs, the Prime Minister's ministry, spends most of its 2027 money keeping the whole government running: rented offices, electricity, water, phones, insurance, ICT, HR and archives that every ministry depends on. It also runs the Fire Department, the Civil Registry and national disaster management.

Dr. Luc F. E. Mercelina

Dr. Luc F. E. Mercelina

Prime Minister · Minister of General Affairs

2027 spendingCg 101.1MDay-to-day running costs in the draft
Share of all spending15.3%of the Cg 662.2M the draft spends in total
Own revenueCg 9.9MIncome the budget books to this ministry
Posts filled54%236 of 439 posts

Explore this ministry

Spending

Day-to-day spending

What it spends it on

The 2027 draft gives this ministry Cg 101.1M for its day-to-day running, salaries, rent, supplies, subsidies and the like. That is up Cg 11.1M on the approved 2026 budget. Investments in buildings and equipment are counted separately, further down.
  • Personnel costsCg 39.1M39%
  • Accommodation & transportCg 38.4M38%
  • Other operating costsCg 15.7M16%
  • Subsidies & transfersCg 7.8M8%
  • Social provisionsCg 0.1M0%

By type of cost, million Cg

General Affairs: spending by type of cost, approved 2026 budget and 2027 draft, in million Cg
Type of cost20262027
Personnel costsCg 34.7MCg 39.1M
Accommodation & transportCg 29.7MCg 38.4M
Other operating costsCg 16.5MCg 15.7M
Subsidies & transfersCg 9.0MCg 7.8M
Social provisionsCg 0.1MCg 0.1M
TotalCg 90.0MCg 101.1M

Rows may not add up to the total exactly because each is rounded.

Policy plans

Plans

Plans for 2027

The mission, as the budget describes it

To give effective and efficient support to the whole government: strengthening public administration and the democratic rule of law, developing a professional and motivated civil service, promoting sustainable national development, deepening cooperation within and outside the Kingdom, and ensuring national security, disaster management and crisis response, so that Sint Maarten is prepared for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

  1. Plan 1: Strengthening Public Administration and Support Services

    Multi-year investments and reforms, begun in 2026, in the government's support departments: P&O (Personnel & Organisation), JZ&W (Juridische Zaken & Wetgeving, Legal Affairs & Legislation), Facility Management and ICT. In 2027 the ministry, in cooperation with TWO (the Temporary Work Organisation, which runs the country-package reform projects), continues the multi-year programme "it's all about people": strengthening the HR function and strategic personnel management, merit-based recruitment and targeted training. It also continues a national digitalisation agenda: designing secure electronic ID (eID) systems, a single sign-on, digitising documents, further developing the e-government platform and rolling out e-signatures. The memorandum says this objective is supported over several years by the country package (TWO) and the Reconstruction Fund.

  2. Plan 2: Promoting National Development and Regional Integration

    Working with partners inside and outside the Kingdom to deal with climate change and economic and geopolitical shocks: in particular Saint-Martin (the French side of the island), the other countries and special municipalities of the Kingdom, other (island) countries in the Caribbean, and international partners such as the United States, the European Union and countries in Latin and Central America. Cooperation topics include national security, food security and maritime connectivity, education, healthcare, energy and disaster preparedness. The Cross-Border Cooperation Platform with Saint-Martin is used for joint projects in areas including disaster management, traffic, tourism and culture. In 2027 the ministry gives priority to organising a Kingdom Conference: an open dialogue with the Netherlands, Aruba and Curaçao about the future of the Kingdom.

  3. Plan 3: Disaster Management and Crisis Management

    Carrying out "(overly) long-postponed" investments in disaster and crisis management, the ministry's third priority, as in 2026. Sint Maarten's location makes it particularly vulnerable to hurricanes and other climate-related risks. In 2027 the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) will be further expanded, with additional staff and with education and training to improve operational preparedness, and critical equipment will be purchased. The ministry will seek cooperation with strategic partners and make use of available funding from the Netherlands, the European Union and the Reconstruction Fund.

Programmes & delivery

Programmes

Programmes and spending

The budget lists 6 programmes for this ministry, each tied to one of the plans above. Amounts are for 2027, where the ministry printed one.

Showing 6 of 6 programmes.

  • Implementation Measure B-Total: "it's all about people"

    Cg 3.6M
    Plan 1
    Intended result

    A stronger HR function and strategic personnel management, as part of a multi-year programme to raise the government's labour productivity and implementation capacity. Continued in cooperation with TWO. Booked to P&O's other goods and services (account 3460-439), which the numbers book shows at Cg 3,561,416 in both 2026 and 2027.

  • Implementation Measure B10: government accommodation and facility management

    Cg 280k
    Plan 1
    Intended result

    A well-considered accommodation and procurement policy, as part of a multi-year programme to improve the government's business operations. The 280 is part of Facility Management's third-party hire line (account 3450-416, total 1,780). The memorandum says the ministry's third-party hire is largely funded from four country-package project tracks, one of them for Facility Management.

  • Implementation Measure B4: strengthening the legislative function

    Cg 156k
    Plan 1
    Intended result

    A legislative function (structure, processes and set-up) that delivers more and better-quality legislation in a timely and adequate way. The 156 is part of Legal Affairs and Legislation's projects-and-activities line (account 3310-435), printed as "158.6"; the numbers book gives 158,600 for 2027, against 2,000 in 2026.

  • Cross-border Cooperation Platform with Saint-Martin

    Cg 715k
    Plan 2
    Intended result

    At least three new joint projects with Saint-Martin. The memorandum books the 715 to account 410-3330, the Department of Foreign Relations' gross wages and salaries, a line that totals exactly 715 in 2027.

  • Kingdom Conference

    Cg 200k
    Plan 2
    Intended result

    Stronger mutual cooperation and policy alignment within the Kingdom, through a conference on the future of the Kingdom. The memorandum books the 200 to account 439-3320 (Interior and Kingdom Relations), but its differences table says the conference money was moved to the Staff Bureau (3110-439, 9 to 215), and the numbers book has only Cg 15,000 on 3320-439 for 2027.

  • Disaster Management Office: staff expansion and training

    Cg 300k
    Plan 3
    Intended result

    More trained staff able to respond effectively to disasters. The 300 is part of the Fire Department's other personnel costs (account 415-3210, total 596).

Changes

Since 2026

What changed and why

The lines that moved most since the approved 2026 budget, largest change first, with the ministry's explanation where it gives one; where it gives none, we say so.

  • Facility Management: electricity and water costs (3450-425)

    2026: Cg 2.7M2027: Cg 7.0M

    In previous years the budget did not match what was actually spent, which caused structural overruns. The line is raised substantially to match actual spending. The ministry also foresees a further rise in energy costs because growing geopolitical tensions may affect energy prices.

  • Public Service Center (3340): department total

    2026: Cg 2.6M2027: Cg 761k

    Not explained in the memorandum; its differences table does not list this cut (printed -71%). The numbers book shows that a Cg 2,000,000 projects-and-activities line (3340-435) budgeted for 2026 has no money for 2027 (NL 17).

  • Facility Management: communication costs (3450-421)

    2026: Cg 2.0M2027: Cg 3.8M

    As with electricity and water, the budget did not match actual spending in previous years, causing structural overruns. It is raised to match actual spending.

  • Semi-private and NGO organisations (3510): subsidies

    2026: Cg 5.9M2027: Cg 4.9M

    Not explained in the memorandum (printed -17%). The subsidies annex (Staat G) shows the whole Cg 1,000,000 drop is in an incidental "temporary bridging contribution PSS" (Tijdelijke overbruggings bijdrage PSS), which falls from Cg 1,500,000 to Cg 500,000; "PSS" is not spelled out (NL 82). The numbers book confirms 5,918,673 to 4,918,673 (NL 20).

  • Facility Management: third-party hire (3450-416)

    2026: Cg 898k2027: Cg 1.8M

    Extra external support to keep facility services running at the right quality and to add operational capacity that staff cannot fully provide, including project-based preparations for the construction and/or purchase of a new police headquarters. The Dutch numbers book prints the 2026 base as Cg 1,097,829, which makes the rise +62% rather than the printed 98%.

  • Facility Management: vehicle costs (3450-429)

    2026: Cg 627k2027: Cg 1.3M

    Higher operating costs, including fuel and maintenance, and outstanding payments.

Capital projects

Capital budget

Building and equipment

The capital budget is money for buildings, roads, vehicles and equipment, mostly paid for with borrowed money. It is separate from the day-to-day spending above. These are the projects the ministry lists for 2027, largest first.

  • Purchase of government buildings to replace lease agreements

    Cg 9M

    The sheet does not name the buildings. It describes buying buildings that are currently rented or for which there is a permanent accommodation need, and says this leads to a reduction in annual rental expenditure "(approximately Cg 14 million)". It does not make clear whether Cg 14 million is the current rent bill or the expected saving; the Dutch sheet is equally ambiguous (NL 287). The 2027 rent budget is Cg 16.045 million, expected to fall gradually from 2028, partly through buying one or more buildings (EN 29). Urgency "High". Estimated start and end: Q2 2027. The project sheets sit in the capital-service chapter, which covers investments for which a capital-service loan will be requested (EN 168). Matches the numbers book: 9,000,000 (NL 55).

  • Renovation of government buildings, including the police station and the Government Administration Building

    Cg 2.3M

    Partly financed from remaining NAGICO settlement funds made available after the damage caused by Hurricane Irma; the NAGICO amount is not stated. Urgency "High". Estimated start and end: Q2 2027 (the timeline runs over to EN 172). The numbers book gives 2,338,800 on a Facility Management line titled "Government Buildings" (NL 55), which the memorandum rounds to 2,339.

  • Renewal of fire department breathing apparatus (SCBA)

    Cg 902k

    The firefighters' self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) reaches the end of its service life in 2027. Urgency "High, given the direct safety risks and possible impact on fire service deployment in case of postponement"; estimated start Q1, end Q2, with no year printed (EN 171). Matches the numbers book (902,000), which shows the same amount in the 2026 column (NL 55). The memorandum explains that all 2026 capital-service items were included again in 2027 because it is not known whether the 2026 loan will be obtained (EN 168).

  • ICT equipment procurement (servers, firewalls, switches, video conferencing)

    Cg 756k

    Replaces part of the 2014 HP ProLiant Gen9 servers with 7 new servers in a hybrid infrastructure and renews firewalls, switches and video-conference equipment. Urgency is given as an order of priority (servers, firewalls, switches, video conferencing); estimated Q1 to Q2, with no year printed. This item is not in the AZ chapter's capital tables (EN 34, 36), which total 12,341 thousand. It appears in the numbers book as ICT "Hard & Software" 756,000 (2026: 750,788) (NL 55). With it and the ID printer, the six AZ project sheets total 13,277 thousand, matching the numbers-book AZ capital total of 13,276,800 (NL 50, NL 55).

  • Backup IxLa ID5 laser duplex printer for ID card and driver's licence production (Civil Registry)

    Cg 180k

    The current equipment has been in use since 2017 and its malfunctions interrupt service, particularly at the Simpson Bay location; a backup lets work switch over immediately. Urgency "High"; estimated Q1 to Q2, with no year printed (EN 173). This item is not in the AZ chapter's capital tables (EN 34, 36). The sheet title says "printers" but the text describes one backup printer. The numbers book lists a Civil Registry "Lasergraveerprinter" (laser-engraving printer) at 180,000, the same amount as in its 2025 and 2026 columns, and classifies it as transport equipment (AN1131), while the sheet uses AN1139; a separate "ID-DL Laserprinter" row (AN1139) has no amounts (NL 55).

  • Purchase and installation of fire hydrants

    Cg 100k

    Hydrants at strategic locations, to cut response times and reduce reliance on the limited water carried in fire engines; urgency "High". Estimated Q1 to Q2, with no year printed. The numbers book line reads "Invest brandkranen & brandweerkazerne" (fire hydrants and fire station), 100,000, with the same amount also in the 2026 column (NL 55).

This ministry's capital chapter, 2027

Cg 13,276,800

5.3% of the country's Cg 248,519,771 capital budget, to the guilder, as printed in the numbers book. Across all chapters the capital budget also covers loan repayments and study loans.

Targets & staff

Targets

Targets to track

The indicators and targets the ministry sets itself in the draft budget.

  • New joint projects with Saint-Martin through the Cross-Border Cooperation Platform

    TargetAt least 3

  • Kingdom Conference on the future of the Kingdom, with the Netherlands, Aruba and Curaçao

    TargetOrganised in 2027

  • Outdated government servers replaced

    Target7 new servers, partly replacing the 2014 HP ProLiant Gen9 servers

  • Purchase of government buildings to replace lease agreements

    TargetEstimated start and end date: Q2 2027

Every ministry's targets side by side →

Staffing

People and posts

How many of the ministry's posts are filled. Empty posts can mean planned work is delayed.
Posts filled54%

236 filledof 439 posts (establishment)

Posts filled
236
Empty posts with money in the budget
59
All posts (establishment)
439

Count as of: 15 April 2026

Memorandum table (EN 37): 236 filled + 59 budgeted vacancies = 295 budgeted posts, plus 144 unbudgeted vacancies = 439 establishment. Occupancy is printed as 54% (236/439 = 53.8%), and the ministry calls the shortage "(too) high". The memorandum says unbudgeted vacancies fell "from 165 to 144" but does not say when the 165 applied (EN 38). The Dutch personnel statement Staat B (NL 68) prints 236 current personnel, 212 vacancies, 448 required personnel, 58 budgeted vacancies and 294 budgeted personnel; that implies 154 unbudgeted vacancies and 52.7% occupancy (both computed, not printed). Its education-level breakdown on the same page adds to 293. The Formatieplan (NL 58) prints 293 budgeted posts, 58 budgeted vacancies and 448 workplaces. The documents do not explain the gaps between these counts (establishment 439 vs 448; budgeted vacancies 59 vs 58; budgeted posts 295, 294 and 293). Lowest occupancy by department (EN 37): the Department of Governance Resources and Support (DMO) 0 of 2 posts filled; Foreign Relations and the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers 33% each; ICT 34%; Interior and Kingdom Relations 37%; Legal Affairs and Legislation 41%; P&O 48%; Fire Department 59 of 123 (printed 49%; 59/123 = 48.0%). A crisis team has been appointed for DMO and Facility Management, and only 2 HR advisers work for P&O (EN 38).

Staffing across government →
Risks

Risks

Risks to delivery

The risks the ministry names itself in the draft budget.

  • Staffing

    High vacancy rates at P&O, Legal Affairs and Legislation (JZ&W), ICT, Facility Management and the Fire Department may delay reforms, weaken disaster preparedness and hold back digital transformation. These risks affect every ministry that General Affairs supports. Strengthening P&O, which plays a central role in recruitment for all ministries, has the highest priority.

  • Financial

    Budget limits may delay ongoing projects or limit recruitment and training. Specific risks: less money for essential operating costs, and not having enough to pay (long-)outstanding invoices, which may lead to extra interest costs.

  • ICT

    Delays in developing and rolling out digital platforms may (further) reduce citizens' and businesses' trust in the government and harm the quality and continuity of services.

  • Diplomatic

    Limited cooperation with Saint-Martin or Kingdom partners could delay national development and regional integration and hamper cross-border projects. The ministry warns of a "real risk of losing external funds if action is not taken in time".

  • Disasters

    Delays in strengthening essential infrastructure or buying disaster equipment may leave the government and the country more vulnerable when a disaster strikes.

Detailed budget lines

The numbers book

The biggest budget lines

The numbers book (Getallenboek, in the Dutch submission) lists every line of spending to the guilder. These are this ministry's 10 largest lines for 2027, with the Dutch wording as printed.
Search all 221 lines for this ministry

  • Rent of buildings, space & facilities

    Huur Gebouwen, Ruimten en Beheersfaciliteiten

    Facility Management

    2026Cg 14,587,191
    2027Cg 16,044,643
    Up Cg 1,457,452 vs 2026

  • Electricity & water

    Electra en Waterkosten

    Facility Management

    2026Cg 2,659,784
    2027Cg 6,954,904
    Up Cg 4,295,120 vs 2026

  • Insurance

    Verzekeringskosten

    Facility Management

    2026Cg 5,902,794
    2027Cg 6,102,794
    Up Cg 200,000 vs 2026

  • Gross salaries

    Brutolonen en Salarissen

    Fire Department

    2026Cg 5,571,157
    2027Cg 6,095,074
    Up Cg 523,917 vs 2026

  • Subsidies

    Subsidies

    Semi-private & NGO organisations

    2026Cg 5,918,673
    2027Cg 4,918,673
    Down Cg 1,000,000 vs 2026

  • Communication

    Communicatiekosten

    Facility Management

    2026Cg 2,022,570
    2027Cg 3,782,353
    Up Cg 1,759,783 vs 2026

  • Other goods & services

    Overige Goederen en Diensten

    Personnel & Organisation (P&O)

    2026Cg 3,561,416
    2027Cg 3,561,416
    No change vs 2026

  • Gross salaries

    Brutolonen en Salarissen

    Pension-type benefits

    2026Cg 3,543,469
    2027Cg 3,543,469
    No change vs 2026

  • Gross salaries

    Brutolonen en Salarissen

    Facility Management

    2026Cg 3,441,819
    2027Cg 3,525,195
    Up Cg 83,376 vs 2026

  • Accountancy, advisory & SLAs

    Accountants- en Advieskosten en SLA's

    ICT department

    2026Cg 3,212,216
    2027Cg 3,212,216
    No change vs 2026
For you

In plain English

What this means for you

Our summary of the ministry's chapter. The figures in it come from the pages cited on this page.

  • Most of this ministry's budget keeps the whole government running. Facility Management, where the ministry's rent, electricity and water, and insurance costs and most of its phone and vehicle costs are booked, is Cg 43.6 million of the ministry's Cg 101.1 million. The ministry says most of its material costs can be seen as fixed costs of the entire government (EN 28, EN 29, NL 19).

  • In earlier years, electricity, water and phone bills were budgeted well below what was actually paid. For 2027, electricity and water go up to about Cg 7.0 million (from Cg 2.7 million) and communication to Cg 4.2 million, to match real spending. The ministry foresees a further rise in energy costs (EN 29, EN 30, EN 32).

  • 236 of the ministry's 439 posts were filled on 15 April 2026 (54%), a shortage the ministry itself calls "(too) high", and 144 of the empty posts have no money in the budget. DMO, the department being re-established to strengthen the management of P&O, Facility Management, ICT and the archives, has no staff; a crisis team has been appointed for DMO and Facility Management; and only two HR advisers work in P&O, which plays a central role in recruitment for every ministry (EN 31, EN 37, EN 38, EN 39).

  • Frontline equipment: Cg 902,000 replaces firefighters' breathing apparatus, which reaches the end of its service life in 2027, and Cg 100,000 buys fire hydrants. Cg 180,000 buys a backup printer for ID cards and driver's licences, because the machine in use since 2017 breaks down and interrupts service, especially at Simpson Bay. The Fire Department has 59 of its 123 posts filled (EN 36, EN 37, EN 170, EN 172).

  • The budget sets aside Cg 9 million to buy buildings the government currently rents or permanently needs, to reduce rental costs; the rent budget (Cg 16.0 million for 2027) is expected to fall gradually from 2028. The budget does not say which buildings. Another Cg 2.3 million goes on renovating government buildings, including the police station and the Government Administration Building (EN 29, EN 34, EN 171).

2027–2030

The four-year path

The budget's own forecast for this ministry's day-to-day spending, in whole millions. The years after 2027 are estimates and usually change in later budgets.
20272030Cg 103M
2027 draft
Cg 101M
2028 estimate
Cg 99M
2029 estimate
Cg 100M
2030 estimate
Cg 103M
The line zooms in on the range of these years; the small bars start at zero.
Sources and publication notes