Government of Sint MaartenFinance
Ms. Marinka J. Gumbs· Minister of Finance
The Ministry of Finance manages Sint Maarten's public finances, tax collection, budgeting, and financial oversight, spending Cg 91M in 2026 against Cg 501.1M in own revenue while it modernizes the Tax Administration and reforms the tax system.
Spending by cost category
- Cg 29M32%
- Cg 15M16%
- Cg 21M23%
- Cg 26M29%
Spending outlook
Capacity to deliver
Strategic objectives
- 01Sustainable government finances: sound financial policy aimed at a balanced budget, controlling expenditure, optimizing revenue streams, and reducing dependence on external financing.
- 02Strengthening transparency and trust in government through open communication on fiscal resource use, stronger internal control mechanisms, and better-quality financial reporting.
- 03A strong economic position for Sint Maarten: resilience to external shocks via improved debt management, a modernized fiscal framework, and stimulating domestic economic activity.
- 04Promoting inclusive growth and development: reducing socio-economic inequality, improving public service delivery, and strengthening cooperation with other ministries and international partners.
- 05Modernization of the Tax Administration through digitalization, completing the integrated ICT system and digital portals, and training tax officials (country package measure C4).
- 06Tax reform toward a simpler, fairer and more efficient system that raises structurally higher revenue, distributes the fiscal burden evenly, and aligns with OECD standards.
Key programmes & projects
Completion of the integrated ICT system and digital portals, organizational transformation, modern customer-focused service delivery, and staff training. Total estimated at ~Cg 12.5M (Cg 8M capital, Cg 4.5M ordinary service); Cg 12.3M already received from TWO.
Strengthen the implementation capacity of the NRPB (USD 14M component) and strengthen the Government of Sint Maarten (USD 5M component, including a Disaster Reserve Fund). Total project Cg 34.2M (USD 19M), running 2026 through end of 2027.
Implement SOLL processes (P2P, O2C, subsidies, payroll) and an Internal Control Framework, supported by ERP system phases 2 and 3. Total activity cost estimated ~Cg 4.3M (Cg 2.0M capital, Cg 2.3M operating).
Adopt the Act abolishing outdated legislation (National Ordinance Tax Reform Phase 1) and the revision of the General National Ordinance on National Taxes (ALL) to build a robust, broad-based tax system aligned with OECD standards.
Prepare the 2027 budget on the basis of overarching policy objectives and multi-year estimates for the ordinary and capital service, complying with the statutory budget requirement.
Indicators & targets
- Occupancy of total establishment (214 FTEs formal establishment; 138 FTEs expected employed; 164 FTEs budgeted)Target: 64% overall occupancy
- SPEAR component 1 - remaining programme indicators achieved by the NRPBTarget: 80% of remaining indicators
- SPEAR total expected disbursements (US$ millions, cumulative)Target: USD 3.35M (2026), 10.81M (2027), 16.59M (2028), 18.67M (2029)
- Share of total budget spent on operational costsTarget: Cg 72M (~81%) operational vs. 19% for project/policy initiatives
Key risks
- Due to a limited tax base, a large informal sector, or inefficient collection, revenue may remain structurally too low (likelihood 4, impact 4).
- Many government-owned companies operate with limited transparency and without structural reporting, so losses, debts or irregularities may surface late, causing unexpected government contributions and macroeconomic instability (likelihood 4, impact 4).
- A shortage of staff and mismatch between required and available capacity can delay project implementation and mean tasks are not carried out on time (likelihood 4, impact 4).
- Insufficient insight into implicit obligations can lead to unexpected expenditures and pressure on the budget (likelihood 3, impact 5).