Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
People worried about the delay in installing a new cabinet and its consequences for the budgetary process should be reassured at least somewhat after statements this week from outgoing Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and Finance Minister Martin Hassink (see Thursday paper).
The intention is to ratify the draft budget in the Council of Ministers on Tuesday coming, after which the Advisory Council is to review such. If all works out, it might be possible to have the budget handled in Parliament if not by the December 15 deadline at least before the end of the year.
Hassink said no adjustments would be made, but that arguments would be given why the figures are viable and certain "alternatives" proposed, both to address concerns expressed by the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT. Hopefully, it regards good ones, because without the latter's seal of approval the budget can't be implemented.
It was stated in this column recently that it would be desirable for members of the incoming UP/De Weever/Marlin-Romeo government to have the budget debate, because they – after all – will have to work with it. However, major changes resulting from new policies won't be possible; at any rate, unless it regards shifting between the seven ministries so that the balance remains the same.
Apart from the fact that the formation process is taking longer than usual due to the screening instruction from the Netherlands to the governor, having elections in the second half of the year does make it difficult for the result to be reflected in the following budget, considering that its presentation to the legislature is scheduled already for early September. That's no big deal, because there is supposed to be continuity in governance, but it can be somewhat frustrating for newly-appointed public administrators with lots of plans.
For now, people no doubt will be relieved to learn that despite so much political turmoil the 2015 budget is in its final stages and the country should not again have to go through a situation where the preceding year's version must continue to be used for lack of a valid current one.
