Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs has outlined possible cost-of-living relief while acknowledging serious gaps in government’s finances and reporting.
During the 2026 budget debate, Gumbs revealed that approximately 12.8 million Caribbean guilders in unpaid vendor bills are registered in government’s financial system. However, she cautioned that the actual total may be higher because not all invoices are centrally recorded.
Government reported a first-quarter surplus of approximately 39 million guilders, but Gumbs explained that a surplus does not mean the money is freely available. Salaries, subsidies, operational costs and loan repayments continue to place pressure on cash flow.
Finance is now moving toward mandatory purchase orders and centralized invoice registration, under the principle: “No purchase order, no pay.”
Meanwhile, Gumbs confirmed that government is considering cutting the gasoline import duty from 29 cents to 14-and-a-half cents per litre. The measure still requires Cabinet approval.
Government is also targeting January 2027 for its visitor tax and developing tax relief for AOV pensioners.
However, several reforms still require legislation, improved data and modernization of the Tax Administration.