Secretaries General warn approx 2500 budget questions volume could strain govt operations

GREAT BAY--The Secretaries General of Government's ministries have raised concern over the volume of written questions submitted by Parliament on the draft 2026 national budget, warning that responding to the questions could place a substantial burden on already constrained ministries and affect the continuity of essential Government operations.

In a letter dated July 7, 2026, addressed to the Council of Ministers, the SG Platform reaffirmed Parliament's constitutional oversight role and the importance of a thorough budget review, while also stressing the urgency of concluding the 2026 budget process and preparing the 2027 draft budget on time.

The Secretaries General said ministries are facing "more than 2,500" questions and requests for information, describing the volume as unprecedented when compared with recent budget cycles.

A separate independent review of Parliament's 299-page draft final report counted 2,416 questions across the factions in Parliament. The breakdown shows that the National Alliance submitted 1,065 questions, followed by the United People's Party with 822 (this could be more). Nation Opportunity Wealth submitted 193 questions, the Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement 180, the Democratic Party 114 and the Party for Progress 42. The Soualiga Action Movement indicated that it had no questions.

The review also found that the raw number of questions does not necessarily reflect an equal number of separate information requests. Several questions were direct or substantial repeats, while others used different wording but would reasonably lead Government to provide the same answer, data, status update or policy explanation.

Examples of overlap were identified in questions concerning Government revenue-generating measures, GEBE's outstanding audited financial statements, tourism marketing spending and results, Mullet Bay, vacation-day payouts, building permits, vacancies, recruitment and ministries' ability to execute the 2026 budget.

In several instances, one detailed Government response, table or ministry-wide breakdown could answer multiple separately listed questions. The review also identified repeated question structures seeking priorities, measurable outcomes, implementation timelines, performance indicators, risks and corrective action.

The SG Platform's letter similarly noted that many requests require substantial research, cross-ministerial coordination, verification, consultation with external entities and the manual compilation of information that is not readily available.

According to the Secretaries General, some questions cannot be answered fully or at the level of detail requested, particularly where data is unavailable or cannot reasonably be collected and validated within current staffing constraints.

The SG Platform pointed to continuing staffing shortages, institutional backlogs and growing operational demands across ministries. It said these pressures must be balanced with the maintenance of core services, implementation of reforms and execution of priority projects.

The Secretaries General warned that preparing answers to the volume of questions within a matter of weeks, during the summer period, would place a substantial burden on departments already operating under severe constraints and could negatively affect staff morale.

While acknowledging that all parliamentary questions must be addressed, the SG Platform advised that ministries be given a minimum of four weeks to prepare, verify, consolidate and obtain ministerial approval of responses. It further recommended that the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers receive an additional week to consolidate and finalize Government's input for the Final Report of Parliament's Central Committee.

Following completion of the 2026 budget process, the Secretaries General are also recommending an evaluation of the written-question process used during Central Committee budget handling.

The Platform said such an evaluation should consider a more balanced framework, including realistic parameters for written questions submitted by each parliamentary faction. According to the SGs, this would preserve parliamentary oversight while supporting thorough, accurate and timely responses without unduly hampering Government operations.

The letter was signed by the Secretaries General of the Ministries of General Affairs, Finance, Justice, Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, and Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure, as well as the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers.

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