GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion has challenged government to explain the reported Cg. 39 million budget surplus, arguing that the figure should not automatically be presented as financial success if it was created in significant part by ministries failing to execute projects, programs and other approved expenditures.
During the continuation of the 2026 budget debate, Irion called for the second-quarter financial report to be provided to Parliament before the second round of deliberations, saying MPs need a more current picture of government’s finances and a clearer explanation of what is driving the positive balance.
Irion noted that the Minister of Finance had referenced the Cg. 39 million positive result while also indicating that lower expenditures contributed to the outcome. He said that distinction is important because spending less than budgeted does not necessarily mean government has performed better.
If ministries received authorization to spend money on projects, services and programs but did not carry them out, Irion argued, the resulting unspent funds should be examined as an execution issue rather than simply celebrated as a surplus.
He called for government to identify how much of the Cg. 39 million resulted from revenues performing better than projected and how much is attributable to expenditures that were delayed, postponed or never executed.
The MP questioned how government can point to a substantial positive balance while vendors are still awaiting payment, planned initiatives remain incomplete and residents continue to seek relief from high household expenses.
For Irion, the central issue is what government actually delivered with the resources Parliament approved.
He said a surplus produced because government spent efficiently or collected more revenue than expected would be different from one created because ministries failed to implement their budgets. Parliament, he argued, needs enough financial detail to make that distinction.
Irion therefore requested the latest available second-quarter figures before MPs move further into the budget debate, saying the information would allow Parliament to determine the government’s current financial position rather than relying on an earlier snapshot.
He also said government should provide clearer execution schedules for the remaining months of 2026, showing which projects and programs are expected to be completed and when.
Irion linked the surplus discussion directly to the financial pressure being experienced by households, questioning why government has not presented a clear relief package if substantial financial space is available.
He particularly raised the issue of electricity costs and previous discussions surrounding financial support connected to NV GEBE.
Irion repeated his position that government should not take over responsibilities that properly belong to the utility company, but said government can use its own resources to provide relief to residents and strengthen the country’s ability to respond to generation emergencies.
He suggested that government examine whether available funds could be used for measures that would have a more immediate effect on households rather than remaining unspent.
The MP also questioned whether additional financial space could be directed toward areas such as Justice and other government priorities that continue to report resource constraints.
Irion also asked Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina to clarify whether members of the Council of Ministers had been allowed to receive payment for unused vacation days.
He said he had received information suggesting that such payments may have been approved and asked whether civil servants would be afforded the same treatment.
Irion stressed that if ministers are permitted to receive payment for unused vacation time, government should explain why similar requests from public-sector employees would be treated differently.
The MP also requested updates on the 2026 salary scales, indexation for civil servants and the review of government function books.
He defended the volume of questions submitted by Members of Parliament during the budget process, arguing that many of the questions stem from concerns raised within the civil service itself and from matters that remained unanswered from previous parliamentary meetings.
Irion also criticized the debate over limiting MPs' speaking time, saying the annual budget is the country’s most important financial document and Parliament must be allowed sufficient opportunity to scrutinize it.
Another issue raised by Irion was the use of artificial intelligence within government.
The MP called on the Prime Minister to clarify whether government has an AI policy governing how civil servants, ministries and ministerial cabinets use publicly available AI systems when dealing with official documents.
Irion raised concerns about sensitive or internal government information potentially being uploaded into outside AI platforms and questioned what safeguards are in place to protect government data.
He also pointed to errors and inconsistencies he said appeared in some of the information submitted to Parliament, arguing that AI-generated material must be properly reviewed by humans before becoming part of official government documentation.
Irion said he supports the use of technology to improve productivity, but government must establish standards for data security, accuracy, accountability and human oversight.
Irion further requested information on government’s procurement practices, rented office space and vehicle use.
He asked how many office locations government is paying for but not fully using, what agreements are in place for departments relocating to other facilities and what government is paying per square meter for rented accommodation.
The MP also requested information concerning government vehicles and questioned whether established policies are being consistently followed.
Irion returned to several government reform commitments, including electoral reform, screening legislation and legislation governing cabinet personnel, asking for clear updates on where those initiatives stand.
He said announcements and broad policy goals must eventually translate into legislation, implementation and measurable results.
The MP also questioned what progress government has made toward introducing new revenue-generating measures.
He argued that St. Maarten cannot continue increasing expenditures without making similar progress in strengthening government revenues and improving collection.
Irion said the budget debate should therefore focus not simply on how much money government has available, but on whether that money is being collected responsibly, spent as Parliament intended and translated into services and projects residents can see.
