PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United People's Party (UP), Member of Parliament Omar E.C. Ottley, issued a strong statement today condemning the Mercelina II Cabinet's continued failure to finalize and submit the 2025 budget. Ottley criticized what he described as a reckless and politically motivated rush to outdo the former NA-UPP government, which ultimately backfired and left the country in administrative and financial uncertainty. "Let us be absolutely clear," Ottley said, "this situation with the Committee for Financial Supervision (CFT) was avoidable. The Mercelina Cabinet tried to claim political bragging rights by pushing a premature budget to Parliament riddled with mistakes, missing details, and technical inaccuracies—all in a hurry to beat the previous government's timeline. Instead of taking the time needed to get it right, they have jeopardized this country's governance and financial stability."
MP Ottley was referring to the formal notification issued against the Mercelina II Cabinet by the CFT warning that St. Maarten has no approved budget and the ultimatum given by the Dutch Government for St. Maarten to have its budget finalized by April 30, 26 days from now, "or else." Although Parliament approved a version of the 2025 budget in January, subsequent amendments revealed multiple flaws—so severe that the budget could not be enacted into law. The government is now forced to start the legislative process over, leaving St. Maarten without a proper budgetary roadmap three months into the fiscal year. Ottley warned that this misstep has real-world consequences. "This is not a game. Without a budget, government ministries are operating in limbo, public programs are being delayed, and taxpayer money is being spent without oversight. We are flying blind at a time when transparency and prioritization are most needed. This is a failure in leadership."
The severity of the situation has forced the Kingdom Council of Ministers in The Hague to issue an ultimatum to St. Maarten. The Council, acting on a formal warning from the CFT, now demands that the Mercelina Cabinet submit a finalized 2025 budget by April 30, 2025—or face potential consequences under the Kingdom's financial supervision framework. "This is an embarrassment on the international stage," Ottley continued. "It paints a picture of a government that is unprepared, disorganized, and unwilling to take responsibility. Even members within their coalition have challenged their rushed governing program, and now we are seeing the fallout." Ottley drew a stark contrast with the previous UP/NA administration, which he noted was the only government in St. Maarten since 10-10-10 to serve a full four-year term, making significant progress in restoring administrative order and cleaning up the financial mess left by a decade of unstable and short-lived governments. "For four years, we governed with prudence and vision. We stabilized the country and earned credibility both locally and abroad. This government has undone that progress within mere months of taking office."
The UP leader calls for transparency, accountability, and an immediate course correction. He is also demanding that Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs and Prime Minister Luc Mercelina explain to the people of St. Maarten how they intend to meet the April 30 deadline, what measures are being taken to rectify the budgetary errors, and how they plan to prevent future violations of the law and good governance. "This budget crisis is a test—not only of the Mercelina Cabinet but of St. Maarten's ability to govern itself responsibly within the Kingdom. If we fail this test, the consequences will be administrative, constitutional, and political. The time to act is now."
Ottley emphasized that St. Maarten's autonomy depends on sound financial governance. Failure to comply with the deadline may open the door to a Kingdom instruction, a serious intervention that could strip the country of budgetary control. "We must not allow our autonomy to be undermined by incompetence. The people of St. Maarten deserve better."
