Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs
PHILIPSBURG--With effect from September 1, third-party vendors that have delivered goods and services to the government of St. Maarten will be required to submit their invoices centrally to the Ministry of Finance Accounting Department. The invoices can be forwarded electronically to the email address
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. which has been activated to receive these invoices digitally and to communicate with vendors.
To assist vendors in adapting to this new system, a two-month transition period will be in effect until December 1. During this time, both electronic and physical invoice submissions will be accepted. However, from December 1 onwards, only electronic invoices submitted to the designated email will be processed.
The measure follows the recent approval by the Council of Ministers of the General Purchasing Conditions for Delivery of Goods and Services.
According to Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs, “A significant benefit of this new process is that there will be a central point, the Accounting Department of the Ministry of Finance, that will now be aware of all invoices due. This will improve payment activities, accounts-payable activities and cash-management activities, thereby enhancing public financial management.”
Gumbs explained that before an invoice is accepted, it will be vetted to ensure that all required information is included. These requirements include the vendor’s name and contact information, a unique invoice number, the vendor’s CRIB and Chamber of Commerce registration numbers, their banking information and the ministry, department and/or person in the government that received the goods and/or services. At a later date, the vendor will also be required to provide the government-issued purchase order number.
“Once we are assured that the invoices have the necessary information, the Accounting Department of the Ministry of Finance will be tasked with routing the invoice through the organisation to receive the necessary approvals before proceeding with payment. The department will also monitor the agreed-upon timelines to ensure that the invoices are returned promptly for payment by the Ministry of Finance (or alternative handling),” Gumbs further clarified.
All these requirements will be published in the “National Gazette”, placed on the government website and announced internally and publicly.
The implementation of a centralised invoice receipt will directly streamline the way government handles invoices for services and goods received from third parties, and improve payment and accounts-payable activities.
“This initiative also aligns with the updated General Purchasing Conditions, which outline key guidelines on quality standards, payment terms and confidentiality. Vendors are strongly encouraged to familiarise themselves with these updated conditions via
https://ow.ly/z9iz50T8QcM to ensure smooth transactions and compliance with government standards,” according to one of two press releases issued on the change on Monday.
“These changes reflect the government of St. Maarten’s commitment to enhancing financial operations and maintaining strong partnerships with vendors. The streamlined process will enable better management of financial obligations and foster a more organised, transparent system for all parties involved.”
