PHILIPSBURG--Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs on Wednesday reiterated her commitment to implementing a tourist tax as part of broader tax reforms aimed at reducing the financial burden on the working population.
Speaking at the live Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, Gumbs said a meeting was held with the Social Economic Council SER to address concerns and questions regarding the proposed tourist tax legislation. "Together with the minister of TEATT [Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication – Ed.] and the minister of VSA [Public Health, Labor and Social Affairs], I met with the SER to address their concerns and discuss their questions. It was a productive and positive meeting, and we look forward to receiving their formal advice soon," she said.
Once the SER’s recommendations are received, Gumbs said government will assess which aspects to incorporate and make necessary adjustments before moving on to the next step in the legislative process, review by the Council of Advice.
The minister said the process would not be delayed. "In the meantime, while the legislative process is ongoing, I am also focusing on implementation, as we do not intend to wait until the law is finalised to begin planning for its execution," she said. "Both the legislative framework and the operational implementation have my full attention."
The tourist tax is a key part of Gumbs' broader vision for tax reform, which includes reducing profit tax and adjusting wage tax rates or brackets to provide relief to working people. "The tourist tax remains a top priority for me, as it is key to implementing broader tax reforms. Its successful implementation will enable me to follow through on my commitment to reducing profit tax and making the much-needed adjustments to wage tax rates or tax brackets, providing relief to the working people of St. Maarten," she said.
Gumbs also reminded the public that data for these key legislative adjustments are being collected for analysis, highlighting that a fairer tax structure is necessary to ease the financial pressure on residents. "As I have continuously emphasised, the working people of St. Maarten cannot continue to bear the financial burden alone. It is essential that we establish a fairer tax structure that allows for sustainable revenue generation while easing the tax pressure on hard-working individuals," she said.
