Philipsburg: ---- Island Council member Roy Marlin has voiced his concerns on the situation of the tax inspectorate; the island council man also sent a letter to the executive council where he is seeking answers about the 5.1 millions guilders he signed off with USONA prior to leaving office. Marlin says he wants to know what has happened to the improvement plan for that department. The 5.1 million guilders were to be used on the improvement plan.
Marlin said since he left office he has not heard anything about the progress of these fundings neither has he seen or heard anything on the project which is in the pipeline. Marlin said he is concerned because department such as the tax inspectorate needs to be functional when the island takes on its country status.
The former commissioner of finance said that now that there is a world wide economic disaster it is his understanding that the government coffers is also losing monies and he believes that if the inspectorate of taxes were up to par then they could have broaden the tax base.
Marlin said while in office it was agreed that a project manager was going to be appointed, an IT Specialist, as well as someone specialized in human resources. He said the idea was to have the project manager guide the improvement plan that would include the automation, training and working on the backlog at that office. Marlin explained that the intention was to have the human resources manager looked at the legal status of the employees working in that department and to find personnel to fill at least 40 positions, which is critical to the department.
Marlin said he is also concerned about the draft budget and the financial supervision since he wants to know if the first draft for the 2010 budget has been submitted to the CFT. Marlin said based on the agreements they have on financial supervision the draft budget is supposed to be submitted by July 15. Marlin said based on his sources that was not done and even if it was done his faction did not receive a copy of that draft. He said the island government is already 12 days behind time with the submission of this document to the CFT. He said it is of uttermost importance that government live up to the agreement that was made with the Kingdom partners if they are to avoid the imposing of financial supervision. Marlin said his party (former executive council) did comply with these agreements and he believes the present government is not complying with the agreements made on financial management and their obligations. Marlin said even the quarterly reports were not submitted to the island council and CFT. The former finance commissioner said based on the current trend a backlog would accumulate which would then give the State Secretary for Kingdom relations the opportunity to impose financial supervision on government owned companies. He said he is concerned that no negative reports would be written due to the lack of action on the part of the current government.
