PHILIPSBURG:--- NOW Member of Parliament Lyndon Lewis is calling on the Honorable Minister of Finance, Ms. Marinka Gumbs, to urgently provide clarity regarding the payment of funds to subsidized schools, particularly in relation to the 2% indexation for the year 2025.
MP Lewis has been approached by numerous education professionals who are eligible for the indexation, yet report that they have not received the remuneration that was promised. This has raised serious concerns and frustrations among the affected parties, who are now questioning the reliability of the Minister’s assurances.
In reference to Minister Gumbs’s published statement on June 16, 2025, the Minister indicated that confirmation had been received that all additional funds related to the 2025 vacation allowance and indexation were successfully transferred to subsidized schools, ensuring that teachers would receive the same treatment as those in public schools, and that these payments would be reflected in the July 2025 payroll.
“If confirmation was given that these funds were transferred, then why are the very individuals who are entitled to the indexation not receiving their due payments? This is not only a matter of transparency, but also of trust. The people deserve clarity and accountability,” MP Lewis stated.
MP Lewis emphasized that delays or discrepancies in delivering these promised payments have real consequences for the livelihoods of teachers and staff in subsidized schools, who rely on these funds to support themselves and their families.
“I therefore call on the Minister of Finance to urgently clarify this matter to the people. Were the funds truly disbursed as stated, and if so, what has caused the delay in reaching those entitled to receive them? The lack of answers only deepens the frustration and undermines public confidence,” Lewis continued.
“Our teachers and school employees must not be made to carry the weight of the government’s inconsistencies. I expect the Minister to address this matter without delay and provide a transparent explanation that restores confidence and delivers the payments owed,” he concluded.
