~Budget projects Cg. 571 million in receipts against Cg. 578 million in payments, while national debt rises to Cg. 1.047 billion~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Sint Maarten’s Government could end 2026 with an estimated cash balance of just Cg. 5 million, according to Finance budget material presented to Parliament.
The liquidity outlook shows an opening cash balance of approximately Cg. 13 million, with expected annual receipts of Cg. 571 million against Cg. 578 million in payments.
The projected year-end liquidity balance is therefore only about Cg. 5 million.
At the same time, the country’s debt stock is projected to move from approximately Cg. 1.021 billion at the beginning of 2026 to Cg. 1.047 billion by year-end.
Government plans approximately Cg. 42 million in new borrowing while repaying around Cg. 17 million.
Finance Minister Gumbs maintains that debt remains manageable, projecting a debt-to-GDP ratio of approximately 41 percent, down from 43 percent in 2025.
But she also acknowledged Sint Maarten’s exposure to hurricanes, oil shocks, inflation and tourism downturns.
That makes a Cg. 5 million cash cushion particularly important.
A small country exposed to hurricanes, infrastructure failures, public-company emergencies and unexpected healthcare costs requires liquidity not just to balance a spreadsheet, but to absorb shocks.
The issue is therefore not whether the Government can legally present a balanced operational budget.
It is how resilient that budget really is if the year ends with only Cg. 5 million readily available.
