PHILIPSBURG:--- The Tax Administration on Monday, January 12, 2026, marked an important milestone with the official swearing-in of Mr. Ashwin Straker as Tax Marshal within the Receivers Department during a formal ceremony held at the Courthouse.

The oath of office was administered in the presence of judicial officials and colleagues, symbolizing Mr. Straker’s formal assumption of the duties and responsibilities of the role. As Tax Marshal, Mr. Straker will play a critical role in enforcing tax collection, including serving summons, placing liens when required, gathering information from stakeholders, assisting with collections, and executing auctions if necessary.

The appointment reflects the Tax Administration’s continued commitment to strengthening its enforcement framework and promoting accountability, transparency, and fairness in revenue collection.

The Tax Administration extends congratulations to Tax Marshal Ashwin Straker and wishes him success as he carries out his duties in service to the country.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Electoral Council hereby reminds all registered political parties that In accordance with Article 37, paragraph 1 of the National Ordinance on Registration
and the Finances of Political Parties, they are required to submit to the Electoral Council a chronological register of donations of all donations received throughout the year
2025, be it in cash, by transfer or in kind, before February 1st, 2026.

All political parties that did not receive any donations in 2025 must also submit a signed register.
All donations made to a natural or legal person, or organization, with the intention of benefiting a political party must be fully reported.
All registered political parties, including parties that did not participate in the January 9th, 2024, parliamentary election or the August 19th, 2024, snap election,n must
maintain and submit an annual register of donations.
The Electoral Council advises all party boards to carefully monitor the donations received to ensure accurate registration. Each party representative or treasurer is
required to date and sign the donations register in order to certify that this is completed accurately and truthfully. Non-compliance with or violation of The 
National Ordinance on Registration and Finances of Political Parties is subject to penalty.
The register of donations can be submitted to the Electoral Council at the office address of the Electoral Council mentioned below during office hours between 9:00
AM – 1:00 PM and between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
The Electoral Council is hereby announcing that parties may also submit their register of donations via email. Submissions can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The Electoral Council would like to remind all political parties that have not submitted their outstanding donation registrations prior to 2025 that this must also
be done. Failure to comply with the National Ordinance on Registration and Finances of Political Parties in this regard may result in a penalty being imposed.

Additional Batch Identified Following Internal Review

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of Justice confirms that all originally established batches under Phase One of the Landbesluit (LB) process were fully compiled and validated in December 2025, in accordance with the commitment made to justice workers and the public by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025.

During an update provided on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, the Minister of Justice outlined the work completed by the Ministry, emphasizing that the Ministry’s institutional responsibility within the LB process has been fulfilled in full and within the agreed timeframe.

The Minister reiterated that the Ministry of Justice’s role in the LB process is limited to the complete and accurate compilation and validation of employee files. This responsibility has been executed as promised. The subsequent phases of the LB process fall under the authority of other government institutions and are proceeding in line with established procedures.

Scope of the Ministry’s Mandate

The LB process consists of several mandatory institutional phases, each executed by a different authority. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for compiling a complete employment dossier for each employee, including appointments, promotions, function changes, and prior decisions.

Due to the historical nature of the records, this work could not be carried out electronically. Ministry staff manually compiled and cross-checked data from three, and in some cases four, legacy HR systems spanning multiple years. This intensive and detailed exercise was completed in December 2025, as committed. Once compiled and validated, the files enter the formal approval chain, which includes processing by DIV, review by the Ministry of Finance (FBB), and final approval and signing by the Governor.

“Every file represents a complete and carefully verified employment history, compiled to ensure accuracy, fairness, and legal certainty for each worker,” the Minister stated.

Clarification on the Emergence of Batch 18

The Minister further clarified that the emergence of what is now referred to as Batch 18 is the result of an internal review conducted in December 2025.

While Parliament had previously been informed that all eligible employees had received placement letters, this internal review identified that a limited number of files were still outstanding. This was due, in part, to incomplete identification and follow-up in earlier phases of the process.

In addition, and importantly, the review also revealed substantive issues within the function book itself. These include functions that currently exist in practice but were removed from the function book, as well as functions that were assigned incorrect scales, in some cases at a level that is not consistent with the actual scope of duties. These discrepancies directly affect the legality and accuracy of placement decisions.

Because placements must be based on a correct and formally established function book, individuals affected by these discrepancies cannot be placed until the function book is amended. The Ministry of Justice is currently working closely with P&O Central to correct these errors in a structured and lawful manner.

These combined issues came to light on December 17, 2025. As a result, Batch 18 therefore consists of a group of employees whose files are affected either by remaining identification gaps, function book discrepancies, or both. These cases require additional review and coordination before they can proceed through the formal LB process.

Batch 18 is currently being managed by the respective HR departments within the Ministry of Justice and will require several additional weeks to complete in order to ensure accuracy, legality, and fairness for all affected employees.

The Minister has also mandated a formal committee to review and handle all objections filed in previous years against placement decisions. Over the past six months, this committee has worked diligently to assess each case on its individual merits and to provide well-reasoned recommendations. This process underscores the importance of ensuring that each placement decision is both factually accurate and legally sound, in order to prevent further objections, appeals, or reversals in the future.

Status of the Remaining Original Batches

It is important to emphasize that all originally established batches under Phase One have been compiled and validated and are currently within the formal approval process. Batches 14 and 15 have already been distributed, while Batch 16 is at the Governor for final approval and Batch 17 are presently under review at the Cabinet of the Minister of Finance and will be forwarded to the Governor for final approval once that review is completed.

Jubilee Payments

Jubilee payments for 69 justice sector employees are in progress. Several departments have already received ministerial sign-off, with remaining cases awaiting the Governor’s signature. Completion is expected in the short term.

Coast Guard Personnel Progress Updates

The Ministry of Justice also confirmed that the function book and employment regulations for the Coast Guard have been finalized. This represents an important step in strengthening the personnel framework.

 In addition, on January 8th, Minister Tackling officially distributed 20 Landbesluiten (LBs) to Coast Guard personnel, addressing long-standing cases that had remained outstanding for several years, with some dating back to 2018. This action brings overdue matters one step closer to completion and reinforces the Ministry’s commitment to resolving historical backlogs within the justice chain.

“No worker has been, or will be, forgotten. No case will be ignored,” the Minister concluded. “While not all steps fall under the Ministry of Justice’s authority, we remain fully engaged, supportive of the remaining phases, and committed to keeping workers informed until the entire process is completed.”

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Minister of Finance announces the approval of the Basic Bank Account legislation, a major step toward expanding financial inclusion and ensuring that all residents have access to essential banking services.
The legislation originated in March 2022, when Member of Parliament Rolando Brison introduced a motion and initial draft aimed at guaranteeing the right to a basic bank account. Following extensive review and parliamentary discussion, the draft was formally submitted in December 2023 and finalized after continued debate throughout 2024 and 2025. The Ministry of Finance formally advanced the legislation in April 2025 as part of its broader financial inclusion agenda.
The Minister recognized Mr. Brison’s role as initiator, while emphasizing the importance of cooperation beyond political lines. “It does not matter who initiated this legislation. What matters is that it is good for the people we are elected to serve,” the Minister stated.
“When something benefits our people, we must put political differences aside and work together.”
Highlighting the impact of the law, the Minister added: “A basic bank account is not a privilege, it is a necessity,” the Minister said. “This law opens doors, restores dignity, and allows more people to fully participate in our economy.”
This law ensures that no resident of Sint Maarten is excluded from basic financial services and reflects our commitment to governing in the interest of all.