GREAT BAY, St. Maarten — Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs led an effort Sunday, August 3, 2024, to ensure that some 560 boxes containing records and other documents, were removed from the Tax Office, and stored in a storage unit to create a better working environment at the office.
This action follows her visit to the tax administration building on May 15, 2024, accompanied by her Cabinet staff and the Secretary General (SG) of Finance. During the visit, the Minister was given a tour by the head of the Tax Department, at which time she had the opportunity to meet the staff and observe their working environment. Both the Minister and the SG expressed concern about the large number of boxes stored within the tax administration’s workspace—about 560 boxes—which created an unpleasant and encumbered environment for the staff.
Despite previous visits by various Ministers of Finance who had observed the issue, no action was taken to resolve it.
Minister Marinka Gumbs emphasized the importance of making the hardworking tax employees a priority. “They are crucial to the country of Sint Maarten,” she said. She acknowledged that the tax personnel work diligently despite the limitations of manual, inefficient processes, and outdated systems.
The Minister made it clear that improving the working conditions at the Tax Office is a priority for her and that this cleanup is a step toward many other necessary improvements to come.
Additionally, Minister Marinka Gumbs has initiated and prioritized the project to amend the law on archiving to allow for digital archiving. Without this amendment, combined with efforts to clear the backlog of tax assessments, the storage problem will not be resolved, and more storage space will be required.
Transitioning to a digital archiving system will enhance the efficiency, accessibility, and long-term preservation of important records within the tax administration, said Minister Gumbs.
