PHILIPSBURG--United People’s party (UP) Member of Parliament (MP) Francisco Lacroes plans to propose a 5% cut in the travel budget across the board in government and Parliament, with the funds redirected to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport ECYS, specifically for sports.
Lacroes announced the proposal during the second day of debate on the draft 2026 budget on Friday. He said he will present two motions and one budget amendment, with the budget amendment focused on travel spending.
Lacroes said the proposed amendment would apply a 5% reduction across the board to travel budgets. Lacroes said travel is necessary for work to be done, but spending can be reduced.
“So the budget amendment is a cut of 5 per cent straight across the board. Straight across the board the entire budget everyone who has travel will get a 5 per cent cut. The funds will be allocated to the ministry of ECYS, specifically for sports.”
He said part of the proposal would also involve asking the Ministry of ECYS to organize a workshop for sports federations on how and when to request government funding.
Lacroes said the goal is to prevent situations in which athletes have to personally seek donations to travel and represent Sint Maarten.
“We do not want a situation again where one of our top athletes needs to go out on the road begging at supermarkets for donations to be able to go and represent our country.”
He said he hopes the proposal receives support from his fellow MPs and Ministers. “We will start with that and I hope that gets full support from my colleagues and the Ministers.”
