GREAT BAY--Government is budgeting approximately Cg 3.64 million for travel in 2027, an increase of just over Cg 317,000, or 9.5 percent, compared with the roughly Cg 3.33 million allocated for 2026, with most ministries showing higher travel provisions in the new national budget.
The increase is spread across government rather than concentrated in a single ministry. General Affairs, Finance, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, TEATT and VROMI all budget more for travel in 2027, while VSA reduces its allocation and Justice remains unchanged. Parliament and the High Councils, which together account for the largest single block of travel expenditure, also show an overall reduction.
The budget figures do not indicate how many trips will be taken, where officials will travel, how many persons will participate or what individual trips are expected to cost. Those details would be necessary to determine whether the higher allocations represent more travel, higher airfare and accommodation costs, expanded international activity or some combination of those factors.
The combined travel allocation for Parliament and the High Councils falls from approximately Cg 1.48 million in 2026 to Cg 1.42 million in 2027, a decrease of about Cg 64,000. Parliament itself continues to account for the majority of that amount, with roughly Cg 1.13 million budgeted for travel in 2027, down from approximately Cg 1.20 million in 2026.
Among the ministries, TEATT carries the largest travel allocation, increasing from approximately Cg 656,050 in 2026 to Cg 710,000 in 2027, an increase of almost Cg 54,000, or 8.2 percent. The Minister of TEATT's travel allocation rises from Cg 71,250 to Cg 100,000, while the Tourism Bureau's departmental travel line moves from Cg 190,000 to Cg 200,000 and Civil Aviation and Shipping rises from Cg 190,000 to Cg 200,000.
The size of TEATT's travel budget should, however, be viewed in the context of the ministry's responsibilities. Tourism, aviation, shipping, economic affairs and international business development routinely require engagement outside St. Maarten with airlines, cruise companies, tourism partners, investors, regulators and regional and international organizations. Unlike some government portfolios, a significant part of TEATT's work necessarily involves maintaining external relationships and representing St. Maarten in markets where important tourism and transportation decisions are made.
That context does not remove the need for scrutiny of travel expenditure, particularly where individual allocations increase. It does mean that TEATT's higher travel budget cannot fairly be assessed in isolation from the nature of the ministry's mandate. The more relevant question for Parliament is whether the travel produces measurable benefits for St. Maarten, including additional airlift, cruise business, tourism promotion, investment and stronger economic relationships.
Travel under the Ministry of General Affairs increases by approximately 30 percent, moving from Cg 254,565 in 2026 to Cg 331,300 in 2027. Several departments contribute to the increase. The Fire Department's travel allocation, for example, rises from approximately Cg 19,000 to Cg 60,000, while the Stafbureau increases from Cg 4,750 to Cg 25,000. The Minister's own allocation moves more modestly, from Cg 57,000 to Cg 60,000.
Finance also budgets more for travel, increasing from approximately Cg 232,750 to Cg 280,000, or about 20 percent. The additional expenditure is spread across several sections of the ministry, including new or higher allocations within financial administration and tax-related operations. The Finance Minister's travel line rises from Cg 57,000 to Cg 60,000.
The Ministry of Justice is one of the few areas where travel expenditure does not move at all. Its allocation remains at approximately Cg 302,500 for 2027, the same level budgeted for 2026.
Education, Culture, Youth and Sport records one of the larger percentage increases, with travel rising from approximately Cg 118,204 to Cg 153,000, an increase of nearly 30 percent. Individual movements within the ministry include a significant increase in the travel provision for the Inspectorate of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport.
VSA moves in the opposite direction. Travel under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor falls from approximately Cg 144,400 in 2026 to Cg 130,000 in 2027, a decrease of about Cg 14,400, or 10 percent.
VROMI's travel allocation increases from approximately Cg 95,500 to Cg 113,000, an increase of about Cg 17,500, or 18 percent.
A sharp percentage increase also appears among the country's special entities, where travel rises from approximately Cg 40,000 to Cg 205,000. The figure, however, requires context because the 2027 budget introduces a Cg 145,000 travel allocation for the Integrity Chamber as part of a broader change in how that institution's expenses are reflected in the national budget. The Social Economic Council's travel allocation also increases from approximately Cg 40,000 to Cg 60,000.
