GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Egbert J. Doran is questioning how government can report a positive financial result while businesses that have provided goods and services remain unpaid and civil servants continue waiting on outstanding payments and benefits.
During the 2026 Budget Debate, MP Doran raised concerns about government’s reported first-quarter positive result of approximately Cg 39 million, questioning whether such a financial outcome is consistent with the reality faced by vendors and employees awaiting payments.
Doran argued that a strong financial position should also be reflected in government’s ability to meet its obligations in a timely manner.
“If we have approximately Cg 13 million owed to vendors, but we are talking about a surplus, somehow somewhere the maths don’t add up,” Doran stated during the debate.
The Minister of Finance explained that a budget surplus does not necessarily mean that government has that amount of money available in its bank accounts. She clarified that government must continue to cover a wide range of obligations, including salaries, school subsidies, study financing, vendor payments, operational expenses, interest payments and loan repayments.
The Ministry of Finance confirmed that approximately Cg 12.8 million in outstanding vendor payments is currently registered in government’s central financial system.
The Minister further explained that some invoices cannot be processed for payment because required procedures were not followed. In certain cases, documentation such as purchase orders, approved advice, signed contracts or proof of authorization from the person committing government financially was missing.
As part of efforts to strengthen financial controls, government is moving toward a stricter “No Purchase Order, No Pay” approach, meaning payments will only be processed when the required procurement steps have been completed.
MP Doran acknowledged the importance of proper financial procedures but questioned whether businesses should bear the consequences when government’s own internal processes fail.
He pointed out that when a Secretary General, civil servant, contract manager, policy adviser or minister requests goods or services from a business, the vendor is generally not in a position to determine whether every internal government requirement has been satisfied.
Doran questioned what happens when an official commits government to an expense without having the proper authority and whether responsibility should ultimately fall on the vendor after the service has already been delivered.
The Minister responded that government officials who make unauthorized commitments should, where possible, be held responsible.
For Doran, this highlights the need for stronger internal accountability within government while also ensuring that businesses acting in good faith are protected.
The MP said government must find a balance between enforcing proper financial procedures and honoring legitimate obligations to vendors who have already delivered services.
He maintained that if government officials are able to request work without completing the necessary internal steps, the consequences should not automatically be transferred to companies that responded to those requests.
According to Doran, a positive financial result must be measured by more than a figure presented in a budget document. He argued that the true measure of financial performance is whether government is paying legitimate obligations, honoring commitments and ensuring that vendors and civil servants are not left waiting while government reports that its finances are improving.
