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SER 2025 annual report: 10 advisory reports, six requests still pending
Sint Maarten's Social Economic Council finished 10 advisory reports in 2025 and cleared a backlog dating to 2023, according to its 2025 Annual Report, which also blames government delays for holding up its advice.
By SXM Daily ·
Reported 26 October 2026
The Social Economic Council (SER) of Sint Maarten finished 10 advisory reports in 2025, clearing a backlog that dated back to 2023, according to the SER's 2025 Annual Report, published on its website.
The advice it gave
The report highlights advice on bus tariff adjustments, funding for Early Childhood Development, the proposed Visitor's Tax and the SAAHA health-care act. The SER's board met 23 times in 2025, about six of them extraordinary meetings, and invited experts on SAAHA and the Visitor's Tax, the report says.
Regional ties
According to the report, an SER delegation attended the General Assembly of AICESIS, the international association of economic and social councils, in Curaçao in October 2025. On December 5, 2025, the SER held its first-ever meeting with the Conseil Économique, Social et Culturel (CESC) of Saint-Martin.
Spending
The report gives a cost budget of XCG 1,365,174 and actual spending of XCG 1,162,513: XCG 593,955 on personnel and XCG 568,558 on materials and services. It states the government allocation as XCG 1,357,503. The SER says these amounts could not yet be verified against the Government's 2025 financial statement, which is not yet available.
Six requests still pending
The SER lists six requests for advice still open: a poverty-line study (Ministry of VSA); an initiative law on admission and expulsion by MP Sjamira Roseburg (URSM); a draft decree on the financial aid scheme (VSA); an initiative law amending the corporate income tax ordinance by MP Ottley (UPP); a review of the amended labour ordinance, the UAV (VSA); and an initiative law amending the Code of Civil Procedure by MP Roseburg.
Delays it blames on government
In the SER's account, delays at the Ministry of General Affairs in finalising appointment decrees held up its advice by about three months. These included the chairman's decree and that of the WICSU/PSU nominee, which the report says was never finalised.
At the end of 2025, five of the secretariat's six posts were filled, the report says. The chairman is Harlec G.F. Doran. The SER marks its 15th anniversary in 2026.
Sources
- https://ser.sx/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/SER-2025-Annual-Report.pdf
- https://ser.sx/annual-reports/
Source: https://ser.sx/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/SER-2025-Annual-Report.pdf