Philipsburg—21 Sept. 2006-----The Executive Council is soliciting bids for Financial Policy and Taxes, a project that should lead to more transparency in government’s financial structure and processes.

Finance Commissioner Sarah Wescot-Williams explained during Wednesday’s weekly press briefing that the project would serve to assist government in developing procedures and financial programmes to strengthen the administration, to allow better (financial) reporting, interaction and computerisation.

Besides more transparency, the project includes a system for management reporting and structures that allow more involvement of the departments (in future ministries) in the budget process. To realise the latter, government needs to make sure that these departments/ministries are equipped to accept these responsibilities.

The project also seeks to enhance communication and financial interaction between the Section Financial Policy and Taxes and the departments/ministries.

The project includes developing two plans: an implementation plan to transfer responsibility and authority for financial control to the ministries of the country St. Maarten and a plan with measures so that the Section Financial Policy and Taxes can adequately perform budget controls and accountability.