Annual report 2023

Foreword by the Chair of the Court of Audit St. Eustatius

The year 2023 presented significant challenges for the Court of Audit St. Eustatius.

Establishing a Court of Audit for the first time in St. Eustatius is a unique endeavor. Introducing a new institution requires building awareness and understanding within a community unfamiliar with the role of a Court of Audit, along with the intricate process of setting up necessary procedures and legislation to safeguard the Court's independence.

The Court faced challenges in charting a clear path for its budget, a process parallel to the Island Council's efforts to integrate this new institution to support St. Eustatius' democracy. Internally, 2023 was an exceptional year for the Court due to the uncertainty surrounding its budget, causing operational and auditing uncertainties.

Despite these challenges, the Court of Audit increased its efforts to raise awareness in St. Eustatius while continuing audit deliveries. This involved additional commitment and investment from its members, who assumed the role of executing auditors while awaiting clarity on the budget for external support.

The heightened involvement emphasized the need for more information regarding the structural possibilities of a municipal-level Court of Audit. Consequently, the members immersed themselves in studying various Court of Audit structures in the Netherlands, with information provided by the Nederlandse Vereniging van Rekenkamers & Rekenkamercommissies (NVRR).

This exploration resulted in the submission of various structural possibilities to the Island Council for evaluation to endorse the continuity of the Court of Audit's operations. By year-end, we are pleased to have engaged in a thoughtful discussion with the Island Council regarding our proposed structures.

This led to the decision that the Court of Audit St. Eustatius will continue as a board with a separate budget for external support. It is, however, within the domain of the members to conduct their audits or outsource audit elements as needed based on the available resources.

Furthermore, after acknowledging the challenges faced by St. Eustatius concerning the structural financing of a Court of Audit, the Court agreed to reduce the members’ remuneration and other expenses to align with the available budget.

However, it is crucial to emphasize that the Court's output depends on the budget provided by the Island Council. In the upcoming period, the Court of Audit will define its audit scope based on the provided budget and conduct a thorough evaluation of its feasibility in collaboration with the Island Council.

The combination of these factors led to an audit for 2022 with the title “Strengthening financial transparency and accountability in St. Eustatius”, which title and results fits and summarizes also the challenges experienced by the Court of Audit St. Eustatius.

In this annual report, we briefly summarize the highlights of the audit results of 2022, the challenges encountered, our operations, and financial accountability.

In my second year as Chair of the Court of Audit St. Eustatius, I am pleased with the strengthened relationship and improved communication achieved with the Island Council by the end of the year. This development fills us, as the Court of Audit, with hope for an active and fully operational future. It has been a year marked by personal challenges, great resilience, and promising outcomes.

Lay Hing de Kort-Yee

Chair Court of Audit St. Eustatius

Annual report 2023.pdf

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