WILLEMSTAD - The government has made a reduction in the budget allocated for telephone and fax expenses. Last year, Members of Parliament had reserved 375,000 guilders for this purpose, but in the upcoming year's budget, it has been decreased to 320,000 guilders.
Some Members of Parliament find this reduction peculiar. Rennox Calmes (TpK), for instance, questioned why the amount was decreased when most communication is conducted through online channels, primarily using telephones. Furthermore, Calmes raised concerns about the budget indicating a significant portion being allocated to fax costs, as he questioned whether faxing is still being utilized.
Silvin Cijntje, the Parliamentary Registrar, explained that the reduction is due to the settlement of outstanding costs incurred from previous years for telephone and fax services. Additionally, there are no remaining unpaid accounts with Flow. Although there are increased costs associated with acquiring new devices, the overall expenses are ultimately lower.