WILLEMSTAD - In the first quarter of 2020, 47 million guilders less was received in taxes than a year earlier. Especially due to less payroll and profit tax.

In total, only 401 million guilders came in. But 442 was budgeted. The deficit is therefore 41 million guilders.

According to the Financial Supervision Board, this is mainly due to the failure to introduce the new sales tax rates, which have cost the government 16 million guilders. In the first quarter, 61 million guilders less were spent than what was budgeted.