Drew says government has absorbed millions to shield households
The Prime Minister listed electricity subsidies of more than EC$80 million and EC$36.6 million in direct assistance among measures to ease the cost of living.
BASSETERRE, St Kitts. Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dr Terrance Drew says the government has absorbed millions of dollars in costs to protect households from economic pressures.
At Thursday's Roundtable, Dr Drew said EC$36.6 million in direct assistance was paid in 2025 to about 23,000 people through the Budget Boost Wallet, to help with essentials such as utility bills and food.
Electricity subsidies had passed EC$80 million by June 2026, he said, cushioning consumers against rising energy costs.
Other measures he listed included an 8 per cent salary increase for civil servants, an additional month's salary each year from 2022 to 2025, two increases to the minimum wage bringing weekly earnings to at least EC$500 for a 40-hour week, and a cut in VAT from 17 per cent to 13 per cent in the first six months of 2025.
"Sometimes the government has to absorb the lash to protect our people," Dr Drew said.
