Drew pushes 2027 budget past December, saying law allows until April
The Prime Minister gave no new date, three weeks after his government held its national budget forum and days before an EU deadline that could hit revenue.
BASSETERRE, St Kitts. Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Dr Terrance Drew says he will not rush the 2027 National Budget, breaking with the tradition of presenting it in December.
Speaking at his Roundtable media session on Thursday, Dr Drew said the law gives the government until April 2027 to bring the budget to Parliament. He did not give a date.
"This budget has to be a people-centered budget," Dr Drew said.
He said he first wants to visit communities and hear from residents under financial pressure, including single mothers, STEP workers and families struggling with the cost of basics such as rice.
The delay comes after the government's own consultation process. The Budget 2027 National Forum was held at the St Kitts Marriott Resort on 20 October, where Acting Prime Minister Dr Geoffrey Hanley told participants that people are entitled to expect results and that public scrutiny is part of democratic life. Community consultations were held earlier in October.
Last year's budget, worth EC$1.07 billion, was presented on 16 December 2025.
It also comes as the government has yet to say how it will respond to European Union demands over the Citizenship by Investment programme, with the EU's deadline set for 12 November. Leader of the People's Action Movement Shawn Richards has said CBI revenue made up almost a third of the government's non-grant revenue in 2023, and has accused the administration of withholding information about the programme's future.
Dr Drew told the same Roundtable that the government was still gathering information on CBI and would issue a statement.
