St. Kittts PM details EC$1.074B budget with big pushes in schools, hospitals and public works

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew has laid out major 2026 spending plans across St. Kitts and Nevis, including large allocations for education, health care, national security and public infrastructure, while also spotlighting projects tied to renewable energy, digital government, tourism and agriculture.

Drew presented a EC$1.074 billion budget in Parliament on Dec. 16 for the 2026 fiscal year and described the plan as “people centered,” saying it focuses on jobs, investing in people, strengthening housing and improving health care.

Education spending rises 14.8%

In the education sector, the government proposed EC$108 million in recurrent expenditure and EC$14.8 million in capital spending, totaling EC$122.8 million—a 14.8% increase compared to 2025. Drew said investments will support ongoing projects including upgrades and the Basseterre Climate Smart School, while also pushing priorities such as smart classroom integration, teacher certification via a National Teaching Council, and a comprehensive education framework tied to measurable results like graduation rates and employment outcomes.

Nearly EC$99 million allocated to health care

For health care, Drew said key trends include an ageing population, a declining birth rate and an increase in vaccine-preventable infections. The 2026 allocation includes EC$83.8 million in recurrent spending and EC$15 million in capital investment, totaling EC$98.8 million. He said the government will expand personalised and specialised services across primary and secondary facilities and cited continuing projects and upgrades, including work linked to a new climate-smart hospital concept and expanded equipment and safety measures.

National security, disaster readiness prioritised

On national security, Drew said the government will allocate EC$84.1 million in recurrent expenditure and EC$3.2 million for infrastructure, totaling EC$87.3 million. Planned initiatives include a safety and security improvement programme, refurbishment of police stations, a traffic management system, procurement of equipment and supplies, and prioritised disaster management. He also said a second fire station will be opened in Nevis.

Tourism, infrastructure and public works investments

Drew also detailed funding for key ministries and capital priorities. The Prime Minister’s Office is allocated EC$72.8 million (EC$69.3 million recurrent; EC$3.5 million capital) for civil service modernisation, citizen engagement and strategic leadership. Tourism is allocated EC$57.2 million (EC$53.2 million recurrent; EC$4 million capital), with Drew referencing support for the St. Kitts Music Festival and a push aligned with Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria. He also highlighted 2025 tourism figures including 102,000 stayover visitors, and about 778,000 visitors recorded between October 2024 and April 2025, along with US$24.3 million in business activity and US$12 million in travel-related spending linked to passenger arrivals.

For public infrastructure, Drew outlined EC$74.5 million in total spending, including EC$26 million in recurrent expenditure for additional technical personnel and improved capacity, and EC$48.5 million in capital expenditure for coastal development, road construction, slope stabilisation, well drilling, procurement of water meters, heavy machinery and related works. He said procurement of a new asphalt plant is a major priority under the capital programme and referenced water-related upgrades including desalination and well integration projects.

Renewable energy push and grid upgrades

In energy, Drew said the government is aiming for 100% renewable energy by 2030, and outlined challenges at SKELEC tied to ageing equipment and the need to rent 60 megawatts of additional capacity. He said incentives are planned for solar-powered homes, including the ability for households to sell surplus electricity back to the grid. He also highlighted a solar photovoltaic and battery storage project expected to meet roughly 40% of demand and create about 350 jobs during construction and commissioning, and said an estimated EC$300 million will be needed between 2025 and 2030 to modernise the grid. He added that US$3.3 million in international funding has been secured for decarbonisation efforts, including training at Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College.

Digital government and e-ID rollout

On the digital side, Drew said an Internet Exchange Point has been established and that 25,000 e-ID cards are expected to launch by April 2026, alongside work on an online passport portal and other paperless systems.

Agriculture and food security investments

Agriculture is allocated EC$21.3 million (EC$14.6 million recurrent; EC$6.7 million capital), with Drew citing priorities including climate-smart research, soil and water conservation, disease management and crop and livestock diversification, as well as continued focus on the cannabis industry. He also pointed to rising production and a plan to harvest over 1 million pounds of products in 2025, and referenced a 100-acre “SKN Mixed Nature Coping Project” tied to exports and job creation.