Innovation, Diversification, Technology, CBI, Job Creation, Tourism, Small Business, The Orange Economy, Cost of Living
Our government is committed to building a resilient economy that fosters innovation, diversifies income sources, and provides job opportunities for all citizens. Through strategic policies in tourism, small business development and digital transformation, we are stimulating sustainable growth and supporting entrepreneurship at every level. We have held the line on the cost of living — presenting three consecutive budgets with no new taxes, halving the fuel excise tax, reducing VAT, and raising the national minimum wage to EC$500 weekly. Alongside this, record cruise arrivals, a new Port Zante Cruise Terminal and expanded international marketing are widening the visitor economy and the jobs that depend on it. We are transforming St. Kitts and Nevis into a hub of economic opportunity, ready for the future.
Achievements: August 2022 – July 2026
Cost of Living & Taxation
- Presented “no new taxes” national budgets in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
- Reduced VAT for the first six months of 2025 from 17% to 13%.
- Delivered major cost-of-living relief by halving the fuel excise tax from EC$1.95 to EC$0.98, reducing the Customs Service Charge on gasoline from 6% to 3%, removing VAT, Customs Service Charge and import duties from alternative-energy equipment, and excluding shipper surcharges from customs tax and duty calculations.
- Expanded cost-of-living relief by allowing foodstuff weighing up to 400 lbs to enter free of duties and taxes, while granting travellers and non-commercial importers an increase in duty-free allowance to EC$675 or US$250 against the CIF value of goods.
- Expanded the discounted VAT rate two-day package from Christmas only to three periods annually: Easter, Summer and Christmas.
- Reduced the cost of vehicle ownership by exempting the first EC$50,000 of a vehicle purchase from VAT and applying the standard 13% rate only to the remaining value.
- Introduced two-month Duty Free Concessions (1 November – 31 December).
- Established a new official corporate income tax rate of 25%.
- Raised the national minimum wage to EC$430 weekly in February 2024 and to EC$500 weekly in July 2025.
Small Business & Entrepreneurship
- Established the Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship to strengthen representation, support and tools for small businesses.
- Transferred the Small Business Development Centre from the Ministry responsible for International Trade to the Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
- Passed the Small Business Development (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
- Launched the Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship 40/40 Booster Grant, awarding EC$5,000 to 40 small-business owners.
- Provided EC$20,000 small-business loans to enterprises affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Delivered a Restaurant Stimulus Package through the St. Kitts Investment Promotion Agency.
- Expanded access to capital for small businesses through tailored National Bank loan programmes and partnership with the Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation.
- Advanced start-up accelerator programmes for the creative industries, connecting young entrepreneurs with seed funding, mentorship, networks and business education.
Economic Management, Trade & Investment
- Approved the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework for 2023 to 2025.
- Positioned St. Kitts and Nevis as the second OECS country to launch a modern, highly secure passport solution.
- Positioned St. Kitts and Nevis as the first CARICOM country to sign an agreement with Afreximbank.
- Hosted the International Trade Centre Conference.
- Launched the new Citizenship by Investment Evolution Programme and extended the CBI Private Home Option.
- Secured the cancellation of the United States FinCEN 2014 advisory on the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme, reflecting stronger regulation and improving the international credibility of the Federation’s financial-services sector.
- Secured a £125 million UK Economic Fund Facility commitment for public and private sector projects.
- Renewed the Brazil-Guyana Partial Scope Agreement and expanded market access through EU, CARIFORUM, UK, Brazil, Guyana and Colombia arrangements.
- Strengthened investment partnerships with Afreximbank and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to support industrial growth and job creation.
- Strengthened regional trade expansion through CARICOM and OECS partnerships to enhance free movement of goods and investments.
- Ensured that both the St. Kitts and the Nevis Investment Promotion Agencies are well resourced and equipped to actively pursue foreign direct investment partnerships to the Federation.
- Facilitated the process of Carib Brewery obtaining international accreditation (ISO 22000) in Food and Safety Management.
- Secured full State ownership of the Royal St. Kitts Golf Course and surrounding Frigate Bay lands, strengthening national control over a major tourism and economic zone and supporting long-term investment returns.
Tourism
- Launched the “Venture Deeper” Tourism Brand Campaign internationally to restore domestic and foreign investor confidence and stimulate consumer enthusiasm.
- Increased cruise arrivals by 8%, from 690,244 passengers between October 2023 and April 2024 to 748,056 passengers between October 2024 and April 2025.
- Secured St. Kitts and Nevis as the first destination visited by the world’s largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas.
- Welcomed the inaugural visit of the Seabourn Venture cruise line to St. Kitts and Nevis.
- Broke ground on the new Port Zante Cruise Terminal, commencing a major infrastructure project to expand cruise capacity, support home-porting, strengthen the visitor economy and create employment.
- Increased airlift and accessibility with the introduction of: InterCaribbean Airways, Caribbean Airlines, JetBlue Airlines, Cape Air, and Must Go Statia.
- Delivered a five-week New York taxi-wrapping campaign in 2024 to promote the peak winter tourism season.
- Expanded international tourism marketing in 2025 through high-visibility advertising at major United States airports and Times Square, alongside 70 branded buses and prominent rail-station placements in the United Kingdom.
- Launched the Summer Unscripted Campaign to capture the essence of St. Kitts as the ultimate destination for spontaneous and flexible travel.
- Launched the Diaspora campaign (May 2025), a reunion that invites our overseas community to reconnect with their roots and become ambassadors of St. Kitts and Nevis.
- Secured major global tourism recognition, including Caribbean’s Leading Dive Destination, Green Destination of the Year 2024, Caribbean Cruise Destination of the Year, Caribbean Adventure Destination of the Year, the 2025 Destination of the Year Hidden Treasure award, and two International Spirits Challenge silver medals for Old Road Rum.
Infrastructure & Connectivity
- Advanced the St. Kitts and Nevis Internet Exchange Point to localise internet traffic, improve speed and reduce costs.
- Resurfaced roads across Warner Park, Bay Road East, Boyds Village, Market Street, Sprott Street, Lower Monkey Hill, Fortlands, Wigley Avenue, Trafalgar, Ottley’s Village, Harris’, Lime Kiln Housing Development, New Road East, Southwell Drive, George Street, Jones Street, Infirmary Road, Industrial Site, Cleverly Hill, Bourke’s Road, Ms. Ottley Road, New Road, Halfway Tree, Clico Housing and Bird Rock.
- Completed or advanced new concrete-road construction in Stone Fort, Palmetto Point, Boyds View, Race Course to Newton Ground, Rawlins to St. Paul’s, White House to St. Peters, Sunset Reef and Shadwell West and South.
- Rehabilitated the St. Peters Main Road and the F. T. Williams Highway.
- Strengthened quarry production capacity by acquiring a new Rokbak truck, a POWERSCREEN secondary crushing plant and a POWERSCREEN screening plant to increase the supply of construction aggregates.
- Conducted an apron rehabilitation at the Robert L. Bradshaw (RLB) International Airport.