Last Updated on April 14, 2026, 4:12 PM AST by Anthony Morris
The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew addressed the people of the country on Tuesday. The national Address of the country which was announced a few days previously talked about the rising cost of living in the country and announced a number of relief measures ease financial strain on the people of the country.
The government of St Kitts and Nevis has announced that the excise tax on gasoline will be reduced by 50%. The tax will go down from EC $1.95 down to EC$ 0.98 Per Gallon starting from April 20, 2026 to July 31, 2026.
The government will be absorbing EC$1.2 Million in prices to take the burden off the people, including motorists and households among others. The custom service charge on Gasoline will also go down from 6% to 3% for the same period of time.
The government is absorbing EC $600,000 in costs for Custom Service Tax. The Prime Minister has further announced that they are upgrading the existing Alternate Energy Equipment policy. All equipment in this category including the Solar PV Panels will be free of VAT, CSC and Import Duty till December 31, 2026.
The Prime Minster added that any surge charges imposed by shippers will not be counted towards the calculation of customs calculation of taxes and duties. Thus no hidden charges will not turn into hidden taxes.
The Prime Minister of the country acknowledged the concerns of the people of the country regarding the increasing prices. In his address, Dr Drew said that in present times we find ourselves in a period of global uncertainty.
Geopolitical situations and conflicts in several parts of the world have disrupted chain of supply and is causing prices to rise for essential goods. The prices of fuel have also risen unpredictably, causing strain on transportation, electricity and more broadly, the cost of living.
As a small island nation, dependant on imports, the reality can be felt more acutely in St Kitts and Nevis. He acknowledged during his national address that the situation outside of the nation, that is war in distant country is causing fear, anxiety and helplessness among the people of the country.
In this regard, Dr Terrance Drew has asserted that the government stands with the people of St Kitts and Nevis. He noted that while the government is working long term, they acknowledge the struggles that the nation is facing in the short term.
In accordance with this, Prime Minister announced the relief measures which also include the Discounted VAT days which are applicable for key festive seasons across the year.
These developments are being done with the aim of supporting the people of the island.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
