Last Updated on August 5, 2025, 4:39 PM AST by Anthony Morris
The fifth episode of On Air with PM Drew was streamed recently on the official facebook page of the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew talking to Kenyette Samuel and Kirstina Carty
The fifth episode discussed the impact that the increase of minimum wage for the workforce has had on the life of the people. The guests on the Prime Minister’s podcast shared their experience benefitting from the Minimum wage increase.
In the last two years, St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party has increased the Minimum Wage from EC$9 per hour to EC $10.75 to EC $12.50 per hour. The minimum wage is one of the highest in the whole region, totalling up to EC$500 per week.
Kenyette Samuel, a store clerk working at the JNF General Hospital and Kirstina Carty working in the police department talked to the Prime Minister about the changes that the increase in minimum wage has brought. Talking about the past, Officer Carty said that before the raise, she had to work overtime if she wanted to make extra money
However, with the increase in the Minimum wage across the country, they don’t need to put in extra hours to increase their savings. The Prime Minister was also happy to hear that due to the increase in the minimum wage, people are also thinking about owning homes.
The Prime Minister was happy to see that hardworking members of the community are getting the benefit of the raise in wages.
The Prime Minister and his guests also discussed the impact of the increase in Minimum Wage on the pension and social security. The more the wage at the time of the job, means more in the way of social security, which translates into a good pension.
The Prime Minister’s guests noted that when the Minimum Wage has not been increased many people had to return to work post retirement. This was due to the fact that the people could not survive without the jobs on their social security pensions.
However, with the increase in Minimum Wage, people can rely on their social security for their retirement years. Further, people can go to financial institutions and ask for plans on their increased income.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the increase in Minimum wage is a means of improving the social security of the people of St Kitts and Nevis. It is also part of the Prime Minister and his team’s mandate to provide financial security to the people.
The Prime Minister’s podcast discusses how the people of the country are affected by the policies that the administration led by Dr Drew brings to the table. The programme will continue to run and explore the various other programmes and projects that have benefited the people of St Kitts and Nevis.
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.
