Payment of the ‘double salary’ will help to stimulate economy, St. Kitts and Nevis PM says

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Civil Servants, Government Auxiliary Employees (GAEs), Pensioners and STEP workers across St. Kitts and Nevis have benefited from an extra month’s salary, which was paid on Tuesday — a gesture Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew said was made to show appreciation to public servants for their hard work.

Prime Minister Dr. Drew, while speaking on WINNFM’s Voices programme, stated that the payment of the extra month’s salary, or a ‘double salary’ as it is colloquially termed, was also made to help stimulate the Federation’s economy.

“The economy needs stimulation as well and we have to stimulate the economy,” the Prime Minister said. “You as public servants…have worked hard. You have put yourselves out there and I think that you needed to have been shown, in a tangible way, that we appreciate that. But in addition to that, our aim is also to stimulate the economy, to get to people so that they can have a good Christmas, people can spend to help businesses and help all around so that all of us would benefit from that injection into the economy.”

The Prime Minister added that this was also part of the rationale behind his administration’s decision to pay Honoraria to government employees who worked on the frontline during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Moreover, Prime Minister Drew, who also serves as Minister of Finance in the Federal Government, said the payments of the double salary and the Honoraria are things that the Government is able to manage, particularly as it moves forward with the diversification of the Federation’s economy.

He said, “We’re going to hit hard in the construction field, in tourism. The CBI [Citizenship by Investment] programme right now is heavily dependent on, but we are going to diversify the economy so that we are not so heavily dependent on the CBI alone. You can have CBI, you can have tourism, you have construction, you can have agriculture, you can have energy, you can have financial services and you can have the offshore education sector and so forth. So, we are looking at multiple aspects of the economy that we can develop to make sure that we are receiving the necessary revenues to continue the social programmes and to keep us stable and strong.”

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19 COMMENTS

  1. WOW! That makes so much sense! The extra salary will help spur the economy. The little country that is fast becoming the super power of the Eastern Caribbean has surpassed Antigua in Tourism with 1 million cruise ship arrivals expected this season.

    Way to go St. KITTS AND NEVIS! You have a leader that loves people quite unlike Gaston Browne who does not understand that if you spend money to do hair and nails the hair dresser and the nail technician will spend money in the stores and supermarkets and therefore help to spur the economy. Simple economics Gaston. Simple economics

  2. PENSIONERS in SKB get double pension? And Antigua pensioners cannot even get their regular monthly pension on time. Months behind. Gaston is full of 💩

  3. Where you dey, Gaston? So you have Dr. Drew showing off on you? SKB has always been far better run than Antigua. Fact.

  4. You all need to just cool. You will be getting the biggest concert ever from the Nigerian. Mek that entertainment last you all for 60 months. Just cool Antiguans because you know that’s all you are worth. SMDH.

  5. Gaston collected 2 billion from the CIP and we see nothing for it: not even the ghost cemetery.

    GASTON; THE WORST PRIME MINISTER EVER!

    • Gaston said on his radio show that the government collected $800mil from CIP. Tell me Gaston, is this EC or US? Gaston,
      $800mill US is over $2billion EC. Are you trying to deceive the people because you think Antiguans stupid. You can’t show what you did with the money so now it appears you are trying to deceive us. Can you be ever trusted in your dealings with the country’s affairs.

  6. Folks,this is not new in St.Kitts. They have been doing it for sometime now.I remembered many moons ago,it was done in Antigua once. So it could be done,if our Leaders did not spend our monies like drunken Sailors on shore leave.Or maybe they are smoking too much DOPE.

  7. I have over $30 million I don’t care about the citizens of Antigua and Barbuda I am only concerned about enriching myself and dividing nationals and non nationals against each other so I could stay in power, some people will support me because they are just as selfish as I am. I grew up poor now I am rich I don’t care about the poor. I have attracted the most corrupt and scamps investors once I remain in power nothing can happen so I need to stay in power.

  8. Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew understands that if you look after the citizens of St Kitt’s & Nevis economically, the end result will always be that the money will circulate and benefit the country as a whole.

    Why can’t Gaston Browne see this financial well-being as well?

    Fiscally, Antigua are in as good a position as SKN, however we’ve had the wrong leader in charge for far too long.

    Here’s why:

    1), CIP has made a lot of money for the country. Why haven’t we seen the benefits of this?

    2), Antigua also has a very vibrant yachting community, yet again, there doesn’t seem to be any financial well-being in place – do they dock or moor here for free?

    3), Even when you look into the water supply shortages from APUA; some large body or someone, is making a large amount of money from the water trucks and bottled water. Again, could this be the delay in completing the island wide water system. Hmm!

    4), Public sector workers continue to have issues with receiving their pay on a regular basis. They don’t in SKN.

    5), And pensioners still do not know if they will be paid on their due-dates, or if at all! They don’t in SKN.

    The Prime Ministers of St Kitt’s & Nevis and Barbados look out for the well-being of their country folks and Gaston Browne does not.

    Sadly, I have to agree with some of the above comments, mainly because for some reason (that I’ve never been able to put my finger on or grasp at all) we Antiguans have a reputation for putting up with political mismanagement. How so?

    Other countries from around the world see that as well. We just can’t seem to hold our current politicians to account.

    LET’S BE CANDID HERE, GASTON CAN HELP THE CITIZENS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA OUT – HE JUST DOESN’T WANT TO!

    APART FROM COME THE ELECTION …

  9. Gaston, this is a real Prime Minister! You are all of self and none of thee. I hope Antiguans see you for how selfish you are. Smh.

  10. Where are:
    From the Sideline
    Just Saying
    Tenman
    Dave Ray
    Smh / Hmmmm / ” Tessa” / ” Sherfield”
    Buddy Bloke
    Wash n Basin
    Fitzroy/ Nomad/ Youth

    To speak -up on this issue

    • @ Janice Jennifer Jones, they are all attending a Gaston Browne WORSHIP meeting at Government House, and looking for ELABORATE ways to try and defend the indefensible.

      Don’t worry though, the ROTI-ROTARIAN @ From The Sideline will be here soon, in 3, 2, 1 … boom! 💥

  11. I know I sell fish also I sell produce as well I am a farmer also . I only want power it feels good I would decieve anyone just to remain in power. I will pamper to get votes come election not because I love the people, I only love power and self enrichment

  12. ALP cant pay a double salary. You think #HFWL government can if elected?
    Another thing #HFWL amidst the 7 days talk about the minimum wage has remained woefully silent about committing to any major increase if elected. Anyone knows why he never promised to give you all $15.00 increase as many of you all #UPPNEARGA think is necessary?

    • Look dey @ Janice Jennifer Jones, at least @ Just Saying has the KAHOONAS to reply … maybe his Gaston Browne WORSHIP vigil finished earlier than expected 😂😂😂

    • SO SHAME HAVE YOU CHATTING STUPIDNESS! St kitts can do it because Dr Drew cares about black people unlike Gaston ” self-enrichment” Browne

    • @ Just Saying: Kindly let the voting public know what the ABLP did with the 2 billion dollars that it collected from the CIP.
      Yes, the same CIP that the ABLP MARCHED against when the ABLP was in opposition.
      Lionel Max Hurst walked up and down the sidewalk saying:
      ” My passport not for sale”
      Molwyn Joseph said: ” Over my dead body”.

      It IS THE SAME CIP that the ABLP DID NOT WANT THAT GAVE THE ABLP 2 BILLION DOLLARS.
      SO WHERE IS THAT 2 BILLION DOLLARS

      ANSWER THAT QUESTION: WHERE IS THE 2 BILLION DOLLARS

  13. Very interesting Dr.Drew. In St.Kitts no Serían Kool and smother is rocking up millions from the treasury and having the head of job program singing praises about sponsorship. St. Kitts civil servants are hard working , educated and don’t help government ministers to rob their country blind. St.Kitts PM do not own backhoe, trucks , excavators.restaurants, radio stations, farmers, swapped lands , real estate business – properties renting to government and Chinese investors. Instead the good doctor rolled up his sleeve and went to work and save lives. St.Kitts prime minister do not encourage his ministers to get rich off tax payers money, get rich by getting 23 acres of prime lands for 2.00 per square foot. St. Kitts PM do not tell his minister of foreign affairs to use his office to acquire million dollar structure through foreign aid. St. Kitts PM do not have an excavator digging in the harbor for millions of tax dollars. St. Kitts PM son don’t go to the treasury and walks out with 30k monthly and call it peanuts , while all the local contractors and service providers suffer to the point of bankruptcy. St.Kitts prime minister put people first . St.Kitts PM don’t use government to bail out minister of government by purchasing their bankrupt cinema on high street .
    St. Kitts People know when is time to change government.

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