Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has declared that there will be no new taxes in the 2025/26 fiscal year, while affirming the government’s ability to meet all financial obligations—including public servant salaries, pension benefits, and economic support initiatives.
“Mr. Speaker, let me make it abundantly clear: there will be no new taxes in this budget, and Saint Lucia remains a low-tax jurisdiction,” the Prime Minister stated firmly during his highly anticipated budget address to Parliament on April 22nd.
Addressing the House just two days after Easter Sunday, Prime Minister Pierre reflected on the nation’s trajectory since his administration took office in July 2021, asserting that Saint Lucia is now on a more stable and resilient footing.
“I can stand here today with confidence and say that Saint Lucia is ready for whatever may come its way. What I do know with absolute certainty is that we have been able to pay our bills,” he said.
Pierre outlined a series of achievements under his leadership, including the timely payment of public servant salaries, salary increases, back pay and bonuses for civil servants, improvements in pension support, youth development through the Youth Economy, and business support through the MSME programme.
“We are a country—a collective of individuals with hopes, dreams, and yes, with vulnerabilities—not a balance sheet or corporation driven solely by profits,” Pierre emphasized. “It is our deep belief that the people of Saint Lucia are able to manage their own destiny.”
Drawing a sharp contrast with the previous administration, Pierre positioned his government as one focused on delivery rather than distractions.
“What matters to Saint Lucians… is not how many countries a Prime Minister has travelled to, or how many speeches he has delivered at balls and paid PR events. What really matters to them are the tangible improvements to their daily lives,” he said. “Our administration is not about glib speeches with dubious statistics and fancy, unfulfilled renderings. Ours is an administration that delivers.”
While acknowledging that Saint Lucia cannot predict future global or regional shocks, the Prime Minister said the country has built resilience through proactive planning and adaptability.
“We have planned and adapted to the challenges as they arise. This, Mr. Speaker, is the underlying secret of how we have managed our country over the past four years,” he noted.
Pierre also reported three consecutive years of economic growth, record-low unemployment, and improved citizen security—achieved while maintaining manageable debt levels and attracting new investment.
He reserved strong criticism for the previous United Workers Party (UWP) administration, accusing it of mismanaging public finances and plunging the country into economic distress.
“There are those who speak only of harebrained schemes and illusions of grandeur… with nothing to show when they were given the opportunity, except a Saint Lucia left in mounting debt, economic ruin, and despair,” the Prime Minister said.
He added that one of his government’s first acts was to “arrest the level of waste, recklessness, and corruption” and stabilize the economy while addressing long-neglected infrastructure.
“The journey from July 26, 2021, to now has required patience, dedication, hard work, and the tolerance of persistent lies and misinformation from the opposition,” Pierre stated.
He concluded his remarks with a message of gratitude and resolve, thanking Saint Lucians at home and abroad for their steadfast support.
“It is with a deep sense of honour and gratitude that I stand to deliver this budget. Their support has been the unwavering force that has kept me and my Cabinet focused and purpose-driven.”
Echoing the values of Sir George F.L. Charles, Pierre reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to “accountability, transparency, truth, and integrity.”
