NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (October 13, 2025)- Premier of Nevis and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Mark Brantley, has confirmed that preparations for the 2026 Budget of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) are already underway, as the government continues its focus on infrastructure development, healthcare, and education.
Premier Brantley explained that the annual budget process begins several months in advance of the usual Budget Day in December, with early discussions among senior officials to set the framework for the fiscal year.
“It normally starts with meetings among the permanent secretaries and meetings among technical teams, and then it goes into wider meetings with the broader body. So that is already ongoing as we prepare,” he said. “We normally would be well into it by November so that we present the budget in early December. That’s the tradition.”
Looking ahead to the 2026 fiscal year, Premier Brantley said the Administration’s top priority remains the completion of the Alexandra Hospital expansion.
“Our hospital remains our priority number one. We have to get that done. As I said, we have a funding gap that we’re trying to fill,” he stated.
The Premier also highlighted several other critical areas of focus, including upgrades to the island’s education and healthcare infrastructure, continued work on the airport expansion, and improving facilities across communities.
“We have the airport facility…thankfully, we have the funding in place for that. We will be looking to see how we can do more in terms of the infrastructure for our schools. Many of our schools are old and aging and the problem has been upkeep and maintenance, so we need to look at that.”
Premier Brantley further underscored the need to enhance community health services, including the Charlestown Health Centre, which is currently operating from temporary facilities, and the provision of dialysis treatment for kidney patients.
“We were waiting for our facility at the hospital to be ready in order to have dialysis, but we’re getting more and more reports of dialysis patients, and our incidences of diabetes and hypertension continue to grow. I think at this stage we have to now think about what we do in Nevis- even if it’s only a backup system for the time being- but we have to do something,” he said.
He added that greater collaboration between St. Kitts and Nevis in healthcare delivery would be mutually beneficial, noting that both islands have previously assisted one another when key diagnostic equipment was unavailable.
“We need closer collaboration but significantly more investment to make that happen,” the Premier said.
On the fiscal side, Premier Brantley said the Administration is currently evaluating its potential revenue streams and monitoring how they may develop over the coming year to help fund key projects planned for 2026.
The Premier emphasized that the Administration remains committed to advancing economic growth, strengthening infrastructure, and improving the quality of life for all citizens of Nevis as it finalizes the upcoming budget.