Prime Minister Pierre’s 2.5% Levy- A Broken Promise to Saint Lucians

In August 2023, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre introduced the now-infamous 2.5% Health and Security Levy, claiming it was a temporary measure, one that would last only two years. He assured Saint Lucians that the levy would end in August 2025.

But today, we know that was not the truth.

In his latest 2025/2026 Budget, the Prime Minister has quietly revealed his plan to extend the levy until March 31st, 2026, an admission that the levy is here to stay longer than promised. His government is now projecting to collect an additional $40 million from this tax during the new fiscal year. That’s not a temporary measure. That’s a broken promise.

From the beginning, this 2.5% levy has hit the average Saint Lucian hard. It’s not just a number on a receipt, it’s a tax that drives up the cost of goods and services across the board. From groceries to construction materials, from school supplies to internet, everything costs more. For families already struggling with high fuel prices, rising electricity bills and stagnant wages, this has made daily life even harder.

The Prime Minister cannot have it both ways. He cannot promise relief while quietly extending the very tax that is squeezing the people. Saint Lucians were told this levy would end. They were told it was necessary for short-term stability. What they got instead is a long-term burden, built on deception.

The time has come for Saint Lucians to say: enough is enough. Enough of the spin. Enough of the broken promises.

We need leadership that tells the truth, genuinely puts people first and understands that taxing a struggling nation into deeper poverty is not progress, it is failure. #PierrePaBon