The New Democratic Party (NDP) administration is following through on its election campaign promise to focus on young people with a set of initiatives to create opportunities that will aid their development.
The NDP administration, two months into governance, has allocated more than half of the ministry’s 2026 budget to youth development.
In his contribution to the debate on the 2026 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, Minister of Youth, Kaschaka Cupid, said youth development remains the largest single expenditure, accounting for approximately 55% of the 2026 budget or EC$7.08 million.
“This aligns with a mission to harness sports as a pillar of national unity, to empower young people through civic and economic participation,” Cupid said.
Cupid explained that before the NDP party came to office last November, the ministry was named the Ministry of Housing, Informal Human Settlement, Youth and Sports.
However, the ministry has been restructured and dubbed the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture and Creative Industries, to reflect his party’s “strategic pivot towards our orange economy…
“Now, during our campaign, we mentioned the benefits of our orange economy in terms of growth and development, especially for our youths and our creatives. And I accept this challenge … which my prime minister has placed on me humbly.
Cupid said the total budget shows an upward trend in investment for specific sectors.
He said the 2025 estimates, under policy planning and admin, was EC$808,000.06. In 2026, this amount was reduced to EC$652,889, a decrease of EC$155,117 or 19%.
Cupid said that in 2005, EC$6,893,971 was allocated to youth development. It is EC$7,078,651 in the current cycle, which represents an increase of EC$184,680, or 2.68%.
Physical education and sports, which was allocated EC$2,018,823 in 2025, has seen a slight increase in 2026 to EC$2,031,915 — an increase of EC$13,092 or 0.65% increase.
Culture and creative industries now stand at EC$2,550,308, an increase of EC$80,950 or 3.8%.
“Now, total recurrent expenditure for my ministry amounted to $10,220,800 in 2025. This has increased to $12,894,713, a $2,673,000 increase or 26.2% …” he said.
Cupid said that the policy, planning and administration, in comparison to the overall recurrent expenditure, gives rise to a 5.06% to the total recurrent expenditure for the ministry, youth development, an allocation of 54.9% of the recurrent expenditure, or EC$7,078,651.
Cupid said the Windward Island School Games will be allocated 3.8%, the Division of Physical Education and Sports, 15.76% and the culture and creative industries, 20.4%.
“There is a new cultural focus from this current administration. The introduction of the culture and creative industries with $2.6 3 million allocation is the most significant change. The strategic priorities now include creating a cultural calendar and preserving our cultural heritage to enable community engagement.”
The minister noted that the mission of the ministry is: “To lead and implement progressive policies and programmes that empower young people, harness sports as a pillar of national unity and excellence, safeguard and celebrate our cultural heritage and expand the creative industries as a pathway for innovation, employment and global competitiveness, ensuring inclusive opportunities for all, … and contribute meaningfully to the Sustainable national development of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
Your reporting on the NDP is unbecoming. It is as if they owe you something. I find it quite strange that when the ULP was in power, you were never so poignant. The NDP already have their work cut out for them; with friends like you and that other (ULP) sneaky newspaper, who needs enemies?