By Val Matthias. Updated 3:08 p.m., Thursday, January 29, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday has announced the creation of four new ministries and more than one hundred government posts as part of the 2026 Budget Estimates, describing the move as a strategic investment in national capacity, service delivery, and economic resilience.
The new ministries are designed to give sharper focus to areas the Prime Minister said were previously underrepresented.
They include:
Higher Education, Grenadines Affairs, Airports and Seaports – to strengthen tertiary education and address Grenadines development.
Family and Gender Affairs, Persons with Disabilities and Labour – to advance social inclusion, gender equality, and labour rights.
Youth, Sports, Culture and Creative Industries – to expand opportunities for young people and support cultural and creative sectors.
Fisheries, Marine and Land Conservation and Climate Resilience – to elevate the blue economy, including fishing, yachting, and marine industries, which Dr. Friday noted had long been overshadowed under Agriculture.
“These ministries reflect our campaign commitments and the pillars of our economy,” Dr. Friday told Parliament. “They ensure that critical sectors like fisheries, youth, and family affairs receive the dedicated attention they deserve.”
Beyond the new ministries, the Prime Minister outlined a wide range of posts across government departments. These include judicial research assistants and clerks in the courts; registrars in the Commerce and Intellectual Property Office; systems administrators in the Prime Minister’s Office; accountants, economists, and IT staff in Finance; biomedical specialists, nurses, and mental health administrators in Health; and 42 new police officers, along with Coast Guard and immigration officers, in National Security.
Additional positions were created in Family and Gender Affairs (16 posts), Tourism (driver and training officer), Social Welfare (community empowerment coordinator), Housing (urban development officer), Transport and Works (quantity surveyor and technical staff), Agriculture (officers, instructors, and veterinary staff), and Foreign Affairs (three foreign investment officers).
Dr. Friday emphasized that the appointments are not symbolic but practical, aimed at strengthening institutions, improving healthcare delivery, enhancing public security, diversifying agriculture, and attracting foreign investment. “These positions are not just numbers in a budget,” he said. “They are investments in people, in communities, and in the future of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
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