Social security report suggests more employed in St Kitts and Nevis

Statistics from the St Kitts and Nevis Social Security Board show that 2016 has been a record year in a number of categories, including the number of persons registered to pay contributions.

Prime Minister Timothy Harris said that the figure stood at 29,186 contributors, which means more persons were being “gainfully engaged by the growing economy”.

“More and more persons are earning their keep,” said Harris, who is also the federation’s minister of finance.

Figures pointed to the largest number of employees registered in any one-year period on record, the largest number of jobs on record, and the highest ever annual wage bill on record, which was $918.7 million.

The St Kitts and Nevis Information Service has said this figure is likely to increase as a number of major tourism developments are expected to open.

This includes the Park Hyatt St Kitts Christophe Harbour, which has a scheduled completion date of November 2017.

An announcement was made by Park Hyatt St Kitts last week suggesting that close to 300 locals will be gainfully employed on a permanent basis.

“These facts then, speak to progress in the job market and they speak the same message relayed by the economic growth,” the prime minister said.

“The country is moving forward.”