KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC) — St Vincent and the Grenadines celebrated its 36th anniversary of political independence from Britain yesterday with Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves announcing a 2.5 per cent salary increase for 2015, retroactive to January 1 and payable on December 18.

“This increase is at 2.5 per cent and it is tax-free. The cost to the Treasury amounts to approximately 7.25 EC million (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents) dollars,” said Gonsalves, who is also minister of finance. It will be the first increase for public servants since 2011.

Addressing nationals at the Victoria Park, where the military parade in observance of the Independence anniversary was held, Gonsalves also announced that the much-delayed multi-million-dollar Argyle International Airport will be operational by 2016.

He told the cheering crowd that the airport would be operational in time for the national team’s World Cup match against the United States on February 2 next year.

“What a weekend that will be next year with our overseas nationals and visitors arriving at the Argyle International Airport on regular and chartered flights to be with us for a few days to watch us play football; to engage in sports and culture. The world will be watching us as Labour Day in Brooklyn comes to St Vincent and the Grenadines,” Gonsalves said.

The prime minister’s announcement of a salary increase to public servants comes one day after the 1,500-member strong Public Service Union (PSU) said it had written to government seeking a 1.5 per cent salary increase for 2014, 2.5 per cent for 2015 and two per cent for 2016.

Gonsalves said the 2015 salary increase will cost the Treasury seven million EC dollars and announced a 1.5 per cent increase for 2016.

“There are also increases between the years intervening after 2011 to 2015,” he said, but did not elaborate.

Gonsalves said he and the representatives of the public sector unions arrived at “this sensible and mature understanding” during a meeting one week earlier.

But the figures announced by the prime minister are one-half of a percentage point less than what PSU president Elroy Boucher told the media last week.

Gonsalves said the statutory mechanics to review minimum wages for all categories of workers is expected to report to Cabinet in the New Year, adding that the recommendations will surely result in an increase in minimum wages.

Gonsalves, who is leading his Unity Labour Party (ULP) into general elections later this year, said he intends to create a number of senior graduate teaching posts from the current 65 “to a number closer to one hundred to facilitate further upward mobility to these beneficiaries of the education revolution”.

He also repeated an earlier commitment to increase by EC$25, the monthly welfare payment that people received under the Public Assistance programme.

Gonsalves also praised his administration on the developments within the education sector, adding next year, the Government will spend over EC$20 million directly on post-secondary and tertiary education.

“Currently, we have 2,500 students at our Community College and over 1,000 pursuing university education through the efforts of our government. We are on target to achieve one college or university graduate on average per household by the year 2025.”

Apart from education, he said the ULP government will in its 2016 budget accord all nursing assistants the status of pensionable public servants.

“They deserve it. They will thus be put on the same footing in this regard as registered nurses,” Gonsalves said.

He said also the duty-free concession on Christmas barrel will start on November 9, and that the government hopes to distribute 200 lots of land at preferential prices in its ongoing land distribution programme.

Gonsalves said that since coming to office in 2001, his government has distributed over 4,500 such parcels of land.

“This is an absolutely amazing performance,” he said, adding that the government is also committed to providing substantial and other direct financial support to the national football team, “Vincy Heat” in the football World Cup qualifiers.

“I am personally involved in this,” he said, adding that on Monday he discussed the matter with President of the Football Federation Venold Coombs.

Meanwhile, the Caribbean Community (Caricom) has congratulated St Vincent and the Grenadines with Caricom Secretary general Irwin la Rocque saying that the theme “Working Together to enhance National Pride” is quite fitting.

“There is much for the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines to be proud of over 36 years of nationhood, as the country has moved steadfastly along the path to development with unyielding determination,” he said.