National Cost of Living Task Force convenes first meeting

THE National Cost of Living Task Force (NCLTF) established by the Dr. Godwin Friday led administration, convened its first meeting on May 11, 2026, hosted by the prime minister.

A release to the media from the Office of the Prime Minister states that tackling the cost of living is the government’s top priority.

“This issue went unaddressed for many years, and with the impact of the war in the Middle East, the government will work tirelessly to provide ordinary people with relief from the cost of living.”

To that end, the release notes that the prime minister called the first meeting of the NCLTF to address the cost-of-living crisis that St.Vincent and the Grenadines is facing.

The task force is mandated to serve as the primary coordination unit, tasked with developing and implementing immediate, practical measures to stabilise the cost of living for every household and business in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

This group will seek input from experts, regardless of political background, to ensure it delivers for the people of SVG, the release also notes. Drawing on expertise from the private and public sectors, as well as NGOs, the task force aims to tackle the root causes of the cost-of-living crisis and move beyond discussion to action.

“The task force’s objective is to fortify national resilience through three critical work streams: “Energy Security: Find ways to cushion fuel and electricity costs while accelerating our transition

to renewables to reduce longterm dependence.

“Food Security: Focus on stabilising prices for essential goods and strengthening our domestic agricultural production to protect our most vulnerable citizens.

“Supply Chain Resilience: Improve port and customs efficiency and diversify our sourcing through regional partners to bypass global bottlenecks.”

The government states in the release that it recognises there are no simple solutions but will explore every avenue to ensure it puts more money in people’s pockets.

“The prime minister has called on the experts and leaders in this group to provide rigorous reporting and practical solutions so the government can protect Vincentians who are already feeling the impact of the cost-of-living crisis,” the release also states, adding that the NCLTF is just one step the government is taking to address the costof- living crisis.The NCLTF is expected to meet once monthly “to continue the work it has begun”.