The Office of the Prime Minister has announced that public officers will be granted a half-day on Friday, December 5, 2025, in recognition of the official swearing-in of Prime Minister-elect Philip J. Pierre. Public service staff will be released from duties at 12:00 p.m. to observe what the Office described as a significant national moment.
According to the statement, the decision “reflects the significance of the occasion and provides public officers with the opportunity to observe and participate in this important national event.”
While government offices will close early, essential services will remain fully operational. Ministries and departments have been instructed to make the necessary arrangements to ensure that critical services to the public continue uninterrupted.
The Office of the Prime Minister also encouraged private sector employers to consider extending a similar gesture. The statement urged businesses, “where possible, to grant similar time off to employees in observance of the occasion.”
The release concluded with an expression of gratitude to the public service for its ongoing commitment to national development. “The Government thanks all public officers for their continued dedication and invites all citizens to join in this moment of national renewal,” the statement read.
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre is set to be formally sworn in on Friday afternoon, marking the beginning of a new term in office.