Prime Minister Gaston Browne has sharply criticised tax relief proposals put forward by United Progressive Party candidate Jamale Pringle, warning that their implementation could trigger a devastating fiscal crisis and cost public servants their jobs.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne took to social media to condemn the proposals, which include removing taxes on water equipment and potentially vehicle imports, describing the opposition's approach as "senseless fiscal irresponsibility and reckless tax giveaways to win an election."
"The consequences would be catastrophic. Public servants say goodbye to your jobs. Not even the IMF could solve the fiscal crisis that would follow," Browne wrote.
The prime minister's remarks follow Pringle's appearance at the United Progressive Party's campaign launch, where the candidate outlined a range of cost-of-living relief measures. Among them was a Water Tanks and Accessories Relief Programme, which would eliminate taxes on pumps, pressure systems and storage tanks — a measure Pringle framed as direct assistance to households struggling with an unreliable water supply.
Pringle also signalled broader intentions to reduce the cost of living and make essential goods and services more affordable, though full details on several of those proposals have yet to be released.
The exchange draws a clear policy divide ahead of the April 30 general election. The ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party is positioning itself as the guardian of fiscal stability, while the opposition is promoting tax relief and direct household support as its central platform.
With economic management and cost-of-living pressures emerging as defining campaign issues, both parties are making the case to voters that their respective approach offers the most sustainable path forward for the country.
