United Progressive Party (UPP) candidate for St. John's Rural East, Ashworth Azille, is exploring a temporary reduction in the Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST) as a measure to ease the financial burden on households. According to Antigua News Room, Azille has been careful to stress that the idea has not yet been formally adopted as party policy.
Speaking during a "Know Your Candidates" interview, Azille said there is "great appetite" for measures that would deliver immediate relief to consumers. He floated the possibility of reducing the ABST rate from 17% to 10% for a period of six months.
"Six months… would be useful so that we bring some relief to homeowners when they get to the supermarkets," Azille said, citing the strain rising prices for basic goods are placing on families.
He was clear, however, that the proposal remains under consideration and has not been fully costed. "This is not a promise that I'm making. I'm using this as a point of exploration," he said, noting that discussions are continuing within the party and with relevant stakeholders.
Azille framed the idea as part of a broader push for sustained relief, contrasting it with what he described as insufficient short-term measures such as limited tax-free shopping days. "One-off, sporadic reduction or removal of the ABST may not necessarily serve the purpose… we want to provide long-term relief," he said.
The candidate argued that the government has fiscal room to accommodate such a move by tightening public spending and reassessing tax waivers granted to investors. "Very often government asks our citizens to tighten their belts… but when does the government actually make a sacrifice on behalf of the very people that it is asked to serve?" Azille said.
When pressed on the potential impact to government revenues — particularly amid global inflationary pressures and elevated fuel costs — Azille acknowledged the need for rigorous analysis while maintaining the proposal is being developed responsibly. "We are not being reckless… there is a broad-based policy team that has been working on these proposals," he said, adding that a detailed cost-benefit breakdown would be forthcoming.
He also pointed to inefficiencies and waste in public expenditure as areas that could be addressed to offset the fiscal impact of any tax relief measures.
Azille's proposal emerges as cost-of-living concerns take centre stage in the lead-up to the April 30 general election, with candidates from both major parties presenting competing approaches to consumer relief. The UPP candidate said feedback from constituents has reinforced the urgency of action, but reiterated that any final policy decision would be grounded in detailed financial assessment.
"I do not want persons to walk away… thinking that the United Progressive Party has made a determination to reduce the ABST from 17 to 10%," he said.
