Prime Minister Gaston Browne has declared that he has never denied any eligible applicant access to duty-free vehicle concessions during his tenure, and says his government is prepared to formalise the system through legislation.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne made the remarks on Pointe FM's Browne and Browne Show, where he defended the administration of duty-free vehicle waivers as broadly accessible and consistently applied.
"I have never ever refused anybody in the almost 12 years I've been prime minister the opportunity to have a duty-free," Browne said.
The comments come amid sustained political debate over the transparency and consistency of duty-free waivers, which are currently granted on a discretionary basis. Critics have raised concerns about how concessions are administered and whether the process is sufficiently clear and equitable.
Browne signalled that the government would welcome legislation to formalise the process, stating: "We have no difficulty codifying our duty-free regime in law."
He suggested that codification could bring greater clarity to the concession process, while maintaining that the existing administrative framework already provides broad access to qualifying individuals.
Duty-free vehicle concessions have long been a feature of government policy in Antigua and Barbuda. Waivers are typically extended to certain categories of applicants, including public servants and other qualifying individuals, subject to government approval.
The prime minister's remarks represent a notable shift in tone on the issue, acknowledging room for structural reform while firmly defending the current system's fairness. The opposition has previously raised questions about the administration of concessions, though no immediate response to Browne's latest comments was available.
