The government of Antigua and Barbuda is exploring the possibility of increasing vehicle registration fees as a means of funding road maintenance and infrastructure improvements.
During Thursday’s Cabinet press briefing, Chief of Staff Lionel Hurst confirmed that Prime Minister Gaston Browne had floated the idea, though no final decision has been made. The proposal comes as officials seek additional revenue sources to sustain the country’s expanding road network.
“We are looking at ways in which to improve the roadways in Antigua. We don’t want roads to be a subject of contention any time in the near future,” Hurst said.
He pointed to the significant rise in vehicle ownership in recent years, partly driven by reductions in import taxes, making car ownership more accessible to a wider cross-section of the population. However, this increase has placed greater strain on the country’s road infrastructure.
“We have increased the number of automobiles in Antigua exponentially by dropping some of the taxes that are normally imposed. It made the ownership of vehicles more democratic,” Hurst noted.
While acknowledging that the government has eased the financial burden on vehicle owners through tax waivers, he argued that road maintenance remains a pressing issue.
“Those car owners are all demanding better roads,” he said. “So we’re looking at new ways of ensuring that we have the revenues required in order to fix the roads on which we drive our automobiles.”
Hurst also noted that Antigua and Barbuda does not impose personal income tax, making adjustments to other revenue streams a consideration for funding critical infrastructure.
The Prime Minister’s proposal has yet to be formally debated within Cabinet, but discussions are expected to continue in the coming weeks.
