BREAKING: ABST Cut to Zero on Food and School Supplies on April 10th and 11th in Antigua and Barbuda

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GOVERNMENT OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Ministry of Finance

Inland Revenue Department

Friars Hill Road, Woods Centre

St. John’s, Antigua, W.I.

Telephone: (268) 468-9471/9473

Facsimile: (268) 462-3175

Our Ref: AD 92

1st April 2026

To Whom It May Concern

ABST Reduced Rate on 10th and 11th April 2026

I write in respect of a Cabinet Decision Item No. 112 of 18th March 2026, which indicates that on 10th and 11th April 2026, there will be a reduction of the Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax (ABST) to zero percent (0%) on food and school supplies.

ABST Reduction days list of items to be reduced are as follows:

1. All food items from tariff codes 1000 to 2501 and Biscuits (20089011)

2. School Supplies

  • Pencils
  • Markers
  • Erasers
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Pencil Case
  • Construction Paper
  • Folder
  • Binders
  • Calculator
  • Highlighters
  • Shoes
  • Crayons
  • Coloured Pencils
  • Sharpeners
  • Glue Sticks
  • Ruler
  • Notebooks
  • Index Cards
  • Binder Sheets
  • Pens
  • Geometry Set
  • Graph Paper
  • School Uniforms
  • School Bags
  • Art Supplies
  • IT Supplies
  • Home Economics Supplies

3. The items listed below under tariff codes should not be reduced to zero percent:

  • 2203–2208: Beer and Alcohol
  • 2400: Tobacco
  • 1400–1300: Manufacturing extract
  • 2300: Animal food
  • 0600: Live plants

Kindly utilize the zero-rated supplies (sales) line on the ABST 03 form to account for these sales.

For further information and clarification, you may contact the department at 468-9426/30 or e-mail: [email protected]

Regards,

(Signature)

Commissioner of Inland Revenue

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14 COMMENTS

  1. All the election give aways for votes! People do not fall for this bribery. After election you will hear because of the war in the middle east gas ,electricity, water and food prices back up.

  2. As nice as this might seem, pre-election tax cuts as a “political business cycle” tactic, where government temporarily boost the economy to lure voters, will potentially lead to higher deficits and taxes later. Clearly it is a calculated decision to lure voters without having any regard or consideration to the longterm effect.

  3. They will do anything for vote
    They will do anything for vote
    They will do anything for vote…but don’t fall for that………….

  4. Gaston is so confident yet he is giving away the country to win an election and you want to tell me that he is a Top Dog. TOP DOG MY ASS. What the hell is he afraid of, something ain’t right here. It will be revealed in time

  5. Where does the Cabinet get the authority to zero rate the ABST? Some are of the view that the Cabinet has infinite power and can do no wrong. When you have civil servants who are ignorant of the law or/and are afraid to enforced the law these kind of illegals directives are not stop in its tracks.
    I am sure we all can remember when the government change in 2014 one of the first thing the new Finance Minister did was put an end to the concessions that the Sandals Group was getting stating that it was illegal and wasn’t done according to law. The Antigua and Barbuda Sales Tax ACT #5 OF 2006 Section 8 (8) is very clear. I am asking the Commissioner of Inland to educate himself and stop acting like a puppet…enforce the law and instructs the Cabinet to the right thing and do it correctly. WHILE I AM ON THE COMMISSIONER’S CASE QUESTION ….WASN’T ANYONE AT INLAND REVENUE AWARE THAT THE SANDALS GROUP CONCESSIONS WAS ILLEGAL …WHY DID IT TOOK A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT LED MY THE HON GASTON BROWNE TO PUT AN END TO THE $100 MILLIONS ALREADY ILLEGALLY GRANTED. IT WAS ILLEGAL THEN AND IT IS ILLEGAL NOW. NEITHER THE CABINET OT THE MINISTER OF FINANCE HAS THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO WAIVE ABST.

  7. Not. 2 days. I hear notting about blocks. Cement steel and lumber roof material screw and nail. ….. so a just. Food. Me a hear bout and other things. Wa. I see no mek much sence. Not even. Current cost. Drop. Water cost. Drop smh. And pan tap a that just 2 days. Wake up people think about it. 2 days. For. 5 years smh

  8. Not. 2 days. I hear notting about blocks. Cement steel and lumber roof material screw and nail. ….. so a just. Food. Me a hear bout and other things. Wa. I see no mek much sence. Not even. Current cost. Drop. Water cost. Drop smh. And pan tap a that just 2 days. Wake up people think about it. 2 days. For. 5 years smh

  9. Not. 2 days. I hear notting about blocks. Cement steel and lumber roof material screw and nail. ….. so a just. Food. Me a hear bout and other things. Wa. I see no mek much sence. Not even. Current cost. Drop. Water cost. Drop smh. And pan tap a that just 2 days. Wake up people think about it. 2 days. For. 5 years smh lol. Wake up

  11. We waiting for that. Bring it on. Extend it to the rest of the hear. Things hard in this place

  12. I appreciate the government trying to ease the burden on families, but two days might create more stress than relief if people can’t make it to stores in time.

  14. Two days is short though, so planning ahead is key. Once the rush start, shops can get crowded and confusion does happen real quick.

Comments are closed.