Question of the Day: Are taxes in Antigua and Barbuda adequately serving their intended purposes?

1. Not one damn, just look at the state of the roads, the place is as dirty as hell all you get is lip service, take a drive out to 1st Choice Supermarket all you smell is raw sewage I do not even go there anymore we can and must do better

   • If you think more taxes will help fixing the roads and infrastructures… Please think twice. Look around you… for instance in North America.
     A big gvt creating problems then pretending to solve them, an army of paid slackers waiting to get their pension…. this is for sure not the solution we need.

     important fact: the biggest part (about 70%) of the gvt budget comes from sale taxes.

2. Nope 👎🏼

3. No layoffs of govt workers.
   Wage increases.
   Water investments.
   Expanding cruise and cargo ports.
   Building new schools.
   Fixing the roads which is now back on track.
   Etc.
   It all takes money.

   And let’s not forget paying down national debt, which is now at an all time low.

   And the best part?

   No more massive waste like the failed Car Park, the $150 million dead-on-arrival Wadadli Power Plant, Runway Cost Overrun, Romantic Rithms etc etc UPP etc!

   With the thoughtful use of tax revenues while reducing waste, we will never again fall into the clutches of Harold Lovell’s best friend, the IMF.

   Now that the fiscal situation is much improved its time for the government to systematically address all outstanding issues, borrowing responsible where required. St. John’s in particular needs attention. Looking forward to see what is implemented out of the 3 MP committee setup for that.

4. Antigua and Barbuda lacks fiscal discipline. We habitually spend more than we earn and we fund that spending with more wasteful spending. Monitory policy goes hand in hand with fiscal policy, something that has eluded us for a very long time. At a time when cost of living is killing citizens, our roads are in a deplorable conditions, we still can’t get consistent domestic water supply in 2024 and some workers still crying out for their full severance payments, we prefer to waste monies in unsustainable and useless things than in things that will ease the squeeze on our suffering people. We are creating a nightmare and a burden of debts that will be an albatross around the necks of future generations.

5. If we Antiguans witnessed with our own eyes of the wasted 43 years of Birdism and Browneism governance (more than enough time for visible improvements), against the 8-9 years under the tutelage of the UPP, then our taxes have been without doubt has been squandered.

   So the spin, bluster and distortions by @ Keep it Real, makes no sense at all to right minded thinking Antiguans.

   The 43 years of taxes from the Birdism and Browneism era’s have not been put to good use. Fact!

   It’s about time we held these politicians to account, and raise our living standards to a much higher standard.

   NO MORE SECOND OR THIRD BEST FOR US!

6. @ A Phillip. I assumed you meant Monetary Policy or probably it was just a tongue in cheek. To engage you on Monetary policy what leverage does the government have in this regard given the fact that we share a single currency and as per the ECCB’s agreement everything has to be agreed to unanimously when it comes to any monetary policy decision?

7. Sean Nicholas did not resign on her own! She was forced out! Her resignation is just a cover to tone down the embarrassment that she will face! UPP really doesn’t care about people! The Woman( Giselle)who is leading the party can’t stand a bone in her! Nicholas therefore had no choice! School children say that she has her red uniform ready! Welcome home COMRADE!

8. A huge percentage of our taxes go to paying 15,000 government employees in what is really a social scheme like the dole in England and welfare in America. These people do little if any work but get paid. The government claims that the private sector, especially the foreign investors, who have received millions in concessions, are just not providing the level of employment that the country requires. So the government has no choice. So that is where the largest chunk of taxes go. After paying loans, not much is left. That being said, not near enough is being done to collect taxes. The staff at Inland Revenue sit on their butts and just collect what comes in or just go after the easy targets.The failure to address the Air B&B market is just one such example. Very few Air B&B properties pay even one cent in any taxes including ABST.

9. I over heard a wealthy couple at a trendy resturant who are building several homes on a hill, say, loud enough for others to hear. “All we have to do is go see the PM to get extra concessions. After all we’re helping to develope SR. We don’t even have to pay duty on our Amazon orders. They just drop them off.” If people like this, paid their equal amount of taxes and duty, and hired legal staff for their home instead of workers from other islands with out work permits, under the radar, which I also heard, I’d feel a hell of alot better when paying my taxes. To many free concessions for the rich. In Antigua, sadly, money talks. I wish I hadn’t heard their conversation, When you’re drunk at dinner you can say a lot, not realizing others are listening.

Comments are closed.