The top leader of Antigua and Barbuda has pushed back against criticism of the nation’s duty-free vehicle concession program, confirming that no eligible applicant has been locked out of the benefit during his nearly 12 years in office, and confirming the government is ready to turn the longstanding administrative policy into formal law.
Speaking during his regular segment on the popular local radio program *Browne and Browne Show* broadcast on Pointe FM, Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who also leads the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, mounted a robust defense of the existing concession approval process, emphasizing that it has remained open to all qualifying people from its inception.
“In the almost 12 years I’ve served as prime minister, I have never ever refused anybody who qualified the opportunity to access a duty-free concession,” Browne stated during the interview.
The prime minister’s public remarks come as local political circles have engaged in sustained debate over how the program is run. Currently, duty-free vehicle waivers are awarded on a discretionary, case-by-case basis, leading to opposition criticism over perceived gaps in transparency and inconsistent application of eligibility rules.
Browne acknowledged the concerns raised by opponents, signaling that while the program has functioned as an administrative policy up to this point, his administration has no objection to enshrining its rules in national legislation to codify the process. “We have no difficulty codifying our duty-free regime in law,” he said.
He added that formalizing the system through legislation would bring much-needed additional clarity to the criteria and process for granting concessions, but stood by the current framework, noting it already delivers broad access to eligible applicants across the country. The duty-free vehicle concession program has been a core plank of government policy in Antigua and Barbuda for decades, with waivers reserved for specific groups including public servants and other pre-qualified individuals, all of which require final government approval.
Browne’s latest comments mark a clear shift in the government’s position, indicating a willingness to revise the program’s structure to address longstanding transparency concerns while doubling down on the assertion that the current system operates fairly and includes all qualified applicants. The national opposition has repeatedly questioned the governance of the concession program in recent months, but as of press time, no official response to Browne’s latest announcement has been released.