Ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Grenada, the national government has approved a major policy adjustment to level the playing field for political actors: a complete 100% waiver on both the Common External Tariff (CET) and Value Added Tax (VAT) for imported eligible campaign materials. The announcement, formally released by the country’s Parliamentary Elections Office (PEO), confirms that the tax break applies to all registered political parties and independent candidates seeking office in the upcoming polls.
The scope of qualifying promotional and informational materials covered by the waiver is broad, encompassing standard campaign assets including brochures, flyers, pamphlets, posters, banners, newsletters, billboards, and other officially approved election-related communication materials. Political stakeholders do not need to pay the standard import taxes on these items as they prepare their outreach to voters ahead of the election.
According to the PEO’s statement, this government initiative was designed with three core democratic goals in mind. First, it seeks to create a standardized, concession-based system that applies equally to all eligible candidates, eliminating unequal financial burdens that could disadvantage smaller or underfunded political groups. Second, the policy aims to strengthen overall democratic participation by lowering the operational costs of running for office, making campaigns more accessible to a wider range of candidates. Third, the tax waiver is intended to reinforce transparency and guarantee equitable treatment for every registered political party and independent candidate participating in the election.
The Parliamentary Elections Office has publicly expressed its support for the new policy, and has called on all eligible political actors to take full advantage of the cost-saving opportunity as they prepare for the upcoming vote. This announcement comes as part of the election office’s ongoing preparations to administer a free, fair, and accessible electoral process for all Grenadian voters.
This report from NOW Grenada includes a standard disclaimer: the outlet is not liable for the opinions or content shared by contributing sources, and invites users to report any abusive content through official channels.