Lawmakers have passed the Tax Administration and Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2025, legislation aimed at tightening property tax collection and giving government the authority to act against derelict and long-abandoned properties across Antigua and Barbuda.
The bill, which amends procedural sections of the Property Tax and Valuation Act, outlines the steps for enforcement when owners fail to pay taxes or neglect their properties for years. It was passed during Thursday’s sitting of the House of Representatives following a spirited debate that highlighted tensions between the need for urban renewal and protecting property rights.
St. John’s Rural South MP Daryll Matthew gave one of the most passionate defenses of the bill, describing it as a chance to transform neglected neighborhoods. He revealed that during a recent survey of his constituency, he counted 151 abandoned and derelict properties in the Lower Ottos area alone—many overrun by rodents, used for criminal activity, or left to decay by owners who have died or migrated.
“These properties have become havens for criminals and hotels for rodents,” Matthew said. “We have an opportunity to turn what is now decay into development — to turn a nuisance into something nice.”
He said the measure would allow government to remove eyesores and repurpose lands for community benefit, such as small parks, playgrounds, or housing. Matthew also proposed the creation of an escrow system to protect funds in case owners later reclaim their property and called for a possible waiver of stamp duties for those purchasing abandoned plots at auction.
“This bill is not about taking away land,” he said. “It’s about giving people who live near these derelict properties a chance to improve their surroundings and quality of life.”
Opposition MP Sherfield Bowen, representing St. Philip’s South, raised strong objections, calling parts of the bill “draconian.” He argued that the legislation could allow government to seize and sell property after just one missed property tax payment and that it lacked sufficient safeguards for ordinary citizens.
“I don’t find that to be fair,” Bowen said, proposing that before any sale occurs, there must be an official declaration of abandonment and at least five years of nonpayment. He urged that the government first attempt to clean and maintain properties—charging those costs to the land—before taking any enforcement action.
Bowen also recommended multiple written notices and a one-year grace period for owners to redeem their property after any sale. “We must protect people’s property that they have worked hard for,” he said. “This is Antigua and Barbuda, not Russia.”
St. Mary’s North MP Sir Molwyn Joseph countered Bowen’s concerns, insisting the government had a duty to protect communities from the health and safety risks posed by derelict buildings. He recounted examples of houses left empty for decades, overrun with rats and garbage, and argued that citizens also have a civic responsibility to maintain their properties.
“This country has to become serious and clean up the neighborhoods. There is no alternative,” Joseph said. “You can’t abandon your property for 20 years and expect government to cut your grass five times before doing something about it.”
He called for a national change in attitude toward community cleanliness and discipline, warning that neglect and littering were undermining the country’s beauty and public health. Joseph said the government’s goal was not punishment but partnership: “We are using the Defense Force, Solid Waste Authority, and the Department of Environment to clean up this country without apology.”
In closing the debate, Prime Minister Gaston Browne clarified that the bill does not empower government to act after short-term defaults. Instead, he said, it applies only after years of arrears and repeated efforts to contact the owner.
He explained that the law modernizes procedures under the Property Tax and Valuation Act to make collection more efficient while ensuring fairness and due process. Browne noted that primary homes are exempt from seizure and that all sales must follow valuation and public auction rules, with any surplus funds returned to the taxpayer within 30 days.
“We’re not seeking to put anybody out of their property,” the Prime Minister said. “But those who can afford to pay and don’t—we can’t allow dereliction to continue blighting our country.”
