Prime Minister Gaston Browne has rejected claims by Opposition MP Sherfield Bowen that the Tax Administration and Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2025 is “draconian,” insisting the legislation is designed to improve tax compliance and address derelict properties—not to take people’s homes.
Speaking during Thursday’s parliamentary debate, Browne said the bill provides a fair and transparent framework for dealing with chronic tax defaulters and abandoned lands that have become health and safety hazards across Antigua and Barbuda.
“We’re not seeking to put anybody out of their property,” Browne told the House. “But those who can afford to pay and don’t — we can’t allow dereliction to continue blighting our country.”
The Prime Minister explained that the amendment does not replace the Property Tax and Valuation Act, but instead modernizes procedures for enforcement. He noted that while the Opposition portrayed the law as heavy-handed, it simply ensures that property taxes—vital to local development—are collected efficiently and fairly.
Browne clarified that primary residences are exempt from levy under the Act, and that the government is focused on properties that have been left abandoned for years. He emphasized that the law includes safeguards for taxpayers, such as proper valuation, notice periods, and refund provisions for any excess funds from property sales.
He also addressed the Opposition’s interpretation of the 30-day payment clause, saying it applies only after repeated nonpayment over several years. “It’s not a case where someone misses one payment and loses their home,” Browne said. “There are multiple stages of notice and engagement before any action is taken.”
The Prime Minister added that the six-year limitation period ensures that no old or dormant tax debts can be unfairly enforced, aligning Antigua and Barbuda’s tax laws with modern international standards.
Browne argued that tackling derelict properties is both an economic and social priority, as neglected lots attract illegal dumping, pests, and criminal activity. “Practically one in every three homes in some constituencies are derelict,” he said, echoing earlier comments by other government MPs.
The bill was passed later in the session with government support, following an afternoon of heated exchanges between government and opposition benches over property rights, community renewal, and public accountability.
