Business Environment

When the UPP Administration assumed office, it approached the task of promoting national economic development by pursuing specific policies to encourage private sector investment. These policies included reducing the corporate income tax rate, simplifying the tax system, implementing legislation to support small business development, and establishing the Antigua Barbuda Investment Authority (ABIA) Through ABIA fiscal incentives and tax concessions to local and foreign investors are streamlined. This facilitates and promotes private sector development and positions the private business sector to be the main engine of national economic development.

The result of all this is that under the UPP Antigua & Barbuda has become a premier place to do business, ranking second in the OECS and forty-second internationally out of 181 countries.

During its second term in Government the UPP will:

• Intensify its efforts to make Antigua & Barbuda a more attractive place to do business. Before the end of the term Antigua & Barbuda will become, by the International Finance Corporation’s ranking, the best country to do business in the OECS and be among the top 35 countries globally. The UPP Administration will therefore:
• Intensify the Customs renewal program to allow for online processing of customs clearance documents, electronic payment of customs charges and duties, and clearing of goods within 48 hours of their arrival in Antigua.
• Before the end of the term, implement electronic filing and payment of payroll taxes (social security, medical benefits, education levy, personal income
  tax), corporate income tax, and ABST.
• Expand the technical and vocational training programs offered at ABICE so that enterprises will find it easier to hire skilled workers.
• Enhance the capabilities of the Labour Department so that industrial relations matters can be dealt with more expeditiously.