Prime Minister Gaston Browne has raised serious concerns about the conduct of some foreign construction companies operating in Antigua and Barbuda, alleging that certain firms are displacing local workers, underpaying imported labour, and avoiding taxes while profiting from the country's expanding luxury development sector.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne made the remarks during his weekly radio programme, stating that the government has grown increasingly concerned about the dominance of foreign entities in high-end construction and has directed authorities to investigate their operations.
"A number of foreign entities have entered into the construction space now, and they're literally dominating the luxury construction market," Browne said.
The prime minister alleged that some companies are importing workers at minimal wages while squeezing out employment opportunities for Antiguans and Barbudans. "My understanding is that they're bringing in extra resources—people—and in some instances paying them a pittance," he said. "They are displacing locals."
Browne further alleged that some firms are structuring their finances in ways that deprive the country of tax revenue. "Some of them, we are told, are not even paying the taxes," he said. "They charge the clients a particular amount and they have the money sent abroad."
The Inland Revenue Department has been tasked with examining whether contractors are accurately reporting earnings from major projects. "We have asked Inland Revenue to look into it and make sure they're paying a fair share of taxes," Browne said.
The prime minister warned that the government is prepared to pursue forensic audits and back taxes where warranted. "If we have to charge them back taxes, we'll do so," he said. "They may be getting away temporarily, but it's a matter of time before we look at the properties they would have built."
Browne said authorities would cross-reference reported revenues against the market value of completed developments to identify potential underreporting. "We know how much properties in Jumby Bay cost to build," he said. "We'll make a determination how much they would have earned and the taxes that they should have paid."
The prime minister also alleged that some contractors have imported excess construction materials and redirected them into the local market, a practice he said the government has moved to stop.
The comments come as the government continues to tighten work permit policies designed to ensure that job vacancies are offered to Antiguans and Barbudans before employers seek labour from abroad.
The allegations have not been substantiated publicly, and Browne did not name any specific companies during the broadcast.
