In the Government Press Conference held on Monday, March 23rd, 2026, Premier and Minister of Finance the Honourable Cora Richardson-Hodge, assured the public that the cost-of-living issues which arise from the on-going war in the Middle East are being treated with “urgency, seriousness and care”.
In light of the war, the Government is carefully and actively reviewing a number of targeted measures aimed at cushioning possible cost-of-living pressures on households.
The Anguilla United Front administration is currently examining what is affordable and sustainable relative to the temporary removal of taxes currently applied on the importation of fuel, particularly as it concerns import duty, goods tax and customs service fees on LPG, diesel and gasoline.
“Premier Richardson-Hodge emphasized: “We are looking at the taxable basis on which fuel imports are assessed, particularly given that duties are applied on a “Cost Insurance Freight” or the CIF basis.”
“This is significant,” she said, “because where global freight costs increase, the taxable value on goods also increases, which can result in higher taxes being collected simply due to a rise in freight cost.” She said that there is a need to consider, therefore, whether – in the interim – the tax system should avoid compounding the external price shock particularly where increased freight costs will be pushing up the cost of goods.
“The intention is to assess whether there is scope for an adjustment to the base in order to remove the impact of freight increases on the quantum of taxes collected.” She noted that this measure will better protect consumers from imported inflationary pressures.
The Premier also noted that Government is examining the possibility of reducing the surcharge on electricity bills.
“We are also assessing options to offsetting possible increases to the fuel surcharge for households and other segments of the community, particularly where rising fuel costs may translate into additional pressure caused by surcharge increases on electricity bills and other essential living expenses.”
She noted, however, that at the same time Government will ensure that any measures it adopts will be targeted, fiscally affordable by Government, operationally workable, and capable of being implemented in a responsible and timely manner.
“We understand the concerns that rising global prices can create for households and businesses,” she said, “and and we want the public to know that these issue are being treated with urgency, seriousness and care.”
Meanwhile, it was announced late last week that Government had established a ceiling for gasoline prices on the island, setting approved nationwide rates. The maximum price for a gallon of regular gasoline is EC$16.29, whereas the maximum price for a gallon of premium gasoline is EC$17.02.
These prices were set following a two-day workshop involving technocrats from the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, officials from the Consumer Affairs Unit and the Procurement Department. The sessions were led by a team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to examine the key factors that influence fuel prices in Anguilla, as well as to make proposals for reforms to existing pricing formulas.
The Hon. Minister of Trade and Economic Development, Kyle Hodge, said that the maximum prices were set as part of the Government’s continued efforts to protect consumers and promote transparency in the fuel pricing structure.
By: James R. Harrigan
