A&B AMONG COUNTRIES WITH LOWEST TAX-TO-GDP RATIO IN LAC – ECLAC REPORT

New data released by the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean confirm Antigua and Barbuda has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the Latin America and Caribbean region.

The information is presented in the report released by ECLAC on Tuesday entitled, “Revenue Statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025.”

This ratio assesses the portion of a country’s Gross Domestic Product, or its total output of goods and services, which comes from tax revenue.

The data examine figures from 2023 and show Antigua and Barbuda had a ratio of 17.5 per cent.

This was the lowest in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union and among the lowest in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The average across the 26 countries examined the report was 21.3 per cent.

The highest ratios were seen in Brazil, with 32.0 per cent, Jamaica with 29.0 per cent and Barbados with 28.1 per cent.

The countries with the lowest ratios were Guyana, with 11.5 per cent, Panama with 11.9 per cent and Guatemala with 14.0 per cent.

The report says all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean were below the average in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development or OECD, where the average in 2023 was 33.9 per cent.

The Gaston Browne administration has repeatedly pointed to the country’s low tax-to-GDP ratio, which is well below the sub-regional average of 25 per cent.