Above: Prime Minister Gaston Browne. Photo by Allan Aflak.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has is set for “war” with telecommunications companies Digicel and Flow in the islands of Antigua and Barbuda.

Browne is upset that his government has not collected taxes under agreements in force between the government and the two companies.

The Antiguan Prime Minister promised a programme of tax holidays to spur investment and development in the islands after he took power four years ago.

In the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda today, Antigua Newsroom reports,

The prime minister told lawmakers that he foresees a legal battle developing over the issue but insisted that the companies must pay.

“If they want to go court let them go to court. For example, we have two telecommunication companies that would have entered agreements with the former administration that resulted in the exemption in the payment of taxes for a number of years.”

Full story here.