Prime Minister Gaston Browne says his government will take steps to keep fuel prices stable in Antigua and Barbuda despite rising global energy costs linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

Speaking on his weekly radio programme on Pointe FM on March 14, Browne said the government intends to maintain the current prices of EC$14.25 per gallon of diesel and EC$14.50 for gasoline (EC$2.70 = US$1), even as neighbouring islands contemplate price increases.

He explained that many countries in the region operate a pricing mechanism that allows fuel costs to rise automatically when international prices increase.

He described as misleading comments that the government is trying to squeeze citizens by increasing taxes on fuel.

“So this notion that we have been fleecing the people, totally untrue,” Browne said.

“We’ve been very responsible in what we’ve done. We’ve brought predictability and stability in the pricing.”

The Prime Minister added that the government has reduced the amount of consumption tax collected on fuel in order to prevent increases being passed on to consumers.

“Even now when our profit margin would have reduced significantly…we have decided to take less taxes to maintain the stability of the pricing,” Browne said.

He noted that the government adopted a similar approach during the war in Ukraine, when global fuel prices surged.

However, Browne acknowledged that if international fuel prices continue to rise for a prolonged period, the government may eventually have to pass on some of the increases.

“But certainly up to this point, our government is committed to continue to subsidise the prices by reducing the amount that we collect for the consumption tax,” he said.

Data presented during the programme indicated that Antigua and Barbuda’s fuel prices are not among the highest in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union.

In January 2026, Antigua and Barbuda had the fourth-highest price for gasoline compared with its Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States neighbours. Saint Lucia recorded the highest price at EC$16 per gallon, while Grenada had the lowest at EC$13.49.

For diesel, Antigua and Barbuda also had the fourth-highest price in the region. Anguilla recorded the highest price at EC$17.76, while Grenada again had the lowest at EC$12.35.

The country also ranked among the cheapest in the region for cooking gas. A 20-pound cylinder costs EC$32, the second lowest price behind Saint Kitts and Nevis at EC$30, while Anguilla recorded the highest price at EC$56.48.

For 100-pound cylinders, Antigua and Barbuda had the second lowest price at EC$155, compared with EC$140 in Saint Kitts and Nevis and EC$238.85 in Anguilla.