— Prime Minister Gaston Browne estimates that at least 80% of households in Antigua and Barbuda now own or have access to a motor vehicle, a development he attributes partly to government duty-free concessions.

Browne made the assessment during a discussion about reports that approximately 50,000 vehicles are operating in a country with a population of about 100,000.

After excluding children and some elderly residents who do not drive, the prime minister suggested that individual vehicle access could be as high as 80% to 90%.

He later narrowed his household estimate, saying that while not every family has a vehicle, “a very high percentage” does.

“I believe that perhaps at least 80% of our homes currently have access to a motor vehicle,” Browne said during his weekly radio programme.

The figure was presented as the prime minister’s estimate. He did not cite household survey results or official vehicle-ownership data confirming the percentage.

Browne said duty-free concessions introduced after his administration took office in 2014 were intended to make vehicles affordable to ordinary residents and distribute wealth more widely.

He rejected suggestions that the concessions were introduced primarily to attract votes, noting that the policy was not included in the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s 2014 election manifesto.

According to Browne, increased vehicle access has improved personal safety for workers who previously depended on buses or walked to work during the early morning.

He specifically referred to women travelling to hotels and other workplaces around 5 a.m. and argued that wider vehicle access contributed to a significant reduction in rape. He did not provide statistics establishing a direct link between the two developments.

The prime minister said owning a vehicle has also created economic opportunities for people such as domestic workers. Instead of serving one household because of transportation limitations, he said, some can now travel to two or three homes in a day and increase their income.

Browne described the vehicle concession programme as part of a broader government effort to expand personal wealth, housing and entrepreneurship.

While the number of vehicles indicates a high level of motorisation, the figures discussed did not establish how many vehicles are actively licensed, how many are owned by businesses or how many households have multiple vehicles.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Government Estimates 80% of Antigua and Barbuda Homes Have Access to a Vehicle.