The Price of Paradise: Ending the Southern “Island Tax”
My Response to the SVG Port Authority and the Shipping Crisis of 2026.
“Why does a bag of cement cost so much more in Clifton than in Kingstown?”
It’s not just geography—it’s bad policy. Our people are being double-taxed for living on their own ancestral land.
In March 2026, the SVG Port Authority continues to treat the Southern Grenadines as a colony rather than a partner. While Minister Montgomery Daniel speaks of “national infrastructure projects,” the residents of Union Island, Canouan, and Mayreau are being suffocated by landing fees and freight costs that Kingstown refuses to subsidize.
The Blue Highway Subsidy: Reclaiming Our Economy
Nkosi Stewart’s 2026 mandate moves beyond “monitoring prices.” We are proposing a radical restructuring of the logistics chain between our islands. We call it the **Blue Highway.**
- 50% Port-Fee Waiver: We will immediately slash landing fees for all essential goods—food, medicine, and Hurricane Beryl reconstruction materials—destined for Southern Grenadines ports.
- Vessel Fuel Rebates: We will subsidize diesel for registered inter-island cargo vessels like the MV Gem Star and MV Barracouda. This isn’t a gift to shipowners; it’s a legislated cost-saving that must be passed directly to the consumer.
- Direct Import Fast-Track: Ending the Kingstown bottleneck. We will establish a Customs and Excise “Fast-Track” hub in Union Island so businesses can clear direct imports without paying the “Kingstown handling tax.”
Done with the “Island Tax”?
It’s time for a leader who knows the cost of the freight because he’s stood on the dock.
Take the Pledge for Fairness