President Ali Promises ‘Tax-Free’ Sanitary Items, but Critics Say the Law Already Zero-Rates Them
By Jayda Jeune | HGP Nightly News
Addressing a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPPC) rally on Sunday, President Irfaan Ali pledged to make sanitary items tax-free and introduce special incentives for single women-led households — but critics quickly pointed out that sanitary napkins and panty liners have been exempt from Value Added Tax (VAT) for years.
The president linked the promise to the First Lady’s “Ending Period Poverty” initiative, which provides a year’s supply of sanitary products to young women.
“We have to invest in our women because women are the bedrock of development,” Ali told supporters. “We are going to remove all taxes on sanitary supplies and other basic supplies.”
He also said the PPPC’s 2025 manifesto includes special tax incentives for households led by single women.
Public Pushback
Within hours of the announcement, social media lit up with reminders that sanitary products are already zero-rated under the 2017 Value Added Tax Act.
The legislation’s Schedule 1, Section 14 explicitly lists sanitary napkins or panty liners among items “zero-rated for the purposes of Section 17,” meaning no VAT is applied to their sale.
Critics argue the president’s statement misrepresented an existing legal provision as a new policy measure.
Despite the backlash, the PPPC maintains that its women’s health initiatives — including expanded access to sanitary products — are part of a broader commitment to improving quality of life for women nationwide.
