Linton says passport sales biggest revenue item in National Budget

Linton claims the gov't will be getting $200-million in the new financial year from passport sales
Linton claims the gov’t will be getting $200-million in the new financial year from passport sales

Opposition leader Lennox Linton is of the view that the biggest revenue item on the 2016/2017 National budget which will be presented on Tuesday [July 26] will be the sale of passports under the island’s Citizenship by Investment Program.

Linton also said $99-million was collected in the last fiscal year under the program and in this budget year, he claimed that the government says it will be getting $200-million

“The sale of passport becomes the biggest revenue item on the books, the biggest revenue item on the budget, at 35. 5 percent of the recurrent avenue of the state, the largest single revenue item is the sale of passports as per this budget,” Linton remarked on Q95’s the Hot Seat on Monday morning. “Two years ago passport revenue was 6 percent of the total recurrent revenue. It has grown six-fold to 35.5 percent of total recurrent revenue in the budget of 2016/2017. The question the public has is how are you going to do that if for the past two years you have been achieving $23-million and $99- million, how are you going to make the jump to $200-million when the environment is more competitive, and when even institutions like the IMF are telling you, this is a source of revenue that can could come to an abrupt end and there is uncertainty over it?”

Linton stated he wants to hear from the government what will happen if the program comes to a sudden end.

“We want to hear in the budget tomorrow with clarity from Mr. Skerrit, especially from the standpoint of the monetary council and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, what is being proposed to resolve this critical issue that could have devastating impact on the economy of Dominica, notwithstanding all the things that he will promise and talk about in the budget tomorrow. The solution now is what attracts our attention.”

Linton noted that there is a situation of unemployment in Dominica and it’s not improving.

“It doesn’t matter how much we talk about it, it doesn’t matter how many recommendations we make…,” he stated. “Thousands of young people still want jobs in Dominica and there is no reason why the situation cannot be improving.”

He stated that “all you hear from the government is excuses after excuses.”

Linton said the National Employment Programme (NEP) was supposed to improve the unemployment situation, “but it has not”.

“We have always said that the focus should be on sustainable jobs, so that you get the growth engines of the economy working,” he noted.

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36 Comments

  1. July 26, 2016

    Dawn what is your point

  2. word
    July 26, 2016

    Valid points.

  3. July 26, 2016

    I hope the gov’t is making sure that these passport sales will reproduce different species in order to ensure the future of the Dominican people.. It might be of fate to see 100 men taking the Dominican citizenship passport and overturn the gov’t followed by a civil war..we need factories of all sorts in order to produce and export what we produce..then we can import what we cannot produce in order to improve the economy ..it is a shame to know and experience that in the days of Miss Eugenia Charles Dominica was much more in advance than now,,politicians it is not only you and your family who wants to have an easy life,the public who are voting for you remember them ,their children and your surroundings…there is no growth in Dominica ,don’t just sit in the house of assembly and talk all day,we need action not talks..

  4. Daryl Joseph
    July 26, 2016

    Observing from far I finally get it the opposition is also clueless. Maybe that’s why folks just stick to what they have.
    In stead of waiting to hear what the PM has to say draft your own budget and make it transparent so the entire nation can see how you would create growth
    How these became leaders is mind boggling
    I love Dominica because my parents are from there but this is sad.

    • viewsexpressed
      July 27, 2016

      Daryl, I know alot of Joseph`s who speak clearly and do their research before they spwee nonesense.
      The issue of monitoring the passport sales and its revenue has been an ongoing concern and debate for Hon Linton and the UWP now for years. Where have you been? There is a thing in politics call pre-emptive strike, but I believe your quick supposedly analysis is immature and groundless.

      Wait on the budget response that you are educated.

  5. Young Science
    July 26, 2016

    Tht’s why I cannot vote UWP..Lennox Linton is like a clueless Donald Trump without the swag and the money.
    How could the sale of passport end? boy stop fooling people and talk like a man and not a reporter for once.

    Alot of times I listen to you with my IPAD so I can google all the stuff you talk about and its always the same stupidness..what have you said or done that have made any Dominican better?. You stay on the news and run your mouth and talking a set of dumb stuff.

    The NEP is a good program that it cannot be the only program.so much people lives has changed but you find to come and say “but it has not”.You are a fool for saying that.
    NEP is the best job idea that came out of any government since Mamo.

    Econ. Citizenship program have been on the CONSTITUITON since 1993 it has never made us money at 6%.

    Now because of Skeritt Dream it now has seen growth of 100million dollars and still more room for profit..I read your words differently I think that was damn good…

    • Concern citizen
      July 26, 2016

      Young Science,
      That’s not why U are not voting UWP. U have your own agenda and that’s it
      If after all what is going on U are still into SKERRIT what can make U change ur mind, U have not heard enough, what more do U want to hear / see
      D/ca is the most under develop country in the CARIBBEAN while YOUR PM. is the richest in the Caribbean and people are sucking salt in D/ca U are not ashamed?

    • viewsexpressed
      July 27, 2016

      Rubbish, there are no other initiatives being taken to develop Dominica and gain revenue. The country is poorer, more poverty and you talking as if we have just found a gold mine.
      The skerro economics is doctored and NOT sustainable

      Stop being a blaming idiot and focus on bigger the picture…..Hon Linton is not the issue,
      Where are the hotels, airport, tourism et that generates employment rather relying on a immature political clown to give people handout. I suggest up go to Venezuela for three weeks and do a case review as why it has now became a failed state while Dominica is a begging bowl waiting to burst.

  6. Linton stated he wants to hear from the government what will happen if the program comes to a sudden end.–News Article

    Mr. Linton Sir nothing in this world lasts forever. Your responsibility is to worry about the present; do you best to build for the future, you sound a lot like you are trying to destroy what is today, as you advocate gloom and doom for tomorrow.

    For example it is not clear what you are saying pertaining to the \”Citizenship by Investment Program\”; what is that you want clarified; are you saying that this program should immediately be terminated because you think it is a fragile program? What happens it you are wrong.

    You need to stop exaggerating and to get rid of that extreme, negative stance, which you maintain–this kind if attitude is not good for the role which you now hold.

    This role needs someone who is positive and energetic with a lot of wit and charisma–you demonstrate none of those traits.

    • Linton noted that there is a situation of unemployment in Dominica and it’s not improving–News Article

      There is no place in the world where there is not an \”unemployment situation\” that doesn\’t improve. It is not good for the economy, but Dominica is not alone.

      What is worse is that Dominicans maintain the notion that all jobs should be from the Government–if that was so, where would revenue come from, when all the Government would be doing is taking back the money they pay to workers through taxation?

      So then job creation should come largely from the private sector; people like you should have a business that employs a large number of people, for example.

      Places like that Abattoir should be privately owned, with their own farms to raise the livestock, employing people to do this work. The Abattoir should not be importing chicken and pigs for the process of their meat –the Government cannot own and manage every business in Dominica

  7. Afewmakingmillions
    July 25, 2016

    The Passport selling scheme benefits only those involved in the selling of our passports. Citizen-By-Investment programme is a misnomer because for all those decades selling our passports, somebody show us Dominicans the investments from those sales. Where have all those millions gone? To the Bank accounts of a few?

    The ordinary Dominican continue to catch hell. Their standards of living have gone down, down. Agriculture dead, manufacturing dead, tourism languishing, health care chaos. Many people face the high costs of living. Geothermal Project on hold, energy cost still very high? Coffee plant on hold? Petro Caribe has not made fuel cheaper nor has it brought down the cost of electricity.

    Imagine NJ Lap Seng, Rudolph King, Corallo, Susan Olde, Leroy Parris former boss of CLICO, former Nigerian Minister arrested for fraud and many others that Dominicans do not know, received our diplomatic passport. How much did they pay? Who in jail, who was arrested?

    • viewsexpressed
      July 27, 2016

      Please, go try to educate those ignoramous views above. Thanks for this.

      Get to go drive over Domiica and see the poverty that has escalate in the past 10 years. These people fly about like blind bats.

  8. Hamil
    July 25, 2016

    Very well said Linton, but you guys are all the same. if you were in PM shoes you would do the same or worst.Personally I have decided that the only one a person can trust us God. Politicians are the greatest liars.

  9. July 25, 2016

    This Govt. has run short of Ideas. If they were not bankrupt of Ideas, the sale of passports would not be the main revenue earner. Time has really prove that this Govt. is incompetent and is only interested to hold on to power at any cot and by any means necessary . 8) 8)

    • @silver bird July 25, 2016

      And the Opposition is not helping by simply criticizing every measure for development, which is initiated.

  10. July 25, 2016

    Not supprised, passport is our main export, our only export

  11. woodants
    July 25, 2016

    wish their would come a day when the sales are slowed down and the govt is unable to pay salaries,….that’s how those foolish dcans will see that medium isn’t sustainable AT ALL.

    See how backward the PM is going to CARICOM and speaking foolishness about selling passport, thus some of the leaders are in shock, does DA PM have a brain, why not speak on a water development program to help the other islands and also some countries that’s what a leader in any civilized island would be thinking…

    but dominica is know around the globe as the fools paradise…

  12. Pinto Ziang (Economic Passport Holder)
    July 25, 2016

    Here are some ideas for revenue raising for our country:-

    1) Passports

    Like many things these days, all passports should have a monthly administration fee. Say USD20 per month x 100,000 plus passports, you are looking at: USD2 million monthly = USD24 million annually.

    2) Citizenship Renewals

    Dominicans away from the country for more than 1 year when re-assuming residency should be required to pay a citizen renewal fee equivalent to a percentage of their non-contributed social security payments in their absence. If they don’t pay it, then no social services/ health care etc. are free/ discounted;

    3) Emergency Fund/ Nature

    As Dominica becomes more and more susceptible to natural disasters, each Dominica citizen should contribute towards an Emergency Fund. Their contributions go towards a national insurance scheme which compensates each and every contributor for losses in the event of a natural emergency. Say USD10 per month for all citizens?

    • Marigottian
      July 26, 2016

      This is the kind of brainstorming and new fresh ideas we need . but yet again boubou lamere some of us will find wrong….I wonder where they find us????????????????

    • viewsexpressed
      July 27, 2016

      Which Dominicans are you referring to? There is no employment, where is the money coming from, which Dominicans are yo referring to, the Ministers sitting there in cabinet like moo moo. I suspect yo are not touhed to Dominicans political and economical landscape. Please come again, that view is for China.
      the soluton?….Kick Skerrit out of government.

  13. The Believer
    July 25, 2016

    what seems to be the trouble with passport! you apply for a passport and you pay a fee, France does it ,usa does it ,London does it, so why has it got to be free in Dominica, free ,take take, if you want a pair of shoe you must pay, the natives pay to get a passport in Dominica so why has it got to be free for overseas people.

  14. Hmm
    July 25, 2016

    If Donald Trump gets elected in the US and makes good on his promise of blocking citizens of “certain” countries from entering the US, then the value of the Dominica passport will grow, as individuals with financial means from these (“certain”) countries will seek other passports to allow them easy entry into the US to continue to conduct their business affairs. It may not be unreasonable to think that the government could achieve 200 million in revenues under such circumstances.

    • Anansi
      July 26, 2016

      Dummy if Trump wins and an increasing number of undesirables hold our passports, we may find ourselves eventually out of the passport selling business.

  15. Arte El Labore
    July 25, 2016

    Linton, Stop talking rubbish and do something constructive to help young people or is that to hard for you to do, go on do something positive for once in your life.

    • %
      July 25, 2016

      I thought you would ask your government to do something to help young people….Your government is collecting taxes including VAT,selling our passports to people we do not know,they had Venezuela and China helping them,,but you are such a twisted mind that you are asking HONOURABLE Linton to help the youth?What you must do is to put his party in office next time…I am sure that he would be pleased to help you and the other young people!!

      • Arte El Labore
        July 26, 2016

        % I have no time for people like you and your crap, whenever the Government sells passports it goes towards helping ahole like you it isn’t going in the Government pockets.

    • July 25, 2016

      Fools like you cant see the constructive in what he says, he is alerting Dominicans of the dangers in the way Skerrit is selling our passport, left, right and center without any investment to show for them

  16. Destined to win
    July 25, 2016

    I think something really serious needs to be done to create jobs for our young people in this country. The government need to think hard about the future of our youth.

  17. lol
    July 25, 2016

    The Government will do it because you Mr Linton is not the prime minister, you have a history of failure, and has been fired on every job. on the other hand the prime minister always deliver. just say amen sir.

    • July 25, 2016

      16 years of Skerrit and the DLP, can you name ONE iniative that created ONE job, skerrit delivered

      • Arte El Labore
        July 26, 2016

        Langpatat, you are stupid and blind this is why you can’t see fools like you that is why the black man and woman is still in chains fool fool go way.

  18. %
    July 25, 2016

    WELL SAID Honourable Linton…I wonder why during the election year,this CBI programme brought in so little to the country…Time will tell,because we are not ALL idiots!!WE MUST KNOW WHY ONE GOOD DAY!!!””The wheels of justice turns slow,but it turns all the same”

    • KID ON THE BLOCK
      July 26, 2016

      %, what was well said? Only an a****** like you will acknowledge such gabbage…Get a life and go and try to comprehend reality!

  19. July 25, 2016

    Linton ou té ka dořmi ou lèvè eh ben weh mè dèbar

    • @Popam July 25, 2016

      You sound funny! But your humor brought me to observe that it really seem as if Linton is still asleep in that photo. He really does need to get off that \”arm chair\”, which he may be sitting on,, as the Leader of the Opposition. Lol!

  20. Dawn
    July 25, 2016

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