CASTRIES – Cabinet has appointed a task force to determine whether Saint Lucia, should establish an Economic Citizenship Programme.
In the 2014 Throne Speech, Her Excellency, Dame Pearlette Louisy, Governor General of Saint Lucia announced that Government would begin to examine the question whether Saint Lucia should establish an Economic Citizenship Programme as a new area of investment. Her Excellency announced that a Task Force consisting of persons from various sectors would be appointed to review and consult and advise Cabinet on the desirability of establishing such a programme.
The Governor General said, “The time has arrived for us to examine the case for defining and broadening the framework under which citizenship might be offered as part of investing in Saint Lucia; and if we should think that it is a viable option, then under what circumstances we should do so.
Her Excellency indicated that the Task Force will comprise, “persons from various sectors including the Opposition, the private sector, the trade unions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to examine the programmes of other countries and to make recommendations for the consideration of Cabinet. It is my Government’s hope that this matter will be addressed with urgency during the current parliamentary year.”
Consistent with this announcement, Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Kenny D. Anthony wrote to the Leader of the Opposition, inviting the Opposition to name a representative to the proposed Task Force. The Leader of the Opposition recommended Mr. Nicholas John as the opposition’s representative.
On August 4, 2014, Cabinet approved the following persons to serve on the Economic Citizenship Task Force: Dr. Vaughan Lewis, Foreign Policy Advisor (Chairperson); McHale Andrew, CEO Invest Saint Lucia; Brenda Williams, Accountant/Auditor (BDO); George Goddard, Trade Unionist; Timothy Ferdinand, President, National Youth Council; George Deterville, Director of Security, Ministry of the Public Service, Information and Broadcasting; Larry Basham, US Attorney; and Nicholas John, nominee of the Leader of the Opposition.
Cabinet agreed that the Task Force should submit a report to the Office of the Prime Minister by December 1, 2014.
You better execute that program. All the develop countires are doing it. You don’t want to be left behind.
I yearn for the day when good governance such as that demonstrated by the St. Lucian government, will return to Dominica…..
I’m afraid that St. Lucia’s proposed scheme will be hampered by the same restrictions as that of Dominica. That is that St. Lucia passport holders, like those of Dominica do not have visa free access to EU countries (except the U.K. and Ireland).
Citizens of Antigua & Barbados, and those of St. Kitts and Nevis on the other hand, do not have such restrictions, which makes their passports more desirable. Unless St. Lucia gets the integrity of its passport re-established, they will have to compete on price with Dominica putting pressure on our own scheme.
You forgot the Schengen Agreement?
A very valid question but no, I did not forget the Schengen agreement. The U.K. and Ireland are not signatories to this and have their own requirements and rules with regard to which cities from which countries they give vis-free entry to.
Whereas someone with an Antigua & Barbuda passport, for example can enter Schengen countries visa-free, that privilege i not accorded to holders of Dominica passports.
Notwithstanding their intention, this will be no different than those already established in the other islands.
You have your money, sign here.
Please don’t just watch Dominica
They were not watching Dominica, they were watching Skerrit.
This is how bi partisan policies are done. I comment Dr Anthony for such transparency in this matter.
its good example to show how things done in the Caribbean and the rest of world. St.Lucia wants to attract foreign investment and forms task force. Main target group of such program are wealthy foreign investors. Now look on participants of the task force: none of them is a specialist in international immigration and none of them had any experience working with wealthy families from middle east, asia or europe. How are you going to implement right design of the product if you simply don’t know who are your potential clients. For example then Malta implemented similar program then Maltese government attracted international immigration specialists to ensure that Malta gives a product demanded by the clients…its weird but from the start you show that you are not interested in anything exempt money and entire citizenship program will be very volatile and subject to political fluctuations. St.Lucia program with such design will be subjected to internal political frictions and not be balanced between needs of international clients and political equilibrium..
That’s transparency. Very good St. Lucia. If only we could have done the same for our program…