Skerrit discourages criticism that would ’cause harm’ to CBI

PM Skerrit

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has advised Dominicans to engage in discussions that would enhance the Citizenship By Investment (CBI) Program but never in a manner that would cause harm to it.

He was speaking during a signing ceremony between the Government of Dominica and Secret Bay Residences (SBR) held at Ti-Bay in Portsmouth earlier this week.

Skerrit said government has recognized the importance of the CBI to Dominica.

“Yes you may have questions. Yes, you may have reservations but let us do so in a constructive manner, in a manner which would enhance the discussion, enhance the programme but never in a manner that would cause harm to this very vital aspect of our economy and our development,” he said.

According to Skerrit, his government has continued to manage the CBI in a prudent manner and in a responsible manner, “because we recognize its importance and therefore we want to ensure that as far as the government is concerned, we will not take any action to cause any embarrassment to our country and to our programme and so by destroying it…”

He continued, “This is why there are many international publications that have recognized Dominica CBI as number one because of the level of management and professional management of our programme and we will continue to do so.”

Skerrit went on to say that his government is investing in projects like Secret Bay in order to  have something physically on the ground in Dominica, “ that can benefit the people of Dominica for generations to come.”

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50 Comments

  1. February 24, 2019

    I must say that I do agree with the majority of the contributors. My problem is with the obfuscation of the PM words. In any real democracy one has the3 right to express his opinion which however may not be factual. Nonetheless, would it not be prudent for the PM to let the nation know how many passports were sold each year, the revenue derived from the sales and most of all how the money was spent in Dominica. This my friend would be transparency. Then the only criticism would be how the monies were allocated and the individuals who hold Dominica’s passport. Where there is lack of transparency invites corruption. Doesn’t the PM suppose to be honest with those who put him in office to direct the affairs of the Country ? well, let’s ask the majority of Dominican about the CBI and how has Dominica benefitted from it then we can decide whether there is warranted criticism

  2. concerned guy
    February 24, 2019

    Where is the international airport, most other Caribbean countries, much smaller than Dominica have an international airport. Do the research, yet Dominica for all its improvements has not even broken ground on construction of an international airport. As a Dominican I cannot get a direct flight to Dominica. I may have to take two planes and a boat or overnight just to get home.

    • Bring back the kidnapped Dominican parrots
      February 24, 2019

      There will be an international airport around election time when 757 aircraft’s will be landing on air Skeritt with overseas voters from Florida and New York there will be more people voting than the whole population of 73,000.

  3. Bring back the kidnapped Dominican parrots
    February 24, 2019

    The next Dominican election must be monitored by the United Nations and OAS. There may be more people voting than the entire population of the island.

  4. Sisserou
    February 24, 2019

    Stop talking nonsense and give me my share of CBI money. Stop selling our country, stop destroying our rivers and tell the Chinese to do professional work

  5. PRO
    February 23, 2019

    Hmmmm :idea:

    A Leader who provides very vague details on his “Programs” … Then asks the population to not question its real purpose – questions which might actually criticize said programs shortcomings… which one would hope fuels REAL BIPARTISAN debates… in turn, perhaps ACTUALLY making this program better *coughs- Legal* .

    :roll: Sounds like the next totalitarian regime to me. :!: :!: :!: :!:

  6. Paul Rossnof
    February 23, 2019

    The PM would do very well and look in the mirror. What he sees there is without a doubt the main person that causes harm to the CBI program. This program, if made fairly exclusive and managed properly would be a good thing to help to develop Dominica. But in the hands of Skerrit no due diligence is being done, the program is badly administered and too many people get rich of the back of it. The Dominican CBI is shrouded in secrecy and that is another reason the program is condemned by most clear thinking citizens. All fingers are pointing at you, Skerrit

  7. kubulol
    February 23, 2019

    CBI programs usually permit money laundering and allow unhonest people to make their escape good from their country in case of ….!

  8. Bwa-Banday
    February 23, 2019

    Tick toc, tick toc, tick toc, tick toc…….you hear the clock of kool-peeyea (kick) out of office coming so you begging. Maduro never thought Chavisimo would come to and end but now he trembling. Just as his days are numbered so are yours. But I can assure you that you will have to give account for GIVING our passport monies to alleged thieves to build hotels and villas for themselves while we the people remain kra-na-nah (empty handed). Time is on our side because the good boy said what is in the dark will eventually come to light.

  9. shrewd
    February 22, 2019

    When the salesman of a product that he does not own, make’s more money than the product, something is awfully wrong with that, it’s worst than selling drugs. When a product is sold and the money received from the sale of that product is given to private individuals who then promises to employ the owner of the product, how much smarter can the owner of the product be. Dominicans, the money from the sale of the passport is yours.

    • Neville
      February 24, 2019

      Very well summed up. Everybody should understand the basics now…

  10. Rotten Teeth!
    February 22, 2019

    No one criticizes CBI. What most people criticize is those ROTTEN TEETH that causing the whole of Dominica to smell so badly and those people just hiding those rotten teeth with gold teeth. When you see them and their associates all you see is expensive gold covering their rotten teeth and somebody needs to pull out those rotten teeth ASAP.

  11. Sile Edwards
    February 22, 2019

    Please have all CBI Agents audited by the Auditor General’s office.

    Full disclosure is important….properly maintained records reflect…criminality

  12. February 22, 2019

    The statement made by the PM on surface appears to be a good one. However, the PM must explain how does one not criticize a program despite its good intention lacks transparency, accountability, and it appears there is flagrant abuse of the CBI resources. The PM should also advise on how Dominicans should respond to the international community on the number of unscrupulous individuals who have been arrested with a Dominican passport whether diplomatic or otherwise (no need to mention names). Please judge and identify the real culprits that have given rise to criticism of Dominica’s CBI program

  13. %
    February 22, 2019

    Stuppesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
    Who benefits from CBI?
    CBI has made less than 1% of the population filthy rich and the remaining majority are sucking salt .They have to crawl to a man with absolutely no love for the poor begging for money to buy bread, milk,sugar, flour,oil, ramen, back and neck, sazon, toloma,hawansor, etc… No empowerment to of the people to get them out of the begging and dependency syndrome.
    Criticizing the way the CB I programme is run is good .It has spawned these people: Ali Reza,Zibahalat Monfared, Alison Diazani Madueke,Frachesco Corallo,Alias Mr Wu Ng Lapseng and a plethora of others .Man go rest your lazy bones!GO!!! Alay!! Sorty La! Lazy! Wicked!
    Skerrit Must Go
    Skerrit Must Go
    LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now

  14. Channel 1
    February 22, 2019

    Mister AGAIN.

    Steeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuupppppppppppssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    NEXT!!!

  15. viewsexpressed
    February 22, 2019

    My dear Dominicans, please read these comical statement by your failed Skerrit: “According to Skerrit, his government has continued to manage the CBI in a: (stop there: really Skerrit? If so Skerrit where is all the money, who has benefited from it, certainly not our Dominican people?) Skerrit continues that its been done in: “……prudent manner and in a responsible manner, “because we recognize its importance… Stop there Skerrit, that is childish talk. One who may have some guilt and try to sweeten us, well be advised that we upstairs in particular know of states funds accountability, so where is all this money sir? So Skerrit continues and says in an embarrassing way that: “..and therefore we want to ensure that as far as the government is concerned, we will not take any action to cause any embarrassment (OH My God, I suspect something there. My people read between the lines) to our country and our programme and so by destroying it” You already destroy & stain our Domininca…

  16. Bring back the kidnapped Dominican parrots
    February 22, 2019

    Yours truly your Prime Minister show show full accounting for the millions he has collected for over 15 years from the C B I program. The money is not in the treasury, he should open his overseas bank accounts for full accounting by INTERPOL to see how much of those millions he has put into his personal overseas bank accounts and how did he pay for his house in Florida. An investigation should be conducted by the Florida Attorney Generals office, property tax office and local authorities in the county where his house is located in Florida. The money does not belong to yours truly it belongs to the people of Dominica and it is not accounted for. He once said at a town hall meeting it is none of your damn business.

  17. viewsexpressed
    February 22, 2019

    This man is one big Joker you know and is in denial, appears to operate and function like a blind bat. “Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has advised Dominicans to engage in discussions that would enhance the Citizenship By Investment (CBI) Program but never in a manner that would cause harm to it.
    “advised Dominicans to engage in discussions that would enhance….” Skerrit you serious to advise we the people of “behaviour in public.?” Have you set this example, if yes, tell where and when? You out there with your funny acolytes who harass people daily because they say “Skerrit has failed us, he must go…..Go mind your funky business and leave us alone”. You pt us and kept us in poverty that we climb the stairs of the Financial Centre to come to you “Failed Big Daddy, put your hands out and you give us some cash” Whose cash is it Skerrit, yours or state and who authorised you to do so? Them civil servants upstairs and in audit really Skerr-it of you. We need an audit of this…

  18. LaPlaine Observer
    February 22, 2019

    This project is just an extension of Skerritt’s personal investments, while the CBI program has been an embarrassment to Dominica and after so many years since its inception, the DLP has nothing to show for it other than their RED CLINIC that continues to bribe the less fortunate as a quid pro quo scam.

    • Galileo
      February 23, 2019

      This is the point at which you UWP apologists loose the interest of intelligent people with clarity of thought. At one point the government is lazy and lacks any innovative ideas (which is a fact) and all they depend on for every project is the CBI. Now you say there is nothing to show but the red clinic. Since in reality and logical thinking it can’t be both at once which then is it?
      Your leader had a good outing this week. Please don’t mess it up.

      • viewsexpressed
        February 25, 2019

        Galileo, come again and read and comprehend the bigger picture that we are concerned about. It is clear with much clarity that Dominica has not developed over past 18 years. Is this too difficult for you to comprehend. Where have you been all these years? Have you not been tuned to Dominica over these corrupt years of this incompetent Bobol Labour government led by the worse and most incompetent Prime (Odd) Minister Skerrit, Dominica has ever had?
        We need change, we need professional, dedicated, honest people to govern our Dominica. We need to get rid of Labour Skerrit Bobol insulting our poor people through the Red Clinic, couriers delivering cash, Bin and Fertilizer Bobols and the disappearance of our agriculture sector that Skerrit as Odd Minister has failed to understand and comprehend that has failed us. Skerrit, please get lost, take your incompetent minister and blind acolytes with you and go. Go meet Astaphan in Miami. We need this honest UWP A Team under Hon Lennox Linton.

  19. LifeandDeath
    February 22, 2019

    Skerrit messed up the CBI big time, and he knows it..He feels it but he’s not capable of handling the blame for anything that goes awry. And I think that has been the biggest threat to good governance over the last 15 years.
    No accountability, the attitude of being bigger than the masses, no answer of pertinent questions concerning the people etc. But it has to be a high level of hypocrisy to then turnaround and ask the same ppl to defend a program that they have been asking questions about with no answer.
    There will be a lot to correct after DLP gets out my friends, the UWP may be overwhelmed but the nation must be patient and work together to move Dominica forward.
    This man has run the CBI like his personal shop for 15 years. Now he asks us, the poor peasants, many of who have never felt the wave of CBI money to defend it from criticism..The real Criticism is at the Management of the CBI, not necessarily at the CBI itself. He knows, but he can’t take CRITICISM..#sadman

  20. Shaka Zulu
    February 22, 2019

    We will gladly stop being critical when men like nanthan acounts are investigated along with all the other passport sellers. When the control of funds for CBI is under the advise of treasury department, and uae of these funds approved by parliament, when you can confirm under oath that passport funds were not used for political party campaign and advance party activities. I will gladly stop when there is an annual audit of the CBI program by CDB or a caricom appointed audit agency the result of which must be made public. Publish the list of all passport holders. Only then will i not be critical. The way it is handled now is no different from how drug dealers or people selling countryban operates.

  21. jamie
    February 22, 2019

    Skerrit that’s for the fools that continue to drink your juice,Honestly how many hotels have you open in the last 18 years and how many are employed?Give me a break dude,your time is up.all of a sudden your coming with all your so call bogus empty promises.

  22. Ibo France
    February 22, 2019

    This was an opportune time for full disclosure about the CBI program. The passport is a public assets. All monies made from the sale of Dominican passports should be made known to the Dominican public. Why should the number of passports that have been sold to foreigners, the money accumulated from the sale of the said passports, remain shrouded in complete secrecy? This gives credence to the claims of corruption. If there is nothing to hide then be transparent. Opaqueness in government is a sure sign of corruption. Most Dominicans I assume support the CBI program, it is the manner in which it is managed generwtes most of the negative criticisms, rightfully so. The people want to see statistics, financial records, proper accounting of this financial juggernaut before giving it the all clear. Come clean.

  23. Truth Be Told
    February 22, 2019

    The biggest harm to Dominica and the CBI Programme is you Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit! Your lack of honesty, accountability, probity, prudence, due diligence, judicious sensitivity, and your downright crassness and dishonest criminal tendencies, have harmed Dominica big time, most internationally, regionally and locally!

  24. Ya Boy
    February 22, 2019

    as if i find SKERRIT get small eh…. :-|

    • %
      February 22, 2019

      Afraid he is afraid!!!
      All the leaders who are as wicked as he is,are cowards!!!!
      Skerrit Must Go
      Skerrit Must Go
      LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now

  25. JBaptiste
    February 22, 2019

    An economy built on foreign aid and a CBI program.
    Secret Bay?? Making the rich richer and the poor poorer..and ofcourse kick backs.
    The legacy of the best leader in the region. smh

  26. Local Investor
    February 22, 2019

    You need to change the statement to “that can benefit “SOME OF” the people of Dominica for generations to come.”

    • Dominican
      February 23, 2019

      You have a point here. I am a Dominican, who did not purchase his citizenship through the CBI programme. On the various occasions I have enquired how I could benefit from an investment in any of the CBI projects I was told that these opportunities are only open to foreigners, who obtain Dominican citizenship by direct investment through our CBI scheme. The Answer would appear to be that native Born Dominicans are excluded. If my interpretation is wrong I would welcome a clear, unequivocal explanation from the Prime Minister’s Office.

  27. Neville
    February 22, 2019

    Skerrit, the CBI scheme is not benefiting the ordinary Dominican but rather yourself, your ministers, the agents and now some private developers. You can not fool us no more. Show us the CBI accounts and tells us where your private wealth originates from.

  28. RandyX
    February 22, 2019

    Skerrit, you are absolutely right that we have reservations about the CBI program and guess what the reasons are that we have reservations:
    1. You refuse to present audited accounts
    2. You refuse to tell us how many passports have been sold
    3. You refuse to tell us what share the state of DA has in all those developments that have benefited from the CBI
    I believe these are valid questions that the citizens should ask and any decent PM would answer those questions unless of course he has something to hide.
    The other reason we are skeptical and perhaps the PM could enlighten us WHY D. Douglas FROM ST. Kitts is in possession of a Dominican diplomatic passport, who issued him with the passport and how much did Douglas pay for said passport. Come on Skerrit here is your chance to come clean!

  29. Rat Race
    February 22, 2019

    It’s the way the CBI program is currently being managed that is causing harm.
    The management not only causing harm to the local economy but it’s also causing harm to the citizens.

    My question is what if these CBI Customers that are now citizens whom have millions of dollars, buy most of the residential land and start squeezing the poor original Dominican citizens through real estate?
    What happens now?

    Is a good thing i have my piece of this paradise but its turning into a Pimpers Paradise

    • Bring back the kidnapped Dominican parrots
      February 22, 2019

      The only people who should be allowed to buy land on Dominica should be people born on Dominican soil. And they should not be allowed to buy it for foreigners, if they do they should forfeit the land back to the original owners.

      • Dominican
        February 23, 2019

        You have a point here. I am a Dominican, who did not purchase his citizenship through the CBI programme. On the various occasions I have enquired how I could benefit from an investment in any of the CBI projects I was told that these opportunities are only open to foreigners, who obtain Dominican citizenship by direct investment through our CBI scheme. The Answer would appear to be that native Born Dominicans are excluded. If my interpretation is wrong I would welcome a clear, unequivocal explanation from the Prime Minister’s Office.

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        February 23, 2019

        That is a very foolish idea! In the late 1950’s/1960’s that is precisely what the labor government led by E O Leblanc did; the prevented white people from owning land in the country. They even chase all the large Estate owners out of the country and divided land (sell the land to the local people.

        They even cause a British company L. Rose & Co to leave the country, a company which bought our lime grapefruit, oranges, vanilla  and cinnamon and nutmeg, and ship to England.

        After L. Ross & Company left all of our citrous remained unsold. The labor party cased every white face from the when they craved political power, not understanding political power without economic power is no power at all; they not eve allow native black West Indians to own land in Dominica.

        A Jamaican married to a cousin in Wesley he bought in the Village was taken from him. A Antiguan Walter bought land in Picard cultivated, taken from him.

        Nevertheless, Dominican own Antigua!

  30. Ma Moe
    February 22, 2019

    It boggles the mind to think that Dominicans do not know how many passports have been sold or how much money have been collected. It is impossible to know if money has been misappropriated. Please come clean. This is coming from a labour party supporter.

    • February 22, 2019

      To: Ma Moe

      Hello and good afternoon my people. The Prime Minister is also the Finance Minister therefore he counts the country funds and he refused to have any outside financial firm like , Moody’s or Fitch accounting to come in and conduct an audit.

  31. Floridian Diaspora
    February 22, 2019

    More and more we can observe that CBI actually menas citizenship by income and not citizenship by investment. Tons of diplomatic passports handed out, how much investment have we gotten in return?

  32. viewsexpressed
    February 22, 2019

    No One trusts Skerrit. He and his failed DLP Team must get out of government. The damage has been enough. We need Domininca to be in the safe hands of trusted people, trusted politicians, trusted servants of the people and not buying loyalty from poor people by giving out Red Clinic money. That is open Bool, corruption, Fraudulent behaviour. We need to have in office as Prime Minister Hon. Lennox Linton and his professional competent, trusted UWP Team. A great UWP Team. Keep up the good work Team UWP.
    Skerrit has been this failure with his blind, immature questionable loyalists, we now need change and it must come.

  33. weh
    February 22, 2019

    If the govt would be more open and transparent about CBI than there would be less criticism about it.

  34. dissident
    February 22, 2019

    Secret Bay is a private development!!!!!!!
    who gave de minister of finance authority to put all that CBI money in a private development?????what do we de people get back for that!!!!!!

    • belle
      February 22, 2019

      jobs work like dah

      • Lord help us
        February 22, 2019

        For minimum wage so low you cant afford to bring a used car on island to get yourself to that same job on time, is buy used …used car that barely running well because of the poor roads? oh please tell me you are not serious.

  35. FED UP
    February 22, 2019

    What a load of crap. Tell us how much money has the CBI programme made since inception? Has the programme ever been audited? Is this what we are relying on for our economical development? This???? We have no real industry. Anything we had is now dead – we import everything.

    The people of Dominica want a full accounting of this programme and the funds it has generated. SHOW US THE MONEY!!!!!

  36. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    February 22, 2019

    Roosevelt, in the event there was a citizenship By Investment program in Dominica people like me would support it.

    This is how that is legally conducted: Citizenship-by-investment enables individuals to acquire an additional citizenship by making an exceptional economic contribution to another country. This can be done by successfully completing a citizenship-by-investment program commonly  referred to as immigrant investor program.

    The way that is done in Europe and the United States, one have to deposit  a certain amount of money in a bank start a business which must employ a minimum of 25 people, once the business starts operating citizenship is granted to the investors.

    No money is exchange to obtain a passport; it is not about the sale of an American passport, or a European passport. That program commenced in Ireland around 1962 when citizenship was granted to foreigners with plenty of money who was invited into Ireland to invest in economically depressed places creating…

  37. Da
    February 22, 2019

    Elections are on 7 May 2019.

  38. Mahaut
    February 22, 2019

    You Skerroo is the main leader in Mapwee , so you first have to apologize , then wheel ad come again if you want us to take you serious, All along you have been a joker so now that your back is against the wall you want to even want to tell us how and when criticize ! No we will not listen to you anymore . Pack your bags and go meet Tony in Antigua.
    Dominicans are fed-up with Skerroo’s made-up DLP .

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