OECS countries with CBI Programs take joint actions to address EU concerns

Dominica E-passports

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced that countries within the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) with Citizenship By Investment (CBI) Programs have agreed to take joint actions to address concerns raised by the European Union and other partners.

He made the announcement during a recently held press briefing.

“We have been in touch with the EU, as you know earlier this year in January the EU delegation came here, the head of the visa policy units of the European Union to engage us in discussion,” Skerrit said. “And as you are aware Dominica has taken some very comprehensive measures to allay and to set aside the concerns of the European Union and other partners we are engaging on this matter.”

He continued, “The countries within the OECS who have these programs they have met jointly and have agreed to take some joint action, some of which will be not limited to, but include having the same legislation to deal with our programs to ensure that the application forms are uniformed, to ensure that all our due diligence processes are the same, to ensure that there is more sharing of information among ourselves in regards to the program and also looking at setting a minimum price structure for our programs, so that nobody were to go below a particular fixed rate.”

Skerrit added, “All of these things we have negotiated among ourselves.”

Dominica has joined forces with three other countries in the Caribbean to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which is aimed at strengthening their CBI Program.

The four countries are Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda, St Kitts & Nevis and Grenada.

The signing of the MOU, which was dated March 20, 2024, was praised by Prime Minister of St Kitts & Nevis, Dr. Terrance Drew to assure the international community that the four countries intend to operate their CBI programs using the exchange of best practices, due diligence processes, and intelligence related to potential security or compliance risks.

Dr Drew said that the countries are committed to increasing the minimum threshold of their CBI Program to at least US$200,000 no later than June 30, 2024. According to dominicacitizenshipbyinvestment.com, a Dominican passport can be obtained for US$100,000.

“I believe this agreement puts all of us in a much stronger position in terms of our response to the concerns which the EU would have raised,” Prime Minister Skerrit indicated. “Other concerns which the EU would have had for example, the change of names, in Dominica’s case we have dramatically dealt with this.”

He described the process as an evolving one.

“We are not indifferent to the concerns raised by the European Union, but we are satisfied and confident that we have taken the necessary actions in response to the concerns raised by the European Union,” he stated.

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6 Comments

  1. Avoid Tyranny
    March 28, 2024

    I didn’t know what corruption was all about. But since I’ve lived long enough and well I’ve learned many things. I now know what corruption entails and brother, it’s not a pleasant thing. Corruption encapsulates all evil known to man and far beyond imagination. When any head of state is deemed to be and is indeed corrupt, then 90% of the population will suffer and remain in extreme poverty for the duration of the reign of such ruler and long after he/she is no more. Good example is Haiti. Many fools blame the US and other developed countries but without any real facts and evidence. Those corrupt leaders of Haiti are the ones who have brought Haiti to its knees; and Dominica is now hastily heading to the maze of no return. So crime will be the order of the day – All types of crimes which we have not seen or heard of. Haiti is now; so how can we the people of Dominica prevent this from happening in our country?

  2. dissident
    March 28, 2024

    But you can no longer admit that we have de best program
    if it isn’t broken ………..why fix it?

  3. Arshia
    March 27, 2024

    Deny citizenship of any country that is necessary
    Raise the price of the passport
    Make your reviews accurate Clarify finances Revoke the citizenship of people who violate international laws
    Do whatever it takes Only obtain the consent of the United Kingdom and the United States of America Then go to hell

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
    • Ibo France
      March 28, 2024

      One additional requirement to add to yours.
      Make it compulsory for prospective CBI citizens to live for even a short period f time n the country and invest in a business project before they are settled to a passport. No investment in the country, no passport.

  4. Ibo France
    March 27, 2024

    St. Lucia has has chosen to opt out of this joint venture. Probably they thin that once Dominica is included the program will inevitably be tarnished. They don’t want to diminish their CBI program.

    Again, this prodigious Liar thinks every Dominican is a member of his herd. He asserts that he has made some monumental changes to improve the CBI scheme. Yet, of the five Caribbean countries, Dominica is the only one losing its free visa status (Ireland).

    The trust of the innocent/ignorant is the Liar’s most useful tool.

    The power of the few (cabinet) is in the acquiescence of the many. Dominicans arise! Wake up! Take your country back from a few unpatriotic vultures.

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 4 Thumb down 6
  5. Zandoli
    March 27, 2024

    These guys are such jokers. After the barn door is flung open, they now want to take action. They were so drunk on the easy money that flowed into their personal bank accounts, that they never stopped to think these governments would clamp down on them. The thing is, these countries are so bureaucratic that it take a long time for them to act. But once they act, it take a very long time for them to reverse course.

    Guys like Skerrit who consider themselves king of Dominica, don’t think they have to listen to anyone, until the hammer comes down on their heads.

    Good luck trying to get these decisions reversed.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 3

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