PM Skerrit says CBI program meets international standards for due diligence

passport moneyPrime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has again defended the legitimacy of the much talked about Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program saying it has meet international standards for due diligence.

He stated at a meeting in Soufriere on Monday night, outlining plans for the new Jungle Bay Resort to be built in Soufriere under the CBI, that due diligence of the program is carried out by international firms, some of whom are former members of the FBI, CIA, MI6, and MI5.

“We’re running, in this country, a legitimate economic citizenship program that meets the international standards for due diligence and ensuring that those who acquire Dominican citizenship are citizens who can stand the test of scrutiny anywhere in the world,” he said.

He described a strict and thorough process of due diligence for applicants to the CBI program.

“There is absolutely no shortcut whatsoever in the due diligence process before we provide approval for any applicant…” Skerrit articulated. “We also have very strong partnerships and agreements with governments, internationally, who also assist us in doing another layer of due diligence on applicants to our program.

He explained that applicants are allowed to make either a financial contribution, or invest in real estate, manufacturing, or agriculture.

“So within this program, we have two strands,” Skerrit stated. “One, someone who applies for citizenship can make a financial contribution, and the second is the real estate — and we have not only limited it to real estate — we have also extended it to manufacturing and agriculture.”

Both local and foreign investors can be approved for an investment under the CBI program, in agriculture, manufacturing, or any other type of industry, he stated.

The Prime Minister has previously described criticisms of the program as malicious and unfounded and promoted the program as an important tool of economic activity in Dominica.

In January 2016, Dominica’s Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Dr. Vince Henderson said the program was managed properly and it had raised about $124-million in six months.

Dominica’s CBI program gained the last spot in Henley & Partners’ Global Residence and Citizenship Programs 2016. Henley & Partners is a residence and citizenship planning company.

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33 Comments

  1. Che Guevara
    May 27, 2016

    Big, fat lies – again!!!!!!

    In the words of Chairman Mao, ‘…sometime, a revolution is the only answer’…

  2. amanda
    May 26, 2016

    Economic citizenship is supposed to help the country to provide jobs to hIelp the general economy. I do not think that is happening. THAT SHOULD BE SCRAPPED IF IT IS NOT CONTRIBUTING TO PEOPLE GETTING BETTER ECONOMICALLY. WHO IS BENEFITING? FROM WHAT I GET, IT IS ONLY THE PERSON APPLYING THAT GETS SOMETHING.
    WE NEED NAMES, NAMES, NAMES OF THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOTTEN THESE PASSPORTS.

  3. bigger
    May 25, 2016

    Shaka Zulu ask would you give your money to Skerrit to invest for you ?he pr0bably wouldn’t but i’m sure he would give it to Thompson Fontaine such ignorance is painful tocomprehend

  4. ATKINSON
    May 25, 2016

    There goes “DR Supermo” always trying to fool the people again. So what is does “due diligence” mean. And also what is the name of the international firms that these former FBI,CIA,MI5,MI6, work for. And just because someone worked for the FBI or CIA that does not mean they know how to be a background check on a person. And these former employees would not have access or the codes to the computers of the FBI or NYPD to run a name check to see if someone is a bad person. That why criminals have obtain dominican passports, Lap seng had a arrest warrant issued by america and it was public, in newspaper, on the internet, and these “international firms” did not catch it :mrgreen: and he was given a passport

  5. Oh Dr. Skerrit, that troublesome CBI Program again? It seems like your constant need to defend the program is a dead giveaway that all is not well. I mean such an ambitious program. Ambassador Vince Henderson revealed that 124 million U.S. Dollars was made from the sale of our Sovereignty within a six month span. Now, that is some serious money! With that amount of money and a population of 70+ thousand Citizens, EVERY SINGLE HOUSEHOLD IN DOMINICA COULD RECEIVE A CHECK OF A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS to boost consumer spending and stimulate the economy. Dr. Skerrit I guarantee you if you were sending out these “stimulus” checks to the people you would have NO NEED to defend the CBI Program. Food for thought from a Doctor like yourself.

  6. d-a born
    May 25, 2016

    I smell a big fat lie.

  7. Man Kindedness
    May 25, 2016

    This program is suppose to help economy of DA then why are we in such hardship across the island people are feeling it but they afraid to speak up .
    Unemployment rate is very high in DA private sector is suffering among other sectors like Agriculture and Tourism where as our sister islands like ST. Lucia and ST Kitts are thriving in these sectors .
    Why is the progress of CBI and it’s effectiveness is not being reflected on our economy ????????

  8. Just saying
    May 25, 2016

    The question for me is not whether the CIB meets jnternational standards, but rather its lack of transparency, which rubs its credibility. When one looks at the program, one is left with many questions. One the jumps to mind is: What develpment activities alart from the controversial 6.5 million- west bridge project can any clear-eye Dominican say that monies from the CIB was used for?
    If over 124 million was made in 6 months as reported by the UN Ambassador, why isn’t the public aware of how that money was spent for the develpoment of the country. As far as we know, in the last 16 years, everything inch if develpoment in DA was due to contributions from ‘friendly governments’. So, what happened to the 124 + millions? If 124 million could be made in six month, how much was made during the 16 years? Dominicans should have been much richer; not living from paycheck to paycheck; no one should have to
    be running up the stairs of the ministry for handout; DA should have been…

  9. Welll
    May 24, 2016

    Boy I doh know where skerrit get that guts he have there nuh lord. Where they find mr nuh? What Rosie Douglas do there nuh?

  10. Anonymous
    May 24, 2016

    Somebody please call Dr shammar for de pm
    He has gone MAD

  11. Bushmaninda
    May 24, 2016

    It is reassuring to hear that the Prime minister has great confidence in the due diligence process associated with Dominica’s CBI program. It would add even more potency to the value and credibility of the program if the Minister of finance would provide us with an accounting of the funds thus far obtained through the CBI program. For me, a simple man, a simple source and use of funds statement would suffice.

  12. Reasoning
    May 24, 2016

    Scarit,tell us who carried due diligence on the former oil minister of Nigeria who was arrested and the other rogues ?

    • Me
      May 25, 2016

      I bet Baroness Scotland vouched for her.

  13. klassblind
    May 24, 2016

    the due diligence is the gifts that the agents receive, expensive bags, purses , IPHONES, GALAXY S6,7,8 and the relatiionship they keep with the applicants to continue receiving.So tell me will i try to deny someone like this?

  14. May 24, 2016

    Skerrits due diligence is show me the money :-D :-D

  15. May 24, 2016

    If the KGB was part of it I would believe because President Putin is a real man ,not an over grown baby who always moan for a blind public who supports him when ever he is caught in a…… act..One day you must leave for someone who tells true stories..

  16. 1 800 CONCERNED
    May 24, 2016

    PM SKERRIT, we believe that the CBI program can be effective but we are questioning the legitimacy of the way it is being administered by your government.

    How can the proper due diligence be conducted and so many who are arrested and alleged corrupt individuals be holding Dominican passports or Dominica is involved???? YOU NEED NEW PEOPLE TO CONDUCT YOUR DUE DILIGENCE FOR THE DOMINICA CBI PROGRAM!!!! Please conduct a due diligence on the people who are giving you the findings.

    WHERE IS THE MONEY FOR THE SALE OF THE PASSPORT????? HOW HAS THE CBI PROGRAM BENEFITED DOMINICA????? WHERE IS THE TRANSPARENCY??? If it’s a program to benefit Dominica, why is there such a deafening silence on where is the CBI program’s money by the government??? What projects has it funded????

  17. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    May 24, 2016

    Roosevelt Skerrit you are lying again!

    Your lies will be believed by the clowns who follows you, but there are those who know how economic citizenship program works internationally; and what you have in Dominica is not an economy citizenship program.

    You are into the sale of our national travel documents. You sell Dominica passports to thieves, vagabonds and scamps, to all corrupted and unsavory crooks! If you had an economic citizenship program in Dominica, our country would not be third on the list of most unemployed people in the Caribbean!

    Economic citizen is granted to people who invest money into business in the country creating employment for the citizens of the country. That’s how it is in the United States, of America, Canada, England, and the rest of Europe, and for a fact in Ireland where the program originated, in the late 1970’s

  18. %
    May 24, 2016

    So you were beating your meg chest telling your fools how wonderfully well Dominica was doing,but the reality is we do not even have an economy..99.999999 times out of every 100 times you stutter foolishness,I DO NOT LISTEN.

  19. Yah
    May 24, 2016

    Yes still, no transparency… we as a people don’t care who (as far as reporting), just many, how much, how often and since when.

    Transparency, that is all we ask….we don’t need verbal assurance if we have transparency

  20. Just Me
    May 24, 2016

    It is crystal clear to me that Skerrit should have been a defense lawyer. Nom la too jou ka defend kay shoye!!!

  21. Lang Mama
    May 24, 2016

    Can I ask whether the speaker of the house is a passport agent nuh. I am asking DNO.

    • Titiwi
      May 25, 2016

      I don’t know but there is a new authorised agent listed by the government, Belnor Associated Inc. at Eileen House, 58 King George V street in Roseau*, which according to the telephone directory is also the address of Boyd-Knight Alix, Law Firm.
      See government web site: cbiu.gov.dm/citizenship/authorised-agents
      *Oddly no telephone no. is listed for Belnor Associates Inc. on the govt. list.

    • Dominican
      May 25, 2016

      If that were them case it would be serious conflict of interest as the Speaker is supposed to be scrupulously impartial, which will be questionable if she is at the same time an agent authorised by the government to sell the country’s citizenship – such an appointment has to be authorised expressly by a Prime Minster & Minister of Finance, who has a majority in the House of Parliament.

      • AAGabriel
        May 27, 2016

        She impartial??? That woman is as bias as it gets. She is a disgrace to Dominican democracy.

  22. Dominican
    May 24, 2016

    mr. Skerrit, where can I find a copy of these standards please? Thank you. I would like to check for myself if you don’t mind.

  23. Me
    May 24, 2016

    I the process is so above board as the P.M. claims is he willing to tell us who these agencies are. I am not interested in ex-FBI, exc-CIA, ex_MI5 and so on. God only knows why they are ex and a lot of mercenary operations are run by such ex operators, specialists in black arts. They could be bonafide but I would feel better dealing direct with the effective security bodies of these countries

  24. Shaka Zulu
    May 24, 2016

    Skerrit has credibility issues. Does he not realizes he has to be constantly on the defensive. He cannot be trusted. I would like to ask readers, which one of you would give skerrit your savings to invest for you? I bet none of you would. But people apparently let him run country finances. SMDH.

  25. watchdog
    May 24, 2016

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA

    FBI, CIA, MI5 AND MI6 — LOLOLOLOLOLOL.

    Call Gerard Butler. Dominica Has Fallen. Ok he start talking real nonsense now wi.

  26. Nac Vibes
    May 24, 2016

    Well I guess mi5 and mi6 didn’t relay their approval to scotland yard when they arrested the former Nigerian oil minister, is their anything this man wont lie about.

  27. Erasmus B. Black
    May 24, 2016

    If all the members of Cabinet, Division Heads, Ambassadors, representatives, and other “people in the know” were able to speak honestly and boldly, truthfully and frankly, candidly and decisively, they would probably admit that “due diligence” has an entirely differenttly meaning in Dominica aside from the standard meaning of an investigation of a person or business before signing a contract, or a reasonable person acting with a certain standard of care. Does anyone recall that Dominica “due diligence” was also done for the Nigerian ex-oil minister and an alleged ex-envoy with a last name “King” , among others ? In the wonderful world of Wonderland” Humpty Dumpty boasted to Alice that he could make words mean exactly what he wanted them to mean no more or no less. Welcome to the Next Level. Humpty Dumptyism, that is!

  28. Frank Talker
    May 24, 2016

    Boy, unless I hear it from the international community, I will not believe Skerrit says.

  29. Floridian Diaspora
    May 24, 2016

    Ok sir, enough of the blah blah-ing. You are not a sheep so stop it. We speak English not gibberish. You claim that your notorious program is good but yet recently it was rated the worse of its kind in the world. You claim that it meets international standards for due diligence but does it meet our local code for moral ethics? Where is the money going to? What about the alleged 124 million in passport sales Vince Henderson was bragging about the other day? Where has it gone? What about the “rainy day account” you said that would have been funded by this CBI program? Was it just a hoax to make us think that this is where the money is going? How many investors have made a viable investment in the country so far? I’m guessing none. Garson you starting to sound like a mad man on the loose. Your definition of legitimacy contradicts what my oxford dictionary says

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