Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy, Vince Henderson has admitted that the loss of visa-free access to the United Kingdom (UK) is a major blow for Dominica.
He was speaking during the 2023-2024 National Budget Debate on Thursday.
During a statement last week, the British Home Office said nationals from Dominica who intend to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) must now apply for a visa due to changes in that country’s immigration regime. It was done due to concerns over the island’s (and another country, Vanuata) Citizenship by Investment Program (CBI).
“Careful consideration of Dominica’s and Vanuatu’s operation of a citizenship by investment scheme has shown clear and evident abuse of the scheme, including the granting of citizenship to individuals known to pose a risk to the UK,” Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, said in a statement to the British parliament.
The new visa regime took effect on July 19.
“Not that many of us go to the UK, but it is something as a Dominican I wish we didn’t have to go through,” Dr. Henderson stated. “I remembered the burden that I felt came upon me when I was in London on the 18th and I was told on the 19th the announcement was going to be made.”
He continued, “So, I felt that burden and I know the Prime Minister went that length to see how we could have averted that, but it is upon us.”
According to Dr. Henderson, the good thing about this is, the Skerrit-led government never rolled over and played dead. “Not this labour party government,” he stated.
He said the imposition of visas will affect the CBI Program, “but we know how to fight. We are very resilient people, because we have what it takes to solve very difficult problems.”
Dr. Henderson reminded the general public that the government will continue to work with the UK.
“We have no problem with the UK and Dominicans will have easy access to the Visa application process, because the UK has ensured us that they have placed the system online, applications can be made online, and from time-to-time they will come to Dominica to facilitate the process,” he explained.
He made it clear that Dominica is the most successful country in the CBI.
“We have the most applications, we have granted the most citizenships, admittedly because our program has been very attractive,” he said. “So, their concern isn’t the numbers, their concern is the immigration aspect and the security…”
Furthermore, he explained that when Dominica was hit by Tropical Storm Erika it was devastated, but with the help of the CBI fund over 300 homes were constructed for residents of Petite Savanne and Dubique.
“We built a new village for Petite Savanne, we (re)located Dubique and CBI money did that,” Dr. Henderson explained. “If we didn’t have CBI how could we have constructed those homes?”
Dr. Henderson went on to state that if it wasn’t for resources from the CBI Program the government could not have responded to the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
Meantime, Opposition Leader Jesma Paul-Victor said during the budget response that it has been clear to Dominicans at home and abroad that for more than a decade abuses of the CBI Program have become a major problem, especially for the UK and European Union (EU).”
“Mr. Speaker our government has yet to produce information to this Honourable House and the Dominican population at large, the requisite accounting of CBI revenues,” she remarked, “More significant is the failure of this Labour Party government to tell our people the cumulated number of citizens to date, specifically the number of persons who will become economic citizens under this Roosevelt Skerrit administration.”
She continued, “This government has not provided a full accounting of all the revenues obtained under the CBI Program.”
Paul-Victor indicated that the opposition has come to the realization that the consolidated fund is not reflected, in a timely manner, in the total earnings of the number of persons granted economic citizenship.
As much as I hate to admit this, Vince is right on all points, housing (that’s huge), yes we care, NEP; however, it lacks transparency. I’m sure it all can be done differently but all need to be done. Big up CBI, find other points to beat him on, and hurry we can all benefit from a change of government.
Instead of stating the fact that visa waiver has been trashed because of dodgy passport issue left and right better we would here what are the plans? We aren’t interested to hear how difficult it is, what a blow and so on! We want to know what WILL be done to make it way back, to prove that it never and i say never repeats again. Not that disastrous PM address to nation.
My son’s friend is a Panama man who lives in Mexico. He bought his Dominica passport for $25,000 online at a discount price. They had added 5 days free board and lodging in a hotel in Roseau (you know the one) as a sweetener. A month after getting the passport, he was on his was to Texas from Panama and used the passport. As soon as TSA saw it, he was called to one side, stripped searched and interrogated for around 3 hours as a drugs investigation. The experience left him shaken and he tried to return the passport and get a refund, but that was denied him. The CBI is a joke. Our passports are being sold to crooks and theives and we native Dominicans are being painted with the same brush. Shame on you, Mr Big Pockets Greedy Skerrit!
Con-Vince is a crook so doh maylay with him.
All of them guilty of selling our birth right to alleged crooks and criminals. All he looking to do now is position himself at the helm to gain total unimpeded access to the finances of the state just like his current .rime Minister. If you all think Skerro bad just wait until Convince get up there
I say is either him or Cassani. But it might more be him he have more experience.
These UWP people are worse than the Wagner Mercenaries.They know if the CBI dies 2,700 senior citizens getting $300 monthly will starve.They also know the more than 300 people in the Yes We Care will starve of health care.The 4,500 people in the NEP will no longer have a job.Those actions are the actions of calculated murders.Putting people in poverty for political power.We the PEOPLE will never vote crooks and traitors.
Man stfu. The people with take care of our own like how we have always done. But let me ask you about NEP. The reason why NEP was launched was because the economy was doing so badly, employers and business owners were laying off workers and not hiring because they could NOT afford to pay for the number of workers they needed to operate. Why must the government have to pay for the workers of the private sector? That is a very clear and blatant indication that the country is not doing well. These same NEP people cannot move up in life because tey cannot take a loan cannot do nothing. CBI finishing, where we getting money to pay workers for the private sector? It has to worse before it gets better in Dominica. And if it takes no more CBI for us to wake up and see the rubbish piling up behind the red curtain then so be it. You all are the traitors. you support a regime you have no knowledge or understanding of, just blind and deaf allegiance and loyalty. ……
I might be in the minority of opinions, but we are where we are today because of laziness. Laziness on the part of the government for not doing enough to develop the economy where everyone can see a path to upliftment. Laziness on the part of the citizenry for consistently looking for handouts. Ladies and gentlemen, in order for us to truly move forward, we as a country & people need to get serious about where we want to go. We need to set realistic goals. we to set timelines for goals. We need to be consistently measuring and adjusting our performance to meet our stated goals. Otherwise, we are at the mercy of others with far greater leverage.
Vince I am your biggest, but tell us my friend before they do why they hail you out like this.
Doc, the country relies on only two sources for its revenue, passport sales and draconian taxes.
We need to buttress our manufacturing sector. Dominica has the resources to produce so much but we manufacture so little. We have become a passport factory as we rely almost exclusively on the selling of passports for revenue.
Dr. Vince we need to reconfigure the economy. We must refrain from the heavy reliance of passport money for our economic survival. It’s NOT viable for our long term benefit.
The skills, labour, ingenuity are there but the astute political leadership is wanting.
Where leadership is lacking everything else is lacking. Scum just like cream settles at the top. Perfect example in Dominica.
The House of Cards just start to crumble!!!
Garçan allyou must be Mad!!!
People not Dohtish you know,,,,
So check this out in the last 15 years how many Dominicans left Dominica and went to England for Vacation we not even going to talk about for Business!!!
Garçan dem sanction them people pass is not for Dominicans living in Dominica,,,
Sorry to let you know but tings soo bad in Dominica all them people allyou build house and put them in it cannot even pay for their utility bill!!!
So is England Dominicans looking to go???
And the audacity you coming dere and talk about resilient and fight back,,,
fight what back!!!
Dey tell allyou because of allyou dohtish ways dey gonna make it hard if not impossible for anyone holding a Dominica passport to jump on a plane and go England,,,
It already so hard as it is to get a flight to Antigua much more to try and route a flight from Dominica to England and Back,,,
Garcan take d-opportunity and clean allyou…
If the Dominican Government had not rushed to ask for and received independence from Britain and stayed a colony they would have been better off they would not have to beg the international community for support and would not have to sell passports just to get by. The Banana industry would also be thriving like it was in the 1950’s through the 1980,s and most people had steady income. Now it is only the Prime Minister who has all the money through citizenship and passport sales while the people are broke and he is a millionaire putting all the money in his overseas bank account for when he flees when they go to arrest him for fleecing the money in the Treasury.
Along with the visa requirements for locals the Scotland Yard should have an arrest warrant for Chichi and all his enablers both past and present
Dr. Vince must we sell our souls to the devil to accomplish wealth. Can’t you see that we are giving our birth rite to criminals and they are tarnishing the good name of Dominica. Say as you like but stop alluding the real problem. We are not taking proper steps in investigating does indviduals with money to ensure that they are not criminals. Protocols must be placed in order and in depth background check should be enforced. Greed is the downfallof humanity don’t be enslaved by money because it becomes a god. And that is Idolatery. God hates that.
Why do you think that we are selling our soul. Up to now England have not pay us for the limes ,bananas, bay oil, that they stole from us L Rose use to crush the limes ship the juice to England in cask. England would bottle it ship it back to Dominica label Rose lime juice bottle and distilled in England. They can keep that visa.
Dr. Henderson states, “We have what it takes to solve very difficult problems.”
That certainly would have been true of your forefathers. However, the majority of today’s generation have been lolled into the easy option of accepting handouts that are enabled by the selling of their birthright.
This is a serious problem for the Dominican people. All because of Greed. Why did the necessary investigations and formal back ground checks done. It is very disheartening to see the image of Dominica being tarnish by Heads of Government. Mr. Skerrit take proper measure to rectify the situation and not let money be your God. Idolatery is a sin. God hates that. Anything your worship is a God. Think of the burden and problem that you have caused. We have voted you in for the betterment of the Country not to defame it. Dr. Vince you have come and spoke utter rubbish. FIX THE MESS THAT YOU HAVE CAUSED UPON THE DOMINICAN PEOPLE
You see Roger, it’s not that easy. The U.K abused and enslaved their forefathers so badly and for so many years, that made handouts necessary just to stay alive and/or become cheap labor to rebuild UK with handouts from reparations for Hitler’s WWII damage, up to this day’s chest beating. They took all these peoples wealth and created this desperation we have today.
The Freedom Party introduced the Economic Citizenship Program.The then oppositions especially the U.W.P., vehemently criticized the program.The table changed in 1995 and minister Timothy, under the UWP administration, opened the flood gates, and DA passports became more accessible to anyone. In the meantime, Labour, and DFP, with Labour at the front, beat the UWP left, right and center opposing the sale of our passports.
Here comes Labour party in office. I don’t have to say any more. The facts are before us.
History repeats it’s self.
Let us remind ourselves.Buying and selling Citizenship is nothing new. Its an old practice over 2000 years ago as written in the Bible. See Acts 22:25-29.
Before I end, let me ask you. Do you know that you can be a citizen of heaven without paying a cent? Someone already paid the price and this is Christ the Savior. But if you say “No, I am not interested,” the only destiny left is HELL. The choice is yours. Heaven or Hell.
Major blow … don’t worry most Dominicans do not travel to the UK – confusion from meg zoe Vince at best
My conclusion – it’s a MAJOR BLOW to the CBI Agents and by extension the DLP. Thier cash cow is drying faster that water on the hot and broken roads in Dominica. The domino effect has begun.
Soon and very soon, they will be fighting amongst themselves ……
Vince one question> who paid for your law degree in while you’re at the mission in NYC and how many UN sessions were you marked absent?
How often does it have to be said that Vince Henderson is not a Dr.he does not have a Ph.D degree from any university, unlikeRalph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who earned that distinction in law from the University of Manchester in the U.K.
Vince Henderson- OMG (that is all I can say about this dude)
Medvedev to Skerrit ‘s Putin
Vince, listening to your comments of the imposition of the visa restrictions on Dominicans, I have concluded that you have no regard for our comprehension skills. You have this notion that all Dominicans went to school in August.
It is my conviction that not even Vince believes his own words on this specific issue. Dominica is being ravaged by liars, parasites, hypocrites, rascals and miscreants in high places.
‘Not many of us go to the UK’ WOW!! What a ridiculous statement. It’s beyond comprehension that an elected official could be so crass and out of touch. Has he never heard of the UK diaspora? Doesn’t it occur to him that Dominica passport holders visit family there? On what basis would he ever know how many people travel to the UK when they do so via Barbados, Antigua, St Lucia, even Guadeloupe and Martinique? This is a government so out of touch and so obsessed with lining their own pockets that they care not one jot about ordinary Dominicans. And this guy is clearly one of the worst.
A rogue government selling our birthright because they not creative, they not innovative. The sad thing is the purported to be resilient yet they are not.Their claim to be good at selling passports is really due the sale of our birth right to crooks, criminals and terrorists… Thanks to the like of characters like Scar-it and c.nt-vince. known as a facilitator of criminals, crooks and terrorists
He is not out of touch, he knows pretty well that there is huge amount of Dominicans in the UK and many who do travel to the UK….this is just Vince being Vince…his usual cynic, scarcastic and arrogant self.
He speaks like everyone around him is dumb and he is the only intelligent one…please Vince…take a seat!
As much as I hate to admit this, Vince is right on all points, housing (that’s huge), yes we care, NEP; however, it lacks transparency. I’m sure it all can be done differently but all need to be done. Big up CBI, find other points to beat him on, and hurry we can all benefit from a change of government.
Vince who you think you can fool, or should I ask you to stop fooling your supporters because is only laborites alone that continue to believe your foolishness. Dominica has the most efficient CBI program in the world because you all keep selling citizenship to all kinds of crooks, criminal and vagabonds. so, you are telling me that because CBI is our bread and butter, we should just go on selling citizenship to anyone without doing the due diligence? it is time for Dominicans living in Dominica. to understand that this Skerritt party is sinking us in a whole that will cause tremendous harm to our children and their children future. Imagine i just got my new Dominica passport and it worth S… just now i won’t be able to travel to any country without a visa. I hope it have lots of pages to take all these visas.
They have turned my sweet DA into a frigging prostitute with this CBI programme…just selling my country’s citizenship like it is nothing…bread and butter my a**
Not only our sweet Dominica have they turned into a prostitute. Look around all you. Chances are that one is standing right next to you!
Who is Vince speaking to in this piece of hogwash?. Only ignorant and bought laborites. He says that Dominica has sold the most passports, but how many? Assuming this to be true it’s because the process was lax which enabled many who shouldn’t get entry into the UK and the EU to receive Dominican passports. This lax process is why the UK has now put into place the visa requirements. Now with the UK and by extension other EU, American and Canadian looking more closely at persons who hold Dominican passports means the crooks and criminals and liars will no longer see the Dominican passport as having the same value it once had, thus demand will surely drop meaning less revenue. Skerritt tried to say that this visa requirement was no big deal and now Vince contradicts his empty pronouncements. The “I’m-the-people” leader can’t even comprehend the full implications of his corrupt behavior but Vince and the British Home Office Secretary who have real degrees do understand.
We have become a pariah.
Vince you are aiding and abetting a criminal and some in the government crime syndicate were harboring an Iranian fugitive. You were smooching pizza out of the behind of an Italian con artist in Washington while you were supposed to be on the people’s business. You have assisted in destroying the sanctity of my citizenship. Both you and skerrit need to be locked up. Ali baba and the 40 thieves have nothing on yall. According to you when you put a Lil boy in a position they never expected to attain because they kown deep down they unfit, bad things can happen. You and skerrit have proven that philosophy to be true. Today without the office of the people you and skerrit would be male prostitutes in bdos cause political prostitution is what yall involved in right now.
Not even Skerrit starboy skills nor his superb negotiating skills…….not even MONEY could have averted this decision by de UK Vince…….not even obeah, gangsta nor voodoo!!!! All this while he is chairman of Caricom!!!!!
Dem Caricom leaders self……waste!!!!!!
You can’t just stand there and say Dominica is de most successful country in CBI without showing proof in de consolidated fund boss…….everybody out dere doh drink de red kool-aid dotish making punch!!!!!
When people are habitual liars, they usually don’t remember what they say.
Skerrit told the Dominican people that Dominica has the most robust screening system in the world to ensure our citizenship is not give to undesirable characters. Now Vince is boasting that we have the most successful system with the highest number of passports issued, and how attractive our program is. The attractiveness of the program is a direct result of how easy it is to obtain Dominican citizenship.
If we had the most robust system how can Vince now tell our system was so attractive? Logic would dictate the opposite. If we were very robust in our vetting system we would attract a very select but high quality candidates.
“Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy, Vince Henderson has admitted that the loss of visa-free access to the United Kingdom (UK) is a major blow for Dominica.” Compare this to the PM’s confident statement a few days earlier that Dominica will not suffer any “permanent harm” due to UK visa restrictions. Is someone basking in a false sense of security? The question to any free thinking citizen out there is: can a “major blow” cause “permanent harm?’ Methinks it is impossible to put a price on damaged trust or a damaged reputation. Go figure!
Juanita, the members of the motley crew ( StarBoy posse) are discombobulated. They contradict one another.
The disciples around him should act as guardrails to keep their boss from derailing the country’s future. Instead, guardsmen like Vince, act like his doormat.
You can not blame Britain, his royal highness the Prime Minister of Dominica has no idea who he sold passports to that is a security risk because people carrying Dominican passports may be criminals or terrorists. Yours truly his royal highness is to blame not Britain. The EU will soon follow Britain’s example so will the US and Canada. Dominica needs a new Prime Minister as well as an accounting as to where is the millions collected from passport sales, who has it and to whose bank account was the money deposited.
I hope you do have the resolve because the UK government have been determined and steadfast in their decision making concerning their border control. I doubt this decision will be overturned quickly and it will take a long time for them to be convinced of any new process put in place. Significant impact!
You can’t call the CBI program successful when it’s being revoked due to evidence it shows clear and evident abuse of the scheme. It was attractive because any Tom, Dick or Harry could easily obtain a passport, due to lack of due diligence as long as the price was right.
The issue for Dominicans who do/want to travel to the UK, is they now have to fork out money to obtain the visa. I notice this point is consistently being downplayed or even ignored which is totally unfair. The visa isn’t cheap and this benefit has now been stripped from the citizens.
I don’t understand the gaslighting, lack of accountability and complacent attitude from Government officials around…
He said the imposition of visas will affect the CBI Program, “but we know how to fight.
This statement by the Foreign Minister is very telling, but not surprising. Starting at the very top, Dominica has a track record of ignoring the rules, to wit: no law or constitution can keep me down. We have already been told that illegal immigration is part of our culture. But, how exactly is the minister planning to fight the UK for imposing visas to protect their own borders? Does Dominica have a secret army of resilient Navy Seals and Snipers or foreign mercenaries? And as the foreign minister, shouldn’t be taking about using his diplomatic skills and negotiating skills instead?
“Not that many of us go to the UK, but it is something as a Dominican I wish we didn’t have to go through,” Dr. Henderson stated. “I remembered the burden that I felt came upon me when I was in London on the 18th and I was told on the 19th the announcement was going to be made.” – How does he know? Actually many of us have and do. I know most times i travel out of the region i go through the UK.
“We have no problem with the UK and Dominicans will have easy access to the Visa application process, because the UK has ensured us that they have placed the system online, applications can be made online, and from time-to-time they will come to Dominica to facilitate the process,” he explained. – This is supposed to pacify us. This fixes nothing.
Well CBI will all finish by a certain time. And we will have received billions, the people would have not been able to touch a dime, and Dominica will be left with white elephant hotels like the Morrocan.
A rogue government selling our birthright because they not creative, they not innovative. The sad thing is the purported to be resilient yet they are not.Their claim to be good at selling passports is really due the sale of our birth right to crooks, criminals and terrorists… Thanks to the like of characters like Scar-it and cunt-vince. known as a facilitator of criminals, crooks and terrorists
Remember that Dominica’s passport is the cheapest on the market. Only reason for the ‘great sales’. The price of passports among the five OECS countries with the CBI scheme is a race to the bottom.
Yes,sadly we have devalued our passportsRemember, cheap is not always best. Quality always beats quantity.
“He said the imposition of visas will affect the CBI Program, “but we know how to fight. We are very resilient people, because we have what it takes to solve very difficult problems.” Indeed! We have always rebounded. This UK visa, like the US visa, will not torpedo our development agenda.
Dominicans have no idea who is and who is not a citizen. In the past, we would normally associate someone of color as a citizen…not anymore.
Last month I was travelling from Curacao to SXM. On the flight was a eastern European couple ( in their mid 30 – 45) travelling on a Dominican Passport. They could barely speak English, and had to use an app on their phone for communicating with immigration. They also saw my passport and was elated to see another Dominican. After a small phone app translation conversation, I soon realized that they had never set foot on Dominica, yet they hold a passport…
This was disturbing to say the least….
You and every true Dominican should be outraged. It has been said that even the Taliban hold Dominican passports and none of them even know where Dominica is located. The Dominican PM does not care if they go to arrest him he will flee the island with all the money he already has stashed away in a foreign bank account.
By saying that after tropical storm Erika and hurricane Maria, houses were built for residents of Dubique and Petite Savanne, is far from giving accountability for our CBI funds…We want a dollar account of how the money was spent.
Even the European Union (EU) is warning you all that funds from our CBI must be directly transferred to the HOST NATION, and must not be diverted into accounts in any other country. This should be of serious concern to you Vince, since our CBI funds are not controlled by the Skerrit Labour Party..If you had any moral fiber left in your being, you would resign forthwith, and call on Skerrit to do the same….Alas brother, it was the late Osborne Riviere who told us if we are believing that Skerrit is a bad leader, then rest assured that Vince is many times worse!!!
You all have bled this country to submission and poverty, but it cant perpetuate for ever! Its just a matter of time!