The United States government, in particular the Treasury Department, has received praise from Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit for constructively engaging Dominica and other regional countries’ Citizenship By Investment (CBI) Programme.
At a press conference on Monday, Skerrit made known that two days prior- February 25- he attended a meeting of leaders of the islands which operates CBI programmes with officials of the US Treasury Department in the neighbouring island of St. Kitts.
In attendance was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Treasury and other officers of the Treasury and state departments of the US, as well as the governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), Mr. Timothy Antoine, and the Director General of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean State (OECS) Dr. Didacus Jules.
According to the Prime Minister, “as I’ve previously indicated, we are grateful for and welcome to support the US government in our efforts to strengthen and protect our CBI programmes.”
The discussion, he concluded, “in my view, was a fruitful and useful engagement, which puts us in a good place to continue to address the concerns surrounding the CBI with a view to strengthening and sustaining our respective programmes.”
Six key subjects were addressed, according to Skerrit, who also stated that the leaders and collaborators of the US Treasury Department will release a communique soon informing the public of the meeting’s outcomes.
The head of government continued, “I really want to place on public record my personal appreciation to the US government, for its constructive engagement of us in the CBI programme.”
He revealed that the US Department of Treasury visited Dominica last year at his invitation, to carry out their own review of the country’s CBI program and to provide feedback on how it is run.
“And I believe that they came out with a very good appreciation of how the CBI programs operate and offered good praise for the program,” the Prime Minister said.
“But there are some areas that they believe that we can strengthen. And this is where some of the recommendations are. And before the end of this week, we’ll certainly indicate where we stand on those recommendations from the US.”
He went on to assert that countries like Dominica have been calling for this kind of engagement, therefore he applauded the Joe Biden administration and in particular the US Treasury Department for this engagement.
“I’m very grateful to them for the very positive, constructive engagement of all of us who have CBI programmes,” Skerrit said.
In addition to this meeting, the prime minister indicated that he had several other engagements with bilateral partners, including Japan, the People’s Republic of China, and South Korea, among others, to address problems of mutual concern to these nations and Dominica as well as to assess their bilateral cooperation and to consider the global difficulties that are currently facing the world.
Skerrit further stated that he joined OECS counterparts to discuss investment and financing opportunities, and spoke with the newly elected Secretary General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and President of the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) Dr Benedict Okey Oramah.
Following the meeting, the prime minister disclosed that Dominica had signed an agreement to establish the bank in the region and expressed hope that by the end of the week, Dominica would have concluded all the required paperwork to become a full member of this bank, allowing the nation to access funds from the financial institution.
STARBOY I see you!
Stop the CBI Program. Selling our sovereignty is extrmely shameful! All Dominicans, Stand up and protest for our future.
I have posted it before and I will post it again.The reason UWP is always losing election is because too many idiots and uneducated people are supporting them.UWP supporters are always complaining,crying,gossiping,angry,using indecent and threatening language,always lying.These UWP people act like they are the cursed sons and daughters of Satan.Tormented people.
This guy is so ridiculous as a pm that he doesn’t realise that the USA is only engaging with you in the CBI program so they can get info on the criminals that have a dca passport and makes it easier for the USA to arrest them.
This guy is falling for the oldest trick in the book
I usually don’t believe what comes out of skerrit mouth!!!
I looking for CARICOM official release on de topic……none.
Admin…..you could have corroborated skerrit statement with an official release by caricom like de issue with Haiti.
I will have to go look for de US State department release…….skerrit failed to list out de 6 key points
Ask Skerrit what happened to Manuel Noriega of Panama in 1989.
The US Government should audit yours truly to see where all the money went since they seem highly interested. Maybe yours truly will allow his overseas bank accounts to be checked for large deposits from Dominica of their money.
You are really a JAH KA.S you have been posting that BS for more than 20 years.You said Skerrit could not go to the USA,he was there in 2022.Every election year you bray “Skerrit must go”.Edison James,Ronald Green,Earl Williams,Hector John and Lennox Linton GO under Skerrit.Thompson Fontaine must GO under Skerrit.You are buried up to your eyebrows in stupidity and ignorance,you cannot see the PEOPLE has rejected UWP.For years you have been saying Skerrit is a liar,in your high- level of stupidity and jackasism you cannot see the smart PEOPLE don’t believe you.Your party was kicked out of office after 4 1/2 years for corruption,victimization,lying and greed.You remind me of DONKEY DARBY(donkey derby) at the Windsor Park in Roseau.
Is that the reason why you don’t travel to the states anymore, because they chose a positive approach to CBI? Skerrit, you can’t fool me.
Our ancestors are writhing in pain in their graves knowing that their patrimony that they suffered and died for is being sold like fried fish on a festival week-end.
The sale of passports to keep the economy buoyant is unsustainable. How many more passports will we sell in the not too distant future to support our upkeep? Not many more I posit.
The time is rapidly approaching when Dominicans will awake to the news that the citizens from countries selling passports are prohibited from entering Europe, US and Canada indefinitely because of our lax due diligence system with our CBI program.
Caribbean people are intelligent, creative, inventive, and industrious enough to carve out a decent standard of living for ourselves from our own ingenuity.
Skerrit you lying so much its unbelievable . Man u have no shame ,every thing for this guy is the US , but he have the biggest Chinese Embassy in the caribbean, the US will feed you let you get fat them they get you where they want you them time for the take down.
Dominicans skerrit dont care, he is the biggest Liar in Caribbean chinese taking over and you all seating there and watching that happen and do nothing . Karma is a B ,Skerrit can run but you all have to face it , bunch of you know what.
Who is stopping America from putting a big embassy in Dominica?