CIU acquires new software upgrade

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In an effort to improve efficiency and to offer a better quality product, The Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), has upgraded its application management software.

In a release, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chisanga Chekwe said the improvement will enable the unit to compete on quality, rather than price.

“We refuse to compete on price,” Chekwe said. “Our focus is on quality, efficiency, transparency and a robust due diligence process.”

He added: “Our citizens carry one of the most respected passports in the world; the country has a high literacy rate and many enjoy a high standard of living.”

Echoing his boss’s sentiments, Deputy CEO Thomas Anthony said whereas some countries have recently reduced their investment threshold in order to attract more investment, Antigua & Barbuda will continue to be recognised for its quality and efficiency.

Anthony said reducing prices may attract undesirables.

“We want to attract quality investors. We do not want to attract nefarious characters who might threaten the security of Antigua and Barbuda or other countries.”

“Despite the increased competition,” Anthony said, “Antigua remains number one in the region for CIPs, and number three in the world behind Malta and Cyprus.”

The Antigua & Barbuda programme, he said, is highly respected internationally and has been praised at every forum the CIU has participated in; from brand identity to some of the creative marketing tools it has employed.

According to Chekwe, among other improvements, the software upgrade will support more efficient management of files, allow for more readily available statistics and ensure better management of statistics through amore effective accounting software. Additionally, it will facilitate authorised secure remote access to applications.

“Files are normally processed within an already efficient 60 to 90 days,” Chekwe says. “These new improvements will make an even faster turnaround time possible.”

Recently, one Caribbean country cut the contribution to the National Development Fund — one method of obtaining a CIP passport — by half in order to attract more takers.

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