CIP mogul says his comments were aired out of context

Citizenship advisory firm Henley & Partners has declared that the “selective extracts” of its Chairman, Dr Christian Kalin’s interview with CBS aired on its 60 Minutes programme, “did not reflect his views comprehensively”.
A January 12 press release from Henley & Partners stated that the interview was “one-sided” and that “the comments that were aired have not properly communicated the context in which he spoke”.
And, in a statement issued in response to queries from OBSERVER media, Dr Kalin, who came under fire for his part in the 60 Minutes segment titled “Passports for Sale”, stopped short of accusing CBS of bad journalism.
“60 Minutes … is always searching for controversy. It was not a balanced interview nor were the facts up to date. Also, it was too negative on the Caribbean, and definitely not fair on St Kitts and Nevis,” the chairman of Henley & Partners said.
In the segment, Citizenship by Investment Programmes (CIPs) in the Caribbean were heavily criticised for possibly presenting a security risk to the United States (US) and its allies by offering visa-free travel and other benefits to unscrupulous characters if they acquire citizenship and later a passport.
In the release, Dr Kalin said that “what was stated in the programme also regarding security risks is inaccurate” and “does not reflect the current reality”. Instead he argued that, “the Caribbean has well-governed and secure programmes”.
In his responses issued to OBSERVER media, Dr Kalin admitted that he was  not ready for 60 Minutes interviewer Steve Kroft.
(More in today’s Daily Observer)