The Deputy Head of the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), Thomas Anthony, said a Donald Trump-led US administration would mean that local officials would have to ramp up interaction with American officials.
His comments came in wake of the release of a CBS 60 Minutes special, on Sunday, that portrayed Citizenship by Investment Programmes (CIPs) as an avenue that allowed terrorists and other criminals to avoid visa controls and to change identity, among other illegal acts.
The presentation also quoted General John F Kelly – the imminent head of US Homeland Security in the Trump administration – who, in a report last year, had expressed concern that “cash for passport programmes could be exploited by criminals, terrorists or other nefarious actors”.
Anthony said in light of the comments, “It means that we would have to interact with the new administration directly at the level of Congress and also lobby political organisations and other members of the House in the US.”
He said this approach would clear the way for further dialogue and allow the US officials to understand the policies and practices of Antigua & Barbuda’s CIU.
More in today’s Daily Observer.