OECS Countries Urged To Consider Joint Approach To CIP

Antigua and Barbuda and other OECS countries are being urged to consider a joint approach to the citizenship by investment program.
St. Lucian Prime Minister Allen Chastanet says even before St Lucia launched its CIP it was in the business because persons buying passports from Antigua, St Kitts or Grenada have full rights in St Lucia.
He says his preference is for the CIP to be an OECS initiative based at the OECS Secretariat.
Chastanet says quote – “I can say to all the other Prime Ministers that St.Lucia is willing to sign up to that,”
He says that the value of the programme does not necessarily relate to the country offering the citizenship, but the access that the citizenship gives in terms of how many visa-free countries can be visited and the ease of doing business.
He said there is a growing market of Americans who are interested in having a second passport because of terrorism.
He said that there are a number of legitimate reasons why people want a ‘secondary’ passport.
OECS countries, notably, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts-Nevis and St. Lucia offer the CIP under which foreign investors make a significant financial contribution to the socio-economic development of those islands in exchange for citizenship. St. Vincent and the Grenadines has publicly said it would not participate in any CIP programme.