Last Updated on June 16, 2024, 6:22 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Basseterre, St. Kitts: The government of St. Kitts and Nevis is moving forward with the establishment and implementation of its Continuing International Due Diligence (CIDD) Unit, further highlighting its consistent efforts towards strengthening the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme.
Ian Queeley, Former Commissioner of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and current Ambassador for the Eastern Caribbean States to the Kingdom of Morocco, will head the new CIDD Unit.
During the National Assembly session held on Friday, June 14, Prime Minister and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Terrance Drew, announced that this new operation will help to protect the Federation’s reputation on the international stage.
The CIDD Unit will be headquartered in Europe and will be responsible for conducting continuing due diligence on economic citizens worldwide.
“We are serious, and we want to ensure that we endanger confidence in our international partners that we are serious about their security as well,” PM Drew said during the second reading and debate on the Citizenship by Investment Unit Bill,2024.
PM Dr. Drew emphasized that the new initiative will ensure that citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis who hold passports and live abroad follow the local laws in their host countries and adhere to international legal standards.
The initiative will also involve notifying St. Kitts and Nevis’ Ministry of National Security about citizens being investigated, arrested, or charged with overseas financial or other offenses.
Additionally, the unit will collaborate with and provide reports to international law enforcement and agencies combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
The unit will also be responsible for retrieving passports issued by St. Kitts and Nevis that have been revoked by the Ministry of National Security following Principle 5 of the US-Caribbean Roundtable on Citizenship by Investment (CBI).
The CIDD Unit will also seek to create policies to mitigate and address any risks associated with St. Kitts and Nevis citizens who obtained citizenship with the CBI Programme.
In concluding the address, PM Drew said that the government of St. Kitts and Nevis is taking strict measures to protect its nation and its international partners.
The Continuing International Due Diligence (CIDD) Unit will be operationalised by July 31, 2024.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
