Last Updated on September 26, 2020, 7:22 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr the Honourable Timothy Harris, participated in the 10th Concordia Annual Summit. The Concordia Annual Summit is a non-partisan global affairs forum which harbours partnerships and dialogue for positive social impact.
Dr Harris was supported by Mr Les Khan, the CEO of the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme, and other prominent international government, business and non-profit leaders. The PM emphasised the success of St Kitts and Nevis in dealing with COVID-19 with the help of the CBI Programme.
St Kitts and Nevis’ CBI Programme was established in 1984 and underwent major transformations in recent years.
This included an overhaul of prioritising external partnerships, due diligence checks and creating the Sustainable Growth Fund.
Dr Harris introduced the latter in 2018 as the fastest route for second citizenship.
Prime Minister Harris took part in a panel discussion called ‘The Power of Social Impact Investments for a Sustainable Future’.
The Prime Minister said that the inflows generated through CBI essentially enabled St Kitts and Nevis to stay afloat during these difficult times.
He said that if it had not been for the CBI programme, the country would not have been able to respond as successfully to the COVID-19 pandemic as it has.
The CBI Programme has not only managed to assist St Kitts and Nevis in recovering from natural disasters but has also helped in developing the tourism sector of the country.
Some CBI funded projects include the construction of an international athletic track in Nevis and Port Zante in St Kitts, a pier which can host up to three of the largest ships in the world.
The government has recently adjusted some application requirements for attracting more families. Now, a limited-time offer allows vetted families of up to four to obtain citizenship for US$150,000 instead of US$195,000 through the fund option until January 15th.
Foreign Minister Mark Brantley also actively seeks to establish more visa waiver agreements, bringing St Kitts and Nevis to having the 26th strongest passport in the world. Most importantly, applicants earn the right to live, work and study in a modern democracy with a promising future.
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.
