Last Updated on October 31, 2023, 1:35 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Premier Mark Brantley, Leader of the Opposition in St Kitts & Nevis, defends the integrity of the Citizenship by Investment Program following malicious and calculated attacks by some local and European elements. The Premier made these remarks during a press conference on 30 October 2023.
The Citizenship by Investment programme and the idea was established 39 years ago by the St Kitts and Nevis government in 1984. Other countries like Canada later followed this model. Canada had a different approach as it was set to attract the rich Chinese to Canada.
England also had the same approach as Canada as it attracted people like Roman Arkadyevich Abramovich as a way of promoting their sights of Citizenship by Investment Programme.
Dominica, Malta, and Portugal also established their Citizenship by Investment programmes (CBI) later in the following years.
“According to the reports, 27 thousand passports were issued through the Citizenship by investment since it was established. But it was never mentioned if these passports were distributed on a monthly or annual basis or when they were issued; meanwhile, Europe has been giving over 800 thousand passports annually.
The Premier of Nevis and Leader of the country’s political opposition, Mark Brantley, claimed that St Kitts And Nevis has never commented on their establishment. However, they are not restrained from commenting on the numbers of St Kitts and Nevis issued passports.”
The Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley has urged the people of St Kitts and Nevis to stand up for the truth. He asserted that Citizenship by Investment Program has been a critical tool for the last 39 years in helping the government of St Kitts to meet its developmental goals.
The Premier of Nevis asserted that any political party in power or out of control has used the Citizenship by Investment programme for their developmental programmes. The programme is also very important for any political parties vying for power. Accordingly, the Premier of Nevis urged the politicians and political leaders to master the Citizenship by investment programme.
He additionally highlighted that anyone thinking of discrediting the programme must think of an alternative to replace the 52% national revenue overnight. If the authorities can not do that, they must invest their energies towards protecting the Citizenship by Investment Programme.
Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley has announced that he has had some issues with Nevis not getting their fair share. He is going to meet up with the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Dr Terrance Drew, to discuss how Nevis can also get a fair share of the contributions being brought in by the Citizenship by Investment Programme.
“Since Dr Drew has become the Prime Minister Of St Kitts, he has set up different programs from contributions coming from the Citizenship by Investment Program such as Double salary last year for public servants, two dividends, back to school program and
thousand dollars for those in good standard of social security”. Added Premier Brantley.
He acknowledged that all these programmes have helped and benefitted the people of Nevis alongside St Kitts. Accordingly, he believes that the programme has played a crucial role in developing the country and its people.
In his closing statement, Premier Mark Brantley has advised the people of St Kitts And Nevis not to allow anyone to destroy the goose, laying golden eggs for the nation all these years. He suggested that the programme has outlived many industries that started and become obsolete in the country.
Accordingly, Mark Brantley claimed country’s people need to invest their energies in protecting the CBI Programme of St Kitts and Nevis.
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.
