Mc Claude Emmanuel, the Chief Executive Officer of Saint Lucia’s Citizenship By Investment Programme (CIP), has robustly defended the initiative, affirming that the Citizenship By Investment Unit has consistently operated within the confines of the law.
Emmanuel’s remarks came amidst a controversy over the operation of Saint Lucia’s CIP.
He issued the following statement on Monday:
As some may be aware, I have been named in a civil lawsuit filed in the United States of America by MSR Media International and Philippe Martinez against former and present government officials in St. Kitts and Nevis and CIP actors who operated in St. Kitts and Nevis who are presently constructing a hotel in Saint Lucia.
In an interview on the evening of Thursday 6th June, 2024 on the Daher Broadcasting Station (“DBS”) with Lisa Joseph, Mr. Phillipe Martinez stated that in conversation with him, I inferred that the Minister with Responsibility for the CIP Programme, Hon. Dr. Ernest Hilaire was involved in an alleged CIP scam.
I wish to draw to the attention of the Saint Lucian public, the reason and nature of my meeting with Mr Martinez and the position of the CIP Unit of Saint Lucia:
1. I have been extremely concerned and perplexed by the inclusion of my name, as a co-defendant, in the lawsuit brought by Philippe Martinez under the RICO legislation in the United States of America.
2. On the invitation of Mr. Martinez, through his local representative, I agreed to meet with him and his lawyers to gain an understanding and reasons for my inclusion in the civil suit being filed and to avert any possibility of reputational damage to the Saint Lucia CIP Unit. At the meeting with Mr Martinez, no evidence was presented to me to substantiate the allegation of any scam in the Saint Lucia CIP Programme.
3. Moreover, I made it very clear to Mr. Martinez that I was not aware of Hon. Hilaire or any Saint Lucian official being involved in any scam or illegal activities as it relates to the operation of the CIP Programme.
4. I further explained that the issuance of real estate shares went through all proper legal processes and the related funds were properly accounted for in the Escrow account set up for that purpose.
5. In my meeting with Mr Martinez, at no time did I expressly or otherwise suggest that Hon. Hilaire or any Saint Lucian official may be a source of concern in his alleged scam taking place in Saint Lucia’s CIP Programme.
I wish to reiterate that the Unit has always followed the law and policies set for the Programme.
I am committed to ensuring that the Unit is run in accordance with the laws of Saint Lucia and the best international practices. As a result, I shall fervently defend myself and the integrity of the CIP Unit against this claim.
Is Phillip Pierre your kid’s God child?
Cip is not right for st lucia ..too many foreigners live on this tiny island and the people at the top benifit most while the people suffer most.nothing the cip people do here lifts the economy here
This Martinez character sounds so fishy! Man sounds like an entitled rich man who sees an opportunity to make even more money from small islands…even will go as far as crippling our banking system if he can! Look I see a Florida judge dismiss his case to subpoena St Kitts over this whole issue. I agree PIP put this Emanuel fella there as a friends family foreigner dealings as the uwp used to do, so this is a consequence. I find Emmanuels response to all this makes no sense..how you visiting de man office when you ona trip with your family? Wth dude….if you are confident that Martinez and his Amigo Gang have nothing on you, then tell them “tieh c zot la”!
I never understood why those colonial thinking leaders see the best thing to do is sell your sovereignty and make your ppl on a little rock second class citizens. Ban that all together because in times of world division and conflicts we will be the ones that will stick in the hole . Little islands selling their rights smh . That’s the best you all can come up with to make money . Smh disgusting !
Mate cute eh 😉
What’s in the dark must come to light no amount of talk can cover up
UWPs foo fol looking for scandals where there are none! They have latched themselves to a notorious scammer in the hope that this will cause undue harm to the current regime but that will be all for naught! All the crap they are slinging out there will ultimately come back and sully their own faces just like the case (the fishing expedition at the US Banks) came to a crashing halt. Allen and UWP admins have absolutely no legitimacy.
The fall guy trying to clear his name, tick tock. Audit the escrow account if it exists, this should be simple addition for number of passports sold
Deluded. Its no more than a high profile legalised scam to screw money out of foreigners. You gain NOTHING, sure you can apply for a St Lucian passport, which gets you: sweet FA apart from automatic visas to countries you never want to visit. Whoopeedoo. Try importing anything at all and customs are all over it like flies on a turd, making up stupid numbers that they turn into dollars for you to pay. CIP also means you get told what property you can buy and that you can’t sell it for 5 years. Give it a miss, in fact, give St Lucia a miss altogether, paradise it is not.
We are all talking our nonesense. There has been an allegation made and is currently going through the courts system.Keep in mind, it was nothing to do with our local courts system and nothing to do with the CCJ. Uncle has this one. The same uncle Uncle Sam who I was told has a long reach. Talk as you may, at the end of the day, the courts will decide. Some of you are stuck on the messager and not the message. Remember Michael Cohen was convicted and he was the one with the message to convict Trump. Wait and See how this one develops in America – it is about to get nasty
Dude fend off the detractors and focus on more salient aspects of the program. Nothing but a desperate bunch looking for anything to gain traction to feed the usual political tribalism. Remain focus.