Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Investment Dr Ernest Hilaire has announced that the government will table a motion to make records related to Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) public.
Speaking to reporters at the first pre-Cabinet session of the new government term, Hilaire said the release of the documents is critical to restoring and safeguarding Saint Lucia’s international reputation and addressing long-standing concerns raised locally about the programme.
According to Hilaire, the government will release the operational audit report, annual report and financial statements of the CIP, bringing all documentation up to date. He said the reports will be tabled at a subsequent sitting of Parliament, though not at Tuesday’s sitting.
“The opposition was frightened of our CIP becoming a successful solution because of the impact it would have had on the country,” Hilaire said, arguing that the programme could have generated increased resources for housing, road development and bridge construction. He accused the opposition of mounting what he described as a hate campaign against the CIP, which he said damaged Saint Lucia’s international standing and his own reputation.
Earlier this year, legal action was brought against the minister over the programme by former prime minister and opposition leader Allen Chastanet, who lost the case.
Hilaire maintained that the sustained criticism and legal challenges were part of a broader strategy that ultimately harmed the country’s image abroad.
“So in the coming period, one of the first things we will do is release the operational audit report, the annual report and the financial statements of CIP,” he said. “Saint Lucians will see it for what it is, and those documents will be published all over the world.”
The minister said recent legislative changes have significantly strengthened Saint Lucia’s CIP, restoring measures that existed prior to 2016, including annual quotas, net worth requirements and other safeguards. He added that the revised legislation also allows for the appointment of a more diverse CIP board, drawing on a wider range of skills and expertise.
“We have strengthened our CIP beyond what any other country has in this region,” Hilaire said, adding that the government intends to appoint a new board under the updated framework and actively promote transparency and openness to scrutiny.
Hilaire said the government is now focused on moving forward following the December 1 general election, which returned the Saint Lucia Labour Party to office with a second consecutive term.
“The time for shouting is over. The people have made their judgement,” he said. “What exists in Saint Lucia is a programme that can serve a very useful purpose and bring tremendous benefit to this country.”
He expressed confidence that the CIP will continue to make a significant contribution to national development and said the government intends to intensify and expand its work over the next five years.
“I honestly believe the next five years in Saint Lucia will probably be our five most glorious years,” Hilaire added.
