Saint Lucia and its Eastern Caribbean neighbours now have a clearer picture of what is at stake in their ongoing dispute with the European Union over Citizenship by Investment Programmes (CIP): they must phase the programmes out by June 2028 or risk losing visa-free access to the Schengen Area.
For Saint Lucia, this presents a difficult choice. The CIP brings in revenue that Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre says benefits the country, while visa-free access allows Saint Lucians to travel to countries within the Schengen Area without first obtaining a visa.
The issue has been building for years, with European authorities raising concerns about CIPs and the security implications of people acquiring citizenship from countries whose nationals enjoy visa-free access to Europe.
Eastern Caribbean governments have responded by strengthening due diligence and moving towards greater regional regulation of their programmes. But following talks with European officials in New York last week, Pierre said it became clear that those changes had not shifted the EU’s fundamental position.
The meeting brought Pierre and Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne together with European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Governor, Timothy Antoine, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Director General, Dr Didacus Jules and other officials.
“The Europeans are adamant,” Pierre said at Monday’s pre-Cabinet press briefing.
According to Pierre, one of the most significant takeaways was that there appears to be little room for negotiation on the central issue.
“There were some people who thought that that could be negotiated. But the guy was clear. He said, once you have a programme, that’s it,” he said.
That leaves Saint Lucia having to decide how far it is prepared to go to protect a programme the Government has repeatedly defended.
In March, when questioned by St Lucia Times about the future of the programme, Pierre was unequivocal about his Government’s position.
“I will tell you that Saint Lucia has no intention of stopping the CIP programme. We will do all we can. I want to be clear. We will do all we can to strengthen the programme,” the Prime Minister stated at the time.
With the EU’s position now clearer, St Lucia Times asked Pierre on Monday whether he still stood by that declaration and, given the possibility of losing visa-free access, where Saint Lucia now stood.
“The position is we’re going to protect the people of Saint Lucia…We’re going to protect our financial system,” Pierre responded, before again pointing to the value of CIP to the country.
“But our programme benefits the people of Saint Lucia,” he said.
Pierre said the CIP accounts for about 10 per cent of Saint Lucia’s revenue, making it important but not the Government’s main source of income.
“It’s a programme that we would not like to lose because it has done quite a bit for our country. But we are going to try to protect it,” he said.
For now, the Government has not announced any intention to wind down the programme.
The conversation with Europe is not over. A regional technical team is expected to hold further talks with European officials in October as the five Eastern Caribbean countries operating CIP programmes consider the way forward. Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ernest Hilaire will represent Saint Lucia on the team.
But Pierre acknowledged that room for those discussions has narrowed considerably.
“So it’s a very difficult proposition that we have,” he said. “But we’re going to work with them to see if we can come to a solution.”
Is best they end it
I told you so. Not surprised! Anyone with vision would see that coming. The poor in SLU has more to lose from CIP and more to gain with travelling opportunities from which they can fend for themselves.
‘You’ll tell the US no?’ – when they want to deport 3rd country people into our country?
Well, will you tell the EU no when they say do not facilitate the entry of 3rd country people into theirs?
Okay then.
We now need visas to enter England. It is kinda obvious what happens next. CIP will end and the St Lucia passport will be worth even less by 2028.
I have never supported or believed in selling our citizenship as the right revenue stream to our development and at that so cheaply! However, that said I do not support the EU ultimatum was needed for us to to make a sensible decision that would better benefit us as a nation trying to have access to revenue for development.
The continued selling of citizenship means we will inevitably sell out the native born Saint Lucian and that means we loss control to the majority foreign purchase citizenship. Thus, we return to Masa financial colt deciding and in control of Saint Lucia development and destiny with no return because of our short sighted vision for today.
I have never supported or believed in selling our citizenship as the right revenue stream to our development and at that so cheaply! However, that said I do not support the EU ultimatum was needed for us to to make a sensible decision that would better benefit us as a nation trying to have access to revenue for development.
The continued selling of citizenship means we will inevitably sell out the native born Saint Lucian and that means we loss control to the majority foreign purchase citizenship. Thus, we return to Masa financial colt deciding and in control of Saint Lucia development and destiny with no return because of our short sighted vision for today.
Our passports are attactrive as a CIP progam because we have visa free access to the EU.
Wha
Let’s be sensible here if we stop the programme(CIP) we will at least retain our visa free access , but if we decide to continue we lose visa free access plus we lose the program itself because let’s face it we are selling visa free access. Do you really think people want our passport because they love St Lucia dearly? Come on
Who EXACTLY is CIP benefitting,? Where are the projects? Where is the improved infrastructure? I have not seen ONE Project from CIP? So, the RU is correct
No matter how de black man try, the oppressors will find a way to stop him! It is not surprising that one of the most openly corrupt countries in the world right now has one of the most powerful passports!!!!
And again they offer not funding to our islands.
The have to end it or it will be an open door for criminas.
The people who benefit from cip are the very rich. And they will not be affected by the visa restrictions either. They already have visas to other countries. People speak up, or the majority will be left stranded on this island while the rich can travel and have it good. Like in Haiti.
I stopped commenting because for some unknown reason SLT never publishes my comments but I have to try again because what I have to say is important.
I have never been one who believes in selling our passports. I have been against the program for many reasons. Our government went into it and despite all what has been said about due diligence our passports can and will always fall into the hands of unscrupulous people. This is why we are where we are today. I think the government needs to dismantle the program to protect ourselves from further backlash.
I also hope SLT publish my comment this time
I wonder if they will ever find the millions of $$$ ‘unaccounted for’?……🤔
The answer should be simple. If we stop the programme St Lucia retains visa free access but if we continue it we lose our visa free access plus we lose the CIP PROGRAMME. Let’s be real no one is lining up for a passport if there’s no visa free access so ultimately what we are selling is VISA FREE ACCESS TO THE EU.