Dear Editor,
In light of the poor economic situation in the Caribbeean, four OECS states – Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts/Nevis and St. Lucia – have agreed to introduce an economic citizenship programme whereby non-nationals can pay a fee and invest in the countries in order to obtain citizenship. They will also have to employ a certain number of locals as part of the package. However popular and outspoken St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Ralph Gonsalves, is opposed to it, despite the poor economic state of his country.
Gonsalves’ statement came less than two weeks after an announcement was made by both the OECS and Caricom states that the economies of the Caribbean islands are in shambles. As a matter of fact, it was stated by Grenada Prime Minister, Keith Mitchell that the OECS countries have to work assiduously towards improving their financial status before they are doomed.
One would have thought that St Vincent and the Grenadines, like its sister countries, needs cash, and that economic citizenship is a medium by which it could realize millions, but Comrade Ralph said that such a move is a “superficially attractive option” but that the “downside outweighs whatever money you can collect.” He added that it would be difficult to carry out proper due diligence in relation to dozens of applicants.
So far opposition leader Arnhim Eustace has not commented on the Prime Minister’s recent statement, but just before the last general elections he said he was in favour of the move. He said “there is nothing strange with a tight and well managed economic citizenship programme.” In fact, he added that it would attract investors. I beg to differ with Mr Eustace because selling citizenship, especially when the people who buy such citizenship and a passport are not required to live in the country for any period of time, demeans the value of citizenship.
Guyana so far is not interested in the idea, and I sincerely hope that the present government or any future administration would not think along these lines. I feel that the people who buy such citizenship are usually doing so to avoid entry provisions in other countries, and a great deal of suspicion is cast upon all passport holders, including natives of the country from which the citizenship is bought. Also while US and Canada have citizenship by investment programmes, they do not automatically accord citizenship and passports to investors. Such investors are given the right of residence in the country provided that they make an investment and sustain it over a period of time, but they still have to fulfil their constitutional requirements to become citizens – in other words they have to live in the country and pay taxes there for the time prescribed by the constitution.
Yours faithfully,
Oscar Ramjeet
