… Get your facts right
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, May 17, 2018 - PRIME Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Hon. Gaston Browne has strongly criticized representatives of the diplomatic community within the region for allegedly spreading “fake news” to their respective developed countries on the region’s Citizenship By Investment Programme.
While addressing the opening of the two-day Caribbean Investment Summit at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort, the outspoken PM called on the diplomatic community to get its facts right before reporting.
The PM explained that there is a need to strengthen the region’s program, since it has been recognized that if islands were to continue to lose revenues from those CIP’s it will diminish the livelihood of the people of the various CBI countries.
The CIP programmes account for majority revenue for a number of islands in the region. However, malicious reports have been published that indicated that the region’s programme has illicit actors and do not have robust due diligence, which can result in challenges from the international community.
“Unfortunately, there was a malicious report in 2017 that suggested that we were operating with the most relaxed program in the world, without any consideration. And these types of categorization would not help. Not only will it undermine our programmes but it will undermine diplomatic relation among states,” he said. “So I want to say to those individuals who are responsible, get your facts right! If you want to maintain strong relations with countries in the Caribbean, you can’t be using lies and fake news.”
Strongly defending the region’s CIPs in the presence of hundreds of investors and visitors to St. Kitts and Nevis, PM Browne blasted the diplomatic, sending a strong message that the region is united.
“When you are reporting to your capitols let them know that the prime ministers of countries that offers the citizenship program, that they stand together in defending the program.”
He called on all to resist the continued undermining of the citizenship program, noting that all islands with CIPs will feel the effects of the loss of those programs if they are not properly protected.
“..we must fight all the false information that is being pedaled about the programs. And it doesn’t matter where the information emanated from.”
To this end, Browne pointed out that the private sector plays an important role in ensuring that the program remains viable.
“ Therefore, the private sector, regulators, [and] the government must be alert and responsive. CIP cannot continue to be a background political issue in the Caribbean. We are literally undermining our progress for development, and giving fully to our detractors.”
The CIP programme in the region has been highly criticised in the recent times. It has been described in many circles as a “competition” among member states to see who will reach the bottom first.
That notion the PM insinuated need to change.
The event is sponsored by amongst others, Caribbean Galaxy Real Estate, Bluemina Citizenship and Immigration, Bitcoin.com, BDO, S-RM, Apex Capital, Christophe Harbour, Exiger, Joseph Rowe Law and PassPro.
Sponsorship and delegate packages are available for those who wish to attend via the website https://icsummit.com/. Enquiries are encouraged via the email events@icsummit.com.
