On Thursday, July 16th, prestigious Dubai newspaper Khaleej Times hosted a webinar titled “St Kitts and Nevis: Strength and Recovery through Citizenship by Investment.” Special guests from the Caribbean twin-island nation, where the concept originates from, shared how the due diligence of its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme makes it so successful.
St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, Dr the Hon. Timothy Harris, shared the country’s experience in a variety of areas, including its efficient response to the COVID-19 pandemic, what it means for investor immigration, and most importantly, the CBI vetting process.
Individuals who have become citizens of the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis through the CBI Programme will have passed some of the most stringent due diligence checks, Prime Minister Harris told Khaleej Times.
The PM also explained that the multi-tiered system for vetting starts with agents who applicants apply through, and only then the officials from the islands’ consider the applicant.
“The vetting process is critical, and we have ensured, by and large, to maintain the platinum brand, that we have taken all reasonable precautions to ensure that only the most vetted person, only the most discerning of a citizen is attracted to St Kitts and Nevis,” PM Harris said.
“We want people who are honest, people of high integrity, people who could contribute to the development of St Kitts and Nevis and minimise any reputational damage to our country,” he added.
Later, Mr Les Khan, the CEO of the country’s Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), joined the panel discussion. Ms Natasha Jones, a Legal Assistant at CS Global Partners, also shared application-related advice.
In closing, the senior editor of the Khaleej Times and webinar’s host admitted that the twin-islands’ Programme, as the oldest in the industry, was indeed ahead of its time.
