Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS): Prime Minister, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, revealed during a statement in Parliament on March 26, 2024, the staggering sale of passports under the prison project, highlighting the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme’s facilitation of citizenship approvals for up to twenty-five thousand (25,000) individuals.
“Madam Speaker, up to about twenty-five thousand (25,000) [citizenship approved] just for one project and that was the prison project,” said Prime Minister Dr. Drew. “And to be fair to even those who invested, they did not ask to build a prison, they were presented with a prison to build – almost as if we have a project here just to run with it.
Furthermore, the prime minister emphasised the magnitude of this figure by comparing it to the country’s population which stands at fifty-five thousand (55,000).
Prime Minister Drew’s remarks underscore the importance of transparency and accountability within the CBI Programme. While acknowledging its contribution to national development, he also emphasised the need for responsible governance to ensure that such projects align with the country’s interests and values.