Source: Antigua Observer
Following the news that the United Kingdom will increase scrutiny of all regional Citizenship by Investment Programmes (CIP), the government of Antigua and Barbuda is confident that evaluation of the local programme will lead to a favourable outcome.
Yesterday, the Cabinet announced that a notice sent by the UK government indicated it will be examining all such programmes in the English-speaking Caribbean, to determine if they undermine the UK’s national security.
During Thursday’s post-Cabinet press briefing, Cabinet spokesperson Melford Nicholas said the Cabinet spoke to the Chief Executive Officer of the country’s CIP programme, Charmaine Quinland-Donovan, who assured them that there were no issues.
Nicholas said that since Brexit, the UK has been putting out “feelers” with regard to border security issues. However, he claimed that Quinland-Donovan advised the Cabinet that “none of those breaches would be associated with any CIP citizen based on those who have been approved”.
He indicated that the government believed that their CIP security protocols were stringent.
“She was able to indicate that a number of the OECS jurisdictions who have similar CIP programmes have made certain changes and are looking towards adopting some of the measures that we have in place,” he said.
The Minister of Information is hoping that other regional governments will work more collaboratively with the Antiguan and Barbudan government “to ensure that as a common group, we are doing everything possible to stave off any debilitating changes that may occur in the EU”.
Meanwhile, Minister Nicholas revealed to reporters that a meeting between the British High Commissioner, Lindsy Thompson, Quinland-Donovan and the Prime Minister will be held in the coming days and that the information presented to the UK government will be favourable.
“If we were to receive any early indication that [the UK] are going in a direction other than we would like, I am certain we will put the necessary resources to lobby for a more favourable outcome,” he added.
Antigua and Barbuda is among nearly a dozen countries globally that offer the programme, with access to the EU’s coveted Schengen Area—27 European countries that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border controls at their mutual borders—being a major attraction.
However, the European Parliament has been adamant that third parties should not have such easy access to its member states, especially from coming through “friendly” countries that currently benefit from visa-free travel.