Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 24, 2015 (SKNIS)—Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris has invited Asian investors to explore opportunities to live, work, play and do business in St. Kitts and Nevis.
In his keynote address at the inaugural Asia Citizenship by Investment and International Residence Summit at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, Prime Minister Harris called upon the Asian Community to learn more about St. Kitts and Nevis and to explore its investment opportunities and visitor lifestyle.
Prime Minister Harris told the gathering of distinguished personalities, including several Caribbean prime ministers and high ranking officials from multilateral agencies such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), that the Citizenship-by-Investment Programme (CIP) is undergoing necessary reformation.
“Since February this year, our focus has been on the future. We recognized the importance of a reset and therefore my government has been engaged in reinforcing the management architecture of the CIP to ensure sustainability, integrity and quality,” Dr. Harris told potential clients, industry agents, lawyers and media representatives at the two-day summit from October 26-27.
According to Prime Minister Harris, some of these changes include the establishment of an electronic case management system (CAMS) which provide 24/7 access to the Unit’s electronic resources. This new system is unique to St. Kitts and Nevis and has resulted in a dramatic reduction in outstanding applications.
The prime minister also announced that as part of improved management and oversight, the Government has adopted regulations for the review and management of escrow accounts. He further expressed satisfaction that the reforms had taken root and would be effectively carried forward through the employment of new, more qualified staff.
Additionally, he spoke of the establishment of a new technical committee, rooted in domestic law, which will have responsibility for reviewing, as necessary, denied applications.
Prime Minister Harris is accompanied to Singapore by his Attorney General, the Honorable Senator Vincent Byron and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Kevin M. Isaac.