Glen Bart, MyVueNews.com
Basseterre, St. Kitts, 17th May, 2018 (MyVueNews.com) – The 2018 Caribbean Investment Summit opened at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort, with over 250 persons from several countries around the world that have joined Caribbean countries with Citizenship By Investment programs to discuss issues that could enhance standards and processes.
Featured speaker Dr. Timothy Harris said it was important for CBI programs in the Caribbean follow best practices, create standardised policies and procedures, that training, reliability and risk management are diligently pursued to ensure that all programs are reputable.
Ceremonially taking the baton from Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Brown, Prime Minister Harris said there has never been a more opportune time to unite and ensure strong CBI programs in the region through cooperation.
“We in the Caribbean with CBI Programs must work together and try to establish a better frameworks for cooperation,” Harris said.
Prime Minister Brown in his presentation pointed out that CBI programs must not be a political football, that the programs are too important to the socio-economic life of the Caribbean countries involved.
He said, “The Citizenship by Investment Program is an industry that helped our islands diversify our economies.”
In addition, the Antigua & Barbuda Prime Minister said it was important that the OECS CBI countries work together to address misinformation, issues of transparency, security and due diligence and protect our programs for those who would like to see them come to a halt.
Browne passionately stated, “We have the right to have CIPs. It is critical to the sustainable advancement of our countries. We have to protect our programs.”
This year’s summit is being held under the theme, ‘Unity in the Age of Division’.
The Summit, which runs from May 16 to19, brings together Heads of Government from Citizenship by Investment (CBI) jurisdictions in the region including Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Saint Lucia, Grenada and host country St. Kitts and Nevis.
Top Photo: Prime Ministers Dr. Timothy Harris (L) and Gaston Browne.