PM Browne Defends CIP Against Gonsalves’ “Irresponsible” Remarks

PM Browne Defends CIP Against Gonsalves’ “Irresponsible” Remarks

Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has sharply criticised recent comments by St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who labelled regional Citizenship by Investment Programmes (CIPs) as corrupt and unsustainable.

Describing the remarks as “unfortunate” and “irresponsible,” Browne said on his weekend radio show that Gonsalves had gone “too far” and accused him of launching “a deliberate and provocative attack” on OECS states that operate CIPs.

At a press conference on April 15, Gonsalves claimed that selling passports poses an “existential threat” to Caribbean democracies, and alleged that firms promoting CIPs were financing political campaigns, including those of the opposition NDP in St Vincent. He reiterated his long-standing opposition to the programmes on both principle and practicality.

Browne rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing in Antigua and Barbuda’s programme, stressing that all applicants undergo rigorous vetting, including checks by international and regional agencies such as Interpol.

“Antigua and Barbuda runs a legitimate investment immigration programme,” he said, comparing it to those in the US, Canada, and EU countries, while pointing out that unlike Antigua’s programme, many of those only grant residency, not citizenship.

He added that CIP revenue has been critical to the country’s economic survival, saying the programme had generated over $1 billion since its inception.

Browne also dismissed Gonsalves’ warnings about possible visa restrictions for CIP countries, noting that St Vincent itself lacks visa-free access to Canada and could still be vulnerable to external pressures.

In response to growing international scrutiny, OECS states have recently agreed to stricter regional oversight of CIPs, incorporating recommendations from the US, EU, and UK.

Browne concluded by defending the right of sovereign nations to determine their own policies: “If you choose to have a CIP programme, that has nothing to do with you. You choose not to have one, we respect your decision.”

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