SVG Prime Minister Gonsalves Will Not Support Regional Countries on CBI

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, has ruled out providing solidarity to any of the five Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) countries that operate citizenship by investment (CBI) programmes.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph GonsalvesAntigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada,  St. Lucia, and St.  Kitts-Nevis operate CBI programmes under which foreign investors are granted citizenship in return for making a substantial investment in the socio-economic development of these countries.

Gonsalves has defended his government’s opposition to the CBI in the aftermath of a scathing response earlier this month by his Antigua and Barbuda counterpart, Gaston Browne to suggestions by Gonsalves that the CBI programmes are inherently corrupt.

Browne accused Gonsalves of adopting the position of developed countries that have opposed to any innovation that developing countries devise to carve out a space for themselves.

“It don’t have, really, anything to say about what Gaston said. I don’t think he advances the discussion at all. And to the extent that there has to be an answer, my answer isn’t what I stated initially,” Gonsalves told a news conference.

“For anybody who can say — whether that person come from any regional country or the NDP (opposition National Democratic Party)here — that I’m being irresponsible. Imagine this. I’m irresponsible, they argue for not selling passport and citizenship.”

Gonsalves has described CBI as selling passports. After coming to office in March 2001, he repealed the CBI law that had been enacted by the NDP administration.

“Presumably, therefore, I’ll be very responsible, highly responsible, if I sell as many as I can, as fast as I can. That would be the height of responsibility in their twisted logic,”  Gonsalves told reporters, repeating his position that the Bible and the Vincentian passport must never be sullied or treated with contempt.

“One is the sacred word of God, and the other one, as I always say, the passport is the outward sign of the inward grace of citizenship, and citizenship is the highest office in the land. Neither is a commodity for sale…”

Gonsalves noted the ruling earlier this month of the European Court that Malta’s CBI programme commodified citizenship.

“I didn’t need a European to tell me that,” Gonsalves said. “I know that from who we are.

“Any country wants to sell their passport and sell their citizenship, that’s their business. I’m saying for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, it will not happen. The people will ensure that it doesn’t happen. And those who are salivating and lining up, we have prevented them from doing so since 2001, and a lot of lies are being told.”

CBI has emerged as a campaign issue in yet another election cycle as Vincentians prepare to elect a new government in polls widely expected by November, ahead of the February 2026 constitutional deadline.

Gonsalves noted that the NDP had projected earnings of EC$20 million(One EC dollar=US$0.37  cents) in the 2001 fiscal year under its economic citizenship programme, but the ULP ended the programme as soon as it came to office in March 2001.

The prime minister said eight or 10 passports had been issued under the programme, adding, “they had already had their merchants from overseas lined up, and the local ones too salivating.

“I cut down their breadfruit tree so they vex with me from that time,” Gonsalves said.

“I don’t really have a problem with my friend Gaston Browne defending his breadfruit tree. I don’t expect him not to defend his breadfruit tree. That’s fine. I’m not having any quarrel with you with that.”

He said he has been saying since closing down the CBI programme here that  “the people who want to sell our passports and sell our citizenship, have been seeking to subvert the democracy in this country, which tells you something about the nastiness of these passport sellers…”

Gonsalves said he was defending St. Vincent and the Grenadines against the corrupt practice of trying to undermine the country’s democracy.

“I defending this country. I hope Gaston don’t allow anybody to give him basket to carry water,” Gonsalves said, adding “I don’t like bullying by anybody’

Gonsalves said he also opposes CBI because it is unsustainable, adding that it is dependent on the European Union and Britain continuing visa-free access to passport holders.

He, however, said that Britain and the EU are moving against countries that have CBI programmes.

“Now, I don’t like bullying by anybody, but you have to look at the signs of the times and see this thing coming to an end because of what is happening in Britain, in Europe, and everywhere else,” Gonsalves said.

“And you’re the reckless, which is the fourth point, if you put your eggs substantially inside of the basket of selling passports and selling citizenship. There are some countries in the world which had it and it gone, and who now have it had it, some of its small percentage, other places, is a big chunk of the revenue.

“If that gone, crapaud smoke man pipe. You think I’m going to be reckless like that? Particularly in a situation where you are on borrowed time?

“I’m always in favour of us in the region try to see if everybody could hold one common head. But those four reasons are so powerful, I can’t hold a common head with anybody with that.”

Gonsalves, noting that he turns 79 in August, said his “mind is as sharp as ever, and I got plenty energy”.

The prime minister said he was brought up to “never grudge anybody what they have, you don’t know how they get it, and you don’t know the downsides as to how they get it…

“Secondly, if you want anything, you work for it, and you work disciplined and sensible, and you improve your education and your training to work for it…”

He was apparently responding to the argument that the OECS countries with CBI programme have higher standards of living than t. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Thirdly, always be distrustful of easy money. Easy come, easy go,” Gonsalves said.

“They shouldn’t trouble me on this thing. … All those things are deep inside of me. I don’t want to read any book about them. A noise in the blood, an echo in the bone.

“So don’t ask me to join anybody in solidarity on this question. I’m not joining you in solidarity on this. No way at all.

“It’s wrong for St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Who want to do it in their own country, that’s their business. But I’m telling everybody, don’t cross swords with me on this in my country, you’ll find my tongue to be very sharp,” Gonsalves said.

“You want to undermine a government which has brought such benefits to the people for the last 24 years. No, that ain’t going happen. I can’t allow that to happen. And then what I learned as a young man, too, a youngster, a doh like bullies, whether the bullies around the West, around the east, the north or the south,” Prime Minister Gonsalves said.