– When the risk outweighs the benefit, it’s a tacit acknowledgement that the option is to disperse. CIP St Lucia is at this terminal.
By Caribbean News Global
CASTRIES, St Lucia – Citizenship by Investment (CIP) funds have surfaced in recent weeks with no impact to change, save and improve Saint Lucian lives. However, there’s more, hidden in flattery and flavour, not directed at the prospects for a focused and better future.
The government of Saint Lucia, on August 19, donated $240,000 from the CIP funds to the UBUNTU Movement, stating in part:
“This funding supports the “Seeds for Justice: Peace and Economic Prosperity” initiative, a project dedicated to addressing the root causes of violence in vulnerable communities.
“The “Seeds for Justice” project has advanced to a new phase called “Olive Branch.” This phase aims to further the UBUNTU Movement’s impact by launching youth leadership and childcare programs, exploring economic empowerment opportunities, and organizing a peace concert. Additionally, the SEEDS project includes an integral partnership with other NGOs such as New Leaf, the police, and the private and public sectors.”
Over the years, the ability to project power, strength and support strategy has turned – influenced by funding – the path to power. This commitment has distilled the demographics of proxy organizations and NGOs flexing influential power.
St Lucia’s health care cost and policy formulation transcends culpability
The government of Saint Lucia announced on August 21 that it will be:
“Investing XCD10 million into Owen King European Union (OKEU) hospital sourced from Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) funds. A further $5 million will be injected to procure immediate pharmaceuticals and medical supplies,” and “additional measures to enhance the hospital’s operations, including making further financing available,” adding that, “this funding will be directed toward clearing a backlog of outstanding bills to suppliers, some dating back over eight years.”
The real foothold builds a greater presence of the inability to lawlessness, healthcare mismanagement, and CIP Lucia dysfunction. The lack of updated audited reports builds a presence that erodes trust, amid government disbursements sourced from CIP St Lucia funds.
The untold is in the secrecy and unskilful implementation and function of CIP St Lucia towards national development, since the programme started in 2016. CIP St Lucia was questionable then. This has not changed. And now, triggering a scandalous environment.
Backed by CIP St Lucia funds meant to shore up government outreach programs, in December 2023, the government introduced an infrastructure option to complement the other funding options. The new infrastructure option requires developers to raise the financing needed to undertake approved projects in a number of selected areas and recover their expenses through CIP.
The budget address of 2024/2024 reads:
“CIP St Lucia programme is anchored by robust due diligence processes at every stage and complemented by robust due diligence processes by the financial institutions involved in facilitating the CIP. […]
“The latest actions by the opposition and their surrogates as it relates to our CIP programme is a strong case in point.
“There has not been one issue with our CIP programme. No one has raised any negatives regarding the due diligence of our programme. Our programme is now well poised to deliver infrastructure in the form of roads, community centres, and hotels to our people without increasing the national debt.”
“The estimates of revenue and expenditure reported that the projected outturn for this year (2023/2024) the CIP contributed to revenue of $45M as compared to the approved estimates of $90M (2023/2024). And, contributed to the economy of Saint Lucia – $121M in 2023/2024.
“This year 2024/2025 it is projected that the CIP will contribute directly to revenue $75M. Audited financial statements will be made available to the House as stipulated by law.”
Currently, CIP St Lucia audited financial statements are not in compliance and have not been tabled in parliament!
Technology, management and efficiency have reached advanced stages to allow for the timely delivery and undertake corrective measures. This is important to contain deficiencies, the advancement of confusion and speculation. And the tendency that – partial truth is intended to deceive.
The working theory that the present government is better than the previous is often conveyed with “corruption, economic growth, GDP, inflation, national and community projects, health care, security, education and the politics of who gets what, when and how.”
Both political parties front patriotism in colourful tailored language while being confused about what comes first – self or country. However, guided by history, governance, messaging and image are striking in the practice of modern patriotism and loyalty.
The storytelling of the ‘Walk of Progress’ – ‘Product of Canada’ and the exaltation to reframe and recontextualize both conservative and left-leaning politics – is inadequate to reinforce the contrast and the future Saint Lucia deserves.
When society is not improving, it gets worse, and the population existence in a downward spiral of limited expectation – half a loaf – half baked – deceptive concepts. The risk of progress and political junkies multiply in handouts, vouchers and tokenism as a reason for political loyalty. And more often than not, the concept of hard work, access to information and the level playing field for opportunity becomes a selective exercise.
Representing Saint Lucia ought to mean something greater than self. It’s about history, governing principles, framing and conceptualising what it means to be a naturalized (offering CIP citizenship) or a native Saint Lucian.
The current RICO lawsuit is troubling. The potential for losing correspondent banking with the US and visa-free access to the EU and UK – will negatively impact CIP, lifestyles, economic and monetary policy in Saint Lucia and other CIP Caribbean countries.
While foreign governments and institutions are focused on delivering on their priority, failed ambitions that have substantially contributed to Saint Lucia’s current escalation portray renewed confidence and complications. There are reputational and credibility concerns to consider.
The escalating conflict, weekly drama, and sideshow revelations all contribute to failed policies that have culminated in the collapse of Saint Lucia’s limitations. It is immoral. The governing principles, practicality and common sense of leadership are unserious and lofty to building Saint Lucia’s future. The ambitions are incomplete and suspect.
CIP St Lucia rolled out in secrecy in a foreign land (2016) at a time and thinking beyond traditional approaches and seen as a viable alternative. Not any more!
The principles and characteristics of the CIP programmes have evolved. Legislation has mutated. Offering citizenship or offering an identity has encroached on society, a negative impact on the people and the country. The benefactors are bad actors, famous and infamous repute.
CIP St Lucia global standing has not enhanced the country’s standing and proud heritage. The benefactors that the country realized to date are abstract and unseeing. The programmes have not advanced a better – more progressive social and economic standing in and for the majority of Saint Lucians. Establishing so-called social and economic programmes that circle CIP funding is not well thought out – thus attracting political piecemeal and rancour.
The critical conclusion faced is that CIP St Lucia is a failed experiment that began in secrecy, and misconceptions that are now exposed in a soap opera. The acceptable standard of explanation is that of an illness in the face of challenges that small island states face.
The measure of success is progress, not currently reflected in the landscape of Saint Lucia. CIP St Lucia seems led to a relative unease with unabashed idioms of defeat. When the risk outweighs the benefit, it’s a tacit acknowledgement that the option is to disperse. CIP St Lucia is at this terminal.
The alternative is a substantial national investment programme to project a future-focused country, to project power and manage Saint Lucia’s interests.
There are many ideas and proposals to consider [at the disposal of the cabinet of ministers and government bureaucracy, and as published November 26, 2019, ‘A ‘Peoples’ Plan’ – SME’s and resource development’. However, the narrow mindset of unskilled parliamentarians and bureaucrats continues to stifle innovation.
Ill-advised actions to date amplify ignorance! In addition, successive governments’ management styles are superficial alliances to think (ing), beyond traditional approaches.
