BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Oct 17, 2015 – The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. Timothy Harris has announced changes to the country’s Citizenship By Investment Programme.
Included in the changes is a new online system, the Citizen Application Management System (CAMS), which allows applicants through their service providers to apply and track the process of their applications. St. Kitts and Nevis is the first country to use this state of the art technology.
Prime Minister Harris explained that the Government’s aim was to ensure that the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Programme continued to have the Caribbean’s best and most transparent system.
He highlighted some of the previous problems and scandals that the programme encountered and explained that some of the new legislation that will soon be brought to Parliament will negate the possibility of individuals using it for money laundering. Included in the proposed legislation is the holding of escrow account holders liable while protecting the investor. An escrow account is a temporary pass through account held by a third party during the process of a transaction between two parties.
Prime Minister Harris underlined the 22 reforms to the programme as well as the recalibrated relationship with the United States of America, the United Kingdom and European Union as examples of the restored confidence and trust in the Citizenship Programme. He also cited new management and staff at the Citizen By Investment Unit (CIU) as further illustrations of the positive changes to the oldest and best Citizenship Programme in the Caribbean area.
