St Kitts and Nevis Acts to Strengthen Integrity of Citizenship by Investment Programme - CS Global Partners
LONDON, February 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --
On February 6, the St Kitts and Nevis Government issued a press release announcing the introduction of a new layer of security to its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme. Digital fingerprinting is to be included as a new part of the already extensive due diligence procedures applied to Programme applicants. Repeatedly hailed by industry experts for its robust due diligence, St Kitts and Nevis will become the only Caribbean CBI jurisdiction to operate a digital fingerprinting system. The addition displays the Federation's commitment to a Programme based on integrity.
Launched in 1984, St Kitts and Nevis' Programme is one of the industry's most successful. Aspiring economic citizens can obtain second citizenship in return for an investment into a national development fund: the 'Sustainable Growth Fund'. The Government's move to reinforce the Programme's integrity is important not only for the nation's international standing, but for applicants' personal reputations. Economic citizens are frequently entrepreneurial businesspersons, for whom a strong business reputation is essential. By strengthening security procedures, St Kitts and Nevis will be able to better safeguard the reputations of successful applicants.
The news broke at a recent citizenship event in Dubai hosted by Minister of Foreign Affairs the Hon. Mark Brantley. CBI agents and citizens attended the event, and Minister Brantley was joined by Attorney General Vincent Byron Jr. and the Head of the Citizenship by Investment Unit Les Khan. Mr Khan revealed that the necessary legislative framework for this introduction of biometric data is already established. He said, "agents looked at this new addition in a positive light because they are also interested in ensuring that we get the best people and that we don't get any rogue individuals into our programme. This is something that is very important in that region, particularly because of the possibility of terrorist financing and terrorist activity, so we have to be very careful."
Minister Brantley also took the opportunity to alleviate concerns surrounding unsanctioned discounts on the Programme's real estate option seen last year. He stated that a full police investigation is underway and that the Government intends to bring justice to those responsible.
International legal advisory CS Global Partners is government-mandated to promote St Kitts and Nevis' Citizenship by Investment Programme.
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