A leading scholar on global citizenship has commended Caribbean nations for their strong oversight and regional cooperation in managing their Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs.
Professor Dr. Kristin Surak, who delivered the 27th Annual Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lecture hosted by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) in St. Kitts and Nevis on the evening of Wednesday, November 5th, said the region’s programs have maintained high standards despite international scrutiny.
Dr. Surak, a renowned expert on migration and political sociology, described citizenship as “an insurance policy” in an increasingly uncertain global landscape.
“What is Xi Jinping going to do next? What is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan going to do next?” she asked rhetorically.
“There was one interview I spoke to, surviving an authoritarian regime, and the key thing is to retain flexibility. So many people are looking for an option just in case. An extra passport is a way to hedge risks.”
She noted that the profile of individuals seeking second citizenship has shifted dramatically in recent years.
“In 2015, there were very few US citizens whom I encountered who were looking at these options,” Surak explained. “But now we see more and more because they’re worried about the government. They don’t trust the government. They’re not quite sure. They don’t feel safe any longer. And they’re not necessarily looking to move immediately. They want simply a place they can go when they begin to feel incredibly unsafe as well.”
Dr. Surak highlighted that, despite criticism from some international actors, Caribbean states have demonstrated a commitment to high regulatory and ethical standards.
“It’s important to remember that the EU has been putting a lot of pressure on Caribbean countries. The EU hasn’t been pressuring a country like Turkey, for example, but the EU also pays Turkey nine billion euros to keep refugees out of Europe,” she said.
She encouraged citizens across the region to engage meaningfully with the ongoing development of the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority, which seeks to harmonize standards among participating nations.
“You can go online and see the draft legislation that’s going through the countries right now,” she noted. “It’s important to inform yourself and to be a part of this debate in an intelligent way.” According to Surak, the draft legislation emphasizes shared regional standards on program operations, due diligence checks, interviews, and auditing. “To be honest, in the Caribbean right now, they’re often stronger than what you find in Europe for standard visas,” she remarked. “Procedures around interviews and name changes, procedures around audits and escrow accounts; there’s a lot being done in the region to tighten things up.”
Dr. Surak underscored that regional cooperation remains the cornerstone of maintaining program integrity.
“Without regional cooperation, it won’t work, and it will be a race to the bottom,” she warned.
“There have been points in time when there has been a race to the bottom between countries trying to compete against each other. But outside of the region, most people can’t even tell the difference between the countries. It’s sort of like one country says one thing, and everybody thinks it’s all the same.”
She concluded that unity among Eastern Caribbean nations is not only essential for preserving the credibility of CBI programs but also for protecting the region’s collective reputation in global economic policy.