Investment Minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire has mounted a robust defence of Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Programme, dismissing opposition criticism as malicious and politically motivated while reaffirming the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
Dr. Hilaire, who addressed the media during the pre-cabinet presser, said the programme had come under sustained attack, particularly during the election period.
“I went through a very bitter and intense period of attack on our CIP in Saint Lucia. The opposition went all out to convince Saint Lucia that there was corruption; that there was mismanagement. They brought in [Philippe] Martinez, brought in [Kenneth] Rijock. And they went all out to destroy our CIP for obvious reasons,” he stated.
According to the investment minister, the opposition’s actions were driven by fear of the programme’s potential success and its impact on national development. “The opposition was frightened of our CIP becoming a success in Saint Lucia because of the impact it would have had on the country. It meant more resources for housing, more resources for road development, for bridges,” Dr. Hilaire said.
He argued that the attacks ultimately damaged the country’s image. “In the process, what they did was to really damage the reputation of Saint Lucia,” he added.
Dr. Hilaire assured the public that the government is taking concrete steps to ensure transparency and restore confidence in the programme.
“We will release the operational audit report, we’re going to release the annual report, the financial statements of CIP, so we will be up to date on all those documents and Saint Lucia will see it for what it is,” he said.
He emphasized that safeguarding the island’s international standing remains a priority. “The country’s reputation is most important,” Dr. Hilaire noted, pointing to recent legislative changes. “We’ve made changes at the last sitting in parliament where we’ve almost gone back to where we were in 2016. We have strengthened our CIP beyond what any other country has in this region.”
The minister said the reforms include stricter measures such as annual quotas and enhanced net worth requirements. “All those things we’ve brought back into the CIP in Saint Lucia. And we now need to tell that story to the world.”
Dr. Hilaire reiterated that the Citizenship by Investment Programme will continue to operate above board, with transparency at the core of its operations, as the government seeks to rebuild trust locally and internationally.