The Government of Saint Lucia is taking steps to reinforce the integrity of its Citizenship by Investment Programme, as international partners call for stricter measures to ensure investors establish meaningful ties to the country.
Officials say the evolving approach will include the introduction of residency requirements and renewed efforts to foster genuine engagement between new citizens and the island.
Chairman of the Citizenship by Investment Programme, Julian Charles, confirmed that regulatory changes are being considered to prevent investors from obtaining citizenship without maintaining a connection to Saint Lucia.
“Regulations will require that citizens spend a certain amount of time on the island within a five-year period, so that they do not just get citizenship and disappear,” he explained.
The move aligns with broader international expectations aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability within such programmes.
Minister responsible for the programme, Dr Ernest Hilaire, revealed that earlier efforts to build relationships with new citizens had been discontinued but are now being revisited.
“We had started a programme within the CIP where we even hired someone we called a relationship manager whose job was to build genuine links with all the new citizens of Saint Lucia,” he said.
Hilaire noted that the initiative was halted following a change in administration in 2016.
“That position was removed because it was felt at the time that it was not necessary,” he added. “A few years later, our international partners are telling us that you must have that.”
The Minister also highlighted plans to better integrate investors into key sectors of the economy, including emerging industries.
“We are looking at areas such as the processing and production of cosmetics using our indigenous plants, and even setting up research laboratories,” Hilaire stated. “This gives us a space for new citizens with specialized skills to make meaningful contributions to the country.”
Authorities believe the strengthened framework will not only safeguard the programme’s reputation but also ensure that it delivers tangible benefits to national development by encouraging deeper engagement from investors.