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News Americas, Castries, Saint Lucia, Dec. 08, 2022: The head of Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Unit, Mc Claude Emmanuel, was in the United States of America recently for the 7th Annual Private Wealth Florida Forum.

The invitation-only event is attended by private wealth and institutional investors, including wealth managers, corporate pensions, public pensions, insurance funds, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, health care organizations and private bankers. The event aims to bring together the investment management community for peer driven thought leadership experiences that provide a platform for education, business development and networking. 

Emmanuel was speaking to wealth managers on why Saint Lucia should form part of their basket of offshore investment options.

As one of the youngest citizenship by investment offerings on the market, Saint Lucia certainly competes with the best in terms of what it has to offer investors.

There are currently four main ways investors can gain a coveted Saint Lucia citizenship, with the main one being through the National Economic Fund. This Fund was established to drive foreign direct investment to nation building projects such as increasing and improving infrastructure in country. Through this Fund, highways, bridges, schools and hospitals have been upgraded and built.

For a minimum investment of US$100 000.00 for a single applicant, US investors can become part of the Caribbeans biggest success stories.

“Saint Lucia has a strong economy and our currency, the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, is pegged against the United States Dollar – at a rate of US$1.00 being the equivalent of EC$2.70 – and has been so for the last 70 years,” stated Emmanuel.

According to Moody’s Analytics, the island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. Tourism is Saint Lucia’s main source of jobs and income – accounting for 65 percent of GDP – and the island’s main source of foreign exchange earnings. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area.

In this context, the Eastern Caribbean nation of Saint Lucia has emerged as a new favourite for investors. This is due to its growing economy, stable business environment and tax regime which supports the growth and development of its businesses, investors, and citizens.

“We have a strong tourism product, being rated the number one honeymoon destination in world for the last 10 years. Saint Lucia is also home to major hospitality brands like Hilton and Marriott and our shores attract over one million tourists from the USA, Canada and Europe every year,” added Emmanuel.

Saint Lucia’s colourful heritage is ingrained in the culture of the island and celebrated by locals and visitors alike. With a history spanning hundreds of years and including stories of pirates, colonies, and battles, it’s enough to pique anyone’s interest.

Each part of the island has distinct features to be experienced and enjoyed. The island’s volcanic origin is the reason for its lush vegetation, soothing mud pools and iconic Sulphur Springs.

When asked why Saint Lucia should be favourable to asset managers and applicants, Emmanuel responded that country has a favourable tax regime, stable economy and its policies make it easy for entrepreneurs to do business, not to mention the favourable Caribbean weather conditions.

Saint Lucia is also very well-connected to the rest of the world with international flights to the United States, Canada, and Europe. The low cost of living coupled with the high quality of life makes it the ideal place to live. The Caribbean way of life has a universal appeal that simply cannot be matched.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic, we had a surge of applications from north Americans who want to be able to work from anywhere – we commonly see people with their laptops on the beach, in hotel lobbies and villas – that’s one of the strong selling points for US citizens looking to invest in Saint Lucia.”

Those looking to get away from the pressures and humdrum of city life will be well suited to invest in the country.

The country also has a favourable tax regime, American investors do not need to pay inheritance tax, worldwide income tax, or capital gains tax – making it an ideal destination for wealth planning.

Looking at which nationalities have favoured getting second citizenship from Saint Lucia, Emmanuel said “In terms of applicants, China continues to be number one and as of 2021, US applicants have taken the second spot – particularly applicants from the states of New York, Philadelphia, Florida and a small number from Las Vegas. In Canada, a lot of applicants come from Toronto.”

Emmanuel also added that the two major reasons for Americans looking to gain second citizenship from Saint Lucia are safety and tax planning.

“Many US citizens are looking for safety. Americans travel extensively and their passport can be seen as a target due to ongoing geopolitical conflict, especially in regions like the Middle East and Eastern Europe. What they do when travelling to these regions is use our passport and keep their American passport in their back pocket. The second major reason for investing in our citizenship by investment programme is to tap into our favourable tax system, which continues to be a drawcard. Saint Lucia offers a lot of offshore financial solutions.”

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Black Immigrant Daily News

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News Americas, Basseterre, St. Kitts, Dec. 07, 2022: Saint Kitts and Nevis is boosting its local hospitality and tourism sector with investments received through its citizenship by investment programme.

This is according to the recently elected Prime Minister of the twin-island federation who concluded a four-day visit to Dubai, from 29 November to 3 December 2022.

Prime Minister Terrance Drew was in the state to engage with important stakeholders including high-level government officials, international investors, government-approved agents and promoters, who play a vital role in promoting and supporting the country’s recently upgraded citizenship by investment programme.

With the country’s citizenship by investment programme undergoing a facelift, Prime Minister Drew said the changes to the programme were not just superficial but would ensure that the programme achieved what it was designed for – strengthening St Kitts and Nevis’ economy.

Traditionally, the economy of the two-island state has depended on the growing and processing of sugar cane, but the impact of decreasing world prices on this commodity over the last few decades has moved the government’s attention to tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking.

Tourism is the mainstay of St Kitts and Nevis’ economy, with the United States, Canada and Trinidad and Tobago being some of its trop trade partners. The travel and tourism sector accounted for one-tenth of the gross domestic product (GPD) in St Kitts and Nevis in 2021 and it is estimated that roughly 200,000 tourists visited the islands in 2009.

With a revamped citizenship by investment programme that will be underpinned by better legislative and administrative oversight, Prime Minister Drew said he was confident that the programme would have even more impact on the country’s tourism sector.

The new cabinet aims to ensure that the destination continues to make strides towards the full resumption of tourism activity, including the return of airlift and cruise ship arrivals, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of the people of the Federation.

St Kitts and Nevis is committed to enhancing its tourism presence and strengthening the economic impact of the tourism sector.

Recently during November this year, Wonder of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, made its inaugural call to Port Zante in St Kitts and Nevis.  The ship from the Royal Caribbean Group brought along nearly 6,500 guests and over 2,000 crew members.  This cruise call has also been the fifth inaugural cruise call to St Kitts and Nevis since October 2022.

This year, on November 26, a superyacht named Evrima made its inaugural visit to the island sporting the finest amenities and affluent guests. Evrima accommodates 298 guests and is the first of the yachts to be introduced for the new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection line. This event maintained St Kitts and Nevis’ reputation as an exclusive destination.

According to the CIA World Factbook, tourists, mainly Americans, come to the island via cruise ships via Port Zante in Basseterre, air travel via Robert L Bradshaw International Airport, and the private airport and private dock for private yachts. St Kitts and Nevis is also home to Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO world heritage site.

The country’s citizenship by investment programme has been instrumental in bringing globally renowned brands such as the Park Hyatt Hotel that has recently been launched in Christophe Harbour in Banana Bay. The country will be looking to use its revamped citizenship by investment programme to develop its hospitality sector further which is a major drawcard not just for tourists, but investors looking for legitimate offshore real estate products to buy into.

Part of the change process has seen consultations with various stakeholders in the St Kitts and Nevis CBI unit who will closely now monitor and ensure that real estate projects funded by the CBI programme are completed.  To this end, the government is also seeking out reliable and trustworthy developers who are ready to put capital behind creative and strong projects that will further enhance St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment offering. 

St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment programme stands as the oldest and one of the most trusted programmes of its kind. Since 1984, it has allowed investors and their families to legally obtain citizenship of one of the Caribbean’s most idyllic locations.

St Kitts and Nevis’ citizenship by investment programme has been pivotal in developing other important sectors such as healthcare, business, and education in the nation. With the help of the tourism industry and the citizenship by investment programme, the country has witnessed socio-economic development at a significant pace. Funds generated by the citizenship by investment programme will continue to aid the country in paving the path of development efficiently. Spending on infrastructure has made the country unrecognisable from only 20 years ago – for example there is a thriving cruise ship port complex, and new roads have been built to take pressure off traffic in Basseterre. 

Prime Minister Drew was accompanied by a delegation including Marsha Henderson, Minister of Tourism, Attorney-General, Garth Wilkin; Cabinet Secretary Dr Marcus Natta; Sylvester Anthony and Veira Galloway.

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