The report is to be released for public consideration in order to inform government's approach to the issue.

The Cabinet of Ministers recently considered a report on the feasibility of establishing a Global Residence and Citizenship Program. The report was compiled by a committee established in August 2014, for this purpose.

The committee was requested “to consider the question of broadening the framework under which citizenship [of St Lucia] might be offered as a part of a program of investing” in the country, and in that regard to “determine whether Saint Lucia should establish an economic program, and if so, the best model to adopt."

The committee comprised Dr. Vaughan A. Lewis (Chairman), Mr. McHale Andrew, Mr. George Deterville, Ms. Brenda Duncan, Mr. Timothy Ferdinand, Mr. George Goddard and Mr. Nicholas John. Mr. John represented the Opposition on the committee.

In its report, the committee took the view that a Residence and Citizenship Program could help supplement the loss of income from some of the traditional economic activities which had been essential contributors to the growth of the St Lucian economy between the 1960s and the 1990s, which have now lost their significance particularly due to the loss of preferential arrangements and other factors relating to increasing globalization and the liberalization of world production and trading arrangements.

The report states that there is an urgent need to seek alternative and novel sources of investment that can profit from current global economic arrangements; and as a result, there is some validity in adopting an economic strategy that will be of benefit to the country’s economy by making citizenship by investment programs a significant aspect of St Lucia’s development.

The committee took note of the fact that similar initiatives have been taken in both developed and developing countries, including countries in the Caribbean, and asserted that a model of investment appropriate to St Lucia’s circumstances could be beneficially implemented. 

In order to further the process of seeking an appropriate approach to this initiative, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided that recommendations made by the Task Force should now be the subject of wide public consideration as a means of further informing Government’s approach to this issue.

The Cabinet also agreed that a copy of the report be dispatched to the Leader of the Opposition inviting comments by March 5; that the report be published along with a statement to the general public on Feb. 11 inviting comments by March 5; and that the comments received be reviewed and summarized for submission to Cabinet on March 9.

The report will be available on the Government of Saint Lucia’s website.

Finally, in order to facilitate this process, Cabinet “approved the extension of the life of the Task Force to facilitate the review of comments received for onward submission to the Cabinet.”