PM warns of efforts to stifle CIP

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Prime Minister Gaston Browne has warned of attempts to thwart Antigua and Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment Programme.

Browne was the keynote speaker at the Global Investment Immigration Summit in London on Thursday.

He said while CIP has done well for Antigua and other Caribbean nations, “there are many inter-governmental organisations and others who are determined to stunt their growth and to kill their roots.”

He said these groups these bodies are motivated by self-interest and a fear of competition.

“Having benefitted, for decades, from residency programmes, leading to citizenship, several governments regard the more recent Citizenship by Investment programmes as a threat,” Browne told the summit.

“Therefore, they have encouraged the demonization and befoulment of Citizenship by Investment Programmes,” he added.

The Antigua leader identified both the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development saying that they expand their tax demands to target Citizenship by Investment Programmes and residency leading to investment programmes.

Both organisations have started procedures to inquire into tax evasion in Citizenship and Residence by Investment programmes, according to Browne.

“The inquiries are, of course, a ruse to effect control and to eliminate competition,” he said.

“And, as usual, the playing field being created by the European Commission and the OECD is not level,” he added.

The prime minister was making reference to a list of jurisdictions violating the EU Code of Conduct in Taxation, but it does not list any EU members.

“It is clear, therefore, that the EU plans to thwart the Citizenship and Residence by Investment Programmes in other countries, but not their own,” Browne told the summit.

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7 COMMENTS

  1. The CIP may have generated substantial revenue for participating Caribbean countries but when the government of Antigua and Barbuda has to depend on it to pay recurring expenditures, the country is in a tenuous financial situation. Easy CIP money does not allow for sound financial planning. Sooner or later the funds will dry up

  3. Comparing EU and OECD investment and citizenship programs with those in Dominica, St Kitts and A&B is ludicrous. Sure there is hypocrisy , especially as money laundering and the beneficial ownership issue policies obtain. All the problems stem from corruption. Clean up your act or prepare to perish economically and politically. You are a little guy with few cards to play.

    • A keynote in public speaking is a talk that establishes a main underlying theme. … At political or industrial conventions and expositions and at academic conferences, the keynote address or keynote speech is delivered to set the underlying tone and summarize the core message or most important revelation of the event.

      How much is a keynote speaker?
      $10,000 – $20,000. Most of the major conferences pay their keynote speakers something within this range. Even for some of the more well-known keynote speakers, this is no fee to sneeze at; and if it is, keynoting the conference is probably an honor in itself as well. $20,000 – $50,000.

      • Are you saying that Gaston should be paid for giving the keynote address? I believe he would do it for free as he believes he is the smartest man on earth and likes to hear his own voice.

        • Organizations do not invite you to be their ‘keynote speaker’ is they don’t think you have something worth listening to say. You may not value our PM but as you can see others do. This is not the first time he has been invited to be the key note speaker at high level conferences. And whether he gets paid that is totally up to him. You know how much Bill Clinton get for speaking? I guess you think our PM is not worth it. That’s how it is with us we do not honor our own.

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