Grenada PM to Investigate Citizenship Investment Programs

The Prime Minister of Grenada and recently appointed chairman of the St. Kitts-based Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) Keith Mitchell has stated his intention to launch an investigation into whether applicants to the region's Citizenship by Investment Programmes (CIPs) are meeting the requirements of under the regional security mandate as required by law.

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“There are reports circulating of some citizenship by investment applicants receiving passports without the regional body getting the data about the applicant and not conducting the relevant due diligence,” Mitchell told reporters during his weekly post-cabinet briefing.

“Despite the fact that some are saying this doesn’t happen in their jurisdiction, the fact is that rumors are out there, and I told my colleagues that we have to deal with this. If it’s not true, then we have to confront it. We cannot just say it’s not true because the rumors are circulating, so they have mandated me to get the facts and to examine the issue,” the prime minister insisted.

The Caribbean Community's (Caricom) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (Impacs) and the Joint Regional Communication Centre are agencies tasked with vetting applicants for the various CIPs in the region, according to Caribbean News Now.

Mitchell and the council he chairs will meticulously double-check records of CIP applicants to confirm if any discrepancies exist.

“So, if there is anyone who did not go through that process, I will know and I will confront my department if it’s in Grenada. If it’s in St Kitts, we will show them that the records show that Impacs did not have a say in it, did not give its approval, and then they should check and verify.”