by Linda Straker
- CBI Unit said no change to policy debarring applications from Russia, Belarus, North Korea and Iran
- Senator Adrian Thomas did not apologise to nor inform legislators that his previous information was inaccurate
- Update was to ensure correct information is placed on Hansard — the official report of all Parliamentary debates
The Grenada Citizenship by Investment Unit has denied that the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme is open to all nationalities as stated by Adrian Thomas, the leader of Government Business in the Upper House of Parliament.
“The programme is open for everybody, whether you are Chinese, whether you are Russian, whether you are African, the first thing this administration sees is a human being. We don’t cut you to see what blood runs through your veins whether it is African blood, Chinese blood or Russian blood,” Thomas told members in the Upper House as he contributed to the debate for the 2024 Estimate of Revenue and Expenditure or the budget on 13 December.
However, a news release issued by the CBI Unit on 15 December said that there has been no change to its policy debarring applications from Russia, Belarus, North Korea and Iran and that the legislator’s declaration during the debate was erroneous.
“Senator Adrian Thomas, on Thursday evening, 14 December 2023 averred that his submissions in the Senate the previous day on the acceptance of the CBI applicants from all nationalities is incorrect,” said the release which was issued hours after Thomas told the Parliament while wrapping up the debate that Grenada stopped accepting applications from Russia and Belarus as of 31 March.
He did not apologise to nor inform legislators in the Upper House that his previous information was inaccurate, and the updated information to the Parliament was to ensure that the correct information is placed on the Hansard—the official report of all Parliamentary debates.
“In making the correction, he confirmed that in truth and in fact applications are no longer accepted from Russia and Belarus as of 31 March 2023; and that the longstanding ban on North Korea and Iran remains in full effect,” the release said.
Grenada was the only OECS member which until 31 March allowed nationals of Russia to become a citizen through the CBI programme. Following the 25 February 2023 historic US-Caribbean Roundtable on Citizenship by Investment was held in Saint Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis, Grenada agreed to stop accepting the applications.
The release said that Grenada remains committed to the 6 CBI Principles agreed upon between the United States Treasury and the 5 governments of the Eastern Caribbean Investment Migration programmes on 25 February 2023.
“The CBI Unit’s steadfast adherence to these Principles; and the building of mechanisms to further entrench them in its operations continue unabated and uninterrupted,” said the release.
