Saint Lucia Citizenship Scandal: SLP Accused of Backroom Deal

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Publication of Approved Enterprise Projects in the Gazette

The following is an excerpt from the Extraordinary Gazette published on Thursday, September 12th, 2024, which formalized the approval of two major projects under the Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP). The controversial retroactive approval, backdated to January 12, 2024, has sparked outrage and raised concerns about the legality of these actions.

Minerva Ward, a prominent Saint Lucian patriot, was among the first to publicly condemn the government’s actions. In her statement, she labeled the SLP’s move as “a shameful backroom deal,” accusing the administration of selling citizenships without proper oversight and then resorting to retroactive legislation to cover its tracks.

“For months, the United Workers Party (UWP) has been sounding the alarm on the SLP’s clandestine dealings with Caribbean Galaxy,” Ward stated. “The opposition repeatedly warned that the government was illegally selling our citizenships without the necessary legal framework to support such actions. The SLP ignored these warnings, arrogantly proceeding as if above the law, while Saint Lucians waited for accountability.”

Ward’s concerns are shared by the UWP, which has consistently raised alarms over the SLP’s dealings with Caribbean Galaxy. The opposition has called for an investigation into the legality of the government’s actions, questioning why the administration would resort to such a controversial method of approval.

In a scathing statement, Ward expressed her outrage at the government’s actions, making her position clear:

A Shameful Backroom Deal: The SLP’s Underhanded Manipulation of the Citizenship by Investment Program

“Yesterday, the people of Saint Lucia witnessed yet another brazen act of deceit and manipulation by the governing Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP). In a disgraceful move, a gazetted notice was published, backdating the approval of selling Saint Lucian citizenships under the Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP) by nine months, retroactively starting from January 12, 2024. This move reeks of impropriety and raises serious questions about the legality, transparency, and integrity of this government’s actions.

For months, the United Workers Party (UWP) has been sounding the alarm on the SLP’s clandestine dealings with Caribbean Galaxy. The opposition repeatedly warned that the government was illegally selling our citizenships without the necessary legal framework to support such actions. The SLP ignored these warnings, arrogantly proceeding as if above the law, while St. Lucians waited for accountability. Now, in a desperate attempt to cover its tracks, the government resorts to retroactive legislation, a move that only confirms its guilt and utter disregard for the rule of law.

The facts are stark and disturbing. Yesterday’s gazetted notice approving “Caribbean Galaxy Real Estate Limited – National Infrastructure Improvement Program” and “Bemax LLC – Rock Hall Housing Development Project” backdates the commencement of these projects to January 12, 2024. This move not only undermines our legislative process but also insults the intelligence of every St. Lucian citizen. The timing of this approval is no coincidence; it is a calculated attempt to provide legal cover for actions that were, by all accounts, illegal at the time they were carried out.

What does this mean for the average St. Lucian? It means that our government is willing to play fast and loose with our national identity, selling our citizenships behind closed doors without proper oversight or accountability. It means that, instead of protecting the interests of the people, the SLP is more concerned with lining the pockets of a select few through backroom deals and shady transactions.

This act of retroactively legalizing the illegal is not just a slap in the face of every law-abiding citizen but also a direct assault on the principles of democracy, transparency, and good governance. It is an alarming reminder that this government will go to any lengths to avoid being held accountable, even if it means twisting the law to suit its own ends.

The people of Saint Lucia deserve better. We demand transparency. We demand accountability. We demand that the SLP come clean about its dealings with Caribbean Galaxy and explain why it felt the need to circumvent the law in the first place. If the SLP continues down this path of deceit, the people of Saint Lucia will have no choice but to hold them accountable and ensure that such blatant disregard for the rule of law never happens again.”

Ward’s passionate statement encapsulates the growing frustration among Saint Lucians who feel their government is prioritizing backroom deals over the nation’s well-being. Many are now calling for a full investigation into the SLP’s dealings, particularly its relationship with Caribbean Galaxy and the handling of the CIP projects.

Opposition leader Allen Chastanet and the United Workers Party continue to press for transparency and accountability, and with public scrutiny intensifying, the question remains: Will the government come clean, or will the controversy further damage Saint Lucia’s global reputation?

Unitedpac St. Lucia News will continue to follow this developing story.