DON'T EXPECT MEANINGFUL REFORM ON CBI PASSPORT PROGRAMMES FROM THE EAST CARIBBEAN STATES: IT'S ALL A MATTER OF RAMPANT CORRUPTION

Whilst the United Kingdom, whose policy of visa-free access to several of its former East Caribbean territories is about to be rescinded, for totally valid national security reasons, Britain has agreed to keep it in place, provided that meaningful reforms, which greatly reduce risk, are enacted and enforced. The problem is, we simply cannot trust the five East Caribbean CBI states to change how they do business, due to systemic official corruption a/k/a greed, and the lure of easy money to dysfunctional and failing island economies.

The UK, according to reliable reports, has laid down the law to its straying former caribbean possessions. If they truly want to retain visa-free entry rights for their citizens, which of course include their CBI passport purchasers, they must initiate enhanced due diligence upon all applicants, must have actual applicant interviews, and must require personal visits by the recipients to pick up their travel and citizenship documents upon approval. This is in line with what are best practises in the economic passport industry.

However, given the past history of these states' allowing dodgy applicants to be approved without any meaningful customer due diligence, and ignoring the need to verify both Source of Funds and Source of Wealth, making the application process a sham, and allowing some very unsuitable transnational criminals, corrupt PEPs, and several other types of what we can only describe as the Usual Suspects to buy passports for cash, we cannot trust the jurisdictions to do the right thing. Bribes and kickbacks, as well as behind-the-scenes sales of diplomatic passports to the same applicants, all add up to a perfect storm of unacceptable, and yes even criminal, behaviour. 

They're not going to clean up their activities, due to the lucrative nature of the corrupt operation of their CBI agencies, as well as the non-attorney sales representatives abroad, who are totally unregulated, making it more likely each time that serious shortcuts in CDD occur, and that criminals will continue to be approved, notwithstanding their amendment of regulations and policies, and public relations efforts.

It is humbly suggested that the UK Home Secretary yank the visa-free access to the remaining four EC CBI states forthwith, and only reinstate such privileges if and when true reforms occur on the ground in St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Lucia & Grenada, and only return such status to Dominica if and only if real EDD is implemented and observed. To do otherwise will not reduce the threat to national security that presently exists, due to rampant abuse. Stop visa-free access to reduce risk, please. 

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For Further Reading:

Did the UK Revoke Visa-free Access Privileges for Dominica's Citizens due to entry of Terrorists with CBI Passports?