THE ABJECT FAILURE OF THE CARIBBEAN CBI STATES TO REFORM THEIR PROGRAMS WILL SOON HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON TOURISM

The recent experience of a Dominican national who is the president elect of the Caribbean largest travel and tourism association speak volume for the future of the region. GREGOR NASSIEF, who is affiliated with one of Dominica's CBI hotel projects, was denied a renewal of his U.S. visa, prompting Caribbean tourism media to warn that the inability of West Indians to enter the United States, could seriously impact the region's competitiveness as a travel destination, as well as interfere with international business travel of Caribbean entrepreneurs.

Until and unless the Caribbean CBI and CIP economic passport issuing states choose to engage in radical and complete reform of their programs, restrictions on U.S. visas will not only continue, but will increase in severity. The United States government judges these rogue programs as a National Security threat, and as long as arrogant Caribbean leaders refuse to clean up the money laundering, fraud and corruption that infect their CBI agencies, the restrictions will increase exponentially, damaging weak local economies, and making life difficult for the average Eastern Caribbean resident, who is already in economic difficulty.

When Dominica and Antigua clean up their Citizenship by Investment programs, conditions will improve, but apparently neither PM ROOSEVELT SKERRIT nor PM GASTON BROWNE are listening. Therefore, buckle up, for it is only going to get worse in 2027 and beyond. Arrogance and xenophobia amongst Caribbean leaders will again meet a response from the a Trump Administration soon to refocus on the region.