Wilkin: If government allows "gangsterism" to take place in the CBI programme "they are part of the gangsterism"

Garth Wilkin, a partner in the law firm Kelsick, Wilkin & Ferdinand, has accused the St. Kitts and Nevis government of Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris, of turning a 'blind eye' to the Citizenship By Investment programme.

According to Caribbean News Now, Wilkin, who hosted a recent edition of WINNFM's "Inside the News" said: "The local courts have already shown that there are dubious practices happening. We should not tolerate it. We are being tarnished internationally because of greed. Why isn't there a wider legislation change to weed out the negative aspects of the programme?

"It is common sense to assume that if someone is allowing gangsterism to take place, they are also part of the gangsterism."

A Dubai-based lawyer has also raised concerns about where the CBI funds in St. Kitts and Nevis are being allocated.

Canadian Sam Bayat, owner of the Bayat Legal Group has urged the St. Kitts and Nevis government to "properly manage" its CBI programme to curb fraudulent developer and agent activity.

Bayat said the St. Kitts and Nevis government of Prime Minister Harris needs to be more diligent about how it runs the CBI programme.

"There are billions of dollars that are coming to the island. The public sees the applicants as the danger but the government is the biggest problem – if they managed the programme properly there would be no problem," he said.

During the programme talk show, lawyer and former government minister Dwyer Astaphan urged the Team Unity Government to conduct a "forensic" investigation into claims of citizenship gained through "less than substantial" investment into the country.

Astaphan claimed that unscrupulous agents are continuing to sell the nation's CBI real estate option for up to less than half the legitimate price of $200,000 for a single applicant.

He said developers and agents are selling shares in "thin air" real estate projects that will not be completed, to the detriment of genuine investment into the nation's Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF).

"The people of the country are being made fools of," he said.

Astaphan added: "Everyone involved in the St Kitts and Nevis CBI programme – such as potential applicants and well-meaning agents and developers – should welcome a thorough investigation because it's good for all of us."

He chastised dubious developers and agents who have "broken the laws" of St Kitts and Nevis. Astaphan said national revenue generated from the CBI programme, which was formed in 2008, has been dwindling since hitting its peak year in 2014.