During a recent courtesy call in Barbados, with Chief of Missions of the International Organization for Migration, Patrice Quesada, Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, was asked directly whether under either the proposed new Citizenship or Immigration legislation there will be a Citizenship by Investment Programme similar to that in other Caribbean territories.
The Minister advised that Barbados has never been in favour of an investment-based Citizenship Programme and this was not under consideration by the Government.
He explained that the new legislation will see the introduction of a points-based system that could ultimately see persons qualifying under a new and expanded basis to apply for citizenship, as opposed to the limited criteria which exists now.
The position of the Barbados Government is that even under a points-based system investment alone will never be the basis for the granting of Citizenship in Barbados.
(GIS)