Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a stark warning regarding international efforts to modify Citizenship by Investment Programs (CIP), cautioning that such actions could trigger severe economic destabilization across vulnerable Caribbean nations. Speaking during a recent episode of Pointe FM’s Browne and Browne Show, the Prime Minister emphasized the existential nature of these programs for certain regional economies.
Browne delineated a critical distinction in regional dependency levels, noting that while Antigua and Barbuda utilizes CIP as one revenue stream among others, neighboring states have developed far greater reliance on these initiatives. He specifically highlighted Dominica as particularly vulnerable to external policy shocks that might restrict or abruptly terminate citizenship investment schemes.
“For some countries, this programme isn’t merely supplementary—it’s foundational to their economic survival,” Browne stated. “The sudden disruption of these financial flows without appropriate transitional measures could effectively collapse economies that have built significant dependency on CIP revenues.”
The Antiguan leader positioned his administration as advocating for structured reform rather than elimination, emphasizing his government’s role in promoting regional coordination to prevent what he characterized as a ‘race to the bottom’ in program standards. Browne stressed the necessity of collaborative engagement with international partners, urging them to recognize the varying degrees of economic dependence across Caribbean jurisdictions.
His comments underscore the complex interplay between global financial regulation and developing economies, particularly highlighting how uniform approaches to policy changes might inadvertently jeopardize smaller nations with limited economic diversification.