A highly anticipated audited annual report for Saint Lucia’s flagship Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) is set to be formally presented to the country’s House of Parliament this Tuesday, marking a resolution to months of political debate over transparency and delayed disclosure ahead of the upcoming national election.
In a pre-sitting briefing issued Monday, Prime Minister and Finance Minister Philip J Pierre clarified that the completed audit, which covers the 2024-2025 program cycle and has been finalized since March 1 this year, will be laid before the legislative body to address long-running public and political questions about the program’s operations. Pierre noted that he had previously referenced the report’s existence during the recent budget throne speech to acknowledge widespread public interest in the document.
The CIP report has emerged as a flashpoint in national politics ahead of the December 1, 2025 general election. The opposition United Workers Party (UWP) and its leadership have repeatedly criticized the ruling administration for the report’s delay, framing the hold-up as a major failure of government transparency and accountability. Originally scheduled for release earlier in 2025, the report became one of the most contentious political issues in the lead-up to the poll.
According to the parliamentary agenda, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Investment Dr Ernest Hilaire will formally table the Citizenship by Investment Saint Lucia Annual Report 2024-2025. Alongside the audit, Hilaire will also introduce the order paper for proposed amendments to the Citizenship by Investment Regulations, opening the door for potential adjustments to the program’s rules and operations.
Tuesday’s sitting will feature a packed legislative agenda beyond the CIP report, with Prime Minister Pierre set to present a slate of high-stakes financial and infrastructure resolutions for parliamentary approval. These include a resolution under the Public Finance Management Act to authorize government investment in the International Finance Corporation, as well as a separate borrowing approval for capital works on Section 1 of the Sir Julian R. Hunte Highway Project.
Additional resolutions up for consideration cover a range of critical public infrastructure and utility projects across the island. Pierre will seek parliamentary backing for borrowing to fund the full rehabilitation and upgrade of the Theobalds Water Supply System, a government guarantee for a loan taken out by the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority to fund the reconstruction of Port Castries’ heavily used Berth No. 4, and additional financing for the ongoing Patience Community Water Supply Project, among other budgetary measures.