St Vincent eyes early 2027 for redesigned CBI programme

St Vincent and the Grenadines hopes to launch a citizenship by investment (CBI) programme in the first quarter of 2027, state broadcaster NBC Radio SVG reported on 15 October. Prime Minister Godwin Friday set out the plan in an interview with Andre Huie of Television Caribbean during the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok. IMI Daily says he floated the date as a possible start and hedged even that.

According to IMI Daily, Friday said the programme would not be CBI "in the old sense". He described heavier due diligence, closer management through the government's own unit, coordination within the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and a monitoring role for the central bank. An unnamed consultancy is designing it. No law, rules or price have been published.

The date has moved before. IMI Daily notes that Friday promised a programme in 2026 after taking office, and that his February budget set mid-2026. St Vincent is the only independent OECS member without CBI, so it did not receive the European Commission's June letters asking the five existing programmes to phase out by 1 June 2028, IMI Daily reports, citing Antigua and Barbuda's government.

IMI Daily also reports that the IMF's 2026 Article IV review found a programme could raise some revenue, but that regional competition would likely keep gains modest while reputational, legal, financial-integrity and fiscal risks could be substantial. The IMF recommended a donation-only model, with all proceeds used to reduce public debt.