St. Lucia announces its first citizenship by investment programme

St Lucia's citizenship by investment programme announced at the Global Citizen Forum

DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 23, 2015 /CNW/ - Saint Lucia's first citizenship by investment programme was announced on October 7^th, 2015 at Arton Capital's 3rd Annual Global Citizen Forum, by the country's Prime Minister & Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs, Planning & Social Security, Hon. Dr. Kenny D. Anthony.

The announcement will see foreigners for the first time gain citizenship and a Saint Lucian national passport through investment in the country's economy. The legislation was supported by all elected members of parliament, and the country will commence accepting applications for citizenship by investment on January 1^st, 2016.

Applicants will require a net worth of US$ 3,000,000 to qualify and St. Lucia has set an initial limit of 500 applications per annum. A citizen of Saint Lucia will hold a passport that allows visa-free travel to 105 countries and has a Passport Power Rank of 45, according to Arton Capital's Passport Power Index.

Armand Arton, CEO and Founder of Arton Capital, said: "This is a ground-breaking announcement for all global citizens and of course for the country of Saint Lucia. It will bring great benefits to Saint Lucia's economy, with international investment set to increase dramatically, which will contribute greatly to the country's national development.

"The announcement will allow high net worth individuals to access several benefits, such as visa free international travel to a large number of countries, increased security and flexibility while traveling, and it will act as an insurance in times of political or economic disorder elsewhere."

Speaking at the Global Citizen Forum, Hon. Dr. Kenny D. Anthony, Prime Minister & Minister for Finance, Economic Affairs, Planning & Social Security said: "Saint Lucia is a remarkable country that contributes to world civilisation far beyond what is expected of our land size, population and gross domestic product. In some ways we have always been global citizens, we have given the world two Nobel Laureates, earning us the honour of having the highest number of Laureates per capita in the world.

"With this announcement, the country is now truly a member of the global citizen movement, and we look forward to welcoming our new countrymen and the positive impact they can make."

Dr. Ernest Hilaire, Chairman, Citizenship by Investment Unit, added: "The exclusive new programme, permitting only 500 applicants per year, with a minimal net worth of US$ 3,000,000 distinguishes Saint Lucia from other programmes, and resonates with the country's personable and luxurious surroundings.

"We are confident the new programme will provide a platform for strategic developmental reasons whilst attracting individuals who are best placed to invest in Saint Lucia."

Considered the "Davos" of the global citizen industry, the Global Citizen Forum seeks to inspire change, provoke innovation, encourage engagement, and empower future generations during two days of debate and idea sharing.

The event aims to nurture dialogue with government policymakers as they look to evolve political, social and economic responses to migration; to inspire change and uncover solutions to global causes; and, to explore new ways that global citizens can contribute to society.

About Arton Capital

Arton Capital empowers individuals and families to become Global Citizens through a bespoke service experience that simplifies complexity, fosters long-term relationships, and yields lasting results. As a global financial advisory firm, specializing in investor programs for residence and citizenship Arton plays a critical role in empowering governments, consultants, legal and financial professionals, and investors to meet their goals efficiently, effectively and responsibly.

Global investor migration is a growing economic sector, which has attracted an estimated 50 billion euros of foreign direct investments to countries around the world. As an industry leader, Arton is the founding member of the Global Investor Immigration Council (GIIC), whose mission is to advocate transparency, integrity and foster sustainable and responsible industry governance.

Arton's global operations are spread in over 15 offices around the world and have helped attract over US $3 billion foreign direct investment to countries. Arton Capital is a member of the Arton Group, which comprises of fully licensed international banking, financial advisory and investment consulting entities tailored to the needs of global citizens. www.artoncapital.com

SOURCE Arton Capital

Image with caption: "St. Lucia announces its first citizenship by investment programme (CNW Group/Arton Capital)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151023_C6323_PHOTO_EN_527918.jpg

Video with caption: "Video : Global Citizen Forum Monaco 2015". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmklSRQ9mjc&feature=youtu.be

Media enquiries: Iain Munro, Bell Pottinger, [email protected] , [phone]