Latest / IMI Podcasts / St Vincent PM Claims International RCBI Companies Financing Opposition Campaign

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St Vincent PM Claims International RCBI Companies Financing Opposition Campaign · IMI Podcasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: PM claims Chinese and European RCBI firms, backing NDP, to gain access to SVG's high-ranking passport through a new CBI program.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has seemingly confirmed the opposition New Democratic Party's plans to launch a citizenship by investment, referred to as CBI program, if victorious in the upcoming election.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: He alleged that hyperactive RCBI companies from Europe and China are already collaborating with opposition leaders ahead of the November 2025 vote.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: During an April 15 press conference at Cabinet Room, Gonsalves warned Vincentians about a coordinated effort to introduce CBI to St.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: Vincent and the Grenadines.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: Vincent and the Grenadines, or SVG, noting he has, quote, warned this country about the dangers of selling our passports and selling our citizenship.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: I don't want to go through all the arguments now because you know them if you're listening to me, end quote, repeatedly in the past.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: According to Searchlight, the Prime Minister alleged that the NDP is aligned with foreign entities who are engaged in a coordinated and dangerous campaign to undermine democracy in SVG.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: He also claims that the opposition is utilizing several media houses to attack his Unity Labour Party administration.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: The Prime Minister, now serving his fifth consecutive term, emphasized his long-standing opposition to CBI programs ahead of the November 2025 general election, explaining he's opposed on the grounds of practicality, and opposed on the grounds that it is not sustainable, and that it is reckless to run your country's finances on selling passports.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: Gonsalves further alleged that companies involved in passport sales have been financing the NDP and their election campaigns since 1998.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: But more particularly since 2001.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: However, he did not identify specific organizations by name.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: He warned about what he sees as corrupt intentions, stating that, quote, there are so many corrupt practices involved in what I'm talking about, and they want to subvert our democracy.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: They want to buy it.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: I'm warning the country, end quote.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: SVG remains one of the few Eastern Caribbean nations without a CBI program.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Its passport ranks 23rd globally, with visa-free access to 157 destinations, including the European Union and the United Kingdom.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: The Prime Minister pointed to growing international pressure against CBI programs, noting that citizens from some CBI countries now have to apply for visa for certain nations.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: The Prime Minister outlined how international pressure against CBI programs continues to grow, pointing to visa requirements imposed by some countries.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: He referenced ongoing European Union parliamentary processes that could further restrict these programs, claiming he saw it coming long ago, while suggesting the European Union had given CBI countries time to clean up their practices before implementing stricter measures.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: When discussing the appeal of investment migration programs, Gonsalves acknowledged that CBI money is so sweet that many countries have implemented such initiatives despite what he perceives as long-term risks, suggesting this has made the Vincentian passport more valuable precisely because SVG has resisted implementing a program.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: According to Searchlight, the Prime Minister claimed that the goal of getting Vincentian passports on a CBI platform involves Chinese companies wanting SVG to switch diplomatic relations from Taiwan to mainland China.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: NDP leader Dr.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: Godwin Friday officially announced plans last October to introduce a CBI program if his party wins the election, promising the program would meet the highest levels of scrutiny, and that funds would benefit public servants and those on public assistance rather than political figures.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: October 2024 polling showed a tight race for the upcoming election.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: Gonsalves's Unity Labor Party led the NDP by a narrow margin of 33.7% to 30.1%.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: If successful in the November 2025 election, Gonsalves would secure an unprecedented sixth term in office.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: The Prime Minister concluded his remarks by urging voters to give the NDP one of the soundest beatings they have ever received at the polls in the November 2025 election, underscoring how central the CBI debate has become to SVG's political race.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: This episode first appeared as an article by Ahmad Abbas on IMIDaily.com.
• 4:59
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• 5:06
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