- “We are committed to the housing project in Rock Hall.”~ Minister Ernest Hilaire
- Minister Hilaire surrenders – “I don’t know, and will find out.”
- “I don’t know!” “And will find out!” – begs the question: Is anyone attending to the business of Saint Lucia?
- “Not knowing is as serious knowing!”
By Caribbean News Global 
TORONTO, Canada – St Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment (CIP), infrastructure programme and the government by extension, have taken a bold step to increase the islands’ housing stock, utilizing infamous resources fingered in Eastern European Mafia circles.
Let’s be real
Businessman Aleksandar Mijajlovic (Nationality Montenegro), Bemax LLC, a registered company in Saint Lucia, December 23, 2023, was reportedly arrested on January 19, 2024, and is suspected of creating a criminal organization that was engaged in cigarette smuggling.
[Tobacco use in Saint Lucia remains high at 25.2 percent. Effective 1 July 2023, Saint Lucia increased excise tax on tobacco products by 50 percent.]
On April 12, the investigating judge of the high court in Podgorica, Suzana Mugoša, accepted Mijajlović’s offer to defend himself against the accusations that he created a criminal organization that smuggled cigarettes with bail of 1.1 million euros and was subsequently released.
Transhipment accessory
Saint Lucia is a well-known transhipment accessory to the underworld of illicit trade in narcotics and cocaine, that originates from South America. This activity feeds the tringle of nearby islands en route to Europe. Trade in guns, ammunition, and motorcycles are conventional trade-off between the islands – 45 minutes with an adequate watercraft.
The embrace of CIP St Lucia, the government of Saint Lucia and Mijajlovic of Bemax LLC (construction, passports, visas, import and export trade, food and beverage, night club) has ostensibly increased Saint Lucia’s CIP scrutiny with international intelligence agencies.
The statement expressed in the year of infrastructure, April 23, 2024/2025, budget address, reads:
“This year, we intend to construct houses under the CIP programme, as has been done in other islands. Areas initially earmarked for housing development are Rock Hall, where land clearing has commenced.”
“Let me assure you …, that our CIP programme is anchored by robust due diligence processes at every stage and complemented by robust due diligence processes by the financial institutions involved in facilitating the CIP. There has not been one issue with our CIP programme. No one has raised any negatives regarding the due diligence of our programme. Our programme is now well poised to deliver infrastructure in the form of roads, community centres, and hotels to our people without increasing the national debt.”
“In December 2023, this government introduced an infrastructure option to complement the other funding options. The new infrastructure option requires developers to raise the financing needed to undertake approved projects in a number of selected areas and recover their expenses through CIP.” ~ Budget Address April 23, 2024.
September 13, 2024, CIP press release, said:
“The legal capacity to approve such projects was provided in the Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Regulations published in Extraordinary Gazette dated December 20, 2023.
[…]
CIP St Lucia emphasised that, amid approval and applications [that] have been received, “there has been no approvals given for any application,” adding, “the Enterprise agreement requires developers to finance the projects upfront and recover their monies when approvals are given and minimum investments are paid.” The CIP release emphasised: “Again, no approvals have been given or monies received for any of the two projects.”
- Vol. 193 • Issue 27 • Thursday September 12, 2024 – Extraordinary Gazette Thursday September 12th, 2024
It is appropriate to mention that Saint Lucia is under intense scrutiny from EU authorities, including the Five Eyes – an intelligence alliance composed of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Timelines – Let’s find out
- ‘In December 2023, this government introduced an infrastructure option’;
- Bemax LLC, a registered company in Saint Lucia, December 23, 2023;
- Businessman Aleksandar Mijajlovic was reportedly arrested on January 19, 2024;
- Mijajlovic with bail of 1.1 million euros, April 12, 2024;
- 2024/2025 budget address, April 23, 2024;
- Saint Lucia Gazette published September 12, 2024, the actual investments approved by government under the “Option 3” which “was made legal on December 20, 2023.”
- Citizenship by Investment (CIP) press release, September 13, 2024;
- CIP minister Ernest Hilaire, pre-cabinet briefing, September 30, 2024.
“I don’t know!” “And will find out!” is going bonkers!
Responding to reporters’ questions about businessman Aleksandar Mijajlovic, Bemax LLC – Rock Hall Housing Development Project – (Approved enterprise project Citizenship by Investment (CIP), arrest and now stands accused of organized crime throughout Europe; CIP minister Ernest Hilaire, said in part, at a pre-cabinet briefing, on September 30, 2024:
“We will get as much information as we can about it. I don’t know whether the person was questioned, I don’t know whether the person was charged. I don’t know!
“We are committed to the housing project in Rock Hall. We believe St Lucians need more housing, and St Lucians need more options, and at the same time we will do whatever we can to make sure that we do not expose this country to any, am, you know, any unnecessary, am associations. And will find out!
“Like I said. I read the story this morning, and I asked for a briefing on it. So, I am expecting by the end of the day to get a briefing. We did not know about this story, but it surfaced this morning and we will find out.” ~ September 30, 2024 CIP minister Hilaire.
Excuses – ‘Aaa soon come’
To find out, and/or expect a timely response from minister Hilaire goes with the maxim, “Aaa soon come,” only to run away, expecting to game another day!
Minister Hilaire is yet to report if he has been granted permission to speak in clear terms on the number of CIP files and/or passports issued for the infrastructure project.
Moreover, an audited CIP report as mandated by law is two years delayed. Herein, to express a response “I don’t know – and we will find out” on a legal matter in Europe – is indeed – a stretch too far, to further burden ineptitude.
Due diligence – ‘No one has raised any negatives regarding the due diligence of our programme.’
In the craft of risk profilers, industry policies and standards, risk management, monitoring and engagement stand ever-vigilant on the risk status of external factors.
Thus, here goes due diligence on a national housing project, by agents of the state that reference – “I don’t know!” And will find out!
This seems heading to make the country less free to speak and ask questions of the authorities, make matters more difficult to travel visa-free, less safe on the influx of unchecked migration, crime, the making of a gangster paradise; and much poorer than expected, albeit constricted projections of 7 percent economic growth (others show different trends) that benefit the one-percenters and liberal elites. In contrast, all others see only the downside being drained from the economy.
Notwithstanding these controversies, there is a further narrative at play, that it takes three to Tongo with CIP St Lucia – The government, agents/lawyers, the bank! However, the government acting as the representative of the people – and in defence of the nation’s interests – is unable to monitor its national housing project, foreign direct investments (FDI), investigations and conduct in collaboration with legal authorities for significant irregularities.
So far, the government has not challenged particulars, answer questions, and/or present alternative actualities on many issues of national importance (corruption, judicial reform, prison overcrowding, the administration of justice, influence pedalling (conflict of interest), trafficking and money laundering), to clean up public administration; peeve points in opposition and on the campaign trail.
Confronting the liberal echo chambers
Many regional politicians are happy about what Caribbean News Global (CNG) publishes when in opposition. Our reporting has and continues to ruffle many feathers and their political capital in government. The big picture is service standards that are not being met and keeping them honest on accountability and transparency.
When important stories and government social and economic failings are exposed, the response is “Kill it, Keele it, Keel it” … for the time being … You don’t want to go there.” – “No more questions”! – And to avoid the media.
Concerning the will to govern, not even compliance with non-stop media propaganda is working. There are people sharing conspiracies who don’t believe their own content including politicians, to manipulate findings to support their agendas and choose statistics to fit their narratives.
The change agenda
With some taking credit for promising trends, others anticipating that issues will go away from a lack of real media reporting and analysis. What’s more, the so-called change policy is an attempt to censor journalists and media establishments, remove them from email listings, ignore requests for comment, and answer legitimate questions.
The broad concerns that can be drawn not just beginning to come to light but are also having consequences – getting caught sleepwalking!
The threat of transnational crime and illicit drugs
Saint Lucians deserve clear, trustworthy facts on the economy (cost of living), healthcare, security, CIP St Lucia infrastructure projects, etc – through data and tangible realities, not rhetoric.
Europe and the US are known to invoke sanctions against corrupt actions. At the July 2023 EU-CELAC Summit, leaders agreed to enhance their partnership on justice and security.
In this vigorous policy debate, who will safeguard Saint Lucia on matters of migration, tourism, the deter of FDI, visa-free entry privileges to the EU and United Kingdom, de-risking, corresponding banking, the making of a gangster paradise, blacklisting and the impact of Caribbean CIP/CBI programmes’ untenable situations?
The facilitators deserve no rest
Yes, of course, CIP St Lucia housing and infrastructure projects are election issues, as well as external matters of law and international investments. And, politicians are probably far more concerned with [mis]statements and [mis]representations.
“Matters surrounding CIP St Lucia is bad,” said two leading CIP agents/lawyers with first-hand knowledge. The intelligence is that “several politicians and their acolytes in the public service and the security apparatus will have to leave and disappear into the night.”
To help inform this perspective are the political and economic damages, and the leadership challenges that have arisen.
- “Not knowing is as serious knowing!”
- “I don’t know!” “And will find out!” – begs the question: Is anyone attending to the business of Saint Lucia?
For some time now, it has been recognized that CIP St Lucia has a whistleblower sharing documents with sources outside of Saint Lucia. This is more apparent now!
The political as well as governance leadership of Saint Lucia has a choice to make about its external allegiance to CIP bosses, domestic politics, and its continued existence.
The Philip J. Pierre-led administration must develop the political will to act as the change agent of good governance and focus leadership for the future of Saint Lucia.
In the absence of this, the continuance of CIP St Lucia, existing players and leading cabinet comrades, “will bring them all down” says a Washington, DC, source, adding. “The key to Pandora’s box” is “not being aware” of the risk status, notwithstanding public disclosures and undisputed known facts.
