PRESS RELEASE – WITH regard to recent public statements concerning the Citizenship by Investment Programme of Saint Lucia, likely to give rise or bring disrepute to the said Programme, the Citizenship by Investment (“CIP”) Board and Unit wish to state the following:
1. The CIP Unit is responsible for receiving and processing applications for citizenship by investment and the CIP Board is responsible for granting or denying applications for citizenship by investment;
2. The CIP Unit does not issue passports. This continues to be the function of the Immigration Department of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force;
3. At this time, Mr. Teo Ah King is not a licensed Promoter or Authorized Agent of the Citizenship by Investment Programme of Saint Lucia and therefore is not authorized to submit citizenship applications to the CIP Unit;
4. The Desert Star Holding (“DSH”) Project is not at this time an approved CIP project and as such the CIP Unit has not received or processed and the CIP Board has not approved any applications intended for the DSH Project or any other project related to Mr. Teo Ah King;
5. As a result, the CIP Unit has not received or transferred on behalf of Mr. Teo Ah King or the DSH Project, any funds for applicants for citizenship by investment under the Citizenship by Investment Act, No. 14 of 2015.
The CIP Board and Unit continue to pursue its’ mandate with the utmost integrity in accordance with the legislative requirements of Saint Lucia. (CIP Unit)