BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (CUOPM) – The hipocrisy of the present leadership of the opposition People’s Action Movement (PAM) towards the Federation’s Citizenship by Investment Programme, introduced by the PAM-Simmonds Government in 1984, has come out glaringly with news that two of its high officials have traveled to Dubai to participate in an international Residence and Investment Conference.
The departure of Mr. Lindsay FitzPatrick Grant, past political leader and candidate for St. Christopher 4, and Mr. Jonel Powell, a Deputy Political Leader and a proposed candidate for St. Christopher 2, is also seen not only as an abandonment of the PAM-organized protest planned for Thursday, but also a slap in the face of the new political leader, the Hon. Shawn K. Richards, who is saddled with organizing a series of events which have so far failed.
Police reported that the PAM Meeting last Saturday morning at the Ferry and Bus Terminal on the Bay Road only attracted 25 persons, most of whom were people in the area either, catching a bus or travelling to and from Nevis.
Both Mr. Grant and Mr. Powell have travelled to Dubai for the 6th Annual Global Residence and Citizenship Conference from November 21st to 22nd at the Madinat Jumeirah Mina A’Salam Hotel and are among other service providers and stakeholders from St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda and other Caribbean and world nations attending.
There is great concern that Mr. Powell, a law partner of Mr. Grant, was the first PAM official to publicly announce the planned March, but departed Basseterre to attend the Citizenship by Investment Conference in Dubai.
What is also noticeable is Mr. Lindsay Grant is listed by the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) as one of the service providers that submit applications by non-citizens under the Citizenship by Investment Programme (SIDF).
Other service providers listed by the SIDF include Constance V. Mitcham, Daniel Brantley & Associates and G. A. Dwyer Astaphan.