The opposition Saint Lucia Labour Party spokesman on investment Dr. Ernest Hilaire has reacted to Barbados’s decision to remove visa requirements for 30 countries across multiple regions of the world as a means of promoting the island’s tourism and investment.
According to the Castries South MP, the move by Barbados will not have any negative impact on St. Lucia which he says should take similar steps.
The move by the Barbadian government was made with globalization in mind, recognizing the need to expand the tourism and trade sectors and to foster new relationships and opportunities.
The benefiting countries include the African territories of Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Morocco, Senegal, Rwanda and Burkina Faso.
Arabic countries such as the Gulf States of Bahrain, Jordan, Oman and Qatar; and the Asian nations of Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and India are also included.
The former head of the Citizenship by Investment Programme says the latest development should not pose a threat to St. Lucia.
Dr. Hilaire believes St. Lucia should follow suit
Last year the Barbadian Government announced that it would remove the visa requirements for Haitians travelling to that country as it sought to be more inclusive in its treatment of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nationals. Interestingly the country was recently sued by a group of Grenadians who claimed their freedom of movement was restricted when they were in the island almost three years ago. The CCJ this week ruled that they had no case

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