NASSAU, Bahamas – Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin says she will “fight to the death” any attempt by the government to implement a citizenship by investment policy, The Tribune, one of The Bahamas’ leading newspapers, reported on Thursday, November 26.
Her comment came a day after Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson told reporters that the government was considering offering citizenship by investment to foreigners. He said no decision on the matter had been made, however.
“Some countries, when we do our comparative analysis, have had a bad experience from it,” Mr Johnson said. “It is something that we are looking at. No decisions have been made and so right now I’m not able to speak directly to it.”
He also said: “But I’ll tell you there are any number of conglomerates or companies in The Bahamas who have been making the approaches to the ministry saying, ‘Listen, can we have a discussion on this?’”
The statement elicited a strong reaction from Ms Hanna Martin. “I heard the minister of immigration say on a local news station that the Cabinet has under consideration ‘citizenship by investment’ aka selling Bahamian citizenship,” she posted on Facebook. “Facilitating the purchase of Bahamian passport. This (government) has to be stopped.”
She added: “They are ruining our nation and if left to their devices will drag us to a place of no return. I will fight them to the death on this. Citizenship is precious. It is who we are. It is ‘untouchable’. They must be voted out of office.”
Citizenship-by investment initiatives are aimed at attracting high net worth individuals in developing nations, by giving them a second passport in exchange for investments. See story in The Tribune at http://www.tribune242.com/news/2020/nov/26/hanna-martin-will-fight-death-against-citizenship-/
