US Remains Silent on Travel Ban for Saint Lucia, Confirms Pierre

On Monday, Prime Minister Phillip J. Pierre informed reporters that his administration has not received any communications from the United States concerning a potential travel ban on Saint Lucia. His remarks were in response to media speculation that the U.S. might implement travel restrictions on Saint Lucia and various Caribbean nations involved in Citizenship by Investment Programmes (CIP). This speculation stemmed from a leaked U.S. State Department memo reported by The Washington Post. The memo reportedly discusses potential visa bans affecting citizens from 36 countries, citing national security and immigration issues. Alongside Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and St. Kitts and Nevis were mentioned; notably, Grenada was excluded, despite its active CIP. Pierre asserted he had seen no such document and emphasized ongoing negotiations with American and European officials regarding their CIP program. He reiterated his commitment to ensuring transparency and accountability in the program while clarifying that recent changes were not initiated by his government.