Good morning, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The new government has decided, and the decision is going to be tested.
CBI programme: 2026 launch confirmed
Prime Minister Goodwin Friday, whose New Democratic Party took power in November ending 24 years of Unity Labour Party governance, confirmed earlier this week that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is advancing plans to launch a citizenship-by-investment programme in 2026. The announcement comes against an unforgiving backdrop: the United States has suspended visa privileges for Antigua and Dominica, the European Union has issued its most serious CBI warning yet, and the political environment for new programmes is the worst it has been since CBI emerged in the region.
Friday’s argument is that he does not believe these developments are a “death knell” for such programmes, and that demand among high-net-worth individuals will remain strong. He is probably right about the demand. He is taking a measured bet on the supply side — the willingness of the international system to tolerate a new entrant when it is actively trying to compress the existing ones.
The previous Gonsalves administration had rejected CBI programmes throughout its tenure, characterising them as unsustainable. The reversal is, in policy terms, the cleanest break with the previous government on any single issue.
SVG GHS Alumni New York honour Dr. Gaymes-Jones
The SVG GHS Alumni in New York honoured Dr. Jacqueline Gaymes-Jones, the prominent dentist and humanitarian, at a ceremony this week. The diaspora chapter continues to be one of the most active and visible in the region.
New Consul: partnership crucial for SVG culture
The newly appointed Consul has emphasised that partnership across the diaspora is “crucial to elevate SVG culture.” The remarks were made at an introductory event with community leaders. The statement is more than ceremonial; the SVG cultural calendar — Vincy Mas, Nine Mornings — depends on diaspora engagement to maintain visibility.
ECVA volleyball: SVG competed
Senior teams from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines participated in the ECVA Senior Beach Volleyball Championship in Saint Lucia from May 1 to 3. The federation’s volleyball pipeline has been strengthening.
Mother’s Day
Sunday is Mother’s Day. In Kingstown, in Bequia, in Union Island, the day is theirs. The roti will be wrapped. The cocoa tea will be hot. The mother in the kitchen will be the queen she has always been.
— Tradewinds Brief Newsroom