Caribbean Community governments reacted with bewilderment and controlled anger as travel restrictions and outright travel bans were announced by the Trump administration recently, with most arguing that their nations should not be on any list.
In a move that the candidate had long telegraphed, now President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, authorities there announced a list of 43 countries whose nationals would soon be banned from traveling to the US because of policy decisions back home, or travel would be severely restricted if significant changes are not made.
The region’s most brutal hit is Cuba, with its citizens placed on the red list, meaning that travel to the US would be banned altogether. Unfortunately, nearer home in the 15-member regional trade bloc, Haiti made the cut in the orange category, with its nationals applying for student, tourist, and permanent visas severely restricted, with some exceptions.
But when they glimpsed the imminent policy changes, leaders in St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Antigua, and Dominica reacted with a mixture of surprise and caution as they mulled what the coming months would hold for their tourism-dependent nations and those with golden passport schemes.
“I can’t tell the United States what to do, but any reasonable person would recognize that Antigua and Barbuda is not a threat to the U.S., and we have been very cooperative. We will not promote acrimony with the U.S.. However, we will stand on principle to defend our sovereignty and our people,” Prime Minister Gaston Browne said on a weekend radio program. “Our interests are mutual. We recognize the importance of a prosperous United States, and we want to have a good relationship. But at the same time, we will stand on principle and defend our sovereignty,” he stated.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Eastern Caribbean nations on the list await formal notification before reacting.
“The government of St. Lucia and the embassy in Washington are actively seeking clarification on this matter. The USA is a friend of St. Lucia and remains a key partner in St. Lucia’s development. We look forward to an even stronger relationship between our two countries,” said Prime Minister Phillip Pierre.
In nearby Dominica, long-serving Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit noted, “Dominica values its longstanding and cordial relationship with the United States and is committed to strengthening this partnership. The government of Dominica will remain actively engaged in this matter and provide more information as it becomes available,” he said while awaiting formal notification.
Nations like St. Lucia and Dominica appeared to have made the list amid concerns in the US and the Western world about their highly lucrative citizenship-by-investment programs. Through these programs, wealthy foreigners can buy a national passport or local citizenship by investing as little as US$100 and up to $300,000. In some jurisdictions, the investors and applicants must invest in local real estate and other developmental ventures.
Those on the yellow list have 60 days to satisfy American officials, and their background and diligence checks of applicants are required. However, Antigua’s PM Browne says nothing is wrong with the island’s program regarding diligence matters.
“We were especially careful to emphasize that our government maintains a sanctions policy fully aligned with that of the U.S. Treasury in all financial matters. Antigua and Barbuda does not accept applications from any country currently on a U.S.-banned list, and our citizenship by investment program (CIP) follows rigorous vetting procedures. All applications are rigorously vetted by recognized international agencies, including INTERPOL, to ensure that no applicants with a criminal background or current charges—including terrorism—are considered,” he made clear.
Regional leaders have asked for a meeting with President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, or any high-level official to discuss a range of policy matters that could affect the region, including US disagreements with the presence of Cuban medical and other professionals in the Caribbean.
Last week, foreign ministers met with the US Special Envoy for Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Carone, but they say they prefer a face-to-face meeting with Trump or Rubio to clarify several misconceptions, such as the fact that the Cuban medical program provides a medical lifeline to many Caricom member nations.
