By Christopher Famous

According to the government’s travel website, in October of this year, Minister of Home Affairs Michael Fahy attended the Citizenship by Investment & International Residence Summit in London. The website also revealed that the trip cost taxpayers $8,692.79.

In typical OBA fashion, what was not revealed was far more important than what was.

Why did the OBA fail to inform the public two months ago that they were attending a summit on the selling of visas and citizenship?

Why the secrecy?

Lack of Full Transparency

The OBA has a record of failing to be transparent, and it appears that this pattern continues with the highly controversial topic of commercial immigration.

The lack of transparency on this matter began in Parliament on July 26, 2013, when MP Grant Gibbons insisted, “Nobody on this side has talked about basically allowing people to buy status or anything of that sort. But it suits their purpose to raise it. Raise the issue of a straw man, take some extreme example and then try and pin it on us…. It is creating boogeymen.”

Shortly afterwards, Minister Fahy said on Jan 26, 2014, “…commercial immigration is seen as a method for direct inward investment.“

You were saying something about a boogeyman, Dr. Gibbons?

It is important to note that:

1.When the PLP highlighted Canada’s decision to end their commercial immigration programme in February 2014, Minister Fahy stated, “Of course, in jurisdictions as large as Canada with thousands of applicants every year spread among various provinces, the opportunity for abuse is much larger than a small jurisdiction.”

2.Minister Fahy failed to mention that smaller jurisdictions, such as St. Kitts and Antigua, have recently been embroiled in highly publicized controversies over commercial immigration security.

3.On January 15, 2014, the European Parliament voted against allowing EU citizenship to be sold, stressing that it “should never become a tradable commodity.”

4.UK’s own Migration Advisory Committee criticised giving away residency rights in exchange for investment in government bonds with no economic benefit.

5.Madeleine Sumption from the Migration Policy Institute, who spoke at OBA’s commercial immigration forum back in January, also gave a presentation at the summit. She pointed out that, “Even as more countries are jumping in the ring, some of the more experienced players are pulling back or reviewing their programs due to concerns over economic benefits.”

Connecting the dots

What could possibly be behind the OBA’s push to sell off Bermuda status?

•In August 2013, Finance Minister MP Bob Richards announced that the OBA had signed a Letter of Comfort, guaranteeing up to $125 million for Morgan’s Point. Thus putting Bermudian taxpayers on the hook if this project failed.

•In November 2013, Morgan’s Point co-owner and developer Craig Christensen stated, “I think Bermuda should have an economic citizenship incentive.”

•In December 2014, MP Bob Richards revealed that the OBA was extending its guarantee for the Morgan’s Point project to $165 million.

The questions that remain:-

•How long before that “Boogeyman” becomes a reality?

•How long before the OBA introduces Commercial Immigration as a policy or legislation?

•How long before Bermudian Status is being sold to the highest bidder?