The meeting, according to the Prime Minister, focused on mutual matters of concern, like migration and the Citizenship by Investment Programme.

This year, other CIP countries in the Caribbean signed a Memorandum of Agreement to unify their programme offerings. The MoA outlines a unanimous decision to establish a minimum investment sum of US$200,000 for each country's CIP, effective by June 30th, 2024.

Saint Lucia, which currently offers a USD$100,000 minimum investment plan, did not sign the MoA. Pierre says that was done to ensure the country fulfills its contractual obligations to applicants already in the system.

“All [the government] said is that it needs to complete the contractual agreements that we have with investors before we sign on to any price changes,” Pierre explained to the press.

The Prime Minister adds that the CIP has recently launched an infrastructural plan, where funds generated will be used to fund capital projects.

Pierre went on to critise the Opposition for disseminating false information where the CIP is concerned.

“[Chastanet] understands the benefits that the CIP programme can give to the people of the country through housing, through roads, through community development, so he's trying his best to muddy the water, to cause the confidence in Saint Lucia to be diminished so that investors can be afraid and not invest in this country,” he said.

Saint Lucia by law and regulations has filled all but one of the measures outlined by the non-binding MoA signed by other OECS countries. Saint Lucia’s minimum investment was reduced by then Prime Minister Allen Chastanet from USD 300,000 to USD 100,000 making it the cheapest passport in the programme. Prime Minister Pierre contends that breaking existing contractual arrangements can lead to the government being sued and having to pay fees as was the case when Allen Chastanet. In 2017, Prime Minister Chastanet broke a CIP agreement with Range Development costing the people of Saint Lucia millions in settlement fees. Range has since gone on to build luxury properties in Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis and Grenada.