St.Kitts-Nevis Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Mark Brantley will improve Value of Passport says Travel Industry Expert.
Hon. Mark Brantley St.Kitts-Nevis Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation and Deputy Premier of Nevis
Director of Cruise and Rail Travel Int’l Ltd and Travel Industry Exoert Theo Alleyne has declared that newly elected St.Kitts-Nevis Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Mark Brantley will improve the value of the St.Kitts-Nevis Passport and Citizenship Programme.
In a recent publication Alleyne listed the St.Kitts-Nevis Passport as the 3rd Most Powerful in Caricom behind Bahamas and Barbados at Number 1 and Trinidad and Tobago at Number 2. . However he indicated that the value of the passport will likely increase and improve mainly due to the Nevis Deputy Premier Brantley
Director of Cruise and Rail Travel Int’l Ltd and Travel Industry Exoert Theo Alleyne
The Trinidadian Alleyne stated “I wouldn’t be surprised, if St. Kitts and Nevis climbs to the number two spot in a few years. Here’s why, the Hon. Mark Brantley, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, also serves as the Minister of Tourism for the Nevis Island Administration. Over the last two years, Nevis has seen significant improvements in the number of airlines into the Island as well as tourist arrivals, under Brantley’s leadership. If Minister Brantley brings the same vigor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Aviation, St. Kitts and Nevis, may even stand a chance to challenge The Bahamas and Barbados .”
The St.Kitts-Nevis Passport was the #2 Ranked in Caricom in 2013 but fell to #3 after their citizenship by investment programme (CIP) made international headlines when an Iranian national presented to Canadian Immigration a diplomatic passport issued by the Dr. Denzil Douglas led St. Kitts and Nevis Government . The holder of the Passport, Mr. Moghadam, was made a special envoy for St Kitts and Nevis to Turkey and Azerbaijan. Mr. Moghadam had allegedly purchased his citizenship for $1 million USD. It appears that Canadian authorities were very displeased with the situation and effective November 22, 2014, Canada imposed visa requirements on citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis. In so doing, holders of St. Kitts passport can now travel to 131 countries visa free, while Antiguans and Barbudans, have the benefit of traveling to 132 countries visa free.
Brantley’s presence after just weeks as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs has already paid some dividends as Brazil recently announced VISA-FREE access to holders of St.Kitts-Nevis Passports .
In a brief statement issued via social media Brantley thanked the government of Brazil for granting the waiver.
“Holders of St. Kitts Nevis passports can now travel visa free to Brazil,” Brantley posted .
The statement continued “I wish to commend the Government and people of Brazil for granting this privilege to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.”
In a prior statement to local media Brantley along with newly elected SKN Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris indicated that the federation was in talks with the government of Canada to pursue the possible reinstatement of the Visa-Free access which the country lost as a result of issues surrounding the management of the CIP programme. The Canadians expressed satisfaction with the new administration and their commitments to adhering to best practices in the management of the programme.
Congratulations of your position in goverment and we look forward in seeing great progress for our islands St.kitts and Nevis.
I would like to address my concerns regarding flights from the U.K which I think maybe overlooked and will need to be addressed as soon as possible for residents and family and friends to visit the federation.
Although I have not recently flown out to St.kitts but of which I fly out every year my father flys out 3 times a year recently friends have travelled and realise we have to once more again travel and stop of and check our luggage through Antigua, this of cause we think is a backward step and would like flights to return directly to St.Kitts.
In many discussions with kittitians and nevisians there not booking to go back home unless this is resolved.
I have brought this to your attention because it’s also my concern I’m on hold booking my flight until we have flights going directly to St,Kitts.
I also think that if this will be a or in progress or already resolved you will need to advertise this in the UK so at least know one can say they did not know and I am assured it will do good for the tourism.
I myself have lived in St.kitts for many years at present living in the UK of which I was born here and hope that this information is of great help and would like to offer my input at anytime you required.i
I would like to end by saying that the UK is a big place I happen to live in the middle called the west midland we have often wondered as citizens of the federation why we are not concidering flying from birmingham due to being in the middle of two popular city’s london and Manchester where most kittitians and nevisians live.
Thank you for your time and hope to here fr you soon.