Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, has announced plans to introduce a Diaspora Bond, a financial instrument that will allow nationals abroad to directly invest in the country’s development.
The announcement came during Dr. Drew’s Roundtable address on Tuesday, where he reaffirmed his administration’s belief that nationals abroad are not separate from nation-building, but integral to it.
“I have said to them that they are part and parcel of St. Kitts and Nevis,” Dr. Drew stated. “Even though they don’t live here physically, they can still contribute to their country’s development.”
The Prime Minister shared several examples of how members of the St. Kitts and Nevis diaspora have already played transformative roles in health, education, and investment.
He highlighted the efforts of Leo Estridge, an architect and dialysis technician based in Canada, who mobilised the donation of vital dialysis machines to the Federation shortly after the Labour Administration assumed office. “When we first got into office, we had a shortage of dialysis machines. He heard the cries of the people, brought his colleagues down, trained our staff, and supplied so many machines that we even had to give some away,” Dr. Drew said.
He also praised Dr. Frank Laws, a leading cardiologist in the United States, who helped the government secure “the most advanced CT scan in the Caribbean” and is now working to obtain a cutting-edge MRI machine for the Federation. “That is tangible investment — not of money, but of service and skill, to help improve the health of our people,” Dr. Drew explained.
Among other notable contributors, he cited Ambassador Dr. Hadiya Claxton, who spearheaded the Trailblazers initiative and played an instrumental role in securing major investments such as Safe Harbor, the Tabasco Project, and the partnership with Southern University in Louisiana. He also credited Mr. Calvin St. Juste, now head of the Citizenship by Investment Unit, who left a career on Wall Street to lead and reform the country’s CBI programme.
“These are not isolated acts,” Dr. Drew said. “They show that our people abroad are already deeply invested in the development of St. Kitts and Nevis. The next step is to create structured opportunities for them to do even more.”
He revealed that the Diaspora Bond will be modelled after successful examples in Africa, particularly Nigeria, whose president, Bola Tinubu, inspired the initiative. “When I met the President of Nigeria, he told me about their own diaspora bond, which was oversubscribed and had to be closed early,” Dr. Drew explained. “We want to offer a similar opportunity to our people — a safe and patriotic investment in their homeland.”
The proposed bond will allow nationals living abroad to contribute to national projects such as renewable energy, education, healthcare, and infrastructure, while earning returns and strengthening ties with home. “It’s not just financial — it’s about identity and belonging,” Dr. Drew said. “We want every Kittitian and Nevisian abroad to know that their investment is building the future of their country.”
The Prime Minister closed by encouraging citizens and the diaspora alike to embrace the spirit of collective progress. “Size does not matter — vision does,” Dr. Drew said. “St. Kitts and Nevis may be small, but when we act together, our impact is global.”
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