Irina Kush：thank you very much for giving us some time to answer our questions during the IMC conference in Dubai. so the first question which we'd like to ask, could you little bit tell us about the Antigua program?

Sherelyn Hughes Thomas: my name is Sherelyn Hughes Thomas, and I am the deputy chief executive officer of the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Program. I'm happy to talk to you about our program.

So, Antigua and Barbuda — many of you may not have heard of it, but it's a small island. It's a twin-island nation in the northeast Caribbean, and we are part of the group of countries that offers investment through which we will grant citizenship.

We are one of five countries in the subregion that's called the OECS, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. And we like to think that we have the strongest program. Our program just celebrated 10 years of operation. 

And what makes us unique is that historically, Antigua has been one of the most developed of the small island states in the Eastern Caribbean. So, we were among the first to have an international hotel. We've had a vibrant tourism sector since the 1960s. And because of our geographical position, we're in easy reach of most major markets. It's four and a half hours from New York, three and a half from Miami, eight to London. We have excellent air connectivity.

If you're interested in visiting and investing further after you've gone through the citizenship by investment program, this is the program that you want to give good consideration to. 

Generally, it may appear that the programs are all similar, and in some regard they are. Each of them has a donation fund, many have real estate options. But the real estate options in Antigua and Barbuda, and the program fund in Antigua and Barbuda, have some distinct advantages：

So, Antigua is very good for families, large families. We are the cheapest with respect to that, we are the most economical is what I should say. 

And in respect of our real estate, while a building is a building, in the same sense, a building is not a building. A unit is not a building. There are differences in the quality of the construction, and differences in the kind of rental income that you can earn from it. and so we consider ourselves to be the premier real estate development option as well.

Additionally, if you are interested in the program but you're not necessarily disposed to making a donation or making a donation that's nonspecific. We have a donation option for the University of the West Indies. We find that a lot of our investors have a social conscience and they want to know that their funds have gone to specific projects. And so Antigua and Barbuda has, recently in the last four years, landed the fourth physical campus of the University of the West Indies, which is the premier tertiary education institution in  Antigua and Barbuda, and we're very proud of that. And so, we have an option that allows you to donate directly to the University of the West Indies. And what's special about that is that if you have a college-aged dependent in your application, that person can come to Antigua tuition-free. Education is available to them for a year, so it gives them the opportunity to really live and be in Antigua and Barbuda. And it's a great cultural exchange, so it's something to consider.

And then, for those individuals who are interested in doing business, and expanding their footprint, we have the investment in business option. And the thresholds are higher, but it's because the impact is more significant.

So, I'd like to welcome you on behalf of our CEO Charmaine Donovan to Antigua and Barbuda's program and trust that you will at least explore what we have to offer. Antigua and Barbuda is waiting for you.

Irina Kush：And there, right now, the critical question which everybody is talking about is the announcement about the memorandum of the price increase. When will it take place? If it will really take place, and how your country is considering it.

Sherelyn Hughes Thomas: So, the memorandum of agreement that the prime ministers have signed is their signal that there is going to be a price increase. And that price increase is scheduled to take effect on July 1st. All of the countries that have signed, the four countries that have signed,  intend to have that transition happen, intend to have that change affect them.

As we would have said on the panel, there are a number of things that need to be done ahead of that change. And so, June 30th is the aspirational date, but it is the date towards which we are working. If there is going to be a change in respect to that, there'll be adequate notification.

But what I would suggest is that all applicants that you have in train right now, that you move your applications towards completion, once you have formalized with them the option that they have selected. So, they are not found past June 30th with a file that is going to cost them more. Now, if there is a movement away from June 30th and there is really no definite decision that there's going to be any moving back of the date, then you could have an open window that's a little longer. But what has been signed is a date of June 30th. That's the date that we would need to work with.

We've been happy to be a partner with Globevisa. You are a promotion agency that does a lot of work in Antigua and we are happy for your support. We look forward to continuing to work with you. Thank you. Thank you.

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