UWP Talks Visa Drought
The United Workers Party (UWP) says it treats with grave concern the alarming number of US visa denials being reported by Saint Lucian citizens in recent months. The UWP referenced articles in the New York Times in March 2025 and Washington Post in June concerning United States State Department memos which identified countries that could face restrictions where entry visas are concerned. A UWP release spoke of four Caribbean countries, alongside 21 other countries which the United States gave 60 days to address perceived immigration deficiencies. According to the UWP release, The New York Times article include “failing to share with the US information about incoming travellers, purportedly inadequate security practices for issuing passports, or the selling of citizenship to people from banned countries, which could serve as a loophole around the restrictions,” as some of those deficiencies. The release did highlight that on 4th June, when the US issued its first round of travel restrictions, Saint Lucia was not subject to full or partial bans. However, the reported June 14th Washington Post State Department cable seems to have suggested something else. The suggestion is that in addition to the 19 countries subject to the first round of travel restrictions, some 36 other countries were added including St. Lucia. Among the wide-ranging concerns, according to the UWP, the US identified a lack of a competent central government that could produce reliable identity documents and criminal records; dubious passport security; significant rates of visa overstays; a lack of cooperation in taking back citizens being deported from the US; as well as the selling of citizenship to people who do not live in their countries. “Today, we see scores of visa denials being issued including for long standing holders of US visa – Saint Lucians who are in good standing and who have no record of violating US immigration rules at any point. It is clear that this upswing in rejections is not linked to any fault of our people, but rather to the reputation of the SLP administration,” according to the UWP document. It went on, “Despite the alarming situation, the Philip Pierre Administration has yet to go on record to explain to our citizens what steps are being taken to restore the good name of our country.” The release went further and took a stab at the local Foreign Ministry. “Alarmingly, in his recent statement at the United Nations General Assembly, Saint Lucia’s Foreign Minister departed from the US on key political issues—at the very time when our access to the US hangs in the balance. This comes at a moment when tourist arrivals, including from the US, our number one source market, have plummeted. It comes at a moment when repeated policy missteps, widespread allegations of corruption—including in connection with the Citizenship by Investment Programme—and a lack of confidence in the administration of our security forces and police have brought our country into significant disruption. A situation that requires urgent and comprehensive attention.” The VOICE has since reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs on the matter. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs Janelle Modeste-Stephen says there is no information from the US Embassy, written or otherwise, that suggest that a visa restriction is in effect. That was confirmed after a reported check with the US Embassy Thursday afternoon. The External Affairs official has reportedly put in a request for evidence regarding the numbers in relation to visa denials, the results of which is expected to take some weeks.