LONDON, (CMC) – CS Global Partners, a London-based government advisory and marketing firm, has ranked the island of Dominica as one of the safest places in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Taking into account data from the Global Peace Index (GPI) 2021 and World Governance Indicators (WGI), CS Global Partners said its World Citizenship Report (WCR) ranks the “Nature Isle” third in the region with a score of 77.3, “bringing it to the 33rd safest place in the international arena.”

In the Caribbean, Dominica followed Uruguay’s safety and security score of 82 and Costa Rica’s 79, CS Global Partners said.  

It said Iceland, New Zealand and Switzerland ranked top globally, while economic giants like France (76.5), the US (64.4) and the UAE (65.9) “trailed much further behind Dominica.”  

According to CS Global Partners, the report acknowledges recent weather storms in the Caribbean “but gave Dominica a high standing due to authorities prioritising the rapidly developing climate-resilient infrastructure on the island.”

“The region has also placed emphasis on physical safety, rule of law, and political stability,” the report says. “Most importantly, Dominica ranks high in categories like voice and accountability, where citizens feel empowered to hold leaders accountable to their demands and needs.” 

CS Global Partners said the WCR also offers “well-rounded insight into the minds of global citizens and investors worldwide through over 500 interviews by factoring in their top five priorities: Safety and Security, Quality of Life, Economic Opportunity, Global Mobility and Financial Freedom.”

Overall, thanks to lucrative opportunities that appeal to business people and families through Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Program, the WCR placed Dominica in the top 30 per cent of 188 of the world’s jurisdictions, CS Global Partners said. 

“Caribbean citizenship offers global citizens access to some of the best travel and economic markets in the world through its growing roster of visa-free and visa-on-arrival destinations. But, the COVID-19 pandemic has subjected international travel to significant restrictions and made us question whether healthcare systems could adequately manage a global health crisis,” Micha Emmett, CS Global Partners’ chief executive officer. 

“As a result, many High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs) are focusing more acutely on the importance of issues such as their quality of life, healthcare, safety and security and financial planning.”

CS Global Partners said Dominica began welcoming foreign nationals to obtain its citizenship in 1993. 

It said the nation has been ranked as the number one CBI initiative for five consecutive years in the CBI Index, published by the Financial Times’ Professional Wealth Management magazine. 

“The island is politically and economically stable, with a low crime rate and rich investment opportunities,” CS Global Partners said. “After submitting all the correct documentation through an authorised agent, successfully passing due diligence checks and making a qualifying contribution, investors become Dominica’s citizens for life. 

“They also gain the right to not only live, work and study in the country but pass their citizenship on for generations to come,” it added.