Amidst concerns about the speed at which some people can qualify for Barbados citizenship and possible devaluation of the passport, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Chris Sinckler says he believes this country’s ability to conduct due diligence on applicants should trump all of that.

He acknowledged that the current system was slow, “not fit for purpose” and there were often complaints from the business sector that Government was taking too long in these instances, leading to loss of investment.

Sinckler sat in the hearing of Parliament’s Joint Select Committee (Standing) on the Economic and Productive Sectors on the Immigration Bill 2026 and Barbados Citizenship Bill 2026, yesterday under the chairmanship of Member of Parliament for St George North, Dwight Sutherland.