Dominica Government Seeks To Clear Air On Citizenship Granted To Two Foreign “Olympians”

ROSEAU, Dominica CMC – The Dominica government has sought to clarify the manner in which citizenship had been granted two foreigners who represented the island at the recently held Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia.

Gary di Silvestri, 47, of New York, a first time Olympian and his Italian wife Angelica di Silvestri, 48, represented Dominica at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games last month.

But there had been much speculation as to how the two were able to buy “their way into the Olympics” even though they did not participate in the games due to sickness and injury.

Prior to the games, Gary di Silvestri told international media that they had “made a financial contribution to the country that went to different projects, and in return they granted us citizenship”.

Media reports said that among the projects included a children’s hospital in Dominica.

But Attorney General Levi Peter, speaking on the state-owned DBS radio Monday, said the couple had been granted citizenship because they met the criteria.

“I have not seen nor heard anything which indicates that the international Olympic authority have any concerns about the two people who represented Dominica at the Winter Sochi Olympics. That should tell its own story,” he told radio listeners.

He said the records would also show that the couple had applied for citizenship under Dominica’s Economic Citizenship Program in August 2012 and were interviewed in November of that year.

“They were interviewed in November 2012. They were interviewed right here in Dominica at the financial center. They were interviewed by myself and the head of Special Branch. They provided all the information that was required under the scheme as it existed at the time. They were reviewed by the due diligence process … a due diligent report was written by the due diligence agency and they subjected to an interview as anybody else,” he added.

“I don’t see where the Dominica Government can be blamed or should be blamed for what some may feel is an issue. Dominica government has done what it has to do,” Peter said, dismissed reports that the Di Silvestris were granted citizenship based on a promise to build a children’s hospital here.

“That is complete nonsense and I think a moment’s reflection by any sober minded person will make that clear,” he said.

“First of all we don’t have a children’s hospital in Dominica. So I don’t know where that came from. Second of all no name has been mentioned. Who was this money paid too? Which government account, which government official, which government minister? I have not heard any name mentioned.”

He said as far as he knows, the di Silverstris did not make any contribution to Dominica, “apart from the US$100,000 that they paid in respect to the investment…which is required for the economic citizenship program to which they applied.”

“I am not aware that they made any other contribution,” Peter noted.