Investing in dying industries is not normally a smart thing to do… unless you can get some benefit from a government by doing so. Here’s one of those cases.

In 2005 the WTO and European Union withdrew preferences given to the Eastern Caribbean Sugar Industry, thereby effectively closing it down, since Caribbean sugar could not compete with bigger producers in the Caribbean and further afield.

As a consequence of this, the government of St Kitts and Nevis, a group of islands in the Eastern Caribbean, would like to “diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate the development of other sectors of the economy.” They set up a Foundation with this aim, The Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF), in 2006. And they are offering a very big bonus to you if you are prepared to help them financially with this task – you can obtain a second citizenship and passport for yourself and your family almost immediately.

As regular Q Wealth Report readers know, there are only two countries in the world offering so-called Economic Citizenship programs – that is, the chance to buy a legal second citizenship and passport within a matter of weeks. One is The Commonwealth of Dominica (an English-speaking Caribbean nation, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic) and the other is Saint Kitts and Nevis. The difference between the two citizenship programs is that in the past Dominica required a “non-refundable investment” paid direct to the government, whereas St Kitts required the purchase of real estate, worth at least $350,000, in specific designated projects.

Many people were put off the St Kitts program due to the real estate investment. Let’s face it, some of us a real estate investors and some are not. Whilst it could be a good deal long term, and there was some chance of seeing your money back again one day, coming up with $400,000 for the privilege of owning real estate on a hurricane-prone island can be a hassle, especially if you never plan to live there. For a lot of people, it was more attractive just to pay once up front, get the second passport and forget the hassles.

So the authorities in the St Kitts capital, Basseterre, came up with an alternative. Although the real estate investment option is still valid, instead of buying real estate, you can now choose to make a one time donation to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation. This requires substantially less up-front capital, as the contribution required is $200,000.

A little history: the Citizenship Program was established in 1984, which makes this the longest established citizenship-by-investment program. Regulations regarding citizenship-by-investment are contained in Part II, Section 3 (5) of the Citizenship Act, 1984. The actual government policies with regard to the Citizenship-by-Investment program (such as investment requirements etc.) are set by Government through Cabinet Decision.

The principal advantages according to press releases put out by the St Kitts government are:

· Citizenship is valid for life, for the applicant and all eligible family members.

· Dual Citizenship is permitted, without the requirement to notify the applicants home country, and without any need for the applicant to reside in St Kitts and Nevis.

· Passports can be issued to the applicant an all eligible family members, and may be easily renewed via a worldwide network of consulates.

· St Kitts citizens enjoy a wide range of visa-free travel:- Austria, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and most British commonwealth countries. When a visa is required, they are also relatively easy to obtain.

· New citizens qualify for full residency status including the right to work in St. Kitts and Nevis

· Perhaps best of all: Tax Free Status on foreign income, capital gains, gift, wealth and inheritance tax

To qualify for Citizenship-by-Investment via the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation, there are four different categories:

A. Single applicant: US$ 200,000 contribution required

B. Applicant with up to three dependants (i.e. one spouse and two children below the age of 18): US$ 250,000 contribution required

C. Applicant with up to five dependants (i.e. one spouse and four children): US$ 300,000 contribution required

D. Applicant with six and more dependants: US$ 400,000 contribution required.

In each of these categories, the total amount includes all government and due diligence fees. The documentation required for an application is strict but reasonable, and the application procedure is well organized.

Note: The above article is adapted from one that originally appeared on the Global Nomads Campfire Blog. If you would like further information, read the Global Nomads Caribbean Offshore Contacts Report “Offshore and Sunny” for recommended citizenship consultants and other Caribbean contacts. Members may also contact the Q Wealth offices in London for referrals and advice.

Along with Australia, France and Spain, New Zealand is in the top four destinations or Brits deciding to expatriate. It’s also attracted many immigrants from Asia over recent years. New Zealand offers stability and neutrality, a beautiful country, a booming economy, and a healthy, stress-free lifestyle that is not found these days in other first world English speaking countries. Or, as W.G. Hill once said, it’s great if you like fishing and no nukes.

The good news is that a major new immigration bill is working its way through parliament designed to make it even easier for you to emigrate to New Zealand. The birth rate in New Zealand is too low to fill the many job vacancies that are arising. Besides, New Zealand loses many citizens every year as they move to the likes of Australia and the United Kingdom seeking their fortunes. The population is aging and the kiwis know that they need new immigrants to fill the gap if growth is to be sustained.

The new immigration bill is designed to make the move to NZ much more smooth and straightforward, by razing a number of bureaucratic hassles from the procedure. Immigrants will not only be given visas, but also the support they need to make a transition to a new life in NZ a success.  This is all exceptionally good news for those hoping to move to New Zealand for a new and better life.  Watch out for the new immigration bill, and visit the New Zealand Immigration Department’s website for continuous updates on how to apply for visas to go and live, work or retire offshore in New Zealand.

By Rob Montes for The Q Wealth Report

Cuba is something of an exception in the modern world – a country that many people prefer to pass over because of the political risk factor. However, risk often equals rewards. If you know how to manage the risk adequately, the rewards can be great. Many international companies from Canada, Spain, France and elsewhere have quietly been making a lot of money in Cuba over recent years.

The island, of course, is off-limits for Americans in most cases, but that hasn’t stopped many American businesses from signing contracts buying future rights once the embargo is lifted. And, one day, the embargo must go.

Hard currency earnings of Cuba almost doubled in the three years 2004 through 2007, from US$ 5.5 billion to US$ 10.8 billion. Some of this is accounted for by export of medical services, which is mainly the ambit of the Cuban government. However, the worldwide commodities boom has also had a significant effect. For example:

Cuba is a major producer of nickel which more than tripled in price during those years.

How can you participate in this Cuban boom? The easiest way is via stocks and bonds – either on public markets by investing in companies doing business in Cuba (Sherritt in Canada and Sol Melia in Spain come to mind). It is also possible, for non-US persons, via private placements which can be arranged through reputable international banks.

Note: Further information and contacts for Cuban investment opportunities will be coming up in the next few issues of The Q Wealth Report. If you don’t already have your subscription, we recommend you sign up now!

by Jacques Haeringer for The Q Wealth Report

Does fruit make you fat? That’s a question we have, incredibly, been asked a lot of late! The answer: It depends on what you mean by fruit. (Sounds like President Clinton) Actually, like everything else, it is a question of balance!

For most healthy people, fruit and freshly made fruit juices, as well as dried fruits are a very healthful addition to the diet. Those with Diabetes and digestive issues should consult their physicians.

Fruits contain many minerals, vitamins, enzymes and natural fruit sugars that are easily absorbed and utilized by the body. Fruit also contains essential fiber which helps stabilize digestive function.

The problem is with pre-made and pre-packaged, canned, processed and sweetened fruit and fruit juices which have lost much of their nutritional value through heating. Even freshly made fruit juices begin to deteriorate and lose nutritional value very rapidly due to oxidation. Denatured fruit is therefore much less bioavailable and therefore unbalanced. The concentration of fruit sugars without the other vital properties could certainly contribute to weight gain.

Enjoy good health with pure whole fresh fruit. Two or three apples or servings of other fresh fruit a day will keep the doctor and weight away.

Note: Nutrition expert and Chef Jacques Haeringer has written a detailed article entitled To Your Health for issue 51 of The Q Wealth Report, because health is an essential part of wealth and well-being. He will also be making a presentation at Recipes for Success, the ultimate guide to healthy and wealthy living, in Panama this November. For further details of Recipes for Success, click here.

By Peter Macfarlane for The Q Wealth Report

Need an offshore company with bank account fast? Then you’d better contact me this week, because next week I’m going on a month-long vacation to enjoy the European summer.

Are you surprised? Jealous? You may be. You might be thinking “Peter must be doing very nicely, thank you” or even “Peter doesn’t care about his clients.” But I am confident my holidays will pay for themselves many times over, and that the quality of my service to my clients will improve once I return, refreshed.

If you want to become wealthier and freer, you should seriously consider taking this kind of vacation too. Here’s why.

If you’re anything like me, you are addicted to the internet. I get hundreds of emails per day and process most of them myself. The daily influx grows all the time. This year, I’ve added RSS feeds from many news sources and blogs that I need to follow for my writing, which has generated hundreds if not thousands more headlines to read – every day!

Most of us now have mobile devices, that are not just phones but also give us email, news, and so on wherever we happen to be.

Here’s the secret. Once you realize that you can turn off the noise for a few weeks without the world coming to an end, you will find yourself liberated in a way that few people will ever know.

As a writer and businessman, having some time to get on with new projects undisturbed is of great value. But even if you’re not a writer, all of us need free time to contemplate without distractions. To spend time with family. To make plans for the future. To take a step back and see how far we have come, and set goals about where we really want to go. If we don’t know where we are going, we are surely not going to get there!

The danger of being in constant communication with the world is that you will fall into that classic trap of being “too busy earning a living to make any real money.”

Many people go on vacation, but don’t turn off the Blackberry. And as tempting as it is to “just check e-mail for one minute,” it really doesn’t work like that, does it? Any problem you find in your inbox will linger on your mind for hours or days after you shut down the computer, rendering “free time” useless with worry. It’s the worst of states – you experience neither relaxation nor productivity. Another important lesson I’ve learned is that time without attention is worthless, so you should value attention over time.

Will little problems happen? Yes. But put them in perespective. They can be solved. It’s also a great opportunity for team confidence-building: force your people to solve problems on their own, and you might be pleasantly surprised at how things work out. It will build their confidence and your confidence in them at the same time.

The important “big picture” thing is to move on with your life, know where you are going, and make things happen to achieve your goals. These things will more likely happen while you are sitting on the beach or by the pool relaxing, than they will while you are sitting in an office answering emails about trifling matters. And if you do make the time for the big picture goals but you puncture this time with distractions, you won’t have the attention to make effective use of it.

The challenge is to allow urgent things to “fail” – even for a few days – to get to the next level with your potential life-changing and wealth creating tasks.

That’s the challenge I’ll be taking when I leave for my vacations next week. You can do the same.

Editor’s note: This is adapted from an entry on Peter’s personal blog over at www.petermacfarlane.net where he writes about offshore banking, investing and financial privacy. If you would like to read more, considering subscribing to Peter’s RSS feed. You can use a simple web-based service like Google Reader to subscribe to news feeds. For further information click on the buttons to the right of the screen to add to Google, Yahoo etc.