Dominica’s passport program comes under scrutiny as Olympic dreams fade
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Dominica’s passport program comes under scrutiny as Olympic dreams fade

By Thomson Fontaine
February 19, 2014 7:24 P.M



sochi olympics
Gary Di Silvestri carries the Dominica flag at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Roseau, Dominica (TDN) -- It started like a scene from a Hollywood movie destined to have a fairy tale ending, but the couple that turned the world’s attention to Dominica during the Sochi Olympics now has the spotlight turned squarely on them.

When the world first learnt that Angelica and Gary Di Silvestri would become the oldest Olympians in Sochi while making it a first appearance in the Winter Olympics for sun drenched Dominica the international press could not stay away. The story even upstaged the world famous bob sled team from Jamaica who were making their return to the Olympics after a 24 year absence.

Newspapers in the United States such as the New York Times and the Washington Post along with those in Australia, Europe, Japan and across the globe all reported on the unlikely appearance of the two hard working skiers to the Sochi Olympics.

Sports enthusiasts around the world heard that the two had worked diligently to set up a ski federation in Dominica as part of the country’s Olympic Committee. And that they had criss-crossed the United States at various ski tournaments in order to make the qualifying times in their respective events.

Questions of course turned to how it was that a native New Yorker and his Italian wife came to represent Dominica at the Olympics. A smiling Gary di Silvestre informed the press that he had done philanthropic work throughout the Caribbean islands including Dominica and that out of gratitude the Dominica government invited him and his wife to become citizens.

Of course this was an offer they could not refuse because they had fallen in love with this beautiful Nature Island of the Caribbean. And so the story went, until an online publication deadspin.com reported that the two very rich individuals were involved in a $9.3 million tax evasion case in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The case involved the sale of a mansion on their private island and the under reporting of the true sale price to the authorities. Although the two were never charged in that regard a lawyer who represented their interests during the sale was indicted.

As if things could not get worse, Angelica did not start her race after breaking her nose in warm up training a day before her scheduled appearance. Gary on the other hand was hospitalized for an apparent stomach bug and although he started valiantly, he collapsed just 300 meters after the start of the race.

Meanwhile in Dominica, their new home, curious residents were up in arms demanding of the government to explain just how and why the Di Silvestris happened to become citizens. No one it appears seems to know of their charitable work. Under the country’s Economic Citizenship Program individuals can purchase passports for as little as US $130 000.

However, it appears that this was not the case with the Di Silvestris since they reported previously that they were invited to become citizens based on their philanthropic contributions. To date the government has remained tight lipped refusing to respond to press queries leaving a lot of unanswered questions.

Already there have been calls to the International Olympic Committee to investigate whether the Di Silvestris bought their way into the Olympics with the support and acquiesce of the Dominica government.

The timing of the granting of the passports has also raised eyebrows when it was revealed that they obtained their citizenships in 2012 just in time to qualify for the games.

So what started out as a fairy tale for the di Silvestris is quickly turning into a nightmare scenario for them as the spot light is turned on the role of money and weak governance in usurping the Olympic ideals and spirit.

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