BONI is based on the island of Nevis, famed for its welcoming Caribbean culture. We are proud to be representing the region amongst some top global players in the banking industry.
Nevis is a 36-square-mile island situated in the Eastern Caribbean, which lies two miles southeast of its sister island, St. Kitts. The island is three hours' flight time from the United States and eight hours from Europe. Nevis is known for its circular shape, and is easily identified by Nevis Peak, a 3,232 feet cloud-capped mountain situated in the centre of the island. Nevis was sighted by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage, and was named 'Nuestra Senora de Las Nieves'. English is both the official and spoken language in Nevis.
Nevis and St. Kitts have long enjoyed political stability and independence from the United Kingdom in 1983, and together they form the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis (also referred to as the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis). Although independent, the parliamentary and legal systems are respectively based upon the Westminster model of government and the English common law, with the former being set out in the Federation’s Constitution.
The Constitution empowers Nevis with certain national sovereign rights to self-govern, while the Federal Government retains the right to determine foreign policy for St. Kitts and Nevis. Nevis also has its own autonomous legislative body that enacts laws to develop the island in the areas of trade, industry and finance.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is still the putative Head of State, represented in St. Kitts by a Governor-General, and in Nevis by a Deputy Governor-General. All legislation passed in the Federation Parliament requires the Governor-General's assent on behalf of the Crown. Similarly, legislation passed in the Nevis Parliament requires the Deputy Governor-General's assent on behalf of the Crown.
Nevis has taken full advantage of the autonomy afforded to it under the Constitution, and has enacted a suite of legislation that continues to make it a competitive, relevant and respected centre for international finance. Dedicated legislation has been enacted and refined with respect to international banking, international business corporations, limited liability companies and trusts, to enable service providers to better meet the wealth management needs of clients. In 2004, legislation was introduced governing insurance, mutual funds and multi form foundations.
The official currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD), which is shared by eight other countries, comprising the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. The XCD has been pegged to the United States Dollar (USD) at a rate of XCD2.7169 to USD1 since 1976.
The legal system of Nevis is based on the common law of England, as varied by local statutes. Decisions of Nevis' High Court can be appealed to the regional Court of Appeals of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, which are in turn appealable to the Privy Council in London. The Privy Council's jurisdiction does not extend to overriding Nevis' laws.
The tax system in Nevis is differentiated for domestic and international legal arrangements. All entities incorporated under Nevis’ international financial services laws are tax exempt so long as they do not transact business on the island. Thus all Nevis International Trusts, Nevis Business Corporations, Nevis Limited Liability Companies and Nevis International Insurance Companies that do not transact or conduct business in Nevis are not subject to:
The following activities will not constitute doing business in Nevis:
The Phase 2 Peer Review of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis conducted in 2013/2014 determined that, to a large extent, the Federation’s legal framework and its practical implementation thereof seeks to ensure that ownership, accounting and bank information are available according to the Global Forum’s standards. The Federation therefore received an overall rating of ‘Largely Compliant’ with International Standards.
To date, the Federation has entered into 21 (Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEAs) with Aruba, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Curacao, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Guernsey, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Saint Maarten, Sweden and United Kingdom.
The Federation as of late 2012 had entered into DTCs with Canada, Denmark, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States. The Federation is a signatory to the Caribbean Inter Regional Double Taxation Agreement, with other signatories being Antigua-Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines, and Trinidad-Tobago.
The Confidential Relationships Act, Cap 21.02 applies to all those in the financial community, and provides that anyone disclosing banking, financial and international trust documents, that are not required in other laws and/or without a court order is subject to criminal penalties, including fines or imprisonment.
The Federal Government recognises the importance of having a robust anti-money laundering infrastructure, and has enacted the necessary legislation that preserves the jurisdiction’s integrity as a leading global financial centre: the Financial Services Regulatory Commission Act; the Proceeds of Crime Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Regulations made thereunder; the Financial Intelligence Unit Act; and the Anti-Terrorism Act. These laws are updated whenever necessary to keep in line with International Standards.
Robert Llewelyn International Airport
DAILY FLIGHT OPERATIONS
Bank of Nevis International Limited
Island Main Road
Nelson Spring
St Thomas Parish
Nevis
West Indies
Telephone: (1) 869 469 7770
Fax: (1) 869 469 5798
E-Mail: ops@boniltd.com
Web: www.boniltd.com
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