Eloise Gonsalves, the wife of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, has firmly refuted allegations of corruption surrounding her family’s acquisition of properties at the Victoria Keyes housing development in Diego Martin, Trinidad. In a video shared on the Unity Labour Party (ULP) Facebook page on November 13, Eloise, who was born in Trinidad to Dominican parents, emphasized that her family received no preferential treatment in their dealings with the Housing Development Corporation (HDC). She dismissed the claims made by Minister in the Ministry of Housing Anil Roberts on November 11 as ‘political malice,’ attributing them to the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) ahead of the November 25 general election. Eloise stated, ‘The political malice has started against my family. But if the NDP gets in, it ends with you and your family. They are attacking Grace Walters (a ULP candidate) viciously and now they’re lying about us.’ She explained that the property investment was a family decision following the destruction of her 90-year-old mother’s home during Hurricane Maria, with the aim of providing housing for her mother’s sons and grandchildren in Trinidad. Prime Minister Gonsalves echoed his wife’s sentiments during a November 12 broadcast on NBC Radio in St Vincent, labeling Roberts’ statements as ‘misrepresentations’ and ‘falsehoods.’ He accused Roberts of violating his family’s rights as Trinidadian citizens and engaging in ‘political mischief’ by disclosing private information. Gonsalves denied any misuse of political influence to secure advantages for his family.
Vincentian PM’s Trini wife hits Victoria Keyes claims as ‘political malice’
