In a striking parliamentary confrontation, North Leeward MP and Tourism Minister Kishore Shallow has publicly challenged his predecessor, Carlos James, to clarify whether taxpayer funds were used to purchase an international tourism award. The allegations emerged during Tuesday’s budget debate on the EC$1.9 billion fiscal package presented by Prime Minister Godwin Friday.
Minister Shallow revealed that merely two weeks after assuming office in November, he received an unsolicited email offering him the ‘Best New Minister’ award for a fee exceeding $50,000. The proposal included international travel obligations for award collection and photographic ceremonies. Shallow emphasized his immediate rejection of the commercialized honor, stating his belief in earning recognition through merit rather than financial transaction.
The controversy centers on the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) International Travel Awards ceremony held March 5, 2025, during Berlin’s ITB tourism trade fair, where James was declared ‘Tourism Minister of the Year’ while serving under the previous Unity Labour Party administration.
Shallow contrasted the alleged award commercialization with his government’s resource management approach, highlighting a EC$3 million budget increase allocated to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority. He argued that such funds could alternatively repair multiple community jetties in North Leeward rather than finance personal accolades.
The political context adds complexity to the exchange: James initially won the North Leeward seat by a single vote in 2020 after a contentious recount, but subsequently lost to first-time candidate Shallow by 530 votes in the next election.
With James absent from the parliamentary session and only one opposition member present, Shallow formally demanded transparency regarding any potential use of public money for personal awards during the previous administration. The minister presented his own experience as evidence of what he characterized as predatory award practices targeting newly appointed officials.