分类： politics

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has publicly supported Minister Anil Roberts’ claims regarding alleged irregularities in the acquisition of three luxury apartments by the family of St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves. The apartments, located at the upscale Victoria Keyes development in Diego Martin, were reportedly purchased by Gonsalves’ wife, Eloise, and their children, Storm and Soleil Gonsalves, for a combined value exceeding $4.8 million. Roberts disclosed these findings on his social media blog, ‘Doubles and Coffee,’ on November 11, prompting a heated response from the Gonsalves family, including threats of legal action. In WhatsApp messages to Newsday on November 12, Persad-Bissessar emphasized that Gonsalves was free to pursue legal recourse but maintained that the allegations raised legitimate concerns. She highlighted the suspicious timing of a rent-to-own agreement for one of the apartments, which was finalized on April 30, 2025, just two days after Trinidad and Tobago’s general election and before the new government was sworn in. Persad-Bissessar underscored the disparity between the Gonsalves family’s access to luxury housing and the thousands of citizens awaiting affordable accommodation from the Housing Development Corporation (HDC).

In a scathing critique of Trinidad and Tobago’s government, Rudy Paul, a concerned citizen, highlights the impracticality of multi-billion-dollar projects announced without clear funding sources. These projects, earmarked for completion over a decade, starkly contrast with the government’s five-year mandate, raising questions about their feasibility and underlying political motives. Paul draws parallels to Patrick Manning’s “Vision 2020,” a plan inspired by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but derailed by early elections and political shifts. He also points to the unfinished Arouca project and other abandoned initiatives, suggesting that such long-term planning is a tactic to secure re-election rather than genuine development. Paul advocates for completing existing projects, improving infrastructure like internet connectivity, and prioritizing practical solutions over grandiose, unfulfilled promises.

The Trump administration has introduced stringent health-based criteria for legal migrants, sparking controversy and criticism. According to a directive reportedly issued on November 5 to US embassies worldwide, individuals seeking to immigrate to the United States through formal channels can now be denied entry based on pre-existing medical conditions or obesity. The guidelines cite conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illnesses, cancers, diabetes, and mental health disorders, which could potentially incur significant healthcare costs. This move has drawn sharp scrutiny, particularly given President Donald Trump’s own history of obesity and his recent diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, a cardiovascular condition. Despite his health challenges, Trump has consistently portrayed himself as fit and capable of fulfilling his presidential duties. Critics argue that the new policy reflects a double standard, as Trump’s ailments are deemed inconsequential, while migrants with similar conditions are labeled as burdens on the public healthcare system. Public health experts have countered this narrative, with a July 2024 analysis by Drishti Pillai and Samantha Artiga revealing that immigrants generally incur lower healthcare costs than US-born citizens. The policy also raises concerns about the arbitrary nature of decision-making, as visa officers, rather than medical professionals, are tasked with assessing applicants’ long-term health viability. This development marks another chapter in the Republican Party’s contentious approach to immigration, which has increasingly targeted legal migrants, including college students and others, under the guise of fiscal responsibility.

A political storm has erupted in St Vincent and the Grenadines as Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves vehemently denies allegations of impropriety in the purchase of high-end apartments for his family. The controversy was sparked by Minister in the Ministry of Housing Anil Roberts, who claimed in a social media blog that Gonsalves’ wife, daughter, and son had acquired three luxury apartments at the Victoria Keys complex in Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, valued at $1.96 million, $1.625 million, and $1.3 million respectively. Roberts questioned whether Gonsalves’ recent criticisms of Trinidad and Tobago’s foreign policy were influenced by these transactions.

In response, Gonsalves dismissed Roberts’ claims as “misrepresentations” and “falsehoods,” accusing him of violating his family’s privacy and engaging in political mischief. He asserted that his family members had acted lawfully, paying mortgages for the properties without any preferential treatment. Gonsalves emphasized that he had never sought to influence Trinidad and Tobago’s government or its housing administration.

Meanwhile, Gonsalves’ son, Storm Gonsalves, has threatened to sue Roberts for defamation, vowing to invest any compensation in cryptocurrency. Storm suggested that the allegations were a politically motivated distraction ahead of St Vincent and the Grenadines’ general elections on November 27.

Former Trinidad and Tobago Housing Minister Randall Mitchell also weighed in, defending the sale of the apartments. He explained that the units were sold on the open market, bypassing the usual Housing Development Corporation (HDC) criteria, and that the process had saved taxpayers $400 million. Mitchell stressed that purchasers were entitled to privacy regarding their financial information.

The controversy has intensified political tensions in the region, with Gonsalves maintaining his innocence and accusing his detractors of spreading falsehoods for electoral gain.