As another general election nears, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has yet again presented himself as the target of people wanting to exploit the country should the opposition take office.
On Tuesday, he doubled down on his oft-repeated but unsubstantiated claims that media entities and practitioners in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are on the payroll of foreign entities, including from China.
He made the claim as he repeated his longstanding opposition to citizenship by investment (CBI), which he has likened to selling passports.
SVG is the only of the six independent Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States member countries that does not have a CBI programme.
Gonsalves’ Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration ended the nation’s CBI programme after it came to office in March 2001.
However, the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) has said that it would be reinstated if it is elected in the next general election, widely expected by November, ahead of the February 2026 constitutional deadline.
Speaking at a press conference in Kingstown on Tuesday, Gonsalves urged the public to listen carefully.
“Now, I have warned this country about the dangers of selling our passports and selling our citizenship,” he said, adding that he did not want to restate the arguments “because you know them if you are listening to me”.
Gonsalves reiterated that he is “opposed to selling the passports and the citizenship in principle.
“I’m opposed on the grounds of practicality. I’m opposed on the grounds that it is not sustainable and that it is reckless to run your country’s finances on selling passports and citizenship.”
The prime Minister said the Donald Trump administration was saying that CBI programmes have to end.
“Canada is the same thing; Britain — they start with — say they’re taken away — you have to apply for visa now from certain of those countries. And the Europeans now have put it inside of their parliament,” Gonsalves said.
He said a parliamentary committee in the European Union parliament has already addressed that question.
“It’s going through the parliamentary process. It’s just a matter of time,” Gonsalves said.
“I saw it coming. It took a little longer because they give them some time to clean up, but I know that the money is so sweet for everybody, they weren’t going to do any clean-up. Because if you really, really clean up. There’s not a lot of money.”
The prime minister said “the same passport companies” that are involved in “selling passports and citizenship” in some other territories have been supporting the NDP and their election campaign since 1998 and more particularly since 2001.
“They are hyperactive now. … the traditional ones out of Europe are working now, with some from China.
“They’re even, in one case, there’s an entity out of India which is connected with some cricket thing. They’re all now putting money to the NDP coffers.”
Gonsalves said these entities are working in tandem Chinese companies that want SVG to switch its diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China.
“Right now, they’re operating in the Embassy of a country not too far from us, in this Caribbean. It is from there that the centre of the NDP election campaign is being financed and run,” Gonsalves said but did not disclose the alleged country.
“It organising the printing of t-shirts in various constituencies. They’re paying people who’re commenting on radio. They paying the radio station them, too. Like clockwork, every month, the man who they paying to talk, the money inside of their bank account,” Gonsalves said.
He said the radio station that “broadcasted (sic) it” get their money in their bank accounts “like clockwork at the end of every month.
“Online publications, I know those who getting pay,” Gonsalves said, but, yet again, did not identify any media entity or media worker allegedly receiving payment.
“I know one of them will say, ‘Prime Minister makes the allegation again’ but I didn’t give any facts, I didn’t give any details. All of them know that I have the details. I’m telling the country what is happening.
“”These people are so desperate now, in order to have the relation break from Taiwan to China and to sell the passports and the citizenship, and I’ve come to tell you why they so desperate,” said Gonsalves, who turns 79 this year, but is yet to transition to a new leader a decade after asking for another term in office to do so.
He said the alleged entitled are so desperate that they try to contact and employ people with drones.
“In fact, these fellas are a danger to the democracy in this country. There are so many corrupt practices involved in what I’m talking about, and they want to subvert our democracy. They want to buy it.
“Listen to me. I’m 78, years of age… I have lived far more years than I have remaining left to live, and I don’t have any fear about anything, nothing at all; nothing,” Gonsalves said.
“But I love this country. I love this Caribbean. I’ve dedicated my life. I’m an activist for nearly 57 years now. What you see with me is what you get. You know that, but I’m warning the country, beware of all of these people.”
He said the companies are lining up to sell Vincentian passport and citizenship.
“… and some local lawyers and accountants and wannabe agents, oh, they are among some of the most vicious critics of Ralph. You know why? I stand between them and a pot of gold.”
He said his ULP administration had made the Vincentian passport very desirable.
“They want get their hands on it,” Gonsalves said, adding, “You may say, ‘Well, if this thing is coming to an end, why is it they still supporting the fellas?’”
He said: ‘Well, I tell you, it’s conjoined with the passport and switching from Taiwan to China.
“But I tell you this, they figure out that they woulda ask the NDP, why should we throw good money behind the bad one way we spend on you all the time and you can’t win government?
“But you know what is driving them? Two forces: in addition to the changing from Taiwan to China. First, they think that they might have about two, three years remaining on this thing. And if you elect them later this year, elect the NDP later this year, these companies figure out that they might have two to three years.
“They’re mistaken, but they figure out that they might have two to three years. And what they will do, they will sell as many as they can, as fast as they can, which means more vagabonds will come in, more corrupt people will come in, more money launderers will come in, more people affecting our security will come in because they will not be able to do the checks properly, because they want to sell as many as they can, as fast as they can.”
He said even those countries trying to do the checks “have a problem with those checks, with checking out”.
Gonsalves also spoke about people who he said are not necessarily politicians but hope to get in positions in government.
“I’m talking about some bureaucrats, and I’m talking about some of the lawyers and some of the accountants and wannabe agents.
“They now will want to thief as much as they can, as fast as they can. So, speed is of the essence for both of them. And what is their oxygen? Money on your backs, by taking your passport, selling and you wouldn’t be able to get into Europe, you wouldn’t be able to get into Britain, you wouldn’t be able to get into America. You hear what telling you? I want you to listen to me very, very carefully,” Gonsalves said.