Trinidad and Tobago: UNC denies election interference allegations by PM Gonsalves

Trinidad and Tobago: The United National Congress (UNC) and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar have firmly denied accusations from Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who accused both of interfering in his country’s upcoming general election, claiming that UNC operatives are in the country.

Allegations that were widely denied by Prime Minister Kamla Persad through X (Twitter) calling the allegations from the running Prime Minister Gonsalves, unfounded and misleading.

Members of the media contacted me today for a response to Ralph Gonsalves’ claims that UNC operatives are involved in the St Vincent and the Grenadines general election and are motivated by access to lands.

I categorically refute and reject these allegations. The following are…

— Kamla Persad-Bissessar (@PM_Kamla) November 21, 2025

She further clapped back, stating the irony of the manner of accusations, as Prime Minister Gonsalves’s family, which obtained access to three luxury apartments in Trinidad, including one on a favourable rent-to-own basis, would seek to call others greedy.

Prime Minister Kamla advised Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves to focus and account to his people of St. Vincent for the 24 years he’s been in power instead of deflecting his shortcomings on the UNC.

The UNC party also refuted Prime Minister Gonsalves’ allegations, challenged him to point to the UNC operatives who are in St Vincent and the Grenadines. They further advised Prime Minister Gonsalves to stop misleading his citizens with false claims.

As the investigation launched against him and his family over the purchase of three high-rise luxury apartments at Victoria Keyes are not related to the upcoming November 27, 2025, general elections.

The UNC stated that the party’s inquiry into the matter of the property is only aimed to determine whether any fraudulent declarations were made during the purchases, verify the source of funds for the three acquisitions, and lastly examine how Gonsalves’ daughter obtained a favourable rent-to-own arrangement two days after the general election, before the installation of the new government.

The fresh accusations launched by Prime Minister Gonsalves follow a string of exposure that were first brought to light by Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister Anil Roberts, who raised concerns about possible irregularities in the property applications for Victoria Keyes apartments which are owned by PM Gonsalves’s wife, son, and daughter.

Minister Roberts accused the Gonsalves’s family of wrongfully purchasing high luxury apartments in Trinidad and Tobago while the citizens of St. Vincent and Grenadines are still struggling with housing in the country.

The matter drew mass attention all across the Caribbean, as the accusations surfaced so close to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines 2025 General elections, the claims that were later backed up by Prime Minister Kamla, who also agreed with her Minister Roberts over the concerns that he raised.

 The matter is reportedly under investigation by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), who launched an internal investigation this week.