PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, says “it is only a matter of time before Caricom implodes”, warning against regional prime ministers “cavorting around the region and interfering in the affairs and elections of member states”.

She made the remark in response to what she said had been calls by the media 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,” she added.

Gonsalves had earlier this week accused financiers of the ruling United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago of financing the campaign of the main Opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) ahead of the November 27 general elections.

Speaking at a rally of his Unity Labour Party (ULP), Gonsalves said that “some of the major differences” between his party, which is seeking an unprecedented sixth consecutive term in office and the NDP, is that the opposition party “is financed by a set of people from overseas.

“The latest set are the financiers from the ruling UNC party in Trinidad. They have on the ground now activists supporting the NDP and all their attempts to scare me and my family have been unsuccessful,” Gonsalves said.

“The money men, many of the money men behind the UNC have an interest in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and they are prepared to send operatives here and I want to tell you, as I speak, operatives for the UNC in Trinidad have come here and they are here right now as I speak. Don’t be surprised if you see one or two foreign faces.”

Gonsalves told supporters that over the last five years, the economy of St Vincent and the Grenadines has been the fastest-growing economy in the Caribbean, after Guyana and that the “UNC financiers know that the economy in Trinidad and Tobago is tanking, and they want to get some sweetheart deals.

But in her statement, Persad-Bissessar said that “it is ironic that a man whose family obtained access to three luxury apartments in Trinidad – including one on a favourable rent-to-own basis – would seek to call others greedy.

“Ralph should account to the people of St Vincent for his 24 years in power and stop deflecting onto the UNC. Further, he should identify the UNC persons he claims are in St Vincent, or stop gaslighting his citizens.”

Persad-Bissessar said that the investigations into Ralph’s family concerning the acquisition of three high-rise luxury apartments at Victoria Keyes “have absolutely nothing to do with their general elections.

”I am informed that these investigations are intended to determine whether any fraudulent declarations were made, verify the source of funds for the three acquisitions, identify how his daughter was able to obtain a favourable rent-to-own arrangement two days after the general election, before the new government was installed.”

She said she has recently observed “other Caricom prime ministers and their parties actively and overtly campaigning and interfering in general elections outside their own countries within the Caribbean.

“The UNC does not participate in that type of deplorable and disreputable conduct. The choice of a leader for St Vincent and the Grenadines is solely for the people of that country.

”If Caribbean prime ministers continue cavorting around the region and interfering in the affairs and elections of member states, it is only a matter of time before Caricom implodes,” Persad-Bissessar added.

The response by Prime MInister Persad-Bissessar is the latest outburst between Kingstown and Port of Spain that had been sparked by the accusation made by a junior government minister, who later received the support of the prime minister that questioned the manner in which three members of Gonsalves’ family, including his wife, had been able to acquire houses from the state owned Housing Development Corporation (HDC) that were sold on the open market.

Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Anil Roberts, questioned some of the documents used in the sale, suggesting also that the matter would be referred to the police.

But Gonsalves, an attorney, said his relatives, all of whom are Trinidad and Tobago citizens, followed the process in applying for the HDC units and there were no special favours or sweetheart deals and has since indicated that he has referred the matter to a senior counsel in Trinidad and Tobago.

The HDC chairman, Feeroz Khan is reported in the media in Trinidad and Tobago as saying that the state entity has launched an investigation into how three family members obtained Victoria Keyes apartments in Diego Martin, west of the capital..

Khan is reported as saying that the probe will examine issues in the paperwork for the applications for the three apartments that Roberts said cost nearly five million TT dollars (One TT dollar=US$016 cents).

Khan said an internal investigation was launched by the HDC last week and that legitimate questions have been raised and the board will await information before taking any further steps.