Caribbean News Now!

By Caribbean News Now contributor

BASILDON, England -- A British businessman accused of bribing the prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in order to gain citizenship has vigorously denied the allegations.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves

According to the Basildon Reporter newspaper, Dave Ames, 60, rejected accusations he had offered Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves a “suitcase of money” in return for citizenship in SVG, where his firm Harlequin Property is developing a luxury resort.

Ames, who has in fact been granted St Vincent citizenship, has faced accusations in the Caribbean and at home about the firm, which has sold 6,000 vacation homes and villas since 2005, but has only built 300. This includes homes at Buccament Bay in SVG.

Harlequin Property has taken an estimated £300 million (US$453 million) in deposits and some investors are worried whether their homes will ever be built or if they will be able to get their money back, the newspaper reported.

The BBC sent reporters to the Caribbean and later accused Gonsalves of accepting a suitcase of money from Ames in order to receive his citizenship.

“This is an outrageous lie,” Ames said.

“Sam Commissiong, my solicitor in St Vincent, has attended each and every meeting I have had with the prime minister and will confirm the allegation is completely false,” he added.

Gonsalves has reportedly visited Buccament Bay to meet Ames on a number of occasions, and last summer pledged his support to the resort due to its importance to the local economy.

Gonsalves also defended Harlequin when opposition leader Arhnim Eustace raised questions about it paying staff on time last July.

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Peter:

I would not think for a moment that Dave Ames bribed Ralph Gonsalves to grant him citizenship.

This is the first time I have seen or realised that is what is being said.

Citizenship is I am sure, a by-product of his investment of British tax payers money in Buccament.

I will spend some time today and see where this idea of bribe for citizanship first arose, and get back to you all.

Peter:

GONSALVES, is starting to sound like a broken record, its time for him stop all canções de intervenção and realise that no one at all cares about all the spin that he puts on this very serious situation.

We are going to learn that Eustace took no part in commenting or informing Panorama about the alleged bag of money, that it's alleged was carried into your office and did not leave again with the courier.

We will hear that Eustace was told of the alleged bag by Panorama, this was the first he had heard of such a matter.

Eustace was asked about a bag, asked if he had heard the whisper. "Eustace has denied making the allegation, and said it was put to him during an interview with Hill and Kenyon".

If it comes to who to believe, I believe Eustace, because he is not known to be a liar. I do not believe Gonsalves because he is known to be a liar, he is in fact a self confessed liar.

Once a man says "I sometimes tell lies", from that moment on I believe nothing of what he says, without evidence or proof. The problem in my mind is, that I believe that liars are like addicts, who attract other addicts, liars attract other liars.

At the end of the day the Panaorama program featuring Harlequin, Dave Ames and his family, and perhaps GONSALVES [and others] as best supporting actor/s, will show. Unwilling as GONSALVES is to play that part, it will show in the UK, BBC America, BBC World, and several Caribbean channels.

Now we have only a story that is about to be told, but has been given a huge airing by GONSALVES. GONSALVES has seen to it that the whole World knows about the allegations. Until the final, the showing of the Program, lets all keep open minds about the whole matter. We must not prejudge the final outcome, everyone is innocent unless proven guilty.