PM Gonsalves’ wife, children’s properties being investigated in Trinidad

An investigation has begun in Trinidad and Tobago into two properties bought and another rented in the twin-island republic by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves’ wife, Eloise Gonsalves, and their adult children, Storm and Soleil Gonsalves. 

Gonsalves has said that his wife and children, who are Trinidad and Tobago citizens, followed the process in applying for the units from the state-owned Housing Development Corporation (HDC).

He said there were no special favours or sweetheart deals and that he had referred the matter to a senior counsel in Trinidad and Tobago.

Gonsalves later alleged that financiers of the ruling United National Congress (UNC) in Port of Spain were supporting opposition efforts in Kingstown to unseat his government in the Nov. 27 general election, a charge that the UNC has denied.

The Trinidad Express newspaper reported on Wednesday that the HDC had opened an internal probe into the transactions.

HDC Chairman Feeroz Khan confirmed that an investigation had begun, Express reported, adding that the investigation will look into alleged issues in the paperwork for the applications.

The investigation is the latest development since Nov. 11, when Anil Roberts, a senator and minister in the Ministry of Housing in Port of Spain, flagged the units in his social media vlog, “Double & Coffee”.

Robert said that the acquisition of the housing units at Victoria Keyes, an upscale gated community, was uncovered because of inquiries he made after Gonsalves was critical of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

PM Gonsalves’ relatives acquired the units under the Keith Rowley People’s National Movement (PNM) administration, which was voted out of office on April 28, 2025, after 10 years in office.

On Nov. 11, iWitness News received several documents showing bank accounts and other information submitted to the HDC as part of the acquisition of the housing units by Pm Gonsalves wife and children.

Mrs. Gonsalves is Trinidadian by birth, while her children hold both Vincentian and Trinidadian citizenship.

The documents include an Oct. 30, 2018, letter from Amber Bank Trust Ltd. to Eloise Gonsalves, with her address listed as Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago.

The letter confirmed that Mrs. Gonsalves was the sole beneficial owner of the referenced banking relationship held at Amber Bank & Trust Ltd. since 2017 and that it had “a positive balance in the amount of USD 414,294”.

Gonsalves’s wife blames NDP for Trini senator’s disclosure

Mrs. Gonsalves appeared in a social media video on Nov. 12, saying “… the political malice has started against my family, but if the NDP gets in, it ends with you and your family”.

The PM’s wife blamed the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) in SVG for the situation that emanated in Trinidad and Tobago and which the Vincentian and Trinidadian public appeared to be unaware of until Roberts’ disclosure.

She said the NDP was “lying about us”, adding that the truth was that after her then 90-year-old mother’s property was destroyed in Hurricane Maria in September 2017, “we as a family invested in property in Trinidad, where two of my mother’s sons — my brothers — and her grandchildren reside.

“We bought the apartments at market rate after our family suffered a tragedy,” Mrs. Gonsalves said.

“Soon, these wicked men will expose a contract for an immensely qualified engineer who is building our modern hospital, which the NDP would destroy,” she said, referring to her brother, Cecil Harris, who is being paid EC$40,000 a month, plus allowances for work on the hospital the government is building at Arnos Vale.

Kishore Shallow, the NDP’s candidate for North Leeward, spoke on the contract on radio but did not name the person to whom the contract was awarded.

iWitness News later named Harris as the holder of the contract.

“These power-hungry people will stop at nothing to destroy all the good that SVG represents,” Mrs. Gonsalves said on her social media video.

“Ask yourself, if these wicked men are willing to demonise our family, put the modern hospital at risk and ruin our country’s reputation, what would they be willing to do to you and your family if they get in.”

However, while Mrs. Gonsalves levelled the unsubstantiated claims against the NDP, she did not address Roberts, who had disclosed her family’s dealings and property ownership in Trinidad and Tobago.

PM Gonsalves blames ‘UNC financiers’

Then, on Sunday, speaking at the launch of his party’s manifesto in Colonarie, PM Gonsalves said that the NDP is “financed by a set of people from overseas”, even as he said nothing about his own party’s financing. 

“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 smear me and my family have been unsuccessful, and I had told comrades that we will see their purpose very shortly.”

Gonsalves said that over the last five years, the economy of SVG has been the fastest-growing economy in the Caribbean, after Guyana.

“And the UNC financiers know that the economy in Trinidad and Tobago is tanking, and they want to get some sweetheart deals,” he said.

Gonsalves said the alleged UNC Financiers wanted the land in Kingstown where the old port is located and some of the 175 acres of land where the former ET Joshua airport was located in Arnos Vale.

“And they want that land for a song, whereas we are on the way to build a modern city with wellness, health and wellness,” he said, adding that the EC$300 million hospital being built at the site is “a health foundation”.

Gonsalves invited Trini businessman to buy lands at Arnos Vale

In June 2016, eight months before AIA opened and ET Joshua Airport was decommissioned, Gonsalves and Trinidad-based businessman Derek Chin spoke about plans for a Movie Towne cineplex at the airport site.

Chin said Gonsalves had proposed the idea to him during a trip to Trinidad.

At the June 2016 press conference, Gonsalves pointed out that while the government and Chin had only signed a memorandum of understanding, he was hoping that they could solidify their deal.

‘… pay you $1.3 million that you owe’

On Monday, Roberts responded on Doubles & Coffee to Gonsalves’ claim about UNC financiers’ alleged involvement in the Vincentian elections.

“The Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, stop it. Stop it. Just pay you $1.3 million that you owe the people of Trinidad and Tobago for your daughter, Soleil, rent-to-own house that the PNM gave her in 2020 and then renewed after the PNM was rejected by the electorate…” he said.

The new agreement with Soleil Gonsalves was signed on April 30, 2025, two days after the general election in Trinidad and before the new government was sworn in.

“Leave me out of your business. You have election in St. Vincent, good for you. I have nothing to do with your election in St. Vincent, nor the UNC. So don’t go on no platform and say the UNC want to come in St. Vincent.”

Roberts said the UNC was “not aligned to anyone in any election in St. Vincent”, adding that radio stations in Kingstown had been asking him for live interviews and he had declined their invitation.

“And I said that is inappropriate. I’m a Trinbagonian senator. Y’all in an election season, I now know that it have election, and it would be inappropriate of me to get involved too much,” Roberts said.

“But Ralph, you’re calling up UNC, you’re calling up we name and I drink the medicine because I am the only one who dealt with a simple matter, not your election, but corruption here of the PNM, nepotism, preferential treatment, the treatment of people here in Trinidad and Tobago by the PNM …”

He said that Gonsalves had “attacked” Persad Bissessar about a month ago over Port of Spain’s position on the build-up of the United States military off the coast of Venezuela, amid what Washington said was part of the fight against the trafficking in illegal drugs.

“Kamla per saud Bissessar keeping our people safe, and you jump out yourself and attack Kamla Persad Bissessar, my Prime Minister, and said that she’s misguided,” Roberts said.

“… you bawl about UNC on the ground, and UNC in the election, and UNC helping the opposition. UNC not helping nobody. Pay we we money, Ralph Gonsalves,” Roberts said.

“Don’t go on a platform now and lie about my party, the United National Congress. We don’t get involved in people sovereign nation election.”

Roberts said that the UN has only one leader — Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad Bissessar. 

“The UNC ain’t ha’ no rogue elements to go in no St. Vincent and want no land by no port or where you talking about. That’s your business. Stop lying on people. I am the only UNC dealing with you. Anil O.E. Robert, minister in the Ministry of Housing,” the senator said.