The opposition New Democratic Party’s (NDP) candidate for North Leeward in Thursday’s general election, Kishore Shallow, says that Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves resigned twice from that portfolio since late 2024.
Shallow told party supporters in Campden Park, on Tuesday, that the Finance Minister, who is seeking a third term in office as MP for East St. George, stayed in the post after his father, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, promised to make him prime minister.
Shallow, a first-time candidate, made the claim on a night that the prime minister would call him a “puny jackass” over a comment the opposition politician had allegedly made about the wife of the North Leeward incumbent, Carlos James, whom Shallow is trying to unseat.
Shallow and Gonsalves’ comments came as the NDP and the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP made their closing submission to voters at their respective rallies.
“Now, we can’t forget the ill treatment that this government has given us over the years, and that is why I have labelled them the Unity Lying Party,” Shallow told NDP supporters in Campden Park.
“And I will tell you this, that members of Cabinet, people in government, some of the public servants who are here tonight, they are fed up of Ralph Gonsalves and his recklessness,” Shallow said, adding that he went to school with some of these public sector workers.
“… they have said to me directly that not only Ralph is reckless, but he’s disconnected with the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” Shallow told the gathering of thousands of people.
During the campaign, Shallow, a first-time candidate, said that he had “files” on members of the ULP. Among those that he has released was that someone close to the prime minister has a contract that pays them EC$40,000 a month.
Citing legal advice, Shallow did not disclose the name of the person, but iWitness News was able to verify that it is Cecil Harris, the prime minister’s brother-in-law, an engineer working on the hospital the government is building in Arnos Vale. The prime minister’s wife, Eloise Gonsalves, has since defended the contract, saying that her brother is immensely qualified.
“And I want to tell you all something, and I ain’t have to pull the file out for this one here tonight, but I’m going to share it with you all, because it is important that the truth is told.
“And listen this carefully, because you all need to understand when we have unwilling participants in the election race from their side, let me tell you exactly what I mean…
“The Minister of Finance, on two occasions, submitted his resignation to his father, the prime minister of this country.”
Shallow said the first time was on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, while he was preparing the budget.
“He went to his father. He gave excuses. He submitted a formal letter saying that he cannot handle the burden of the ministry any longer. And the father begged him … to sit out and go through the budget process. That is a fact,” Shallow said.
“I want them to come to you and explain that. He sat down the budget, and immediately again, after the budget, on January 17, 2025, he again went to his prime minister to resign from the Ministry of Finance.
“I understand he had a big job lined up elsewhere. I don’t know if it’s Trinidad where they had the properties or if it was in the US, but he was ready to escape us and go away …” Shallow said.
“Now, is that the kind of man you are going keep in government? And you all know, just like me, how he was convinced to stay there. It is because his father told him that after he win this election, he will hand over power to him as next prime minister.
“You all going to allow them to continue to lead this county?” Shallow said, and the crowd shouted, “No!”
He told them that the election is serious business and the choices are clear.
“You have, on one hand, a power-hungry man who has been in power for quarter of a century and wants to continue ruling you and then hand over to his son, versus a caring, competent, experienced leader like Dr Godwin Friday. That is an easy choice.
“The next choice is, on one hand, you have a money-grabbing team of people who don’t care about you, don’t understand your struggles, and all they care about is to stay there for their friends and family, versus a caring, passionate, competent, experienced team like you have here on stage. That ain’t an easy choice?”
‘Puny jackass’
The prime minsiter has repeatedly said that the ULP administration — which came to office in March 2001 — has been very stable, noting that no one has ever resigned from the cabinet and that he had never had to fire anyone.
He did not speak to Shallow’s specific claim as he laid into the opposition politician at the ULP’s rally in Arnos Vale.
Gonsalve noted that Shallow was entering politics for the first time, adding, “… he came in politics in the mud, and he remains, after several weeks of campaigning, in the mud.
“You live by the mud, you will die by the mud and that is going to be the fate of Shallow,” Gonsalves said, adding that Shallow has been “a grave disappointment.
“… he attacked me on no basis whatsoever. He attacked Carlos. He attacked everybody, and when he ran out of candidates to attack, and it’s not proving successful for him, this puny jackass — and hear me, Shallow: This is what I call you tonight. You are a puny jackass.
“You must try to pick on your size, because his last speech in North Leeward, he picked on Carlos’ wife. Of course, I don’t know if he feels inadequate when he sees Carlos’ wife because she towers over him. That’s why I say he’s a puny jackass.”
Gonsalves said that in Chateaubelair and Fitz Hughes, James’ wife has been “talking to people about how good her husband is and how good Labour is.
“And what is Shallow’s response when he got the heat, rather than just go and campaign, you know what he said? ‘This woman, where she come from?’
“Could you imagine that? Well, puny jackass, let me tell you where she come from. She come from Beyra Hill. She’s a professional woman who works at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank in St. Kitts,” Gonslaves said and went on to name James’s wife’s parent.
“You want to find out about her, puny jackass? Pick on your size.
“I want the people of North Leeward to hear me. This is what is being offered. You start in the mud and you end up attacking the candidate’s wife.
“Every single woman in North Leeward should tell Shallow that you’re out of place, you’re out of order. You must wheel and come again, and we are going to hand you a massive defeat in North Leeward, because you’re so offensive to all sensibilities.”
In 2020, James won North Leeward by one vote after a contentious recount. In 2015, he came 12 votes shy of unseating the NDP’s Roland “Patel” Matthews, who was returned for a second term as MP.