KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (CMC) – Opposition Leader Ralph Gonsalves says he intends taking legal action against a local radio station and its owner over allegations made regarding the sale of land involving his youngest son while he served as prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Gonsalves said he was “defamed” when Luke Boyea, the owner of the radio station, Hot 97 and two other persons were discussing the sale of 95 acres of private land at Spring, Bequia and “basically saying that Storm got the land through corrupt practice by me”.
Gonsalves, whose Unity Labour Party (ULP) lost the November 2025 general elections after being in office for the past 25 years, said that in 2017, the government then had shown an interest in purchasing the land and had written a letter to the owner’s lawyer, Errol Layne, ““with my signature.
“Errol Layne indicated that the people didn’t want to sell the land. Certainly, didn’t want to sell the land at that time. Subsequently, during COVID, apparently, they decided that they will sell the land.”
Gonsalves, an attorney, said that he wasn’t aware when his son bought the land, insisting that the government had “nothing to do with it; absolutely nothing to do with it. And there are people who know these facts I’m talking about”.
He said that while the owner of the radio station is his “dear second cousin … you will, no doubt hear from my lawyer,” adding “I want to tell you this, you are barking up the wrong tree.
“You’re barking up the wrong tree and you and your side kicks them, watch your mouth. I have rights, you know, I have rights. And you’re tackling a warrior. That’s all I tell you for now, but I make the affirmation that neither I nor the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines had anything to do when Storm purchased at arm’s length the land which the government was interested in purchasing some few years earlier, and were told that they were not selling.”
Gonsalves said that his 34-year-old son, Storm, “an entrepreneur, who takes a lot of risks is quite capable of defending himself, as he has done before”.
Boyea is quoted in the local media as saying he is unclear on what specific defamation claim is being made and will await formal correspondence from Gonsalves’ attorney, adding, “I find it difficult to believe that he did not know his son Storm Gonsalves bought the land.”
Luke! Yuh ready for Oney? Lawsuit in yuh tail!
Corruption and more Corruption by the ulp and it’s family so treat storm like how his father treated Marcus Defratos
Wow! The former Prime Minister did not know that his son brought land…think about the amount! I wonder if I believe that? Well did he know when Camillo got the big wuk? It appears that his children do not respect their father enough to go through the land buying and big wuk proccesses and did not say bip or bop to him.
Amazing Xxxxxxxxx amount of lands Purchased and as a father you didn’t know your 34 yr old son was purchasing 1 acre I can understand ?? even 3 Acres, But Allegedly 95 Acres, well well well, I know we Dotishhhhh But We Nuh Stupid lol Allegedly ????