PM discloses plot by cocaine traffickers to kill him

Two major cocaine trafficking and money laundering entities who are alleged to have supported the New Democratic Party (NDP) in the recent general elections are now involved in a conspiracy to kill the Prime Minister.{{more}}

This startling allegation was made by Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves during a ministerial statement to the House of Assembly yesterday morning.

Gonsalves said, there is “strong and ample evidence of real quality”, that the entities, who provided “substantial funding… in support of the opposition NDP and certain of its candidates,” have decided, in a coordinated way, to continue their efforts “to destabilize the country, and seek to remove the ULP administration from office, including a conspiracy to kill the duly-elected Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

He said facts provided by “impeccable security sources” indicate that within one week of the December 13, 2010 general elections, the conspiracy to kill him was hatched by the two entities, and a man was recruited to carry out the deed.

“Immediately, a man-hunt was launched to apprehend this contract-killer, who had hitherto been charged for an offence of murder but was acquitted. This man-hunt lasted for in excess of one week. He knew that the Police were in search of him. As the Police dragnet tightened, he made arrangements to flee to a neighbouring Caribbean island by speed boat. Acting on precise intelligence information, the Police apprehended him at a bay where he was awaiting the arrival of a speedboat to transport him,” the prime minister disclosed.

He said the man was arrested and charged for serious offences, not relating to the conspiracy of murder and was denied bail.

Gonsalves said the only reason the man, who is still in custody at Her Majesty’s Prisons, was not charged with conspiracy to murder, is because the security authorities want to protect “the most valuable intelligence sources.”

The prime minister also disclosed the operation has yielded, among other things, one high-powered assault weapon.

“The security authorities know of the existence of another which had been in the contract-killer’s possession, but that is yet to be found,” Gonsalves said.

He disclosed that within 24 hours of the arrest of the person who is alleged to have been contracted to kill him, one of the cocaine trafficking and money laundering entities contacted another local operative “to do a job”. According to the prime minister, this person declined when he learnt that the target was the Prime Minister.

Gonsalves said following this refusal, the two cocaine traffickers-money launderers secured the services of a Trinidadian to kill him. He said the Trinidadian entered this country, but despite searches by the police, he is still at large.

The Prime Minister said that he has previously warned the nation about “the dangerous activities of certain cocaine traffickers and money launderers”, who have been placed under immense pressure by the security authorities and the Income Tax Department in an effort to secure the safety and well-being of our country and its people.

“These cocaine traffickers and money-launderers are feeling the heat and have become desperate,” the prime minister asserted.

“I assure Vincentians that so long as I am Prime Minister I shall never allow St. Vincent and the Grenadines to become like some Latin American and other Caribbean countries where cocaine traffickers and money-launderers are allowed the space to successfully build gangs, control territory and communities, perpetrate criminal activities as untouchables, and pollute the streams of our democratic and political processes. My government is resolved to give these criminals and their associates at home and in the region absolutely no space to flourish. Believe me, I am not afraid of them. I repeat: They will be accorded no space to flourish. I advise those who are tempted for whatever reason to ally themselves to these criminals to stay in their batting crease!”

“Finally, permit me to say that I have weighed all the relevant considerations in this matter, including those of national security, on-going investigations, and my personal safety, and have concluded that the correct course is to inform the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines about this matter. The law-abiding, right-thinking people of our country are the ultimate bulwark against these nefarious criminals and conspirators.”

Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace, seeking clarification after the Prime Minister’s statement, asked “Is the Prime Minister saying that the New Democratic Party is involved in any plot or in any way with those persons that he has named?”

The Prime Minister refused to elaborate, saying, “I have revealed that which I wish to reveal at this time.”

“The last occasion when I took the Honorable Leader of the Opposition into my confidence, he broke it. I do not intend to answer any of his questions on these matters, either here or outside, which touch upon National Security, which I am not obliged to answer.”