Claim that Gonsalves refused to help woman in distress rejected

A claim that Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves ignored a woman who was in fear of being attacked and had sought his assistance has been rejected by a witness.

On September 17 during Hot 97.1 FM’s AM Mayhem morning show, a caller told hosts Chris “2 Cool” Jones, Luke Boyea and Charles “Colombian” Villareal that on Saturday, September 15, a woman was in the Ratho Mill area when she saw a man in the bushes, allegedly waiting to attack her.

The caller said the woman turned back from her destination and signalled to Gonsalves who was in his yard at the time and she was ignored. The caller claimed that Gonsalves went into his house and did not acknowledge the woman’s presence although she was in danger.

But on September 17, under the condition of anonymity, a man told SEARCHLIGHT that he was at Ratho Mill when the incident is alleged to have taken place and the woman never spoke to Gonsalves.
He said he was speaking with Gonsalves and after the politician went into his house, a woman approached and told him that a man in an orange jersey was hiding in the bushes with the intention of attacking her.

He said he placed the woman in his vehicle and drove her to her destination which was at another house in the Ratho Mill area.

“Camillo never saw this woman. She came after he went into his house and I never saw the man who she said was hiding in the bushes,” said the man.

He added that when he heard the caller on Hot 97.1, he was surprised at the allegation as it did not happen the way the caller said.
Gonsalves is currently overseas on government business.