Rumours have long swirled about who really benefits from government projects in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. But this week, a fresh wave of leaked files — reportedly from within the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) own circles — has reignited old questions about transparency, loyalty, and the concentration of power inside the ruling party.
The documents, shared anonymously with local media outlets, appear to reference state contracts, property holdings, and internal messages suggesting a growing rift among senior party figures.
While the authenticity of the materials has not been independently verified, their content has sparked heated debate both online and in communities across the country.
Leaked Memos and Familiar Names
According to excerpts reviewed by Cliplet News, at least three of the leaked memos refer to government projects between 2022 and 2024. The files list companies said to have received “special priority” or “accelerated clearance” — some of which are reportedly connected to known political figures or their close associates.
A civil-service source familiar with government procurement described the pattern as “not new, but worrying.”
“It’s not about one person or one ministry,” the source said. “It’s a system where certain people get the green light faster than others. When you see the same names come up over and over, it makes people wonder who eating from the big pot.”
The phrase — “Who eating from the big pot?” — has since taken hold on social media and in the streets, echoing through radio talk shows and community WhatsApp groups as Vincentians trade theories about who may be benefitting most from the country’s development boom.
Tension Within the Ruling Party
Multiple sources with knowledge of the ULP’s internal workings say the leaks appear to have originated from “frustrated insiders” rather than opposition operatives.
“There’s tension inside the Red House,” one long-time party organiser told Cliplet News under condition of anonymity. “You have younger members who feel like they’re being used but not listened to. Decisions getting made by a small circle. People vex.”
The organiser described a widening generational divide — between the old guard who helped the ULP rise to power under Dr Ralph Gonsalves more than two decades ago, and a younger wing eager for renewal and reform.
“Is not that people turn against Ralph,” the source added, “but some of them start to feel the movement losing its way. The struggle that bring the party to power not the same as the one keeping it there.”
Voices of Concern Rise as Political Leaks Make Waves
As alleged leaks circulate, government critics have labelled them politically motivated, suggesting opponents may be attempting to discredit the administration. The government has not publicly commented on the specific documents, and officials have so far declined interview requests.
Supporters of the ruling party, meanwhile, have taken to the airwaves to defend the Prime Minister, describing the leaks as an effort to undermine progress ahead of the upcoming election cycle.
Public Reactions: Frustration and Fatigue
Still, many Vincentians say the controversy touches a nerve.
At Heritage Square in Kingstown on Wednesday morning, shopkeepers and taxi drivers discussed the news between customers.
“Every election same talk — promises and pretty speeches,” said one vendor from Georgetown. “But look at we: prices high, work hard to find, young people leaving. If big men really eating from the pot, at least let the crumbs fall down.”
Another man from Barrouallie, leaning against his van, added quietly,
“People not stupid. You could only hide thing for so long. Once something leak, it mean somebody inside can’t take it no more.”
A Moment of Reckoning
For now, the origin of the leaks remains unclear, and no official inquiry has been launched. But inside ministries and among party supporters, the mood is unmistakably tense.
The ULP administration, long praised for its political discipline, is facing a new kind of challenge — one that comes not from the opposition, but seemingly from within its own ranks.
As one retired civil servant from Calliaqua summed it up,
“This not about who red or who yellow. This about fairness. If the big pot cooking for the country, then everybody should get a spoon.”
