Former Consul General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the United States, Rondy “Luta” McIntosh, is moving to seek legal redress over public allegations arising from claims that computer systems at the country’s New York consulate were “completely wiped” at the end of his tenure.
The development comes amid an intensifying dispute between McIntosh and Foreign Affairs Minister Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, who told Parliament that the incoming Consul General reported finding no accessible data on consular systems upon assuming office earlier this year.
McIntosh, however, has issued a detailed rebuttal, describing the allegation as “completely false” and insisting that it creates a damaging and misleading impression of misconduct.
In a written statement and accompanying public comments, the former diplomat said he did not wipe any consular systems and maintained that only personal files were removed from the computer he used during his service.
He said such actions are standard administrative practice at the end of an appointment and should not be confused with interference in official government records.
McIntosh further stated that the transition at the consulate was carried out through a structured handover process, which he says was supervised by senior diplomatic officials and supported by written documentation.
According to McIntosh, a comprehensive handover memorandum was prepared and shared in advance, outlining operational, financial and administrative details intended to ensure continuity at the mission.
He has also pointed to a formal handover process conducted in early March involving the incoming Consul General and the Ambassador to the United States, which he says confirmed that all official materials, records and equipment were transferred appropriately.
At the centre of his legal concerns is the suggestion that consular computer systems were “completely wiped,” a claim McIntosh says has already caused reputational harm and called into question his professional conduct.
He has also raised issues regarding the handling of his official consular email account, stating that while it was active on his final day in office, it was later disabled or removed without his involvement.
McIntosh argues that any loss of access to official data, if it occurred, would fall outside his period of responsibility and should be addressed through proper administrative investigation rather than public attribution.
The controversy has drawn wider attention to digital governance practices within overseas missions, particularly the management of official data, user access, and system continuity during transitions between administrations.
Foreign Affairs Minister Bramble has said the matter remains under review, noting that further clarification is needed on whether the reported issue relates to individual devices or broader system infrastructure.
McIntosh, meanwhile, has signalled that he will pursue legal steps if what he describes as false and damaging claims are not corrected, stating that his reputation and years of public service are being unfairly called into question.
No formal findings have yet been released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the matter remains under internal examination.
