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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2014. 3.
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Consulate “scandal” rocks Vincentian community in US tion over the New York Consulate General, also declined comment, referring THE VINCENTIAN to the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Kingstown.
Conttinued from Frontpage. McDowald-Thompson said she “got to know and worked closely” with Augustus while in his official capacity in New York, stating that they sat on several committees, including the Diaspora Committee of New York; COSAGO Independence Church Service Committee; and the most-recently formed St. Vincent and the Grenadines Disaster Relief Committee of New York, of which Augustus was deputy chair. New York Consul General Selmon Walters is the chair. “This is not how we would have liked to see him (Augustus) leave – no celebration or expression of gratitude, or simple goodbye,” McDowald-Thompson added. “I just have to wish him all the best; and, no matter what the situation, keep him in prayer.”
No comment The normally outspoken community activist, Maxwell Haywood – who chairs the Brooklyn-based St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diaspora Committee of New York, is a member of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Disaster Relief Committee of New York and an ardent supporter of the incumbent administration in Kingstown – declined to comment, saying it would be premature to do so. Stephen “Scombo” John, newly-elected president of the Brooklyn-based St. Vincent and the Grenadines Progressive Organization of New York (SPOONY), an arm of the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), also declined to elaborate on the
No response from Government officials
Ambassador La Celia Prince, under whose jurisdiction the Consul General falls, had no comment when contacted. alleged scandal, adopting the same stance as Haywood. Another staunch NDP supporter, Vincent Bacchus, SPOONY’s immediate past president, who is normally glib in his comments, expressed ambivalence about the allegations. “We don’t know if the allegations are true,” he said. “Everybody has his or her story. “We have to wait until it (the issue) breaks,” he added. “It’s like a zigzag puzzle right now.” In addition, top government officials, including Prime Minister Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, Foreign Affairs Minister Camillo Gonsalves and Consul General Selmon Walters, Augustus’s immediate supervisor, did not return repeated calls and email requests by THE VINCENTIAN, up to press time, seeking comment or elaboration on the matter. La Celia Prince, the ambassador to the United States, whose Embassy in Washington, D.C. has jurisdic-
In a follow-up email to Foreign Affairs Minister Gonsalves, THE VINCENTIAN requested answers to the following questions, to which, like the first email, sent on Sunday, the younger Gonsalves did not respond: “1. What specifically was Mr. Augustus engaged in? 2. Will he be prosecuted at home and/or in the United States, and for what? 3. When do you expect him to return to SVG? 4. Who else at the Consulate or in the Vincentian community or other communities in the US are involved in this matter? 5. How does the government plan to tighten up on the issuance of passports at the Consulate?” After news of Augustus’ reported recall broke in New York last Thursday, the Foreign Affairs Ministry waited until Monday to issue a relatively terse, unsigned statement, confirming the decision. “Mr. Edson Augustus has been officially recalled from his post as Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in New York, USA,” the statement said. “On Wednesday, 5th February, 2014, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines received reports suggesting that Mr. Augustus, while posted in New York, was involved in activities outside the scope of his employment and inimical to interests of the Consulate General and the Government and people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,” it added. “Having subsequently received sufficient confirmation of those reports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines acted promptly in recalling Mr. Augustus with immediate effect,” the statement continued. “All matters touching and concerning the said activities are under further review,” it said. The statement was issued on the same day that Walters, a former minister in the Gonsalves-led Unity Labor Party (ULP) administration, returned to office in New York, after travelling home for a reported “all-important” meeting. It remains unclear whether Walters was called home for consultation or update on the issue.
Allegations abound – Opposition demands answers Some reports indicate that Augustus was allegedly involved a “passport/green card scandal,” but THE VINCENTIAN was unable to verify the allegation in view of the prime minister and other top officials’ apparent refusal to return repeated calls and/or email requests, and their seeming adoption of a tight-lipped posture. Meantime, Opposition Leader, Arnhim Eustace, a former
prime minister, has called on the government to be more transparent on the issue. James Cordice, noted “This kind of social and cultural advodiplomatic letter is cate, called for resisting good to send to an the temptations encourembassy or a governaged by social media. ment – not to send to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” he said on his New Times radio program soon after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the release about Augustus’ recall. “People need more information than this, otherwise the information would be given otherwise, you know,” he added, disclosing that he already has “certain information” in his possession. Laverne McDowa“Come clean, say ld-Thompson, president of who all were involved (COSAGO), described the other than him affair as ‘a serious (Augustus), and let’s matter’. deal with the matter here in our country,” the NDP president urged the administration. In addition, Eustace expressed apprehension that Augustus’ alleged activities “would make things more difficult for Vincentians going to the United States, especially when an embassy official at that level gets involved in activities Community activist Maxwell Haywood was uncharnot consistent with acteristically quiet on the his duties.” matter. The Opposition Leader noted that the Consulate “scandal” say that Augustus has comes “only a few refused to return months after Canada home, as urged by the has removed the right Ministry of Foreign of Vincentians to travel Affairs; that he is still freely without visas. in New York. “It speaks to someBut other reports thing smelly in our say he’s currently in foreign offices,” he Trinidad and Tobago, alleged. “This is a very where his wife resides, serious matter, and the as their young daughgovernment has to ters attend school become even clearer there. and say what it is that Augustus also did Mr. Augustus has not return requests by done. If they don’t, THE VINCENTIAN, to somebody else will do his cellular telephone it.” and email account, for Some reports also comment.