In an open letter dated October 24, 2026, addressed to His Excellency Sir Stanley Kendrick John, GCMG KC, Governor General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, complainant William Henry Harriss formally submitted allegations of ongoing constitutional violations, improper search and seizure, and unlawful deprivation of property. The submission invokes protections guaranteed under the 1979 Constitution Order of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (S.I. 1979 No. 916) and asserts that the continuous retention of personal materials without formal charge or judicial adjudication represents an uncorrected constitutional injury.
According to statements set forth in the letter, Mr. Harriss was completing a manuscript in 2017 on the historical aspects of the Atlantic Slave Trade, incorporating genealogical research into 15th-century Portuguese maritime history. Mr. Harriss alleges the following sequence of events preceding and during the search:
Prior Incident and Alleged Notice: The complainant claims that eleven USB storage drives containing research data were previously removed from his vehicle while parked on private property. He further asserts receiving advance information from an informant warning of an imminent law enforcement search targeting his manuscripts.
Execution of Search Warrant: On or about 5:00 AM on the morning of the search, law enforcement personnel arrived at his residence, approached his bedroom window, and presented a search warrant.
Items Specified in Warrant: The search warrant listed references to firearms, ammunition, and illegal narcotics alongside electronic storage devices and paperwork
Mr. Harriss contends that the search warrant was executed improperly and makes the following specific assertions regarding law enforcement conduct:
Allegation of Pretextual Grounds: The complainant asserts that references to firearms, ammunition, and narcotics were included without credible supporting evidence to obtain judicial authorization, alleging that the primary objective was the seizure of his private writings and digital files.
Allegation of Selective Search: The complainant alleges that officers conducted a selective search, excluding specific areas of the residence—namely an ex-partner’s room and a guest room—upon instructions given during the operation.
Seized Property: Materials seized by law enforcement reportedly included personal documents, research files, financial records, historic property deeds, family photographs, a laptop, a mobile telephone, a digital camera, and external storage media.
The submission asserts that Mr. Harriss has engaged in ongoing efforts over an eight-year period to recover his property without success:
Police Complaints Department: Mr. Harriss reports that formal grievances submitted to the Police Complaints Department regarding the search and property retention have yielded no official correspondence or administrative resolution.
Government Engagement: The complainant states that in April 2026, he met directly with a government minister to request assistance regarding the seized materials, but reports that no formal response or state action followed.
The submission explicitly alleges breaches of fundamental rights protected under Chapter I of the Constitution of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1979):
Section 1(a) – Right to Protection of the Law: The complainant asserts that executing a search warrant under alleged pretextual grounds and the subsequent failure of state organs to address formal grievances constitutes a denial of equal protection under the law.
Section 1(b) – Freedom of Expression and Conscience: The complainant contends that the pre-publication seizure and ongoing retention of his literary manuscript and research files constitute state-sanctioned interference with protected expression.
Section 1(c) & Section 6 – Protection from Arbitrary Search and Deprivation of Property: The complainant argues that the prolonged retention of personal belongings, records, and intellectual property without formal criminal charges, trial, or prompt and adequate compensation amounts to an unlawful taking under Section 6.
Claim of Continuing Breach: Mr. Harriss asserts that because the state continues to withhold his property, the alleged constitutional violations and purported coordinated actions between state and private entities remain an active, ongoing breach.
In his capacity as Sovereign representative, the Governor General is requested by the complainant to consider three primary forms of administrative relief:
Independent Inquiry: Direct an impartial investigation into the authorization, issuance, and execution of the 2017 search warrant and the subsequent departmental handling of the seized property.
Restitution of Property: Direct the prompt return of all seized personal papers, deeds, photographs, electronic devices, and historical research materials.
Constitutional Redress: Initiate appropriate administrative or legal mechanisms to evaluate compensation for the alleged property deprivation and constitutional breaches under Sections 1 and 6.
Mr. Harriss indicates a willingness to submit formal sworn statements and evidence to support any commissioned independent panel or judicial inquiry.
