Questions surrounding potential conflicts of interest and executive ethics have emerged in St. Vincent and the Grenadines following disclosures regarding the private sale of 100 acres of state-owned beachfront land at Chattam Bay in Union Island.
Details brought to light during parliamentary proceedings revealed that the prime 100-acre beachfront property was transferred to an International Business Company known as AH LLC. The existence of the sale came to public attention after the opposition submitted written questions in parliament, with subsequent disclosures indicating the transaction occurred at a price estimated to be at least 50 percent below market value.
Official records from the Financial Services Authority confirm that AH LLC was incorporated on January 26, 2026. Corporate filings show that the entity acting as the registered agent for the transaction was Caribbean Trust Company Limited.
Opposition Senators have publicly questioned whether a sitting member of the Cabinet holds a legal or financial interest in Caribbean Trust Company Limited.
They contend that any executive ties to the corporate agent representing the property purchaser raise serious concerns regarding self-dealing and conflicts of interest.
The Opposition have called for the corporate veil to be pierced to disclose the ultimate beneficial owners of AH LLC, arguing that full transparency is required when state assets are privatized.
The land sale controversy coincides with recent statutory amendments that critics argue restrict public financial oversight:
Companies Act Revisions: Recent legislative changes repealed provisions of the Companies Act that previously required international business companies acquiring real estate in St. Vincent to register and disclose their ultimate beneficial owners.
Audit Act Amendments: Revisions to the Audit Act introduced criminal penalties, including fines of up to $10,000, for contracted accounting professionals or auditors who disclose confidential state financial details.
Opposition members maintain that these statutory rollbacks, combined with secretive land transactions, undermine international anti-money laundering compliance standards and risk placing the country back on international financial watchlists.
