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Economy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Currency	East Caribbean dollar (2.7 per US$ fixed rate since 1976)
Trade organisations	CARICOM
Statistics
GDP	$342 million (2002 est.)
GDP growth	0.7% (2002 est.)
GDP per capita	$2 900 (2002 est.)
GDP by sector	agriculture: 10%; industry: 26%; services: 64% (2001 est.)
Inflation (CPI)	-0,4% (1999 est.)
Labour force	67,000 (1984 est.)
Labour force by occupation	agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)
Unemployment	15% (2001 est.)
Main industries	food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
Ease of Doing Business Rank	75th[1]
External
Exports	$37 million (2004 est.)
Export goods	bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets
Main export partners	France 49.9%, Italy 20.8%, Greece 10.9%, USA 4.2% (2005)
Imports	$225 million (2004 est.)
Import goods	foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Main import partners	France 37.5%, Singapore 13%, Italy 12.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 8.5%, USA 7.4% (2005)
Public finances
Public debt	$167,2 million (2000)
Economic aid	$47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998)
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars

The St. Vincent economy is heavily dependent on agriculture. Bananas alone account for upwards of 60% of the work force and 50% of merchandise exports. Such reliance on a single crop makes the economy vulnerable to external factors. St. Vincent's banana growers benefited from preferential access to the European market. In view of the European Union's announced phase-out of this preferred access, economic diversification is a priority.

Tourism has grown to become a very important part of the economy. In 1993, tourism supplanted banana exports as the chief source of foreign exchange. The Grenadines have become a favourite of the up-market yachting crowd. The trend toward increasing tourism revenues will likely continue. In 1996, new cruise ship and ferry berths came on-line, sharply increasing the number of passenger arrivals. In 1998, total visitor arrivals stood at 202,109 with United States visitors constituting 2.7%, as most of the nation's tourists are from other countries in the Caribbean and the United Kingdom.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a beneficiary of the U.S. Caribbean Basin Initiative. The country belongs to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which has signed a framework agreement with the United States to promote trade and investment in the region.

References[link]

See also[link]

• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Pax et justitia  (Latin) "Peace and justice"
Anthem: "Saint Vincent Land so Beautiful"
Capital (and largest city)		Kingstown 13°10′N 61°14′W / 13.167°N 61.233°W / 13.167; -61.233
Official language(s)		English
Ethnic groups		Black 66% Mixed 19% East Indian 6% European 4% Carib Amerindian 2% Other 3%
Demonym		Vincentian
Government		Parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
-	Monarch	Elizabeth II
-	Governor-General	Sir Frederick Ballantyne
-	Prime Minister	Ralph Gonsalves
Legislature		House of Assembly
Independence
-	from the United Kingdom	27 October 1979
Area
-	Total	389 km2 (198th) 150 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	2008 estimate	120,000 (182nd)
-	Density	307/km2 (39th) 792/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2011 estimate
-	Total	$1.259 billion[1]
-	Per capita	$11,491[1]
GDP (nominal)		2011 estimate
-	Total	$695 million[1]
-	Per capita	$6,342[1]
HDI (2007)		0.772 (medium) (91st)
Currency		East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zone		(UTC-4)
Drives on the		left
ISO 3166 code		VC
Internet TLD		.vc
Calling code		+1-784

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (ⁱ/seɪnt ˈvɪnsənt ænd ðə ɡrɛnəˈdiːnz/) is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Its 389-square-kilometre (150 sq mi) territory consists of the main island of Saint Vincent and the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines, which are a chain of smaller islands stretching south from Saint Vincent Island to Grenada.

To the north of Saint Vincent lies Saint Lucia, to the east Barbados. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is densely populated (over 300 inhabitants/km²) with its 120,000 people.

Its capital is Kingstown, also its main port. The country has a French and British colonial history and is now part of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, CARICOM, the Commonwealth of Nations and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas.

History[link]

The island now known as Saint Vincent was originally named Hairouna ("The Land of the Blessed") by the native Caribs. The Caribs aggressively prevented European settlement on Saint Vincent until 1719. Prior to this, formerly enslaved Africans, who had either been shipwrecked or who had escaped from Barbados, Saint Lucia and Grenada and sought refuge in mainland Saint Vincent, intermarried with the Caribs and became known as Garifuna or Black Caribs.

Beginning in 1719, French settlers from Martinique gained control of the island and began cultivating coffee, tobacco, indigo, cotton, and sugar on plantations. These plantations were worked by enslaved Africans. In 1763, France ceded control of Saint Vincent to Britain, who began a program of colonial plantation development that was resisted by the Caribs. France captured the island in 1779, but the British then regained Saint Vincent for good under the Treaties of Versailles (1783). These treaties were ancillary treaties to the Treaty of Paris (1783), through which Great Britain officially recognised the end of the American Revolutionary War.

Between 1783 and 1796, there was again conflict between the British and the Black Caribs, who were led by defiant Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer. In 1797 British General Sir Ralph Abercromby put an end to the open conflict by crushing an uprising which had been supported by the French radical Victor Hugues. More than 5,000 Black Caribs were eventually deported to Roatán, an island off the coast of Honduras.

Slavery was abolished in Saint Vincent 1834. An apprenticeship period followed which ended in 1838. After its end, labour shortages on the plantations resulted, and this was initially addressed by the immigration of indentured servants. In the late 1840s many Portuguese immigrants arrived from Madeira and between 1861 and 1888 shiploads of East Indian labourers arrived. Conditions remained harsh for both former slaves and immigrant agricultural workers, as depressed world sugar prices kept the economy stagnant until the turn of the century.

From 1763 until its independence in 1979, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passed through various stages of colonial status under the British. A representative assembly was authorised in 1776, Crown Colony government was installed in 1877, a legislative council was created in 1925, and universal adult suffrage was granted in 1951.

During the period of its control of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the British made several unsuccessful attempts to affiliate the island with other Windward Islands. This would have simplified Britain's control over the region through a unified administration. In the 1960s, several regional islands under British control, including Saint Vincent, also made an independent attempt to unify. The unification was to be called the West Indies Federation and was driven by a desire to gain freedom from British rule. The attempt collapsed in 1962.

Saint Vincent was granted "associate statehood" status by Britain on October 27, 1969. This gave Saint Vincent complete control over its internal affairs but was short of full independence. On October 27, 1979, following a referendum under Milton Cato, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines became the last of the Windward Islands to gain independence. Independence came on the 10th anniversary of Saint Vincent's associate statehood status.

Natural disasters have featured in the country's history. In 1902, La Soufrière volcano erupted, killing 2,000 people. Much farmland was damaged, and the economy deteriorated. In April 1979, La Soufrière erupted again. Although no one was killed, thousands were evacuated, and again there was extensive agricultural damage. In 1980 and 1987, hurricanes compromised many banana and coconut plantations. Hurricane seasons were also very active in 1998 and 1999, with Hurricane Lenny in 1999 causing extensive damage to the west coast of the island.

On November 25, 2009, voters were asked to approve a new constitution in a referendum. The new constitution proposed to make the country a republic and replacing Queen Elizabeth II as head of state with a non-executive President. A two-thirds majority was required, but it was defeated by 29,019 votes (55.64 per cent) to 22,493 (43.13 per cent).^[2]

Politics[link]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state, bearing the title Queen of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The Queen does not reside in the islands and is represented in the country by the Governor General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, currently Sir Frederick Ballantyne.

The office of Governor General has mostly ceremonial functions including the opening of the islands' House of Assembly and the appointment of various government officials. Control of the government rests with the elected Prime Minister and his or her cabinet. The current Prime Minister is Ralph Gonsalves. Parliamentary opposition made of the largest minority stakeholder in general elections, headed by the leader of the opposition. The current opposition leader is Arnhim Eustace.

The country has no formal armed forces, although the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force includes a Special Service Unit as well as a militia that has a supporting role on the island.

Geography[link]

Kingstown

Map exhibiting the six parishes of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lies to the west of Barbados south of Saint Lucia and north of Grenada in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, an island arc of the Caribbean Sea. The islands of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines include the main island of Saint Vincent (344 km²/133 sq mi) and the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines (45 km²/17 sq mi), which are a chain of small islands stretching south from Saint Vincent to Grenada.

The island of Saint Vincent is volcanic and includes little level ground. The leeward side of the island is very rocky and steep, while the windward side has more sandy beaches and bays.^{[citation needed]} The country's highest peak is La Soufrière volcano at 1,234 m (4,049 ft).

Administrative divisions[link]

Administratively, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is divided into six parishes. Five parishes are on Saint Vincent, while the sixth is made up of the Grenadine islands. Kingstown is located in the Parish of Saint George and is the capital city and central administrative centre of the country.

Economy[link]

Mustique in the Grenadines.

Graphical depiction of St. Vincent and the Grenadines's product exports in 28 color coded categories.

Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower-middle-income economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and the unemployment rate remains high at 19.8% in the 1991 census^[3] to 15% in 2001.^[4] The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development as tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in many years.

The tourism sector has considerable potential for development. The recent filming of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies on the island has helped to expose the country to more potential visitors and investors. Recent growth has been stimulated by strong activity in the construction sector and an improvement in tourism.^[5]

An international airport^[6] is currently under construction. There is a small manufacturing sector and a small offshore financial sector whose particularly restrictive secrecy laws have caused some international concern.^{[citation needed]} In addition, the natives of Bequia are permitted to hunt up to four Humpback Whales per year under IWC subsistence quotas.

Demographics[link]

The population as established in July 2009 was 104,574. The ethnic composition was 66% African descent, 20% of mixed descent, 6% East Indian, 4% Caucasian (mainly Portuguese), 2% Carib Amerindian and 2% others according to the CIA World Factbook de dato October 9, 2008. Most Vincentians are the descendants of African people brought to the island to work on plantations. There are other ethnic groups such as Portuguese (from Madeira) and East Indians, both brought in to work on the plantations after the abolishing of slavery by the British, and Syrians^{[citation needed]} living on the island. There is also a growing Chinese population.^{[citation needed]}

Largest cities[link]

v t e Largest cities or towns of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines http://www.geonames.org/VC/largest-cities-in-saint-vincent-and-the-grenadines.html
	Rank	City name	Parish	Pop.
Kingstown [[File:|border|120px|Kingstown Park]] Kingstown Park	1	Kingstown	Saint George	24,518
	2	Kingstown Park	Saint George	17,994
	3	Georgetown	Charlotte	1,680
	4	Byera Village	Charlotte	1,365
	5	Biabou	Charlotte	1,050
	6	Port Elizabeth	Grenadines	839
	7	Chateaubelair	Saint David	735
	8	Dovers	Grenadines	525
	9	-	-
	10	-	-

st Vincent and the Grenadines information.

Sport[link]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has its own soccer league, the NLA Premier League, and also a national (association) football team. A notable Vincentian footballer is Ezra Hendrickson, former national team captain who played at several Major League Soccer clubs in the United States and is now an assistant coach with the Seattle Sounders FC.^[7]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines also has its own national rugby union team which is ranked 73rd in the world.

In addition, netball is a major local sport and comprises of women only. Other notable sports played at the regional level are track and field and tennis.

Music[link]

Music popular in Saint Vincent and the Grenadine includes big drum, calypso, soca, steelpan and reggae. String band music, quadrille and bele music and traditional storytelling are also popular.

The national anthem of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is "Saint Vincent Land so Beautiful", adopted upon independence in 1979.

Communications[link]

In 2010, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines had 21,700 telephone land lines. Its land telephone system is fully automatic and covers the entire island and all of the inhabited Grenadine islands.^[4] In 2002, there were 10,000 mobile phones.^[8] By 2010, this number had increased to 131,800.^[4] Mobile phone service is available in most areas of Saint Vincent as well as the Grenadines.

The country has only ten FM radio stations. It has one television broadcast station ZBG-TV (SVGTV)^[9] and one cable television provider.

The country has Three ISPs, DigicelKarib Cable and LIME, that provide cellular telephone and internet service.^[10]

See also[link]

	Geography portal
	North America portal
	Caribbean portal
	Commonwealth realms portal

	Book: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Outline of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Index of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines-related articles
• Commonwealth of Nations

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Bobrow, Jill & Jinkins, Dana. 1985. St. Vincent and the Grenadines. 4th Edition Revised and Updated, Concepts Publishing Co., Waitsfield, Vermont, 1993.
• CIA Factbook entry
• Gonsalves, Ralph E. 1994. History and the Future: A Caribbean Perspective. Quik-Print, Kingstown, St. Vincent.
• US Dept of State Profile
• Williams, Eric. 1964. British Historians and the West Indies, Port-of-Spain.

External links[link]

Find more about Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Definitions and translations from Wiktionary
	Images and media from Commons
	Learning resources from Wikiversity
	News stories from Wikinews
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource
	Textbooks from Wikibooks

Government

• Official website of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Website of the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Chief of State and Cabinet Members

General information

• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines entry at The World Factbook
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from UCB Libraries GovPubs
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at the Open Directory Project
• Wikimedia Atlas of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines travel guide from Wikitravel
• Key Development Forecasts for St. Vincent and the Grenadines from International Futures

Other

• St. Vincent Paper Money
• Saint Vincent Bank
• hairouna
• National Insurance Services of St Vincent and the Grenadines

Articles related to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines    Geographic locale Lat. and Long. 13°10′N 61°14′W / 13.167°N 61.233°W / 13.167; -61.233 (Kingstown) v t e Countries and territories of the Caribbean   Sovereign states Commonwealth Realms Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Grenada Jamaica Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Commonwealth republics Dominica Trinidad and Tobago Other republics Cuba Dominican Republic Haiti   Dependencies and other areas by parent state United Kingdom Anguilla British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Montserrat Turks and Caicos Islands Netherlands Aruba Bonaire Curaçao Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten France Guadeloupe Martinique Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin United States Bajo Nuevo Bank Navassa Island Puerto Rico Serranilla Bank U.S. Virgin Islands v t e Countries and dependencies of North America Sovereign states Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Colombia San Andrés and Providencia Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador France Guadeloupe Martinique Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Iceland Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Netherlands Bonaire Saba Sint Eustatius Panama St. Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States Dependencies Denmark Greenland France Clipperton Island St. Barthélemy St. Martin St. Pierre and Miquelon Netherlands Aruba Curaçao Sint Maarten United Kingdom Anguilla Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Montserrat Turks and Caicos Islands United States Navassa Island Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Venezuela Isla Aves   International membership v t e Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Members Antigua and Barbuda · Dominica · Grenada · Montserrat · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines Associate members Anguilla · British Virgin Islands Financial institutions Eastern Caribbean Central Securities Registry · Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange · East Caribbean dollar · Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Other institutions Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court v t e Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat (Secretary-General) Nations Members Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas1 Barbados Belize Dominica Grenada Guyana Haiti1 Jamaica Montserrat2 St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago Associate members Anguilla Bermuda Cayman Islands British Virgin Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Observers Aruba Colombia Curaçao Dominican Republic Mexico Puerto Rico Sint Maarten Venezuela Institutions CSME CDEMA CMO CMO CXC CCJ CFC CEHI CARDI REPAHA ACCP CARICAD CFNI CCC CRITI Related organizations Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States 1 Member of the Community but not of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). 2 British overseas territory awaiting entrustment to join the CSME. v t e Commonwealth realms Current Antigua and Barbuda Australia Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Grenada Jamaica New Zealand Papua New Guinea St Kitts and Nevis St Lucia St Vincent and the Grenadines Solomon Islands Tuvalu United Kingdom Former Ceylon Fiji The Gambia Ghana Guyana India1 Ireland1 Kenya Malawi Malta Mauritius Newfoundland2 Nigeria Pakistan Rhodesia3 Sierra Leone South Africa Tanganyika Trinidad and Tobago Uganda 1 Dominion, became republic before adoption of the term "realm" 2 Dominion, never ratified Statute of Westminster 1931, London-based external government 1934–1949, annexed by Canada in 1949 3 Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence as Rhodesia in 1965, claiming to be a Commonwealth realm, but this was unrecognised by the United Kingdom. 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Grenadines Islands
—  Region of the Caribbean  —
Location within the Grenadine.
Region	Caribbean
Island States	2  Grenada  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Population
• Total	est. 16,100
Time zone	AST (UTC−5)
• Summer (DST)	ADT (UTC−4)

The Grenadines is a Caribbean island chain of over 600 islands in the Windward Islands.

Geographic boundaries[link]

They are divided between the island nations of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. They lie between the islands of Saint Vincent in the north and Grenada in the south. Neither Saint Vincent nor Grenada are Grenadine islands. The islands north of the Martinique Channel belong to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the islands south of the channel belong to Grenada.

The larger islands of the Grenadines[link]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[link]

These islands make up the Grenadines Parish

• Young Island (Grenadines)
• Bequia
• Moonhole Rock
• Petite Nevis
• Quatre
• Bettowia
• Baliceaux
• Mustique
• Petite Mustique
• Savan
• Petite Canouan
• Canouan
• Mayreau
• The Tobago Cays
• Union Island
• Petit Saint Vincent
• Palm Island
• Mopion

Grenada[link]

Carriacou and Petite Martinique are dependencies of Grenada.

• Carriacou 34 km² (13 sq mi), 7,400, Capital Hillsborough
• Saline 0.3 km² (74 acres), Uninhabited
• Frigate 0.4 km² (99 acres), Uninhabited
• Ronde Island 3.2 km² (790 acres), Uninhabited
• Large, 0.5 km² (120 acres), Uninhabited
• Petite Martinique 3.7 km² (910 acres), 550, Capital North Village

External links[link]

• Raffles Resort Canouan Island
• Grenadines Photo Guide from Paradise Islands (non commercial site)

Coordinates: 12°40′N 61°15′W / 12.667°N 61.25°W / 12.667; -61.25

The Honourable Ralph Everard Gonsalves MP
Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 March 2001
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor General	Frederick Ballantyne Monica Dacon Charles Antrobus
Deputy	Girlyn Miguel
Preceded by	Arnhim Eustace
Leader of the Unity Labour Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 December 1998
Preceded by	Vincent Beache
Member of Parliament for North Central Windward
Incumbent
Assumed office 1994
Personal details
Born	(1946-08-08) 8 August 1946 (age 65) Colonarie, Saint Vincent, British Windward Islands
Political party	Unity Labour Party
Spouse(s)	Eloise Harris
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Ralph Everard Gonsalves (born 8 August 1946), also known as "Comrade Ralph", is the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and leader of the Unity Labour Party (ULP).^[1] Gonsalves became Prime Minister after his party won a majority government in the 2001 general election.^[2] He is the first Prime Minister from the newly constructed ULP, following a merger of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Labour Party and the Movement for National Unity.^[3]

Gonsalves has been Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of North Central Windward since 1994.^{[citation needed]} In 1994, upon the formation of the Unity Labour Party he became deputy leader, and became leader of the party in 1998.^[3]

Gonsalves' ULP won another majority government in 2005 general election, winning 12 seats.^[4]

On 13 December 2010, Gonsalves' ULP was re-elected, showing a decrease in the popular vote and winning 8 seats.^[5]

Early life and education[link]

Gonsalves was born in Colonarie, Saint Vincent, British Windward Islands to Theresa (née Francis) and Alban Gonsalves.^[1] He attended Colonarie Roman Catholic School, and later the St Vincent Grammar School. Gonsalves then enrolled at the University of the West Indies, where he completed a bachelor's degree in economics.^[1] He later returned there to earn a master's degree in government, which he completed in 1971.^[1] In 1974 he completed a PhD in government at the University of Manchester.^[1] Gonsalves was called to the degree of utter barrister at Gray’s Inn in London in 1981.^[1]

Political career[link]

Gonsalves became involved in politics at university, as president of the University of West Indies' Guild of Undergraduates and Debating Society. In 1968 Gonsalves led a student protest of the deportation of historian and intellectual Walter Rodney by the Jamaican government.^{[citation needed]}

In 1994 Gonsalves became the deputy leader of the ULP. After the resignation of Vincent Beache, Gonsalves became leader of the party in 1998.^[3] Gonsalves later led the ULP to win the 2001 general election,^[2] becoming prime minister. Gonsalves' ULP was re-elected in the 2005 general election.^[4] In the 2010 general election, Gonsalves and the ULP were narrowly re-elected with 51.11% of the popular vote.^[5]

In 2009 Gonsalves and the ULP led a referendum campaign^[6] in favour of constitutional reform that would have abolished the country's constitutional monarchy, replacing Elizabeth II^[7] with a non-executive president. The referendum was defeated, with 55.64% of voters rejecting the changes.^[8]

Outside politics[link]

Gonsalves practices law before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.^[1]

Gonsalves has written and published on a range of matters including the Caribbean, Africa, trade unionism, comparative political economy, and developmental issues generally.

Personal life[link]

Gonsavles is married to Eloise Harris. He has three sons, Camillo, Adam and Storm, and two daughters, Isis and Soleil.^[1]

Allegations of sexual misconduct[link]

In February 2008 a policewoman raised allegations that earlier that year she was sexually assaulted by Gonsalves.^[9] Gonsalves denied the allegations, characterising them as "political manipulation".^[9] Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' Director of Public Prosecutions did not prosecute of the case, saying "the claim was determined to be groundless and lacked medical or genetic evidence." ^{[10] [11]} Williams' decision was later upheld by a high court judge.^[12]

In May 2008 the Toronto Star reported human rights lawyer Margaret Parsons alleged that Gonsalves assaulted her and attempted to have sex with her five years earlier.^[11] Gonsalves categorically denied the accusations.^[11]

Publications[link]

(adapted from [13])

Books

• Diary of a Prime Minister: Ten days among Benedictine Monks
• The Making of 'the Comrade': The Political Journey of Ralph Gonsalves
• The spectre of imperialism: the case of the Caribbean (University of the West Indies; 128 pages, 1976)
• The non-capitalist path of development: Africa and the Caribbean (One Caribbean Publishers; 1981)
• History and the future: a Caribbean perspective (169 pages, 1994)
• Notes on some basic ideas in Marxism-Leninism (University of the West Indies; 56 pages)

Pamphlets

• The Rodney affair and its aftermath (University of the West Indies; 21 pages, 1975)
• The development and class character of the bourgeois state: the case of St. Vincent (University of the West Indies; 15 pages, 1976)
• Controls and influences on the civil service and statutory bodies in the Commonwealth Caribbean: a preliminary discussion (University of the West Indies; 67 pages, 1977)
• The development of the labour movement in St. Vincent (37 pages, 1977)
• Who killed sugar in St. Vincent? (United Liberation Movement; 21 pages, 1977)
• On the political economy of Barbados (One Caribbean Publishers; 49 pages, 1981)
• The trade union movement in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Movement for National Unity; 64 pages, 1983)
• Ebenezer Joshua: his ideology and style (Movement for National Unity; 39 pages, 1984)
• (editor) The trial of George McIntosh (Caribbean Diaspora Press; 80 pages, 1985)
• Authority in the police force: its uses and abuses (Movement for National Unity; 45 pages, 1986)
• Banana in trouble: its present and future (Movement for National Unity; 22 pages, 1989)

References[link]

v t e Prime Ministers of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Joshua† · Cato† · Cato‡ · Mitchell‡ · Cato‡ · Cato · Mitchell · Eustace · Gonsalves † Served as Chief Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines,   ‡ Served as Premier of St Vincent and the Grenadines.