Minister Bramble Rejects ‘Who You Know’ Culture in Government Business Deals 

By Val Matthias. Updated 3:36 p.m., Sunday, September 20, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4). 

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment and Diaspora Affairs, Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble, has sought to reassure Vincentians at home and abroad that business opportunities are not dependent on political connections under the current administration.

The minister made the comments while responding to a question during Invest Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ “Home Is Where the Heart Is” event in New York on September 19.

The question, posed on behalf of Vincentian diaspora member Jerome Jackson of San Antonio, Texas, reflected a perception held by some members of the diaspora community that individuals need to be connected to government officials in order for business proposals to receive consideration.

Jackson’s question asked, “what was being done to change the perception that “you have to be connected within the government for any business proposal to be put forward.”

In response, Bramble rejected the notion that access to government decision-makers or political connections are required to do business with the state.

“I am the minister under whose portfolio Invest SVG falls,” Bramble said. “And I can tell you that since I became minister, in our administration, it has not even been in our psyche to be granting favors to anybody because of who they know in government.”

The minister acknowledged that the perception exists but suggested it stemmed from past practices.

“This is something that we inherited,” he said. “And we are fixing it. And we will fix it.”

The exchange highlighted concerns among some members of the Vincentian diaspora about whether business opportunities are awarded on merit or influenced by personal connections a concern often summed up locally by the phrase “it’s who you know.”

Bramble’s response sought to assure potential investors and members of the diaspora that the government is committed to a more transparent approach to investment and business development.

The issue emerged during discussions aimed at strengthening engagement between St Vincent and the Grenadines and its overseas community, with investment opportunities among the key topics addressed at the event.

END

About the Author: This story was written and submitted by freelance journalist Mr. Val Matthias, a trained communicator with more than two decades in the media sector. All supporting materials for this story have been presented, vetted, and verified. Mr Matthias can be reached at [email protected]