By Val Matthias. Updated 11:34 a.m., Friday, November 14, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
British financier and Canouan-based developer Ian Wace has publicly endorsed Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and the Unity Labour Party (ULP) in a social media post that has praises for hurricane recovery efforts and a call to action ahead of the November 27 general election.
In the video, Wace credited his 14 month collaboration with the government following Hurricane Beryl as a “world beating recovery” and described Gonsalves as a “remarkable leader” who enabled swift reconstruction across the Southern Grenadines. He cited the Prime Minister’s “tireless” commitment to rebuilding efforts and claimed their partnership delivered results “nobody could believe could have happened so quickly.”
Wace’s remarks come after a seemingly dispute between the government and Italian billionaire Andrea Pignataro, who controls significant land leases on the northern end of Canouan. The Gonsalves administration has signalled its intent to revoke Pignataro’s lease, citing underdevelopment and lack of local benefit. Wace, in his post, aligned himself with the government’s stance, arguing that the Southern Grenadines “need a vibrant economic future” that is “not well served by a developer who does not actually share those same values.”
“It’s not just about Canouan it’s about the whole of the Southern Grenadines,” Wace wrote. “If we can get the right investors, then the opportunity… is incredible.”
He warned that a change in government could derail efforts to reclaim and repurpose the disputed lands, stating, “If the opposition gain traction, this will never happen… the opportunity for change will disappear.”
Wace concluded with a direct appeal to voters: “Please don’t waste your vote. Come out and vote but make sure that you vote the right way for the ULP and Dr. Gonsalves.”
Ian Wace is a British hedge fund manager and philanthropist, best known as the co-founder of Marshall Wace LLP, one of Europe’s leading hedge funds. Through the Gumbolimbo Group, Wace has become a prominent property owner and developer on Canouan, where he has invested in luxury real estate and infrastructure. Following the devastation of Hurricane Beryl in 2024, Wace partnered with the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines delivered aid and spearheaded the reconstruction of key facilities, including a new ferry terminal and wharf on Canouan.
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