OCTOGENARIAN SIR JOHN COMPTON RETURNED TO THE HELM IN ST.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRIDGETOWN 002180

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM PINR ECON KCRM ST XL
SUBJECT: OCTOGENARIAN SIR JOHN COMPTON RETURNED TO THE HELM IN ST.
LUCIA; UWP WINS 11 OF 17 SEATS IN UPSET

REF: BRIDGETOWN 1946

SLP Voted Out of Office
--------------


1. (U) The opposition United Workers Party (UWP) unexpectedly
dominated the December 11 St. Lucia parliamentary elections with an
11-6 win. This electoral upset returns 80-year-old Sir John Compton
to the Prime Minister's seat for his seventh term in the position
(Compton previously served 1964-79, and 1982-96). Sir John had come
out of retirement last year to lead the UWP in electoral
preparations. (Note: Press accounts give various ages for Compton;
post records show his DOB as May 1, 1926. End Note.)


2. (SBU) St. Lucians are already asking whether Compton will serve
the full five years as Prime Minister. A common rumor is that he
will serve for two years and then hand the reins over. However,
Compton has emphasized to the press that his doctors approved his
return to public office and that his mind is still very sharp.


3. (U) Two-term Prime Minister and head of the St. Lucian Labour
Party (SLP) Kenny Anthony retained his seat in parliament by a thin
margin but lost his bid for a third term. Outgoing PM Anthony
conceded the election the evening of December 11, attributing the
SLP's loss to the "mud and innuendo" thrown at his party. Former UN
Ambassador and SLP leader Julian Hunte was defeated in the race to
represent Gros Islet.


4. (U) Perhaps the most watched constituency was Castries Central,
where attorney Richard Frederick had won a three-way by-election as
an independent candidate in March. Running for re-election on the
UWP slate, Frederick trounced Dr. Vaughan Lewis, who served as Prime
Minister for the UWP for one year (1996-97) but crossed the aisle to
the SLP for this election after a falling out with party leader
Compton.


5. (U) Members of the new House of Assembly:

United Workers Party (UWP) Victors/District
--------------

Sir John Compton Micoud North
Rufus Bousquet Choiseul
Edmund Estephane Dennery South
Richard Frederick (Incumbent) Castries Central
Arsene James (Incumbent) Micoud South
Ezekial Joseph Babonneau
Guy Joseph Castries South East
Stephenson King Castries North
Keith Mondesir Anse La Raye/Canaries
Leonard "Spider" Montoute Gros Islet
Marcus Nicholas (Incumbent) Dennery North

St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) Seats/District
--------------
Kenny Anthony (Incumbent) Vieux Fort South
Alva Baptiste Laborie
Harold Dalsen Soufriere
Moses Jn Baptiste Vieux Fort North
Robert Lewis Castries South
Phillip Pierre (Incumbent) Castries East

Apparently Smoothly-Run Elections
--------------


6. (U) Preliminary reports pointed to an orderly election process
and high turnout. Small observer teams from the Organization of
American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) were
present for the December 11 St. Lucia polls. In a joint press
conference on December 12 both observer missions commended the St.
Lucian authorities on the conduct of the elections and said they
were "very pleased" with the courtesies extended to the observers.
A few irregularities had occurred, but none so serious as to
influence the results. No reports of election-related violence were
aired.

Voting for Change
--------------


7. (SBU) Most observers recognized that one of the major themes of
this election was the need for change, many likening the atmosphere
surrounding the 2006 polls to that of 1997 when the St. Lucian Labor
Party (SLP) took power (reftel). Few realized that coming change

BRIDGETOWN 00002180 002 OF 002


would be so clear-cut. Most analysts, observers, and St. Lucian
citizens predicted a narrow SLP victory. Consultant Bill Johnson, a
pollster for Jamaica's ruling People's National Party and the
Gleaner newspaper, had predicted that Anthony's party would
convincingly capture 14 seats. The Barbados-based Caribbean
Development Research Services (CADRES) of political scientist Peter
Wickham predicted a ruling party victory, but with a reduced
majority. Prior to the election, one UWP supporter cited
disaffection with the ruling party and the appeal to St. Lucian
youth of political newcomer Richard Frederick as reasons to expect
the vote for change that has now been registered.


8. (U) Post will provide further analysis when our two election
observers return from St. Lucia.

GILROY