(C) ST. LUCIA PM COMPTON HOLDS HIS CARDS CLOSE BUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000195

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR MARR SNAR ASEC EAID ST XL
SUBJECT: (C) ST. LUCIA PM COMPTON HOLDS HIS CARDS CLOSE BUT
CLAIMS TO REIN IN CONTROVERSIAL MINISTER'S AMBITIONS

REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 49

B. 06 BRIDGETOWN 2180

Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On February 2, Deputy Chief of Mission
Gilroy called on Government of St. Lucia (GOSL) Prime
Minister Sir John Compton to congratulate him on his return
to power and to review the bilateral relationship. She also
raised USG concerns about charismatic cabinet member Richard
Frederick's close ties to narco-traffickers. Sir John
pledged his government's cooperation on security matters,
including measures to address crime against American
citizens, and assured DCM he had contained Minister
Frederick's ambitions to control a security-related portfolio
or attain leadership of the ruling party. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Sir John Compton, who surprised observers by returning
to office as Prime Minister for a seventh term in December
(ref B),received DCM Gilroy in St. Lucia on February 2.
This was the first time PM Compton had met with a USG
official since his return to power. Compton listened
attentively, took careful notes, but spoke very little during
the 45-minute, one-on-one meeting.

Reviewing Bilateral Business
--------------


3. (C) The DCM began the meeting by congratulating PM Compton
on his return to government. She also briefly outlined areas
of bilateral and regional assistance, particularly USG
support for Cricket World Cup, and then expressed the hope
that relations between the United States and St. Lucia would
improve under his administration. Futhermore, the DCM raised
four outstanding issues which remained unresolved in spite of
repeated efforts by the USG: renewal of the Status of Forces
Agreement (SOFA); a written response to the offer of a State
Partnership Program (SPP) between the National Guards of
Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Regional Security
System (RSS); an Article 98 agreement; and promulgation of
the 1987 Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA) by
publication in the official gazette. PM Compton accepted
copies of diplomatic notes on the SOFA and Article 98. He
made careful handwritten notes on all four issues but asked
almost nothing about them.


4. (C) PM Compton became most animated when the DCM raised
USG concerns about Minister for Housing, Urban Renewal, and
Local Government Richard Frederick (ref A),a dynamic
political newcomer whose deep pockets appear to be lined with
narco-dollars. The DCM explained that the USG had no
evidence which it could share or any information leading to
an indictment; however, it was important that these concerns
be shared early in the Compton administration to avoid
surprises later. Sir John acknowledged that he had known of
the rumors for "quite some time." Frederick had challenged
the government of then-PM Kenny Anthony to bring proof or
charge him, but it had not done so. Compton went on to say
that Frederick sought United Workers Party (UWP) endorsement
during the March 2006 by-election for the Castries Central
seat, but Compton decided to wait to see how Frederick fared
as an independent candidate. Running on the UWP slate in the
December 2006 parliamentary elections, Frederick handily won
re-election to the capital city seat, emerging as a
powerhouse in the PM's party. Widely regarded in the region
as a wily political operator, PM Compton has since taken
steps to contain Frederick's burgeoning ambitions. Noting
that Frederick hoped to gain a cabinet portfolio dealing with
internal security or communication, Compton acknowledged that
he personally blocked Frederick's appointment to positions in
which he would have access to information about air and sea
ports, citing Frederick's "strong support in the ghetto."
Instead, Compton put him in charge of housing where he could
help his base. Sir John assured the DCM that he has taken
steps to ensure Frederick would never take a leadership role
in the UWP, but he declined to specify what those steps were.


5. (C) PM Compton then shifted to talk about crime in
general. He was unaware of the Embassy's demarches for
information on crimes against American citizens but promised
his government's cooperation. He also welcomed future USG
training of St. Lucia's police and specialized units.

Comment
--------------


6. (C) Sir John was extremely guarded throughout the meeting.
He raised only one issue, the Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative, but did not press it, saying he understood why
the USG acted to require that all AmCits travel with
passports. It was interesting that he did not inquire about
U.S. assistance to St. Lucia nor did he say a word about
reviving the banana industry (one of his campaign promises).
The only theme about which PM Compton became animated was his
control over Frederick's rise to power. It seems that his
purpose was to prove to the USG that he holds the reins on
this mercurial figure.
OURISMAN