ST. LUCIA: GOVERNMENT TEETERS ON THE BRINK OF

S E C R E T BRIDGETOWN 000346

NOFORN
SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DHS CUSTOMS MIAMI FOR MLAPORE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/29/2028
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR CN SL XL
SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA: GOVERNMENT TEETERS ON THE BRINK OF
COLLAPSE, BUT PULLS BACK FOR THE MOMENT

REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 319

B. 07 BRIDGETOWN 810

C. 07 BRIDGETOWN 741

D. 07 BRIDGETOWN 589

Classified By: PolOff Tyler Allen for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) St. Lucia's leadership crisis came to a head in late
May as two ministers threatened to leave the governing party
and serve as independents and others weighed their options.
With the government facing the loss of its majority in
parliament, Economic Planning Minister Ausbert d'Auvergne
resigned May 23, and Prime Minister Stephenson King announced
May 27 that he had agreed to reinstate former Foreign
Minister Rufus Bousquet and the banished Marcus Nicholas back
in the Cabinet. The machinations of Bousquet, Nicholas, and
Housing Minister Richard Frederick, who are widely believed
to be corrupt, if not outright criminal, have led to a
widening fissure within the ruling United Workers Party (UWP)
into "pro-Compton" and "renegade MP" camps, with the latter
most recently luring deputy party leader Spider Montoute to
their side. Bousquet and Frederick appeared willing to take
down the government, as they would, according to party
insiders, receive a large payout from China for doing so.
The compromise reached with d'Auvergne's resignation appears
to have calmed the waters for the moment, but with four
ministers harboring ambitions of being Prime Minister, the
political infighting is likely to continue. END SUMMARY.

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JEANNINE COMPTON PAYS A VISIT
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2. (C) On May 22, embattled Prime Minister Stephenson King
contacted the Embassy to speak with the Ambassador, who was
traveling in the region. Speaking with the DCM, he indicated
that he wanted to send a representative to meet with the DCM
and Embassy staff to review two law enforcement issues
relating to members of his government whose resolution could
have some bearing on the current governing crisis. Sir John
Compton's daughter, a UWP member of parliament, Jeannine
Compton-Rambally, traveled to Bridgetown later that day to
meet with the DCM and mission staff. Cutting to the chase,
Compton asked what information the U.S. might have on
Bousquet's convictions in the United States and what Post
knew concerning ongoing investigations against Frederick.
She noted that the Prime Minister was seeking this background
to be better able to determine how to handle their threats to
leave the party. The request mirrored earlier requests by
the GOSL, and Post provided the same responses it has
previously (ref C an d D),that we can only share law
enforcement information requested through official channels,
such as the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, and only if such
information is used for law enforcement purposes. Post also
advised Compton that convictions are public information that
could be accessed through a private investigator or private
attorney.


3. (S/NF) Concerning Frederick, Post shared its understanding
that additional evidence concerning the customs case against
Frederick (ref B) is with CBP Miami and is awaiting
clearances within the GOSL for the Comptroller of Customs to
travel and receive the incriminating information. Compton
explained that Frederick is grabbing for more power in
Cabinet so that he could squash the investigation against
him. She then explained that the customs investigation is
connected to a murder investigation in which Scotland Yard is
involved.

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TYING KING'S HANDS
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4. (C) Following this discussion, the DCM, PolChief and
PolOff hosted Compton to dinner and reviewed the various

scenarios unfolding in St. Lucia. Noting that many in the
current government stood to lose their positions if the
government fell and the opposition returned, as is considered
likely, the DCM asked whether that would be enough incentive
to bring the rebels back from the brink. Compton explained
that threatening to return to the polls had been an
ineffective tool for King because, she said, China has
promised large sums of money to those -- namely Bousquet,
Frederick, and Nicholas -- who were willing to help bring
down the government and thereby allow the pro-China St. Lucia
Labour Party to return to office. To strengthen their
position against King, the renegade MPs then coaxed Social
Transformation Minister Lenard 'Spider' Montoute to their
side by promising to support him as Prime Minister. Although
Montoute was deputy political leader, then-PM Sir John
Compton appointed King as Acting Prime Minister during his
illness, a move that launched King to the office of Prime
Minister. Those supporting Montoute seemed to have played
off his disappointment of having been passed over. However,
many believe that Montoute is still too inexperienced to be
Prime Minister and that he would merely serve as Bousquet's
and Frederick's puppet.

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KING CAVES TO BOUSQUET
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5. (C) The day after the meeting with Compton, Prime
Minister King decided to play the only hand he had to keep
the party together and ask Economic Affairs Minister
D'Auvergne to resign and agree to return Bousquet and
Nicholas to Cabinet. The new cabinet positions have not yet
been determined, but Bousquet has indicated that he will
receive a "more prominent" portfolio. Contrary to statements
in the press that she would resign if Bousquet were allowed
in Cabinet, Compton told us she had no plans on leaving the
party. However, she added that she is unsure how well the
weakened King will be able to keep Bousquet, Nicholas, and
Frederick in line.

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COMMENT: BAND-AIDS ON BIGGER PROBLEMS
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6. (C) King appears to have found a compromise for the
moment that allows him to remain in office. However, as
Compton and another minister have told us, King continues to
paint himself further into a corner with each compromise.
Compton observed that he should have taken more decisive
action sooner, but waited too long and is now vulnerable.
Although this latest resolution keeps the party afloat, the
ship of state is likely to spring more leaks as the band aids
fall off. Unfortunately, the compromises have resulted in
more power shifting to potentially corrupt factions in the
party or those who have little stake in the success of the
government and would be willing to see it fail if they can
gain personally from outside money. Given the many personal
agendas in play in the UWP, it seems unlikely that the
current administration will be able to serve out its full
term in office through 2011.


8. (C) Among the more interesting comments Compton shared
with Post came in response to a question about her own
potential interest in serving as Prime Minister. She smiled,
and, while noting that many people in St. Lucia were calling
for her to step forward, insisted that she was not ready to
serve as Prime Minister "yet." Although new to politics,
Compton acknowledged to having spent many years listening to
political discussions between her father and his political
allies. Compton's incisive assessments of the political
situation and her clear understanding of King's options and
their likely consequences suggest she has the political savvy
to emerge as a UWP standard-bearer should the UWP limp along
for a long enough time for her to build her base of support.
OURISMAN