VZCZCXRO2926
OO RUEHGR
DE RUEHWN #2180/01 3461609
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121609Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3890
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1576
RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL

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