VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWN #0195/01 0432146
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 122146Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4211
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1618
RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL

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