SUBJECT: ST.

LUCIA BY-ELECTION WON BY SUSPECTED DRUG TRAFFICKER

"56822","3/16/2006 13:38","06BRIDGETOWN469","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","","VZCZCXYZ0042 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0469/01 0751338 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 161338Z MAR 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2114 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000469 SIPDIS SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2016 TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINR, PREL, SNAR, KCRM, ST, XL

SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA BY-ELECTION WON BY SUSPECTED DRUG TRAFFICKER

REF: 05 BRIDGETOWN 589 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (C) Summary: The by-election held March 13 to fill a vacant seat in the St. Lucia Parliament was won by an individual suspected of drug trafficking. Richard Frederick, who ran for the seat as an independent, is currently under investigation by U.S. and St. Lucia law enforcement authorities for involvement in a trafficking operation that uses St. Lucia as a transshipment point for Colombian cocaine. How much is publicly known in St. Lucia about these allegations against Frederick is unclear at this time. The election result could boost the prospects of the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) in upcoming national elections by

demonstrating that a candidate can defeat the better-organized and funded ruling St. Lucia Labor Party. Some observers have taken the fact, however, that the UWP failed to run a candidate in the by-election as an indication of disarray within the party. It remains to be seen whether Richard Frederick will formally join the opposition in Parliament or if the allegations against him will complicate matters in the next election. End summary. ---------------------------------New MP a Suspected Drug Trafficker ---------------------------------2. (C) The winner of St. Lucia\'s March 13 by-election, independent candidate Richard Frederick, is a suspected drug trafficker who is currently under investigation by U.S. and St. Lucia law enforcement authorities. DEA Bridgetown reports that Frederick is believed to be involved in a trafficking operation that uses St. Lucia as a transshipment point for Colombian cocaine heading for the U.S. and other destinations. According to a DEA source, the St. Lucia police were surprised by Frederick\'s election victory and believe he managed to mobilize associates that rank among the more undesirable elements of St. Lucian society to help him win the race. A St. Lucia newspaper editor told Poloff that the impoverished constituency won by Frederick is full of \"bad boys\" who turned out to support their candidate. ---------------------------------How Much is Known about Frederick? ---------------------------------3. (C) During the course of Frederick\'s brief election campaign, neither the press nor his opponents raised questions about alleged involvement in drug trafficking, indicating that little may be known about this issue outside of law enforcement circles. Only one media outlet, the Cayman Island based Caribbean Net News, included any mention of Frederick\'s suspected illegal acitivies in its reporting. The St. Lucian press, however, failed to raise the issue at all. Neither did Frederick\'s main opponent in the election, former Attorney General Victor La Corbiniere, who asked only why Frederick did not address law and order issues such as drugs, illegal weapons, and money laundering during the campaign. One source told Poloff that nothing more than rumors are known about Frederick\'s supposed illegal activities, which no one dares publish or speak about publicly for fear of a libel suit.

----------------------------An Election Full of Surprises ----------------------------4. (U) The March 13 by-election held to fill an empty seat in the St. Lucia Parliament was full of surprises, not the least of which was the victory of an independent candidate. The by-election was precipitated by the January resignation from Parliament of Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, who represented a small third party, the Organization for National Empowerment (ONE). The MP claimed to have resigned to protest unfair treatment of her party, but observers believe she hoped to force Prime Minister Kenny Anthony to call an early national election. The PM declined to take the bait and instead called a by-election to fill the empty seat that represents the central district of Castries, the St. Lucian capital. Anthony\'s ruling St. Lucia Labor Party (SLP) proceeded to choose as its candidate Attorney General Victor La Corbiniere, who resigned from his position in Government to campaign for the vacant seat. 5. (U) Note: Elections are not constitutionally due in St. Lucia until early 2007. However, as a condition of hosting the Cricket World Cup in March 2007, St. Lucia, like other Caribbean nations, agreed to a moratorium on elections during the six months both before and after the sporting event. This means that St. Lucia is likely to hold national elections by September 2006. End note. --------------------------------------Opposition Declines to Contest Election --------------------------------------6. (U) The opposition United Workers Party initially intended to run as its candidate in the by-election former Prime Minister Vaughn Lewis, who dropped out of the race and announced he would exit electoral politics after he was criticized by party members as being a poor candidate. The UWP ultimately chose not to contest the by-election and instead criticized PM Anthony for subjecting St. Lucia to a costly race for a single parliamentary seat rather than call national elections. Observers speculated that the opposition, failing to find a suitable candidate for the by-election, opted to sit out the race rather than lose a seat that had traditionally been a UWP stronghold. Such an outcome would have made the party look particularly weak just

as former PM John Compton, who came out of retirement in 2005 to take over the troubled organization, was preparing the opposition for the next elections (reftel). --------------------------Independent Enters the Race --------------------------7. (U) With just two weeks to go before the March 13 by-election, Richard Frederick announced that he would run as an independent candidate. The media reported that UWP members had pressed party leader John Compton to dub Frederick its official candidate, but Compton declined to do so. After Frederick\'s independent candidacy became official, there was speculation that he was in reality a stalking horse for the UWP, which could take credit if Frederick won the race but would not look like a loser if he lost to the ruling party\'s candidate. -----------------------------------Short Campaign and Low Voter Turnout -----------------------------------8. (U) Although the campaign leading up to the by-election was brief, the race dominated the St. Lucia media. This attention failed, however, to invigorate the public and the March 13 poll saw a turnout of only 34 percent of registered voters. According to initial results, independent Richard Frederick won with 1,516 votes (47.7 percent) to 1,267 (39.6 percent) for SLP candidate Victor La Corbiniere. Third party candidate Sarah Flood-Beaubrun, who, in a strange twist, opted to run for the seat she had just resigned from, took 415 votes (13 percent). As a result of the election, the lineup of the 17-seat St. Lucia Parliament has remained unchanged with the SLP holding 14 seats to only 1 for the opposition UWP and 2 independent MPs. -----------------------------------Good or Bad News for the Opposition? -----------------------------------9. (U) The victory of an independent candidate may be a mixed blessing for the opposition. While the UWP did not formally win the race, victorious independent candidate Richard Frederick is a UWP member, a fact that was highlighted during the brief election campaign. Some observers have taken his winning over SLP candidate Victor La Corbiniere as a repudiation of the ruling party. This may buoy the

opposition as it prepares for elections later this year. The fact, however, that the UWP failed to field a candidate in a constituency that was traditionally a stronghold of the party has been seen by some as an indication of continued organizational problems that the party will not be able to correct before national elections are held. Such a result would consign the UWP to three straight election defeats. -----------------What Happens Next? -----------------10. (C) Comment: How the election to Parliament of a suspected drug trafficker will play out in St. Lucia remains to be seen, as it is unclear at this time how widely known are the allegations against Richard Frederick. If opposition leader John Compton knew about the charges of criminal activity, this may explain why he refused to anoint Frederick as the UWP\'s candidate in the by-election. The fact that the press failed to raise serious questions about Frederick suggests, however, that either the allegations against him are not well known or that St. Lucians may prefer to simply look the other way. From a law enforcement perspective, Richard Frederick\'s elevation to Parliamentarian could make the investigation into his suspected activities more difficult to pursue. Post will continue to report on the various aspects of this situation as they develop. 11. (C) An additional element of the St. Lucia by-election is the impact the result may have on the signing of an Article 98 Agreement. Former Attorney General Victor La Corbiniere was the USG\'s main point of contact on this issue within the Government of St. Lucia. PM Anthony could re-appoint him as AG, but considering the various delays already encountered in negotiating an Article 98 Agreement it is likely that the election shakeup will be a further impediment to concluding an agreement. End comment. KRAMER

"84363","11/3/2006 21:37","06BRIDGETOWN1946","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","06BRIDGETOWN469","VZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #1946/01 3072137 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 032137Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3649 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 001946 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2016 TAGS: PGOV, PINR, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA: RULING PARTY HAS A LEG UP ON A CLOSE ELECTION REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 469 B. BRIDGETOWN 239 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: St. Lucia faces a close race in the upcoming national elections, which have not yet been called but are expecteD sometime in December. The opposition party is resting its hopes on the current desire for change apparent among the populace, while the ruling party is basing its campaign on recent accomplishments and more experienced candidates. The results will largely depend on whether the people feel only a party turnover can bring the change they desire. The ruling party seems to have recently regained momentum and will likely win a third-term in office. END SUMMARY. ----------------------AN ATMOSPHERE OF CHANGE -----------------------

2. (SBU) Prime Minister of St. Lucia Kenny Anthony will soon call elections, likely for early December, as he is constitutionally mandated to do by the end of the year. Once appearing to be a sure win for the ruling party, the elections now appear to be much closer, leaving some political observers unwilling to predict a victor. Richard Frederick\'s victory in the March 2006 by-election for the Castries Central seat gave renewed hope to the opposition party and, according to political observers, shook PM Anthony\'s confidence (ref A). The opposition party, the United Workers Party (UWP), is interpreting this by-election as evidence of the people\'s desire for change. Guy Mayers, an opposition candidate, stated that the failure of the ruling party to win the March by-election against a last-minute independent candidate illustrates the ruling party\'s vulnerability. Many compare this atmosphere of change to the elections of 1997, the last time there was a major power shift. 3. (C) According to Sir John Compton, leader of the UWP and Prime Minister in 1964-79 and 1982-96, the ruling party has lost all credibility by breaking too many promises over the last nine years. Furthermore, opposition leaders claim possible corruption in the government, citing sudden increases in the standard of living of many MPs following their victory in 1997. ----------THE PLAYERS ----------4. (C) Although PM Anthony is still the clear leader of the ruling St. Lucian Labour Pary (SLP), his popularity has waned recently. Because of this trend, he cannot count on his popularity alone and has brought in reinforcements. Dr. Julian Hunte, a former MP, returned from serving as Ambassador to the United Nations to run as an SLP candidate, and Dr. Vaughn Lewis, former Prime Minister and UWP leader, has crossed the aisle to run with the SLP. Also, seven incumbents are running again, including Ministers Philip Pierre, Felix Finisterre, and Damian Greaves, all very popular and seen as effective ministers. 5. (C) The jury is still out, however, on the addition of Lewis to the SLP slate. Some believe Lewis provides further credibility to SLP because of his doctorate, his leadership of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) for

fourteen years, and his short stint as Prime Minister in 1996. Other observers disagree, explaining that St. Lucians shy away from voting for losers. Because of Lewis\'s loses in 1997 and 2001, many see Lewis as a loser and believe he will hurt the ruling party\'s chances in the upcoming elections. 6. (C) Having served as Prime Minister for almost 30 years, Compton is a legend in St. Lucian politics. The rest of the UWP candidates, though, are young and inexperienced. Stephenson King is seen as one of the more respected leaders of the party, but lost in 1997 and 2001, tarnishing his image. Guy Mayers, another up and coming leader, is a businessman and previous president of the Chamber of Commerce, but is a first-time candidate and new to the public sector. In short, the SLP is seen as having a \"much deeper bench\" than the opposition, with both its first and second tier of leadership showing greater education and experience than even the first tier of the UWP. However, Compton stated that, even with their inexperience, his party will prevail because the SLP candidates suffer from a loss of credibility due to the corruption and broken promises of the last nine years. 7. (C) After his victory in the March by-election, many UWP supporters see Frederick as the new blood of the UWP. As with Lewis, though, Frederick is receiving mixed reviews. Two party leaders confirmed that considerable friction exists behind the scenes between Compton and Frederick. Also, newspaper editor and independent observer Victor Marquis claims that Frederick has a dark cloud over him because of his alleged criminal activities that will hurt his credibility in the election. (NOTE: Marquis confirmed to PolOff Frederick\'s suspected drug and crime involvement reported in reftel A. Marquis explained that his last live-in girlfriend of two years was previously Frederick\'s girlfriend. She confided in Marquis everything she knew about Frederick\'s questionable activities. Marquis said that he has an alarm on his house and fears what will happen to him if Frederick learns what he knows. According to Marquis, what is widely known of Frederick\'s criminal behavior is not half of what there is to know. END NOTE.) 8. (C) Another journalist, Timothy Poleon, countered Marquis\' argument by suggesting that Frederick\'s alleged crime connections will actually help him in the election. According to Poleon, people are asking why the Prime Minister does not arrest Frederick if the allegations against him are

true? Poleon stated that lack of government action against Frederick is convincing the populace that the allegations are simply spin and have no basis. -----------------------AN ELECTION WON BY SEATS -----------------------9. (C) When analyzing individual seats, a ruling party victory looks likely. Most observers, including independent and opposition figures, pinpoint five seats the SLP is likely to win: Vieux Fort South (PM Anthony\'s district), Vieux Fort North, Laborie, Dennery South, and Castries East. In addition to these five seats, popular incumbents are running in another four districts, giving the SLP a good chance to win at least nine of 17 seats. The only seat currently going to the UWP with confidence is Compton\'s district, Micoud North. -----------------SIGNS TO WATCH FOR -----------------11. (SBU) In campaigning, SLP leaders have sought to parade the current government\'s successes during its nine-year tenure, particularly those in infrastructure development. Their goal is to remind voters of the increased electricity production and distribution throughout the island, the newly-built prison, the creation of universal health care and universal secondary education, and the expansion of telecommunications, roads, and water supply. SLP leaders will also point out that the opposition has yet to provide solutions to areas where they claim change is needed: crime and the economy. Much of the election will rest on the ability of the SLP to shore up its credibility, while the UWP attempts to rip it down. This battle will play a significant role in the elections. 12. (C) Another important factor is campaign financing. Because of the relatively small size of Saint Lucia\'s economy, campaign contributions go a long way, particularly when politicians pass the funds directly to members of the electorate (ref B). For example, party t-shirts wrapped around money are common at campaign rallies, as are politicians buying groceries or sponsoring house repairs. In private conversations with PolOff, various opposition figures, including Compton, emphasized that they are unsure how they will counter the ruling party\'s ability to obtain

and use campaign funds. 13. (SBU) The most flashy sign of support is attendance at campaign rallies. These rallies essentially play out like parties -- the more fun the party and more popular the entertainers, the larger the crowd. Larger crowds mean more people wearing t-shirts in the sponsoring party\'s color, as well as more goodies, such as flags and banners, handed out and popping up in shop windows and automobiles. If successful, this can lead to a band wagon mentality where people begin supporting the \"more popular\" party. Early in the campaign, rallies put on by either party were equally well attended. However, according to observers, SLP red is starting to appear in more windows and on more cars than UWP yellow, as attendance at SLP rallies continues to increase. 14. (C) Finally, Marquis projected that Compton will bow out of the race if he thinks his party will lose the elections. According to Marquis, Compton will not let himself be a standing opposition MP because the persecution he would face from the ruling party would damage his reputation and legacy. Although Compton did not directly confirm this, he emphasized his desire for a strong hold on power by stating he would not be happy with anything less than 12 seats. According to Compton, SLP supporters would be in the streets rallying against him if he wins a narrow majority. ------COMMENT ------15. (C) Although there are many who are ready for change in St. Lucia, particularly with the worsening crime and economic situations, the momentum is not yet strong enough to force the SLP out of office. The UWP cannot match the breadth of experience found in the SLP camp. The strongest UWP figure is its leader Compton; he is the glue holding the party together. Currently, there are no other obvious candidates to lead the UWP which is why the party asked Compton to come out of retirement. However, Compton is a polarizing figure. As Prime Minister, Compton often awarded party supporters with appointments and scholarships, while ostracizing SLP supporters. Because of this, Compton is despised by his opponents as much as he is revered by his supporters. 16. (C) One of the most interesting characters to come out of this election is Frederick, who is quickly positioning

himself as a future UWP leader. Frederick is popular, charismatic, wealthy, has had a successful career as a police officer and lawyer, and, most importantly, is viewed as politically powerful because of his surprising victory in the March by-election. His possible criminal ties, however, make his rise to power worrisome. It is unlikely that Frederick will lose his seat against SLP\'s Lewis, and another victory in his district in such a short time will solidy his power in the UWP, regardless of the general outcome of the elections. 17. (C) How this election will affect U.S. interests in international relations, crime, and the economy in St. Lucia will be reported in septel. OURISMAN

"84872","11/8/2006 13:57","06BRIDGETOWN1961","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","06BRIDGETOWN1946","VZCZCXYZ0018 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #1961/01 3121357 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 081357Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3666 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0262 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1561 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0120 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 001961 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/29/2016 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, EPET, EINV, ENRG, SOCI, KCRM, VE, CH, TW, CU, XL SUBJECT: U.S. INTERESTS IN ST. LUCIAN ELECTIONS: FOREIGN RELATIONS, CRIME, AND THE ECONOMY REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 1946 B. BRIDGETOWN 1743 C. BRIDGETOWN 700 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 1. (C) SUMMARY: The most pertinent issues for the United States in the upcoming St. Lucian elections are foreign relations, crime, and the economy. The ruling St. Lucian Labor Party (SLP) is expected to hold on to power, and therefore, significant change in St. Lucia\'s policies is unlikely. However, if the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) were to pull off a victory, the status quo, especially in international relations, could shift because of the opposition party\'s support for the United States and discomfort with strong ties to Venezuela and Cuba. The

opposition party may also return diplomatic recognition from China to Taiwan. Although the opposition party currently speaks of changes in economic policy, including a return to the banana industry, it is unlikely that an opposition victory would result in dramatic changes in the government\'s approach to managing the economy or law enforcement. END SUMMARY. 2. (C) St. Lucia is preparing for what will likely be a close election (ref A). The outcome of the election could impact the government\'s policy direction in three key areas of interest to the United States: foreign relations, crime, and the economy. Two of these three, crime and the economy, are also major campaign issues for both parties. However, the two parties more commonly attack each other\'s lack of plans rather than presenting their own ideas on these matters. In private discussions, however, party members spoke more candidly concerning their plans if their respective party wins the elections. ----------------FOREIGN RELATIONS ----------------3. (C) The starkest difference between the two parties falls in the realm of foreign relations. The ruling St. Lucian Labour Party (SLP) shows no signs of making any dramatic changes to its current policies. For example, St. Lucia continues to progress toward an agreement with Venezuela on Petrocaribe (ref B). PM Kenny Anthony continues to deepen his friendship with Cuba, stating at the recent Non-Aligned Movement summit that Cuba is a \"majestic example\" of international cooperation. He also saluted the \"humanitarian impulse\" of President Fidel Castro. There may be some subtle course corrections after an elections victory. Various standing ministers stated that Senator Petrus Compton will not continue as Minister for External Affairs, International Trade, and Civil Aviation. Although no officials would comment in detail about a possible, post-election cabinet reshuffle, Dr. Julian Hunte, former Ambassador to the United Nations, and Dr. Vaughn Lewis, former Prime Minister and former director of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), are both likely candidates to replace FM Compton. 4. (C) On the other hand, pro-U.S. and anti-Venezuela/Cuba attitudes are widespread among current United Workers Party (UWP) leadership. Various UWP figures clearly expressed

their dissatisfaction with Petrocaribe, stating that a UWP government would move away from the agreement (ref B). The UWP is nervous that deepening relations with Venezuela and Cuba will harm St. Lucian relations with the United States, a relationship they believe will yield more long-term benefits. Leonard \'Spider\' Montoute, a UWP candidate, stated that choosing the United States over Venezuela and Cuba is worth rocking the boat with St. Lucia\'s CARICOM neighbors. 5. (C) On September 5, PM Anthony publicly called on former Prime Minister and senior UWP leader Sir John Compton to admit whether the UWP has promised that the party will reestablish relations with Taiwan if it wins the election. Compton responded by saying the party will disclose its policies after it is elected. Clarifying his views in a private discussion, Compton told PolOff that a UWP government should not be the type of government that easily shifts recognition of countries. Instead, the government should only shift national recognition under circumstances of grave interference within internal affairs. Conversations with various party leaders suggest that many UWP members believe China interference is reaching that \"grave\" level. Michael Flood, a UWP Senator, stated that a UWP government would most certainly shift recognition from China to Taiwan, that Compton has stated this in party meetings, and that this is already in the party\'s Manifesto. (Note: Flood is a UWP stalwart and currently serves as an administrative manager of the party. However, it was clear in meetings with Flood that, although he knows and is willing to share much behind-the-scenes information, he sometimes speaks without having all his facts straight. End note.) 6. (C) When asked about possible ministers in a UWP government, multiple UWP leaders pointed to Keith St. Amy as the probable Minister for External Affairs, International Trade, and Civil Aviation. St. Amy is a retired career diplomat and former Ambassador. Even in the event of a UWP victory, it is unlikely that St. Amy will win in his district, Laborie, because of its tradition as a SLP stronghold (ref A). However, if the UWP wins the elections, St. Amy could be appointed as Minister of External Affairs if first appointed as a Senator by his party. ----CRIME -----

7. (C) The government is currently under attack for an incomplete response to the increase in violent crime (ref C). In both 2004 and 2005, Saint Lucia had 37 homicides on record. This year, St. Lucia has already recorded 28 homicides. Rather than presenting solutions to combat crime, government officials glossed over the issue with the argument that the opposition party would not be able to handle it any better. Although the government has increased police resources, including numbers of officers, police stations, vehicles, and forensic equipment, ruling party officials were unable to provide other potential solutions to fighting crime. Two officials, Minister for Commerce and Tourism Philip Pierre and Press Secretary Earl Bousquet, provided excuses, stating that police are unable to stop certain types of offenses, such as crimes of passion. These officials stated that if a man learns of his wife\'s infidelity and kills her for it, there is no way the police can know of and stop such a crime before it occurs. Similarly, these officials explained that, because of St. Lucia\'s small geographic size and population, everyone is directly linked together, resulting in the police being unwilling to arrest drug dealers or other criminals from their neighborhoods because of mutual personal or family connections. 8. (C) Like the ruling party, the UWP has provided little in terms of plans to counter the increase in serious crimes. Compton proposed subsidizing trade schools that would educate more young people and lower unemployment, but the ruling party currently has a similar program in place. Guy Mayers, a UWP candidate, recommended a reversal of the government\'s current gun control program. Mayers stated that the government currently pays ECD 2500 (approximately USD 926) to anyone surrending a firearm to the police. However, according to Mayers, firearms are available in Martinique for only ECD 400-500 (USD 148-185). Mayers explained that this has actually increased the flow of firearms from Martinique to St. Lucia. In private discussions, it also seemed clear that the UWP is still unsure whom it would appoint as Minister for Home Affairs and Internal Security if it were to win the election. This ministerial seat will prove an important position in 2007 as it will inherit both the crime problem and security issues related to Cricket World Cup. ----------THE ECONOMY ----------9. (C) In recent years, the government has had success in

shifting the economy from banana-based to tourism-based. According to the Caribbean Development Bank, St. Lucia enjoyed 4 percent economic growth in 2004 and 5 percent in 2005, with the tourism industry growing 5.9 percent in 2004 and 6.3 percent in 2005. Also, although unemployment is still high, it dropped from 21 percent in 2004 to 17.5 percent in the second quarter of 2005. Both ruling party and opposition leaders credit the SLP for fostering the tourism industry. As such, the ruling party plans to continue this approach with no thought of returning to agriculture. Pierre and Minister for Communications and Works Felix Finisterre both emphasized that the banana industry is dead and there are no plans to resurrect it. 10. (C) On the other hand, the opposition party believes that subsidies can revive the banana industry to a respectable level, although not to its historic peak. Compton stated that the ruling party\'s current policy is not privatization but rather abandonment and that it is important to help the banana industry return to at least a functioning level. UWP officials believe that the current tourism economy does not trickle down as efficiently as agriculture did and, therefore, plan to revive bananas while also diversifying agriculture and focusing on value-added agricultural products that may have a foreign market. ------COMMENT ------11. (C) Although a victory in the next election by the ruling SLP is increasingly likely, the election will be close. A victory by the SLP will mean continuity in its policies, even with an impending cabinet reshuffle. However, if the opposition takes the reins of government in the upcoming elections, the biggest change would come in foreign relations. The UWP has consistently backed a pro-U.S. foreign policy. It is probable that the UWP would move away from Venezuela and Cuba and more toward a U.S.-centered policy. UWP leaders alluded to PolOff, however, that the UWP will expect an increase of U.S. foreign aid in return for such diplomatic support. Although not certain, it is also possible that the UWP may switch diplomatic recognition from China back to Taiwan. 12. (C) In terms of crime and the economy, SLP leaders are correct in stating that UWP leaders will be working with the

same constraints the SLP currently faces. Because of this, it is doubtful that either party would be able to provide a quick solution to crime, nor would either party move drastically away from the tourism industry, regardless of UWP rhetoric. OURISMAN

"86229","11/17/2006 21:14","06BRIDGETOWN2026","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","06BRIDGETOWN1961","VZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #2026 3212114 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 172114Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3733 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0265 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1564 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0123 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 002026 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR, INR/I SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2016 TAGS: PINR, PREL, TW, SL, XL SUBJECT: TAIWAN INVOLVEMENT IN ST. LUCIAN ELECTIONS SUSPECTED, BUT NO EVIDENCE (C-AL6-01675) REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 1961 B. STATE 175636 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: Although many observers believe that Taiwan is supporting the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) in the December 11 St. Lucian elections, there is little evidence because of the lack of transparency in campaign finance. PM Anthony has expressed concern that Taiwan will provide funds through its Embassy in St. Kitts and Nevis, citing as evidence opposition leader Sir John Compton\'s visit with Taiwan\'s president in St. Vincent last year. A UWP figure confirmed that the purpose of Compton\'s meeting with Taiwan\'s president was to negotiate campaign assistance. END SUMMARY.

2. (SBU) A number of observers believe that Taiwan is supporting the opposition United Workers Party in the upcoming St. Lucian elections to be held December 11. However, there is little evidence supporting this suspicion because there are no laws for or norms of campaign finance disclosure in the Eastern Caribbean. Also, because of the small populations in Eastern Caribbean states, there is little political will to require transparency. Citizens are hesitant to inform their neighbors how much they are donating and to which parties. 3. (U) On September 28, 2005, UWP leader and former St. Lucia Prime Minister Sir John Compton met with President of Taiwan Chen Shui-Bian in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which Compton denied until St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony provided evidence of the trip. The ruling St, Lucia Labour Party (SLP) accused Compton of meeting with President Chen to request support for the upcoming elections. PM Anthony also expressed concern that the Taiwan Embassy in St. Kitts and Nevis may attempt to funnel money to the UWP campaign. 4. (C) On a November 13 telcon with PolOff, UWP Senator Michael Flood admitted that Compton negotiated with Taiwan concerning campaign contributions during his trip to St. Vincent more than a year ago, but claimed that the UWP has not received any funding from Taiwan because the government has blocked all diplomatic sources of funding. Flood did not discuss private or corporate sources of contributions from Taiwan. (Note: Although such a policy shift seems unlikely, Flood stated adamantly on September 19 that the UWP would reverse diplomatic recognition from China back to Taiwan if victorious in the upcoming elections (ref A). However, in the November 13 telcon with PolOff, Flood backed away from these statements, suggesting that the UWP will reevaluate its relationship with the two Chinas and do what is in the best interest of St. Lucian foreign policy. End Note.) 5. (C) Peter Wickham, political scientist, pollster, and consultant to the SLP, said in a private conversation with PolOff on September 15 that Taiwan is likely contributing to the UWP and may even be contributing to both parties to maximize influence in the government. He emphasized, however, that this is just conjecture because, even as a consultant, he has not seen any details concerning campaign donations. 6. (C) COMMENT: Although Flood insisted that the UWP has not received \"a single cent\" from Taiwan, PolOff\'s conversations

with the UWP senator tend to veer into requests for USG donations to the UWP campaign chest. Thus, partisans\' testimony that Taiwan has not been involved is unpersuasive. Because of his role as an outside consultant to the SLP and his long-term involvement with Caribbean politics, Wickham\'s conjecture that Taiwan is involved with the UWP and possibly contributing to both parties is much more believable, if still unproven. In any case, the lack of accountability for campaign funds results in all statements being speculative, particularly because those who could speak authoritatively refuse to do so to protect their sources of support. OURISMAN

SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA ELECTIONS DECEMBER 11; COMPETING POLLSTERS CONFLICT IN PREDICTING VICTORY =============== "86232","11/17/2006 21:24","06BRIDGETOWN2027","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","06BRIDGETOWN1946","VZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #2027/01 3212124 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 172124Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3734 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1565 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 002027 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR AND INR/IAA SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2016 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA ELECTIONS DECEMBER 11; COMPETING POLLSTERS CONFLICT IN PREDICTING VICTORY REF: BRIDGETOWN 1946 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Anthony announced that St. Lucian elections will be held on December 11. Two key polls have predicted conflicting outcomes for the elections. The track record of the pollster predicting that the ruling party will retain its majority in Parliament seems to be the more reliable. END SUMMARY. 2. (U) On November 16, St. Lucia\'s PM Kenny Anthony announced that parliamentary elections will be held December 11, 2006. If PM Anthony\'s St. Lucian Labour Party (SLP) wins, it will mean a precedent-making third term for the ruling party.

Previous to its current administration (1997-present), the SLP held power from 1979-82. PM Anthony pushed the date for this election to the limit: constitutionally, elections should be held every five years. The last elections took place December 3, 2001. Dueling Pollsters ----------------3. (U) Two polls, financed respectively by the two major political parties, reached contradictory predictions of the outcome of the upcoming elections. The Caribbean Development Research Services, Inc. (CADRES), retained by the ruling St. Lucian Labour Party (SLP), predicted an SLP victory. According to the CADRES poll conducted in October 2006, 34 percent of those surveyed preferred the SLP, while 28 percent supported the opposition United Workers Party (UWP), with a margin of error of 5 percent at the national level. The polling results of an American firm hired by the UWP showed that the challengers were ahead in 11 of 17 districts, with two more leaning toward the UWP. 4. (U) In the CADRES poll, 37 percent of those surveyed refused to say which party they support and were labeled \"uncertain voters.\" To bolster its prediction of an SLP victory, CADRES noted that, when comparing this year\'s data to that of a November 2005 survey, voters\' references reflect a 10 percent upswing in favor of the SLP against an 8 percent drop in UWP popularity. Furthermore, 29 percent of the \"uncertain voters\" placed greater confidence in the SLP to lead St. Lucia, while 18 percent were more confident in the UWP\'s ability. Finally, those surveyed were asked their preferred choice for Prime Minister, with 47 percent choosing SLP leader and standing Prime Minister Anthony, while only 29 percent supported veteran UWP leader (and former Prime Minister, 1964-79 and 1982-96) Sir John Compton. This outcome is a notable change from the 2005 data in which only 39 percent preferred PM Anthony to 40 percent for Compton. To date, CADRES claims to have achieved 100 percent accuracy in pre-election polling in the Eastern Caribbean. 5. (C) The UWP hired an American firm to conduct a poll in late October 2006. Although post has not yet received a copy of the results, a UWP figure reported to PolOff that the methodology of this poll focused more on individual districts than the CADRES poll. According to the UWP source, the results show that the UWP is clearly ahead in 11 districts, the SLP is ahead in four, with two seats too close to call,

but likely to go to the UWP. The UWP-funded poll results also indicated a near dead heat in voter preference for prime minister, with Compton ahead of Anthony by just one or two points. Polling Challenges -----------------6. (C) Political consultant Peter Wickham, head of CADRES, explained to PolOff why district polling tends to be unreliable in Eastern Caribbean islands. According to Wickham, it is unwise to place confidence in results based on district seats because of the difficulty in surveying an appropriate sample size. Wickham explained that to have accurate district data, a sample size of roughly 1000 voters would have to be surveyed in each district, which is challenging in the Eastern Caribbean for two reasons. Because the population of each district is small, too large a sample results in oversampling of the necessary clusters. Second, obtaining accurate results from that many people is neither culturally nor logistically feasible (NFI). Therefore, although elections are won by individual district results, survey data attempting to predict outcomes by district are unreliable, according to Wickham. He further stated that, from his extensive experience as a Caribbean pollster, district polling is not necessary because national polling trends commonly reflect district results. Coupling his statistical knowledge with his personal observations of the St. Lucia campaign, Wickham predicts that the UWP will gain a couple seats, but that the SLP will retain its majority--currently 13 of 17 seats. Comment ------7. (C) CADRES\'s statistical methodology uses formulas the firm developed to account for unique characteristics of Eastern Caribbean populations. Wickham credits his \"100 percent success rate\" at calling elections to this specially tailored methodology. Three weeks away from election day, CADRES\'s prediction of an SLP victory seems sound and is consistent with post\'s analysis (reftel). Furthermore, general momentum, as seen in the press, at political rallies, and in the form of banners and posters around the capital Castries, appears to reflect the ruling party\'s stronger position. OURISMAN

"89174","12/12/2006 16:09","06BRIDGETOWN2180","Embassy Bridgetown","UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY","06BRIDGETOWN1946","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 Rufus Bousquet Edmund Estephane Richard Frederick (Incumbent) Arsene James (Incumbent) Ezekial Joseph Guy Joseph Stephenson King Keith Mondesir Leonard \"Spider\" Montoute Marcus Nicholas (Incumbent) Micoud North Choiseul Dennery South Castries Central Micoud South Babonneau Castries South East Castries North Anse La Raye/Canaries Gros Islet 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

"89912","12/18/2006 12:12","06BRIDGETOWN2202","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","06BRIDGETOWN2180","VZCZCXYZ0007 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #2202/01 3521212 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 181212Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3912 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1578 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 002202 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/14/2016 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, PINR, ECON, EAGR, EPET, SNAR, ST, VE, CU, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIAN ELECTIONS: THE WHO, THE HOW, AND THE WHAT\'S NEXT REF: BRIDGETOWN 2180 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: Sir John Compton was sworn in as Prime Minister of St. Lucia on December 15 after his United Workers Party (UWP) defeated the ruling St. Lucia Labor Party (SLP) in December 11 elections. Leonard \"Spider\" Montoute has been selected to become Deputy PM. Reasons for opposition UWP victory include mismanagement and cost overruns in government projects and an unexpected increase in the numbers of voters turning out to support change in the form of the opposition. PM Compton\'s cabinet, to be officially announced and sworn in on December 19, will likely feature several inexperienced, first-time public servants. UWP priorities include campaign finance reform, revising the new labor code, and revitalizing agriculture. It also seems likely that UWP will distance itself from PetroCaribe and other Venezuelan initiatives. END SUMMARY.

THE PLAYERS: A SPIDER AND SOME NEWCOMERS ---------------------------------------2. (SBU) On December 15, veteran politician Sir John Compton was sworn in as Prime Minister of St. Lucia following the official ballot count and certification of results. Leonard \"Spider\" Montoute was given the role of Deputy Prime Minister. Montoute is a former athlete, educator, and community servant who has emerged as an astute politician. In his first attempt at running for office in 2001, Montoute only lost by 273 votes against then Deputy PM Mario Michel. In the December 11 election, he convincingly defeated former UN Ambassador Julian Hunte by 1,024 votes. During the 2006 campaign, Montoute served as deputy UWP leader, becoming Compton\'s right-hand man. He studied both in Germany and the United States, earning a degree in Sports Medicine at New Jersey\'s Kean University. 3. (SBU) The new cabinet is scheduled to be sworn in on December 19, and current projections show only two previous cabinet members and four previous members of parliament. Although changes may occur in the interim, current plans are for PM Compton to handle the Finance and Physical Planning portfolios, Rufus Bousquet to become either Foreign Minister or Tourism Minister, and Keith Mondesir to assume the job of Minister of National Security and Home Affairs. An Attorney General is still to be determined. Post will report the final cabinet appointments after they are made official. 4. (C) Although Central Castries victor Richard Frederick was not appointed Deputy PM as many expected, he is currently slated to take the position of Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, and Local Governance. More on Frederick\'s background and intra-party manuevering will be reported septel. THE VICTORY: HOW UWP WON -----------------------5. (U) A narrow ruling party victory with a stronger opposition had been the general prediction by observers, political scientists, and the general public going into the elections. The St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) was favored in three reputable polls, two by Jamaica\'s Bill Johnson and one by Barbados-based Peter Wickham (reftel). It was also estimated that the SLP spent two times as much on advertising as the UWP did. After the UWP upset, many commented that

the UWP won because the SLP shot itself in the foot. 6. (C) Montoute summarized for PolOff the reasons for the UWP victory. According to Deputy PM-select, the SLP government got arrogant, mismanaging a number of projects and then not explaining its actions to satisfaction of the public. As an example, Montoute cited the manager of the National Conservation Authority (NCA) who used NCA-paid workers to staff his private restaurants. He also pointed to the many cost overruns in public projects, such as various road construction projects in preparation for Cricket World Cup. In addition to mismanagement and cost overruns, Montoute claimed that the voters were tired of the deteriorating security situation in St. Lucia and the increasingly unequal distribution of wealth. Montoute\'s comments parallel the general sentiment of voters with whom PolOff spoke. 7. (U) Another important factor in the opposition victory was the increased number of voters who came out to support the UWP. The SLP not only retained its votes from the 2001 election, but actually gained votes: 34,142 votes in 2001 and 35,830 votes in 2006. However, the UWP garnered a walloping 15,000 more votes in 2006: from 23,095 votes in 2001 to 38,212 in 2006. This same dynamic was reflected in individual races. For example, popular SLP minister Felix Finisterre received 2,333 votes in 2001 and 2,510 in 2006, but lost his seat because the turnout of opposition voters gave his opponent even more votes. Journalist Rick Wayne reflected on television that many voters intended to vote UWP to strengthen the opposition, but so many did so that the opposition triumphed. 8. (U) Other factors working against the SLP campaign include the laying off of over 100 employees at the Sandals resort in November and the ensuing protest at Sandals\' gates, two murders less than a week before the election, and an increase in traffic congestion due to road construction the week prior to the election. Also, Wickham observed in an interview that publishing Johnson\'s poll results two days before the election actually hurt the SLP by making party supporters complacent about what seemed to be an impending victory. THE PLAN: FIRST UNDERTAKINGS OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT --------------------------------------------- ----9. (C) Prior to and immediately following the elections, PM Compton made it clear that he will make campaign finance reform one of his first priorities. In a private

conversation, Montoute informed PolOff that, on December 14, PM Compton again raised this plan in a party meeting, stating that he was happy that former PM Kenny Anthony had accused the UWP campaign of accepting drug money because he can now point to opposition members and say they have to support the reform legislation because of their dissatisfaction with the campaign\'s funding. 10. (C) Montoute also confirmed that two items of the former government\'s unfinished business will likely be reversed. First, according to Montoute, Compton has already declared that the new Labour Code, which was passed on November 13 but has yet to be promulgated, will \"go back to the drafters\" for revisions. Second, when asked about Petrocaribe, which St. Lucia has not yet officially signed, Montoute predicted that St. Lucia \"will not be part of Chavez\'s game.\" Montoute characterized Hugo Chavez as the next Fidel Castro, noting that St. Lucia \"is not interested in Chavez\'s personal ego, but only interested in its national development.\" 11. (U) Future priorities for the new UWP government also include decreasing crime by increasing youth training programs and introducing wider agricultural diversification. Revitalizing the agricultural sector is one of the chief priorities for the government. COMMENT: THINGS NOT AS EASY AS THEY SEEM ---------------------------------------12. (SBU) Although the clear-cut opposition victory surprised many St. Lucians as well as outside observers, in many respects the new government still faces an uphill battle. For example, the 11-6 win came with only 51.6 per cent of the popular vote. Also, the UWP is bringing in a relatively inexperienced team to enact and implement its policies. Of the 11 parliamentary victors, five have never held public office (Montoute, Estephane, Ezekial Joseph, Guy Joseph, and Mondesir), and three (Estephane, E.Joseph, and G.Joseph) were contesting an election for the first time. 13. (C) In terms of foreign policy, the new government\'s aversion to pro-Cuba and pro-Venezuela policies typical of Eastern Caribbean governments will prove a welcome change. However, the new St. Lucia government presents a potential headache to the United States as well: the ambitious and popular attorney Richard Frederick, a prominent newcomer thought to have ties to drug traffickers and other criminal elements, reportedly financed many of his UWP colleagues

campaigns. Post will report on the installation of the UWP cabinet and Frederick\'s new role septel. OURISMAN

"90979","12/27/2006 13:33","06BRIDGETOWN2248","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","06BRIDGETOWN2202","VZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #2248/01 3611333 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 271333Z DEC 06 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3965 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 002248 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/19/2016 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, ASEC, ST, XL SUBJECT: NEW ST. LUCIAN CABINET: MOSTLY QUALIFIED, BUT... REF: BRIDGETOWN 2202 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Sir John Compton\'s new cabinet was sworn in on December 19. Although the UWP picked appropriately prepared candidates for most ministries, it seems the Foreign Minister and Minister for Home Affairs and National Security are surpringly inexperienced for their positions. Arguably, these two ministries will prove most crucial in U.S.-St. Lucian relations. Also, Home Affairs, with its authority over the police and security forces, will prove key in preparations for Cricket World Cup and curbing the rising crime problem. It is likely that these two ministers are placeholders and that PM Compton will prove the prime actor behind these ministries. See paragraphs 4, 5, and 16 for details on these two appointments. END SUMMARY. 2. (U) On December 19, the newly elected United Workers Party (UWP) government swore in its cabinet ministers, completing the new government\'s formation. The new cabinet includes all 11 UWP members of Parliament, three of the six defeated UWP

candidates, and two new faces. appear below:

Sketches of the appointees

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance:

Sir John Compton

3. (C) PM Compton is no stranger to St. Lucian politics, having already served as Prime Minister for almost 30 years (1964-79, 1982-96). In his previous administration, PM Compton was infamous for being an authoritarian manager of all aspects of government affairs. Former UWP campaign manager and current editor for the Voice newspaper Victor Marquis stated that Compton\'s power as PM was the closest thing to \"god-like\" he had ever seen. As an example, Marquis told of an incident when his home was to be auctioned because he was behind on payments. Marquis mentioned this in a meeting with then-PM Compton, who picked up the phone and said, \"Marquis\'s house is to be auctioned tomorrow. Put a stop to it.\" As a result, Marquis still lives in that house today. There is no evidence that PM Compton\'s management style--characterized by some as dictatorial and micromanaging--will be any different in this current incarnation. Minister for External Affairs, International Financial Services, Information, and Broadcasting: Rufus Bousquet 4. (C) Bousquet served in Parliament from 1992-97 and as a junior minister at the Ministry of Trade during that period. He has business niches in the tourism and financial services sectors. However, it does not appear that he has any experience that would qualify him to be Foreign Minister. Prior to the elections, UWP candidate Stephenson King commented that, if victorious, Compton would likely serve as PM, Finance Minister, and Foreign Minister. It is possible that Bousquet is a puppet minister with PM Compton controlling the strings. Senator Guy Mayers, a major player in the UWP, admitted that he did not know Bousquet\'s background and that the decision to appoint him to External Affairs was, \"a matter of finding somewhere he can serve.\" Minister for Home Affairs and National Security: Mondesir Dr. Keith

5. (C) Mondesir was an optometrist in Canada for 22 years, but was charged with violating the Personal Health Information Act when he sold contact information for almost 16,000 patients to LensCrafters International. (NOTE: This information is a matter of Canadian public record and

available on the Internet. End Note.) He appears to have no background in national security or police matters. When the new Minister for Social Transformation \"Spider\" Montoute informed PolOff of Mondesir\'s appointment to the Home Affairs, which directs the police and security forces, he also stated that Compton will be watching this ministry very closely. Like Bousquet, it seems Mondesir may be a puppet minister under Compton\'s control. This is surprising given that the need to curb crime was one of the UWP\'s chief campaign messages. Minister for Housing, Urban Renewal, and Local Government: Richard Frederick 6. (C) Speculation abounded as to where Frederick might wind up, particularly given his history as a police officer and lawyer, his ties to drug traffickers, and his March 2006 by-election victory revitalizing the UWP. His appointment to this ministry surprised many who were expecting Frederick would serve as Attorney General or Minister for Home Affairs and National Security. On December 15, four days after the election, Frederick stated on television that he had asked for Home Affairs, but was told he deserved something more challenging. PM Compton, in a December 19 television appearance, stated that Frederick\'s ministry will play an important role in reducing crime because the urban slums are an \"incubator for crime.\" More on Frederick will be reported in septel. Minister for Social Transformation, Human Services, Family Affairs, Youth, and Sports: Lenard \"Spider\" Montoute 7. (U) As mentioned in reftel, Montoute, 44, is a U.S.-educated athlete now quickly rising in the St. Lucia political scene. During the campaign, Montoute was appointed a deputy party leader and his exemplary performance points to his leadership potential in the UWP. He is likely to function as Deputy Prime Minister, but to the best of our understanding has not yet been officially named DPM. Montoute is known universally by his nickname Spider; he legally changed his name so it could appear on the 2006 ballot as \"Lenard Spider Montoute.\" It is rumored that he lost votes in 2001 when voters could not find \"Spider\" on the ballot. Minister for Health and Labour Relations: Dr. Stephenson King

8. (U) Dr. King has previously served two terms in Parliament

and as Minister for Health in the previous UWP administration. Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries: Joseph Ezechiel

9. (U) Joseph is a new to politics, with this election being his first contested. However, he is an expert in agriculture, having worked in the Ministry of Agriculture for 20 years and recently as a lecturer at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College. Minister for Education and Culture: Arsene James

10. (U) James ran unsuccessfully for Parliament in 1997, but won in 2001 as an opposition member of Parliament (MP). He is a career educator with a degree in law. Minister for Communications, Works, Transport, and Public Utilities: Guy Joseph 11. (U) Joseph was a natural for this position, having served as President of the National Council on Public Transport and CEO and Director of the Public Transport Service Corporation. Minister for Trade, Industry, and Commerce: Mayers Senator Guy

12. (U) Mayers ran against previous Commerce and Tourism Minister Phillip Pierre, but lost. Now he has been appointed Senator in order to serve as Minister of Commerce. He served two terms as president of the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce and is the managing director of Mayers Printing, which owns the Mirror newspaper. Minister for Economic Affairs and Economic Planning, National Development, and Public Service: Senator Ausbert D\'Auvergne 13. (U) D\'Auvergne served as the permanent secretary for Planning and Development under the previous UWP administration. Multiple sources have said he did an excellent job in that position, with one of the current ministers calling him the \"Super PS\" and Compton\'s right-hand man at the time. He also was the founding member of the now defunct National Democratic Movement (NDM) party. Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation: Chastanet Senator Allen

14. (SBU) Chastanet has been working as the second vice president and chairman of the marketing committee of the St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association. He is also owner and director of a popular St. Lucian resort, former vice-president of Air Jamaica, and a board member of the ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 Committee. He completed his undergraduate studies at Quebec\'s Bishop\'s University and earned a master\'s degree in banking at the American University in Washington, D.C. As the new Tourism Minister, Chastanet will assume previous Tourism Minister Pierre\'s role as chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Chastanet has been a long-time contact of the Embassy. And Four Junior Ministerships 15. (U) In addition to the 11 ministers, the UWP appointed four junior ministers to the cabinet. Senator Tessa Mangal, who unsuccessfully competed in the election, is junior minister to the Ministry of Social Transformation. Mangal worked as a teacher and tour guide, and then left for England to study law at the Universities of Wolverhampton and Northumbria. She has also previously served in the Senate. Senator Gaspard Charlemagne, who also failed to win his seat, has been appointed as junior minister to the Ministry of Education. This is appropriate as he served over 40 years as an educator and retired as Chief Education Officer. Marcus Nicholas, the new junior minister to the Ministry of Agriculture, is beginning his third term as an MP. A pre-election issue of the Star newspaper commented, \"His stint as Leader of the Opposition has been dismal.\" Finally, MP Edmund Estephane is junior minister to the Ministry of Commerce. Estephane was a virtual unknown prior to the election, never having run for office previously. Prior to politics, Estephane was a teacher, a national athlete, and a 1990s track star at San Diego State University. He first got involved with politics through D\'Auvergne\'s NDM. COMMENT 16. (C) Generally, PM Compton and his UWP have chosen candidates with appropriate experience to head each ministry. The two exceptions, however, appear to be the ministries most important for U.S. interests: External Affairs and Home Affairs/National Security. Post is particulary concerned that neophyte Home Affairs Minister Mondesir will have primary responsiblity for the security forces, including the police, during the March-April 2007 Cricket World Cup. (St. Lucia is scheduled to host multiple games, including the

semi-finals.) It seems that Compton has appointed men with no relevant experience to conduct foreign policy and national security so that he can exercise maximum authority over these matters. OURISMAN

SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA: NEWLY APPOINTED FOREIGN MINISTER MAKES A SURPRISE VISIT
FM Bousquet\'s primary purpose for visiting the Embassy was to discuss his permanent ineligibility for a U.S. visa with Consul General Howard ...

"94590","1/30/2007 21:01","07BRIDGETOWN104","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","06BRIDGETOWN2248","VZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0104/01 0302101 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 302101Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4105 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0105 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000104 SIPDIS SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2017 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, CVIS, ASEC, XL

SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA: NEWLY APPOINTED FOREIGN MINISTER MAKES A SURPRISE VISIT
REF: A. 06 BRIDGETOWN 2248 B. 06 BRIDGETOWN 700 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: St. Lucia\'s newly appointed Foreign Minister, Rufus Bousquet, visited the U.S. Embassy in Barbados on January 18 to discuss his visa ineligibility with the Consul General. FM Bousquet also paid a courtesy call on the DCM, who asked about APIS legislation for Cricket World

Cup and requested assistance in setting appointments for the Ambassador to present credentials. Post continues to be concerned about FM Bousquet\'s suitability for his current post, given his lack of international relations background and youthful indiscretions which resulted in his arrest for illegally seeking a U.S. passport and an inquiry into his probable misuse of a United Nations grant. END SUMMARY. 2. (U) On January 18, St. Lucian Minister for External Affairs, International Financial Services, Information, and Broadcasting Rufus Bousquet became the first foreign government official to pay a courtesy call on U.S. officials in Bridgetown\'s new Embassy building. FM Bousquet traveled unannounced to Bridgetown to discuss a personal visa matter with the Consul General who invited him to pay a courtesy call on DCM Gilroy, as Ambassador Ourisman was presenting credentials in Grenada. VISA CONCERNS: MEETING WITH THE CONSUL GENERAL --------------------------------------------- -3. (C) FM Bousquet\'s primary purpose for visiting the Embassy was to discuss his permanent ineligibility for a U.S. visa with Consul General Howard. The 48-year-old minister told the CG of his arrest when, as a college student in the United States, Bousquet tried to obtain a U.S. passport illegally. At the time, he cooperated with the authorities and, as a result, was under the impression this incident would no longer plague him. Bousquet seemed to be free of his past as he successfully applied for, obtained, and used a U.S. visa, traveling to and from the United States for a number of years. However, his previous arrest appeared on an Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) watchlist in 1997 when he attempted travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Trying not to draw attention to his past, Bousquet chose to deny his previous arrest, upon which the INS officer found Bousquet permanently ineligible for a U.S. visa under INA section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) for misrepresentation. Since this incident, Bousquet has successfully applied for six waivers of his ineligibility and currently holds a valid B1/B2 visa valid until 2010. 4. (C) FM Bousquet\'s chief concern was his arrest and visa history becoming public knowledge in St. Lucia by an indiscreet correspondence by the Embassy. CG Howard assured the Foreign Minister that A1 diplomatic visas are not subject to the misrepresentation ineligibility and that any waivers necessary for future visas would be handled quickly and

discreetly. 5. (C) The CG also raised the USG\'s concerns about the deteriorating security environment in St. Lucia, informing FM Bousquet that in July 2006 the Embassy strengthened language about crime in the Consular Information Sheet on St. Lucia to warn Americans about increased violent crime against tourists (ref B). FM Bousquet asked for a list of the cases involving American citizens so that he could ensure that the police will make those cases a priority. CRICKET AND CREDENTIALS: MEETING WITH THE DCM --------------------------------------------- 6. (SBU) The CG then escorted his visitor to an impromptu meeting with DCM Gilroy. In a cordial but short courtesy call, Minister Bousquet and the DCM discussed a number of pertinent issues, the most important being preparations for the upcoming Cricket World Cup (CWC). After expressing the USG\'s understanding that the new St. Lucia government was still getting its bearings, the DCM stressed the urgency of passing enabling legislation for the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) essential to providing security checks on visitors entering the Eastern Caribbean\'s \"single domestic space\" from February 1 through May 15. In response, FM Bousquet explained that he had recently received APIS updates from Barbados Deputy Prime Minister Mottley and that the new Attorney General had also received draft APIS legislation. The DCM emphasized that APIS is a legacy project that will assist in efficiently processing names of passengers well beyond the March-April 2007 CWC events. (Note: The Government of St. Lucia appointed Nicholas Frederick as Attorney General on January 16. Frederick was permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education before he began a career in law. The resident British High Commissioner in St. Lucia stated that, as with most of the new ministers, Frederick will have a steep learning curve. End Note.) 7. (SBU) In addition to discussing preparations for CWC, DCM Gilroy expressed the USG\'s congratulations on the victory of the United Workers Party in St. Lucia\'s December 11, 2006, paliamentary elections. She also shared her disappointment that St. Lucia\'s Protocol Office has been unable to arrange a meeting with Prime Minister Sir John Compton at which she could directly convey a congratulatory message. FM Bousquet explained that PM Compton has been greeting a number of

dignitaries and that all the increased diplomatic attention has been overwhelming for the small country. The DCM also raised the difficulty Post has had arranging an appointment for Ambassador Ourisman to present her credentials to St. Lucia\'s Governor General prior to St. Lucia\'s national day on February 22. The DCM requested the Foreign Minister\'s assistance in setting an appointment for either January 29-30 or immediately before the national day on February 20-21, to which FM Bousquet stated he would try to help. BIO INFORMATION: A BLUNDER WITH UN FUNDS? ---------------------------------------8. (C) Bousquet\'s appointment as Foreign Minister puzzled most St. Lucia watchers who expressed confusion as to Bousquet\'s identity and qualifications for this position. (Note: The same reaction held true for Minister for Home Affairs and National Security Dr. Keith Mondesir. See ref A. End Note.) A newspaper article summarizing biographies of each candidate days before the 2006 election stated of Bousquet\'s professional experience: \"Rufus has carved out business niches in the tourism and financial service sectors. He and his wife quietly manage their own business affairs.\" When asked about these business niches, Victor Marquis, newspaper editor and former campaign manager for the United Workers Party (UWP), replied that Bousquet has never had a serious profession or business, but rather rode his father\'s and uncle\'s coattails into politics. Bousquet\'s father was a popular parliamentarian representing Choiseul, the district Bousquet now represents. When PM Compton announced Bousquet\'s appointment as Foreign Minister he noted Bousquet\'s role in introducing international financial services to St. Lucia when serving as minister responsible for the National Development Corporation in 1995. 9. (C) As routine election mudslinging, the St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) raised accusations that Bousquet previously misused a United Nations grant. In a private conversation with PolOff, Marquis, who served as UWP campaign manager for the 1992 elections, explained the details of the alleged abuse of UN funds. According to Marquis, Bousquet returned from living in California in 1989 and immediately decided to run for public office. In order to raise funds for his campaign, fellow UWP member Dr. Charles Flemming, who was serving at the time as St. Lucia\'s Ambassador to the UN and the chairman of the UN\'s funding committee, approved Bousquet\'s application for a six-month research grant. However, according to Marquis, Bousquet utilized the grant

funds for his own purposes rather than accomplishing any of the terms of the grant. Some time later, when the UN opened an inquiry on the use of the funds, Bousquet created and submitted a report on his nonexistent project. His report apparently exonerated him of any further inquiry. No official accusations or charges were subsequently made against Bousquet. COMMENT ------10. (C) FM Bousquet displayed poise and a professional demeanor when meeting with the DCM, but also seemed somewhat quiet and introverted. Although the meeting was brief and only slightly substantive, the Foreign Minister spoke intelligently on the few issues discussed. However, Bousquet\'s apparent lack of qualifications and experience in diplomacy, as well as reports of the misuse of UN funds and misrepresentaion of his immigration record, continue to cause concern. Post will obtain additional biographical information on FM Bousquet and report on future interactions with the new St. Lucia government, such as Ambassador Ourisman\'s upcoming credentials presentation and attendance at St. Lucia\'s national day celebrations on February 22. OURISMAN

"96326","2/12/2007 21:46","07BRIDGETOWN195","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","06BRIDGETOWN2180|07BRIDGETOWN49","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

"99171","3/5/2007 23:11","07BRIDGETOWN286","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","07BRIDGETOWN195","VZCZCXYZ0006 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0286/01 0642311 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 052311Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4337 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1644 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000286 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, KCRM, CASC, ENRG, EPET, EFIN, ASEC, SNAR, MARR, VE, ST, XL SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR OURISMAN\'S INTRODUCTORY VISIT TO ST. LUCIA REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 195 B. BRIDGETOWN 104 C. 06 STATE 204037 D. 06 BRIDGETOWN 700 Classified By: Ambassador Mary Ourisman for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador Ourisman presented her credentials to the government of St. Lucia on February 20. In meetings with the Governor General, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and leader of the opposition, the Ambassador discussed crime in St. Lucia, Article 98, Petrocaribe, the Advance Passenger Information System, and the Tax Information Exchange Agreement. Noticeably missing from her meetings with the St. Lucian leaders were requests for increased U.S. assistance and complaints concerning deportees. END SUMMARY

2. (SBU) On February 20, Ambassador Mary Ourisman presented her credentials to the Governor General of St. Lucia, Dame Pearlette Louisy. The Ambassador also paid courtesy calls on Prime Minister Sir John Compton, Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet, and former prime minister and leader of the opposition, Dr. Kenny Anthony. The Ambassador then attended Independence Day celebrations on February 22. PolEconCouns and PolOff accompanied the Ambassador. --------------------------------------------- ------PM COMPTON: APIS, ARTICLE 98, PETROCARIBE, AND MORE --------------------------------------------- ------3. (C) Ambassador Ourisman and Prime Minister Sir John Compton exchanged views on a number of key issues in U.S.-St. Lucian bilateral relations. PM Compton agreed that the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) looks promising, stating that he saw examples of intelligence derived from APIS at the February 12-14 CARICOM intercessional meeting in St. Vincent and that they \"seemed quite good.\" PM Compton acknowledged his discussion with DCM Gilroy on Article 98 (ref A) and told the Ambassador that \"he promised to look at it.\" Ambassador Ourisman also asked about the Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA), to which PM Compton stated that promulgating it should not be a problem (ref C). 4. (C) Ambassador Ourisman asked PM Compton about his views on Petrocaribe, to which he replied that St. Lucia does not intend to sign the agreement. He explained that his government has weighed the costs and benefits of the agreement and does not see how St. Lucia would come out ahead, but rather believes that Venezuela is trying to lock the Caribbean islands to its influence, perhaps with the aim of gaining access to ports throughout the region. When Ambassador Ourisman asked about alternative energy sources, the Prime Minister stated that his country has looked into both geothermal and wind energy, but that neither represent viable options for St. Lucia. (Note: Also on February 20, Minister of Commerce Guy Mayers went on record with the press stating that St. Lucia has no interest in Petrocaribe at this time. End Note.) 5. (SBU) In discussing regional transportation issues, PM Compton stated that the Minister of Tourism is trying to increase air traffic to and from St. Lucia for Cricket World Cup. He further commented that he has been discussing with Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur the possibility of establishing a catamaran- or hydrofoil-type ferry to increase

sea travel in the region. PM Compton observed that regional governments would have to subsidize such a business to kickstart its operations. 6. (U) Days later, at St. Lucia\'s Independence Day celebrations, PM Compton announced that the government would build a national theatre, budgeting Eastern Caribbean dollars one million (USD 400,000) in 2007 to start this project. He also announced that St. Lucia would reintroduce subsidized school transport to help get children to and from school safely. 7. (U) In remarks directed at assembled schoolchildren as well as government officials and foreign guests, Sir John spoke a great deal about empowering St. Lucia\'s youth. Noting that in St. Lucia young people are not asked to go to war for their country, he encouraged them to contribute to St. Lucia\'s future by educating themselves and becoming successful citizens. ------------------------------------FM BOUSQUET: CRIME AGAINST AMERICANS ------------------------------------8. (C) Ambassador Ourisman\'s courtesy call with Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet focused on unresolved crimes against American citizens in St. Lucia. Referring to the strengthened language in the Consular Information Sheet on St. Lucia (refs B and D), FM Bousquet mentioned that he hopes St. Lucia and the United States can work together to see the \"warnings removed.\" The Ambassador agreed, emphasizing that the United States wants resolution through arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators involved. FM Bousquet explained that the police are investigating these crimes, but then downplayed the documented rise in violent crime in recent years by claiming that most incidents are domestic gang-on-gang violence and that there are only occassional forays into hotels. 9. (U) Ambassador Ourisman also raised the TIEA and left a non-paper clarifying the issue. FM Bousquet agreed to look into the matter. ------------------------------------GG LOUISY: GENERAL THOUGHTS ON CRIME -------------------------------------

10. (C) Governor General Dame Pearlette Louisy shared with Ambassador Ourisman her insights on rising criminal activity in St. Lucia. According to the Governor General, most murders in St. Lucia result from the inability of young people to resolve conflict without resorting the use of weapons, typcially knives. She further commented that the police have increased arrests in an effort to battle crime, but that too many cases are dropped on technicalities because of procedural errors on the part of undertrained prosecutors. On a positive note, in their speeches commemorating the presentation of credentials, both the Ambassador and the Governor General reflected on the salutary influence the Peace Corps has played in U.S.-St. Lucian relations. ----------------------------------------DR. ANTHONY: A CALL FOR U.S. INVOLVEMENT ----------------------------------------11. (C) Although former prime minister Dr. Kenny Anthony complimented various aspects of U.S.-St. Lucian relations in his courtesy call with the Ambassador, he also emphasized that United States is \"not taking advantage of its friends\" in the Caribbean and that there needs to be closer cooperation on security and narcotics issues. As an example, Dr. Anthony stated that he has been suggesting to donors the need for a regional conference on counternarcotics cooperation, so that the Caribbean states can discuss new aspects of the issue, review previous efforts, and fashion new policies. He further explained that the United States could be winning the game of resource diplomacy in the Caribbean if it were only willing to play at the level of other countries active in the region. ------COMMENT ------12. (C) Noticeably missing from the Ambassador\'s meetings with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister were requests for foreign assistance and complaints about deportees, both themes commonly raised by Caribbean leaders. Instead, PM Compton focused on measures he is willing to take to improve his country and the region, such as funding a national theatre and potentially subsidizing maritime transportation between the islands. Even the theme for Independence Day was \"Rising to the Global Challenges,\" through which politicians and students presented speeches on how St. Lucia can rise and succeed in an increasingly integrated world economy. Only

the leader of the opposition highlighted the need for U.S. assistance in the region. GILROY

"105777","4/25/2007 22:05","07BRIDGETOWN488","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","06BRIDGETOWN2026","VZCZCXYZ0008 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0488/01 1152205 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 252205Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4589 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0269 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1693 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 0125 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000488 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR-COLLINS, BUDDEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2017 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, ETRD, OFDP, CH, TW, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA - TAIWAN BACK IN, CHINA TO BOW OUT REF: A. 06 BRIDGETOWN 2026 B. 06 BRIDGETOWN 1961 Classified By: CDA Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: The Government of St. Lucia formally announced during its April 24 budget debate that it will re-establish full diplomatic relations with Taiwan. In exchange, Taiwan has agreed to develop agricultural diversification, ecotourism, information technology, and learning centers throughout St. Lucia. The Chinese Embassy has confirmed that it will sever relations with St. Lucia in keeping with the One China Policy. This move by St. Lucia may spur an escalation in the Chinese foreign assistance battle in the Caribbean. END SUMMARY. WE RECOGNIZE TAIWAN -------------------

2. (U) St. Lucian Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet announced on the evening of April 24, 2007, that the Government of St. Lucia (GOSL) will establish full diplomatic relations with Taiwan. The announcement was made during the budget debate in Parliament. 3. (U) In his speech, FM Bousquet stated, \"I confirm that the overwhelming consensus within Cabinet is for the renewal of full diplomatic relations with Taiwan at the earliest possible opportunity.\" He added that \"This action is not be construed as a severance with the People\'s Republic of China. However, the level of our relationship in the future will be based on what they consider appropriate, given the circumstances.\" IN EXCHANGE FOR... -----------------4. (U) Furthermore, FM Bousquet explained that the GOSL was guided only by the national interest of St. Lucia in making this decision. He claimed that one of the key reasons for recognizing Taiwan is that Taiwan is an island country like St. Lucia and that St. Lucia could benefit from following Taiwan\'s model of development, as well as sharing in the transfer of technology. According to Bousquet\'s remarks, Taiwan has promised to support the development of agricultural diversification in St. Lucia, promote linkages between agriculture and ecotourism, provide information technology and learning centers in each community on the island, among other promises. In addition, a press report claimed that Taiwan has promised to build secondary schools and assist in establishing a university in St. Lucia. CHINA BOWS OUT -------------5. (SBU) In an April 25 telcon with PolOff, a representative from the Embassy of the People\'s Republic of China stated that St. Lucian relations with both China and Taiwan are impossible under the One China Policy. As such, the representative stated that his Embassy will wait until St. Lucia and Taiwan formally establish diplomatic ties and then announce the severing of relations. The PRC spokesperson refused to give his name, saying he was merely monitoring the phones to share his Embassy\'s simple message on this issue. UWP SWITCHING BACK TO TAIWAN ----------------------------

6. (C) St. Lucia maintained relations with Taiwan until 1997 when the St. Lucia Labour Party took power and established full diplomatic ties with the PRC. Speculation was rife during the December 2006 election campaign that a United Workers Party (UWP) victory would result in a return to Taiwan. Sir John Compton\'s 2005 meeting with Taiwan President Chen Shui-Bian in St. Vincent (ref A), which maintains ties with Taiwan, was duly noted all around. One UWP representative informed PolOff prior to the election that Compton had disclosed in private that he would recognize Taiwan if his party returned to power (ref B). However, until the budget debate, Sir John had answered questions on the issue carefully, hinting that St. Lucia would stay with China. Even as PM Compton and FM Bousquet received a delegation headed by the Taiwan Foreign Minister on March 23, Bousquet sent the Chinese Embassy a letter reaffirming his appreciation for China\'s foreign assistance and accepting an invitation to visit Beijing. However, the April 24 announcement may delay the FM\'s trip to China. COMMENT ------7. (C) The longer-term benefits St. Lucia will receive from this decision remain uncertain. On the surface, St. Lucia\'s decision appears to be a case of classic checkbook diplomacy: Taiwan has outbid its PRC competitor in the short term. However, it is unclear if the promised agricultural and educational assistance will outweigh the USD 2.5 million technical and economic cooperation agreement signed with China in September 2006, the promised National Cultural Complex, and ongoing construction on the modern psychiatric hospital, schools, and hospitals not yet completed. Part of the UWP\'s campaign platform was the revitalization of the agricultural sector. The ruling party is likely banking on Taiwan\'s promise to promote agricultural diversification as a way to fulfill this pledge. 8. (C) Another factor may be Compton\'s geopolitical mindset from his days as a Cold War politician. Numerous UWP representatives have emphasized to PolOff that their party opposes close relations with Venezuela, Cuba, and China, also rejecting those countries\' involvement in St. Lucian domestic affairs. Under Sir John\'s leadership, the GOSL refused Petrocaribe and has now broken diplomatic relations with China; Cuba may start wondering what else is in store. In any case, Taiwan has successfully demonstrated that

diplomatic relations remain negotiable. Compton\'s choice will likely serve to escalate the competition for foreign assistance in the Caribbean. GILROY

"106928","5/4/2007 18:54","07BRIDGETOWN525","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","07BRIDGETOWN488","VZCZCXYZ0004 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0525/01 1241854 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 041854Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4634 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0271 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 0130 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000525 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR-COLLINS AND EAP/CM AND TC SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, EAID, ETRD, CH, TX, ST, XL SUBJECT: (C) ST. LUCIA: TAIWAN DECISION MAY WEAKEN COMPTON REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 488 B. BRIDGETOWN 464 C. BRIDGETOWN 104 D. BRIDGETOWN 49 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet has emerged as the head of a rival faction set on forcing Prime Minister Sir John Compton to retire from politics and leave FM Bousquet in charge. If Compton\'s departure is the outcome of current infighting in the five-month-old government, suspected money launderer Richard Fredrick will likely be elevated to the Deputy Prime Minister position. A split among cabinet members over the decision to diplomatically recognize Taiwan over China is the current catalyst for this unexpected development. END SUMMARY. ----------------------------

MOVING BEHIND COMPTON\'S BACK ---------------------------2. (C) On April 30, St. Lucia\'s Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet joined Taiwan\'s Foreign Minister James C.F. Huang in signing a joint communiquQ reestablishing diplomatic relations between St. Lucia and Taiwan. However, this ceremony took place without Prime Minister Sir John Compton\'s permission. Reliable sources have informed PolOff that the Taiwan decision signifies the first great split in the recently elected United Workers Party (UWP) administration. 3. (C) According to Victor Marquis, editor of the Voice, a former UWP campaign manager, public relations officer and close friend to FM Bousquet, PM Compton was negotiating a new financial agreement to stay with China while FM Bousquet negotiated reestablishing ties with Taiwan. In exchange for diplomatic relations, Taiwan reportedly promised Bousquet an ECD 300 million (USD 120 million) support package, including \"personal assistance\" to each elected representative. 4. (C) Marquis described PM Compton\'s plan to announce in an April 30 televised address that St. Lucia would stay with China and that FM Bousquet was fired. It is unclear if Compton made his decision to continue relations with China before or after Bousquet\'s April 24 announcement that St. Lucia would diplomatically recognize Taiwan. 5. (C) Trumping PM Compton\'s planned address, FM Bousquet called a press conference for the morning of April 30 and signed the communiquQ with Taiwan without PM Compton\'s approval. Bousquet did, however, gain the documented support of seven of the UWP members of parliament (MPs) before taking this action. Bousquet then faced PM Compton in a cabinet meeting with the backing of his seven colleagues, leaving only Stephenson King and Lenard Montoute siding with PM Compton. Bousquet allegedly confronted Compton in this meeting, telling the PM it was time for him to go. ------------------------THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM ------------------------6. (C) Compton left for the United States on May 1, his birthday, for health reasons. He will return on May 5. Bousquet departed for the United States on May 3 to meet with private investors and is expected to return on May 7. Compton tasked Bousquet to attend the Caribbean Community

(CARICOM) Tenth Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) in Belize, for which he will depart May 8 or 9 and return May 12. Unless these plans shift, Compton will have time upon his return to counter-maneuver against Bousquet in the latter\'s absence from St. Lucia. 7. (C) Marquis revealed that Bousquet has a possible plan to buy off Compton using money from the Taiwan package. This plan involves Compton taking an extended leave for health reasons and then finally retiring, leaving Bousquet as prime minister. If Bousquet is successful, Minister of Housing Richard Fredrick, suspected money launderer and supporter of narcotraffickers, may well be appointed deputy prime minister. ---------------WORD GETTING OUT ---------------8. (C) Philip J. Pierre, deputy political leader of the opposition St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP), made a more cautious assessment of the political turmoil. Pierre agreed that the Taiwan decision signaled the first split in the current administration. He observed that Compton, King, and Montoute were not at the Taiwan communiquQ signing, but that all the other MPs attended. Pierre also foresaw \"interesting times ahead\" as a result of the instability now surfacing. However, Pierre predicted that the UWP will eventually resolve the current row, although the party may split again over future issues. 9. (C) In response to allegations in the press that the Taiwan issue has caused a split in St. Lucia\'s cabinet, Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King is scheduled to make a statement on May 4 to quell these rumors. According to Commerce Minister Guy Mayers, the rumors are completely false and the cabinet is unified behind the decision to renew ties with Taiwan. As far as post knows, the PRC mission has not budged from St. Lucia, nor has had any official communication with the St. Lucian Foreign Ministry, since the April 30 press conference. It is possible that the mission is waiting for a resolution of the tug-of-war within the ruling party. ------COMMENT ------10. (C) To date, PM Sir John Compton has been the dominant

politician in St. Lucia\'s short history, having served as Prime Minister for 15 of St. Lucia\'s 28 years of independence. If anyone can survive an internal putsch, it is probably Compton. However, his advanced age and the contempt in which the majority of cabinet members hold Compton\'s most trusted confidant, Senator Ausbert d\'Auvergne (ref B), are working against him. If Bousquet successfully usurps power, he will likely be seen as a savvy operator. He remains, however, an inexperienced leader with a questionable past (ref C). The greater concern, however, would be newcomer Fredrick\'s predicted rise to be deputy prime minister. His ties to money laundering and narcotraffickers are a natural concern for post (ref D). Even if Bousquet\'s maneuvering is unsuccessful, his ability to inspire a majority of the ruling party MPs to stand against PM Compton illustrates a significant erosion in the power of a man accustomed to ruling single-handedly. OURISMAN

"108085","5/14/2007 13:44","07BRIDGETOWN589","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","07BRIDGETOWN525","VZCZCXYZ0029 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0589/01 1341344 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 141344Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4706 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0273 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1720 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 0132 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000589 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR AND EAP/CM AND TC SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, EAID, ETRD, CH, TX, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA: GOVERNMENT CRISIS POSSIBLE REF: BRIDGETOWN 525 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: Post\'s May 10 meeting with St. Lucia\'s Comptroller of Customs and the Acting Commissioner of Police was a cry for help from PM Compton and his few remaining loyalists. While PM Compton is reportedly recovering in New York from a stroke, his chances of hanging on to power may be diminishing. Should PM Compton fall from power, his warring cabinet and party may choose a successor, Richard Fredrick, who has known narcotrafficking ties. St. Lucia\'s Acting PM Stephenson King, a Compton loyalist, is seeking U.S. assistance to build a case against Fredrick in order to prevent his rise to power. END SUMMARY. 2. (C) On May 9, Post received a request for an urgent meeting with St. Lucia\'s Comptroller of Customs, Terence Leonard, and the Acting Commissioner of Police, John

Broughton. (Note: Broughton is a former UK police officer brought to St. Lucia to assist with the country\'s law enforcement reforms.) The meeting took place on May 10 in Embassy Bridgetown. Per request from the St. Lucians, Embassy\'s law enforcement agencies, including FBI and DEA, were present at the meeting; PolOff also participated. According to Leonard and Broughton, they requested the meeting with Post based on instructions from Acting PM Stephenson King, who presumably received instructions from PM Compton. NEWS OF PM COMPTON\'S STROKE --------------------------3. (C) Leonard and Broughton confirmed the rumors of PM Compton\'s hospitalization, stating that Compton is recovering in New York from a stroke. They doubted that he would be able to return to his government responsibilities, given his advanced age. (Note: PM Compton is 83 years old. End Note.) The stroke reportedly left PM Compton with slurred speech, a symptom that may persist for some time if not permanently. However, Leonard and Broughton told Post that Compton is not ready to give up power just yet. He apparently told Acting PM King that, upon his return from the United States, he would fire the eight ministers who formed a rival cabinet faction and led the St. Lucian government to recognize Taiwan over China without Compton\'s agreement (reftel). 4. (C) The news of Compton,s stroke leaked out in a St. Lucian radio call-in program on May 10. Although Acting PM King called the radio program to quash the story, regional media picked it up. The following day, May 11, regional media and news outlets reported on PM Compton\'s stroke and hospitalization. Leonard and Broughton shared with Post their concerns that the public is already doubtful of the official explanation offered by Acting PM King that PM Compton was in the United States for routine medical tests and that the tests extended beyond what had been initially expected. However, they admitted that the public,s attention was temporarily diverted by the St. Lucia Jazz Festival taking place during May 4-13. GOVERNMENT CRISIS AHEAD? -----------------------5. (C) Leonard and Broughton were clearly concerned that PM Compton may lose the premiership in the near future. They

believe that Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet and Housing Minister Richard Fredrick, the two leaders of the anti-Compton cabinet faction, will try to seize power. Although the cabinet has been putting on a show of unity since the April 30 recognition of Taiwan that sparked the current crisis, rumors and speculations about the cabinet split are circulating widely. The absence of both PM Compton and Foreign Minister Bousquet from St. Lucia over the past week may have helped keep the Compton government from unraveling. However, Bousquet is due to return from travel abroad in the next few days, and his return may set the political maneuverings back in motion. Post\'s meeting with Leonard and Broughton revealed that Acting PM King is overwhelmed and scared. A long-time Compton loyalist, King is experienced but does not appear to be politically savvy or suffiently powerful to reassert control over the cabinet in PM Compton\'s absence. 6. (C) Should PM Compton retire or be forced to retire from office and parliament, the remaining ten United Workers Party (UWP) members of parliament would choose a new prime minister. PM Compton\'s departure from government would not necessarily trigger a dissolution of parliament and automatic elections. Comment: This is probably something that Bousquet and Fredrick are banking on because they might not be well positioned to win new elections. Leonard and Broughton told us that St. Lucians, who admire PM Compton as the \"Father of St. Lucia\'s Independence,\" would, at the very least, object to the shabby treatment PM Compton received at the hands of his party colleagues. Opposition St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) would undoubtedly seek to capitalize on that sentiment. End Comment. 7. (C) Even without new elections, Leonard and Broughton were worried that public discontent could boil over and lead to protests and civil unrest. In addition to the PM Compton loyalists, hundreds of St. Lucians have recently lost their jobs on various construction sites because: 1) immediately after the April 30 Taiwan announcement, China terminated various construction projects on the island; and 2) the Minister of Works, Guy Joseph, cancelled all government capital projects in order to conduct inquiries into cost overruns by the previous government. Post convened an EAC on May 11 to discuss the possibility of civil unrest in St. Lucia and review possible response strategies. \"NEUTRALIZING\" FREDRICK -----------------------

8. (C) Even though Bousquet led the political coup, Leonard and Broughton told Post that his accession to the premiership is by no means assured, should PM Compton step down or be forced out. In their view, Fredrick, who has ties to criminal figures engaged in money laundering and nacrotrafficking, is popular enough and has deep enough pockets to unseat Bousquet. This scenario apparently prompted Leonard and Broughton\'s meeting with Post. Acting PM King -- and likely PM Compton himself -- are looking for ways to neutralize Fredrick. Leonard and Broughton requested any evidence that the United States might have that would assist them in building a case against Fredrick. Post law enforcement officials explained that DHS/ICE was working to expedite St. Lucia\'s earlier MLAT request for documents related to possible customs violations by Fredrick. Leonard and Broughton also met with the UK High Commission to brief them on the situation in St. Lucia and follow up on a potential UK lead also related to Fredrick. (Comment: King, Leonard, and Broughton are engaged in a high-stakes game in going after Fredrick. Leonard and Broughton told Post that they can trust only few people in St. Lucia\'s law enforcement agencies because of Fredrick\'s extensive network of friends and informants. End Comment.) COMMENT ------9. (C) Leonard and Broughton presented a much more worrying picture of St. Lucia\'s political developments. They and other PM Compton loyalists are clearly holding out little hope that PM Compton will be able to recover and reassert control over the government. If Fredrick rises to the Prime Minister\'s or Deputy Prime Minister\'s office, Leonard and Broughton\'s high-stakes game of neutralizing Fredrick would likely become Mission Impossible. 10. (C) However, most political analysts agree that St. Lucians did not vote for the UWP in the December 2006 election, but for Sir John Compton. With his retirement probable and popular protests possible, St. Lucia may face a period of political instability that could result in the voters demanding elections in the near future. Such elections would likely return the SLP to power. An SLP government would likely continue in the direction it had set in its previous term of closer ties with Venezuela and Cuba, and less emphasis on cooperation with the United States. However, an SLP government would return Fredrick to the

opposition and increase the chances of his arrest. OURISMAN

"109330","5/22/2007 20:21","07BRIDGETOWN644","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","07BRIDGETOWN525|07BRIDGETOWN589","VZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0644/01 1422021 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 222021Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4762 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0275 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1734 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 0134 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000644 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR-COLLINS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, EAID, ETRD, CH, TX, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIAN CABINET COUP FAILED, BUT NEW PRIME MINISTER STILL LIKELY REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 589 B. BRIDGETOWN 525 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: St. Lucia\'s Prime Minister Sir John Compton reportedly returned from New York on May 19. His weakened state probably means that St. Lucia\'s unsettled political situation will continue. The government has made no official announcements since his return, but it is likely that Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King will continue in that position. Popular outcry against Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet and Housing Minister Richard Fredrick for their alleged involvement in a cabinet coup against Compton neutralized their chances to lead the government at this time. Without Compton, the United Workers Party (UWP) government may be able to limp along, but probably will not survive in office the full five years left in its term. Regardless of who succeeds Compton, a reversal of the

China-Taiwan decision is unlikely in the near term. SUMMARY.

END

2. (C) According to press reports and one member of his cabinet, Prime Minister Sir John Compton returned to St. Lucia on May 19, following a three-week hospital stay in New York. While in New York for a routine medical check-up, Compton suffered a series of strokes (ref B). Since his return, St. Lucia\'s government has not yet made an official announcement concerning his health, possible retirement, or a successor. However, members of the St. Lucian government publicly stated that it was unlikely that Compton would return to his official duties. EVEN IN SICKNESS, COMPTON PREVAILS ---------------------------------3. (C) When Compton and FM Bousquet both left for the United States on May 1, Bousquet appeared well-positioned to push Compton out of office and politics. Bousquet had just succeeded in lining up the majority of the cabinet against Compton and in support of the decision to reestablish diplomatic relation with Taiwan (ref B). Compton was outmaneuvered, but Bousquet overplayed his hand. Compton\'s illness and rumors of the Bousquet-led cabinet coup generated an upsurge of public sympathy for Compton, the aging \"Father of St. Lucia.\" That upsurge was apparently helped along by Minister for Economic Affairs Ausbert d\'Auvergne, a Compton-loyalist who told a UK diplomat that he has been working to generate negative press against Bousquet. As a result, Bousquet is being blamed for Compton\'s strokes and has become the most hated man in St. Lucia. His chances of succeeding Compton are therefore essentially nil. The public has also found Housing Minister Richard Fredrick guilty by association for supporting Bousquet in his grab for power. As such, Fredrick\'s ambitions too have been temporarily neutralized. Both ministers kept a low profile the week prior to Compton\'s May 19 return. FRUSTRATION OF THE PEOPLE ------------------------4. (U) In addition to the public\'s disapproval of Bousquet and Fredrick, St. Lucians have also been frustrated with the government\'s mishandling of the situation. Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King issued a number of statements, which in hindsight, proved to be false. What is now being viewed by St. Lucians as a lack of honesty severely damaged King\'s

public credibility. A KING OR A SPIDER: WHO WILL LEAD? ----------------------------------5. (C) With both Bousquet and Fredrick sidelined, the most likely candidates to succeed Compton are King and Deputy Political Leader and Minister for Social Transformation, Lenard \"Spider\" Montoute. Given King\'s mishandling of information, Montoute seems to be the more popular candidate among St. Lucians. However, King is the more experienced political leader, having served as a member of parliament and Minister for Health in the previous UWP government from 1987 to 1997. He was also considered the backbone of the UWP during its ten years in opposition (1997-2006). King may also be the more likely compromise candidate because he is a non-controversial politician who rarely offends. Some in the UWP may also consider King\'s indecisiveness and a lack of leadership skills as a plus because these qualities would ensure that King would be only a transitional figure, a placeholder while the UWP reorganizes itself. Montoute may get his chance later. He shows more charisma and enthusiasm than King, but the December 2006 election was only his second bid for a parliamentary seat and the first he successfully contested. THE FUTURE OF CHINA-TAIWAN -------------------------6. (C) Although both King and Montoute reportedly supported Compton in his plan to keep diplomatic relations with China, the government will not revisit the issue regardless of who takes power. Montoute, who personally sees relations with China over Taiwan as advantageous, told PolOff that the cabinet made its decision to recognize Taiwan and a reversal at this point would only cause more damage to St. Lucia\'s credibility. COMMENT ------7. (C) Compton\'s likely retirement will have a lasting impact on St. Lucian politics. When Compton retired in 1996, the UWP imploded under a lack of leadership and suffered from internal power struggles until Compton came out of retirement in 2006 and led his party to victory. Now that he may no longer be able to lead his party, the UWP again appears torn

by internal disagreements and personal rivalries. Compton, who liked to concentrate all power in his hands, is largely responsible for this situation. While he built the UWP and led it to victory a number of times, he failed to plan for its future by grooming a successor. 8. (C) Regardless of who succeeds Compton, few expect the new prime minister to last more than a year or two in light of the power struggles within the UWP. The opposition St. Lucia Labor Party (SLP) will seek to capitalize on the UWP\'s disarray. The SLP is organized, disciplined, and savvy at spinning the press. Without a strong leader at the UWP helm, the SLP may succeed at forcing early parliamentary elections. 9. (C) Compton\'s retirement may also impact U.S. relations with St. Lucia. Compton naturally gravitated to the United States, and never lost sight of our shared goals in the region. He viewed with suspicion the encroachment of the region\'s new \"benefactors,\" Venezuela, Cuba, and China. For example, among his first announcements upon returning to office in December 2006, was to reject Venezuela\'s PetroCaribe program. His possible UWP successors may be too weak not to make certain compromises.

"109897","5/25/2007 21:21","07BRIDGETOWN669","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","06BRIDGETOWN469|07BRIDGETOWN525|07BRIDGETOWN644","VZCZCXY Z0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0669/01 1452121 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 252121Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4790 INFO RUEAORD/CUSTOMS CARIBBEAN ATTACHE MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000669 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR-COLLINS ICE MIAMI FOR JMAHABIR E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2017 TAGS: KCRM, KJUS, KTIA, KCOR, PREL, PGOV, PINR, SNAR, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA: FREDRICK INVESTIGATION AND MLAT REQUEST LEAKED REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 644 B. BRIDGETOWN 525 C. 06 BRIDGETOWN 469

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

1. (C) SUMMARY: During a May 17 television talk show, a prominent news personality leaked the details of a standing evidence request made under the U.S.-St. Lucia Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) concerning Richard Fredrick, St. Lucia\'s Housing Minister suspected of ties to drug trafficking and money laundering. Fredrick defended himself by charging that the investigation is politically motivated. Comptroller of Customs Terence Leonard, who is heading the investigation, claimed that the public leak will not compromise the integrity of the investigation and remained confident that he would be able to charge Fredrick with customs violations later this year. END SUMMARY. THE LEAK

-------2. (SBU) On May 17, popular news personality Rick Wayne leaked the details of a standing evidence request under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between the Government of St. Lucia (GOSL) and the United States Government. On his talk show, Wayne read an article from www.offshorealert.com that summarized the evidence request initiated by the GOSL. The request concerns an investigation into Housing Minister and alleged money launderer Richard Fredrick\'s suspected fraudulent evasion of customs duties related to the importation of motor vehicles. FREDRICK RESPONDS ----------------3. (U) Shortly after Wayne read the article, Fredrick phoned into the talk show to defend himself. Fredrick explained that he has known about this investigation since summer 2006 because the staff of the Florida auto dealership involved alerted him that USG authorities contacted them in conjunction with the investigation. He claimed that former attorney general Philip LaCorbiniere started the investigation as a personal and political vendetta against Fredrick, who beat LaCorbiniere in the March 2006 by-election. (Note: Although he lost the election, LaCorbiniere continued to serve as a Senator and Attorney General until December 2006, when his party lost the general elections. Ref C. End Note.) LACORBINIERE PLANS TO PUSH BACK ------------------------------4. (C) In a private conversation, LaCorbiniere informed PolOff that he would release a public statement on May 25 countering FredrickQ,s public accusations that the evidence request under the MLAT is being pursued for political reasons. LaCorbiniere said he would not address the evidence request concerning Fredrick specifically, but rather he would speak generally on the apolitical nature of MLAT requests. He further commented that, according to his understanding, informing the target of an investigation of that investigation is illegal in both the United States and St. Lucia. LaCorbiniere added that he may challenge Fredrick to explain his statement that staff at the Florida auto dealership notified Fredrick of the investigation. 5. (C) LaCorbiniere was also concerned that the USG may have

intentionally leaked the evidence request by registering the documents \"with an open court,\" rather than handling them more discreetly. He asserted that the USG did this to keep Fredrick from becoming prime minister during the current political instability. (Note: St. Lucia\'s government crisis that could have resulted in Fredrick becoming prime minister did not begin until April 30, while the documents were filed with a U.S. district court on April 17. Ref B. End Note.) PolOff countered by noting that Fredrick\'s St. Lucian political rivals also could have leaked this information, a fact that LaCorbiniere did not dispute. CUSTOMS NOT WORRIED ------------------6. (C) St. Lucian Comptroller of Customs, Terence Leonard, informed PolOff that he has been in continual contact with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attachQ working on the MLAT evidence request since the on-air leak. Leonard was not worried that the leak would compromise the evidence or investigation. Since the May 17 leak, Leonard also met with current St. Lucian Attorney General, Nicholas Frederick, to brief him on the evidence request, and received assurance that AG Frederick will take all necesarry action once St. Lucia receives the U.S. response to the evidence request. COMMENT ------7. (C) Sources have informed PolOff that Wayne has received funds from China to shift St. Lucian public opinion in favor of returning diplomatic relations to the Asian power. This leak appears to be one step in that strategy. During St. Lucia\'s political crisis, Wayne generated negative press against those who rose against Prime Minister Sir John Compton and switched diplomatic recognition to Taiwan. Generally, Wayne has been successful in his strategy and has temporarily neutralized both Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet and Fredrick (Ref A). However, this particular leak may have backfired. Fredrick\'s on-air response was smooth, and he may have succeeded in painting himself as a victim of the \"wickedness of the previous government.\" 8. (C) More importantly, however, is the status of the investigation. Leonard is confident that public knowledge of the evidence request will not subject his investigators to

increased pressure or danger, nor will it compromise his ability to charge Fredrick with customs evasion once the evidence has been obtained. Immunity for parliamentary representatives in St. Lucia is too narrow to impede St. Lucian Customs from pressing charges. As such, Leonard believes the evidence obtained by ICE will be sufficient to bring charges against Fredrick later this year. If convicted, Fredrick could face a fine of ECD 10,000 (USD 4,000) or three times the amount of customs duties he evaded, and/or five years imprisonment. At the very least, being arrested and charged would be an embarrassment that could seriously hamper Fredrick\'s political career; a conviction could result in forced retirement. OURISMAN

"111515","6/8/2007 18:58","07BRIDGETOWN749","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","07BRIDGETOWN49|07BRIDGETOWN669","VZCZCXYZ0017 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0749/01 1591858 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 081858Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4903 INFO RUEAORD/CUSTOMS CARIBBEAN ATTACHE MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1751 RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 0076 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000749 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR-COLLINS ADDIS ABABA FOR ANTHONY FISHER SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DOJ FOR OIA-ANDREW GENTEIN DHS/ICE FOR MICHAEL LAPORE E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, AORC, OVIP, KSUM, KJUS, KTIA, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA CABINET RESHUFFLE, A STEP TOWARD A NEW PRIME MINISTER REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 669 B. BRIDGETOWN 49 Classified By: CDA Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: On June 6, St. Lucia Prime Minister Sir John Compton reshuffled his cabinet, firing Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet, demoting Home Affairs Minister Keith Mondesir, and giving their portfolios to Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King. Given Compton\'s health problems, it is widely believed that this is the first step toward his retirement that could occur around the start of this month\'s Caribbean Conference in Washington. With King, Minister for Social Transformation Lenard Montoute, and Housing Minister Richard Fredrick as

possible successors, it is uncertain who will head the St. Lucian delegation at the Washington Conference; but for the moment, official St. Lucian communication indicates King as leading the delegation. The Comptroller of Customs may still charge Fredrick with customs fraud. This could impede Fredrick\'s aspirations to the top job, but the case hinges on evidence requested through the U.S.-St. Lucia Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty that may arrive too late to make a difference in the prime minister race. END SUMMARY. BOUSQUET OUT, MONDESIR DEMOTED, KING OVERWHELMED --------------------------------------------- --2. (U) On June 6, Prime Minister Sir John Compton fired Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet as part of a cabinet reshuffle. This reshuffle may be the first step toward PM Compton\'s retirement due to health reasons. Changes in the cabinet are as follows: -- Compton continues to serve as prime minister, but retains no other portfolios. -- Stephenson King will continue to serve as Acting Prime Minister and now heads a superministry of Finance (including International Financial Services), External Affairs, Home Affairs, National Security, Labour, and Information and Broadcasting. He is no longer Minister for Health. -- FM Bousquet was fired and no longer serves in the cabinet. He continues to sit as a member of parliament. -- Keith Mondesir was demoted and lost the Home Affairs and National Security portfolios. He is now Minister for Physical Planning and National Mobilization. -- Edmund Estephane is the new Minister for Health. -- Tessa Mangal now serves as a junior minister under King, with responsibility for Information and Broadcasting. -- All other appointments remain unchanged, including Richard Fredrick as Minister for Housing, Urban Renewal, and Local Government. FREDRICK MAY LEAD A THREE-WAY RACE ---------------------------------3. (C) Minister for Social Transformation, Lenard \"Spider\"

Montoute, told PolOff on June 6 that PM Compton will likely retire \"in two weeks.\" Other sources have also reported this potential timeline. According to Montoute, Compton will probably choose King as his successor, but King lacks cabinet support. Another source confirmed this, stating that no one in the cabinet trusts King because he assisted Compton in planning the cabinet reshuffle without discussing the plans with other cabinet members. 4. (C) Montoute also admitted that his chances of becoming prime minister have decreased significantly. Montoute, who recently commanded considerable public support, made two crucial missteps while serving as Acting Prime Minister for a week early in June. First, Montoute publicly stated that the cabinet requested Compton\'s medical records to determine how the government should move forward. This statement made the cabinet appear disrespectful and overeager to oust Compton from power. The statement also made Montoute look too ambitious. Second, Montoute made a political blunder when he stated that whoever becomes prime minister should seek a fresh mandate from the people. Knowing that an election would ensure victory for the opposition St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP), SLP leader and former Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony quickly agreed publicly. Montoute recanted his statement clarifying that he meant a new prime minister would eventually need to seek a new mandate. However, these mistakes may be sufficient to end the short-term climb of this young politician. 5. (C) If neither King nor Montoute gain the support of the cabinet, Fredrick, who is suspected of ties to narcotraffickers and money launderers, may be the only leader left standing. Although recent public animosity against Fredrick\'s role in the cabinet coup temporarily dampened his political ambitions, Montoute said Fredrick is resurfacing in the leadership race. Fredrick has kept a low public profile since the April 30 coup, and the public animosity against him is slowly ebbing away. More importantly, he is maneuvering within the party, according to Montoute. Fredrick is independently wealthy and spreads his wealth liberally to increase his support within the cabinet. According to Embassy sources, Fredrick funded the campaigns of nearly all of the current cabinet members in the December 2006 elections. COMMENT: WHO WILL MEET PRESIDENT BUSH? ---------------------------------------

6. (C) Although Compton seems to be behind the recent cabinet changes, there is little doubt in the minds of St. Lucians that Compton\'s retirement is imminent. He made his first television appearance on June 4 and reportedly looked frail. Rumors of liver cancer have also surfaced. After his trip to see Compton in New York, Montoute told PolOff that, having seen his mother suffer from cancer, he believed Compton to be suffering from cancer as well. 7. (C) Little from this six-month United Workers Party administration has been predictable, and choosing a new prime minister will likely be no different. Although Acting Prime Minister King is currently scheduled to attend the Caribbean Conference, it is just as possible that St. Lucia may appoint a new prime minister days before the Conference. COMMENT CONTINUED: INHIBITING FREDRICK\'S AMBITION --------------------------------------------- ----8. (C) Terence Leonard, Comptroller of Customs, still plans to charge Fredrick with customs evasion as soon as he receives evidence requested under the U.S.-St. Lucia Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) (ref A). Although a successful conviction might merely result in a fine, Leonard hopes this would be enough to discredit Fredrick and block his rise to power. Given Fredrick\'s suspected ties to known narcotraffickers and possible involvement in money laundering, his rise to power is worrisome to many observers (ref B). According to the Office of International Affairs in the Department of Justice, the evidence requested under the MLAT will likely be delivered to St. Lucia by the end of June. However, if Fredrick becomes prime minister before the end of June, the customs evasions case would likely be derailed. GILROY

"112831","6/20/2007 18:52","07BRIDGETOWN810","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","07BRIDGETOWN49|07BRIDGETOWN669","VZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0810/01 1711852 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 201852Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4973 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1762 RUEAORD/CUSTOMS CARIBBEAN ATTACHE MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000810 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR-COLLINS ADDIS ABABA FOR ANTHONY FISHER SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DOJ FOR OIA-ANDREW GENTEIN DHS/ICE MIAMI FOR MICHAEL LAPORE E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2017 TAGS: PGOV, KCRM, KJUS, KTIA, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA HOUSING MINISTER FREDRICK HELD FOR QUESTIONING REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 669 B. BRIDGETOWN 49 Classified By: CDA Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: St. Lucia Housing Minister Richard Fredrick was questioned on June 18 by St. Lucian authorities for his alleged involvement in customs duty evasion. After six hours, he was released and asked to return on July 18 for further questioning. Contacts stated that the Director of Public Prosecutions is anxious that evidence recently received under the U.S.-St. Lucia Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty is not strong enough to charge Fredrick. These new developments in the four-year investigation of Fredrick appear to be a politically motivated attempt by Prime

Minister Sir John Compton and his allies to discredit Fredrick publicly and prevent him from becoming prime minister after Compton\'s expected retirement. END SUMMARY. FREDRICK QUESTIONED... ---------------------2. (C) On June 18, St. Lucian customs and police authorities detained Housing Minister Richard Fredrick for questioning in conjunction with an ongoing customs investigation. The St. Lucian Customs and Excise Office is investigating Fredrick and two associates for evading customs duties on luxury vehicle imports from Florida (ref A). Fredrick was in police custody for six hours and then ordered to return for more questioning on July 18. The impetus for his detention and questioning was the receipt of evidence St. Lucia requested under the U.S.-St. Lucia Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). BUT NOT CHARGED --------------3. (C) Fredrick has not yet been charged with any crime. According to Embassy sources, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Victoria Charles, is generally cautious in her work and, in this case, is uncomfortable with the evidence received under the MLAT. According to our contacts, Charles wants certified statements from Florida witnesses interviewed in response to the MLAT request. (Note: A Department of Justice attorney familiar with the case said certified statements are not usually collected if the witness shares information willingly. While the Embassy has not yet received any specific requests from St. Lucian authorities, they may seek to obtain certified statements before the July 18 questioning to strengthen their case. End Note.) POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SUPPORT ---------------------------4. (C) A crowd of supporters reportedly gathered outside the Gros Islet police station where Fredrick was being questioned. (Note: Fredrick represents Castries Central, an area only a short distance from Gros Islet, with regular public transportation connecting the two areas. End Note.) In addition to this gathering, four ruling party members of parliament, Rufus Bousquet, Guy Joseph, Marcus Nicholas, and Edmund Estaphane, visited Fredrick at the police station. Callers to radio talk shows also voiced their dismay over

what they perceived as a mistreatment of a sitting minister and member of parliament. POTENTIAL POLITICAL FALLOUT --------------------------5. (C) If charged and convicted, Fredrick could face five years imprisonment and/or a fine of ECD 10,000 (USD 4,000), or three times the amount of customs duties he evaded (ref A). More important than the criminal sentence, however, is the negative effect this case may have on Fredrick\'s political career. One cabinet member told PolOff that this case would limit Fredrick\'s political aspirations. He stated that, although his offense would seem minor if committed by an average St. Lucian, the same offense would be exaggerated when a sitting politician is involved. A prominent lawyer also explained to PolOff that, according to St. Lucian law, a sitting official convicted of a crime must resign and cannot run for office again. He added that, if charged with a crime, an official should resign, but is not legally obligated to do so. COMMENT: COMPTON PULLING THE STRINGS ------------------------------------6. (C) Given Fredrick\'s political stature and legal acumen, obtaining a conviction could be an uphill battle. (Note: Fredrick is a trained lawyer and runs a prominent law firm in Castries. End Note.) However, PM Compton and his allies may have calculated that a conviction may not be necessary to take Fredrick out of the running for the top job. Discrediting him publicly might be sufficient. While PM Compton is a wily political operator, he is playing a much weaker hand now, with more than half of his own cabinet aligned against him. If not convicted of a crime, Fredrick may be able to deflect the public embarrassment and use his personal popularity, as well as his wealth, which he allegedly gained through money laundering and defending narcotraffickers (ref B), to extend his political career despite Compton\'s maneuverings. GILROY "

"115600","7/16/2007 19:19","07BRIDGETOWN906","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","07BRIDGETOWN525","VZCZCXYZ0001 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0906/01 1971919 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 161919Z JUL 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5086 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0277 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1766 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 0136 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000906 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR AND EAP/CM AND TC SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, EAID, ETRD, CH, TX, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA: GOVERNMENT CRISIS POSSIBLE REF: BRIDGETOWN 525 Classified By: DCM Mary Ellen T. Gilroy for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: Post\'s May 10 meeting with St. Lucia\'s Comptroller of Customs and the Acting Commissioner of Police was a cry for help from PM Compton and his few remaining loyalists. While PM Compton is reportedly recovering in New York from a stroke, his chances of hanging on to power may be diminishing. Should PM Compton fall from power, his warring cabinet and party may choose a successor, Richard Fredrick, who has known narcotrafficking ties. St. Lucia\'s Acting PM Stephenson King, a Compton loyalist, is seeking U.S. assistance to build a case against Fredrick in order to prevent his rise to power. END SUMMARY. 2. (C) On May 9, Post received a request for an urgent meeting with St. Lucia\'s Comptroller of Customs, Terence Leonard, and the Acting Commissioner of Police, John

Broughton. (Note: Broughton is a former UK police officer brought to St. Lucia to assist with the country\'s law enforcement reforms.) The meeting took place on May 10 in Embassy Bridgetown. Per request from the St. Lucians, Embassy\'s law enforcement agencies, including FBI and DEA, were present at the meeting; PolOff also participated. According to Leonard and Broughton, they requested the meeting with Post based on instructions from Acting PM Stephenson King, who presumably received instructions from PM Compton. NEWS OF PM COMPTON\'S STROKE --------------------------3. (C) Leonard and Broughton confirmed the rumors of PM Compton\'s hospitalization, stating that Compton is recovering in New York from a stroke. They doubted that he would be able to return to his government responsibilities, given his advanced age. (Note: PM Compton is 83 years old. End Note.) The stroke reportedly left PM Compton with slurred speech, a symptom that may persist for some time if not permanently. However, Leonard and Broughton told Post that Compton is not ready to give up power just yet. He apparently told Acting PM King that, upon his return from the United States, he would fire the eight ministers who formed a rival cabinet faction and led the St. Lucian government to recognize Taiwan over China without Compton\'s agreement (reftel). 4. (C) The news of Compton,s stroke leaked out in a St. Lucian radio call-in program on May 10. Although Acting PM King called the radio program to quash the story, regional media picked it up. The following day, May 11, regional media and news outlets reported on PM Compton\'s stroke and hospitalization. Leonard and Broughton shared with Post their concerns that the public is already doubtful of the official explanation offered by Acting PM King that PM Compton was in the United States for routine medical tests and that the tests extended beyond what had been initially expected. However, they admitted that the public,s attention was temporarily diverted by the St. Lucia Jazz Festival taking place during May 4-13. GOVERNMENT CRISIS AHEAD? -----------------------5. (C) Leonard and Broughton were clearly concerned that PM Compton may lose the premiership in the near future. They

believe that Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet and Housing Minister Richard Fredrick, the two leaders of the anti-Compton cabinet faction, will try to seize power. Although the cabinet has been putting on a show of unity since the April 30 recognition of Taiwan that sparked the current crisis, rumors and speculations about the cabinet split are circulating widely. The absence of both PM Compton and Foreign Minister Bousquet from St. Lucia over the past week may have helped keep the Compton government from unraveling. However, Bousquet is due to return from travel abroad in the next few days, and his return may set the political maneuverings back in motion. Post\'s meeting with Leonard and Broughton revealed that Acting PM King is overwhelmed and scared. A long-time Compton loyalist, King is experienced but does not appear to be politically savvy or suffiently powerful to reassert control over the cabinet in PM Compton\'s absence. 6. (C) Should PM Compton retire or be forced to retire from office and parliament, the remaining ten United Workers Party (UWP) members of parliament would choose a new prime minister. PM Compton\'s departure from government would not necessarily trigger a dissolution of parliament and automatic elections. Comment: This is probably something that Bousquet and Fredrick are banking on because they might not be well positioned to win new elections. Leonard and Broughton told us that St. Lucians, who admire PM Compton as the \"Father of St. Lucia\'s Independence,\" would, at the very least, object to the shabby treatment PM Compton received at the hands of his party colleagues. Opposition St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) would undoubtedly seek to capitalize on that sentiment. End Comment. 7. (C) Even without new elections, Leonard and Broughton were worried that public discontent could boil over and lead to protests and civil unrest. In addition to the PM Compton loyalists, hundreds of St. Lucians have recently lost their jobs on various construction sites because: 1) immediately after the April 30 Taiwan announcement, China terminated various construction projects on the island; and 2) the Minister of Works, Guy Joseph, cancelled all government capital projects in order to conduct inquiries into cost overruns by the previous government. Post convened an EAC on May 11 to discuss the possibility of civil unrest in St. Lucia and review possible response strategies. \"NEUTRALIZING\" FREDRICK -----------------------

8. (C) Even though Bousquet led the political coup, Leonard and Broughton told Post that his accession to the premiership is by no means assured, should PM Compton step down or be forced out. In their view, Fredrick, who has ties to criminal figures engaged in money laundering and nacrotrafficking, is popular enough and has deep enough pockets to unseat Bousquet. This scenario apparently prompted Leonard and Broughton\'s meeting with Post. Acting PM King -- and likely PM Compton himself -- are looking for ways to neutralize Fredrick. Leonard and Broughton requested any evidence that the United States might have that would assist them in building a case against Fredrick. Post law enforcement officials explained that DHS/ICE was working to expedite St. Lucia\'s earlier MLAT request for documents related to possible customs violations by Fredrick. Leonard and Broughton also met with the UK High Commission to brief them on the situation in St. Lucia and follow up on a potential UK lead also related to Fredrick. (Comment: King, Leonard, and Broughton are engaged in a high-stakes game in going after Fredrick. Leonard and Broughton told Post that they can trust only few people in St. Lucia\'s law enforcement agencies because of Fredrick\'s extensive network of friends and informants. End Comment.) COMMENT ------9. (C) Leonard and Broughton presented a much more worrying picture of St. Lucia\'s political developments. They and other PM Compton loyalists are clearly holding out little hope that PM Compton will be able to recover and reassert control over the government. If Fredrick rises to the Prime Minister\'s or Deputy Prime Minister\'s office, Leonard and Broughton\'s high-stakes game of neutralizing Fredrick would likely become Mission Impossible. 10. (C) However, most political analysts agree that St. Lucians did not vote for the UWP in the December 2006 election, but for Sir John Compton. With his retirement probable and popular protests possible, St. Lucia may face a period of political instability that could result in the voters demanding elections in the near future. Such elections would likely return the SLP to power. An SLP government would likely continue in the direction it had set in its previous term of closer ties with Venezuela and Cuba, and less emphasis on cooperation with the United States. However, an SLP government would return Fredrick to the

opposition and increase the chances of his arrest. OURISMAN

SUBJECT: ST. LUCIAN HOUSING MINISTER RICHARD FREDERICK MAY WALK

POLITICAL DEALINGS AND AN ASSASSINATION THREAT

"118985","8/15/2007 18:21","07BRIDGETOWN1021","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","07BRIDGETOWN49|07BRIDGETOWN749|07BRIDGETOWN810","VZCZCXYZ 0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #1021/01 2271821 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 151821Z AUG 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5231 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1777 RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC RUEAORD/CUSTOMS CARIBBEAN ATTACHE MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 001021 SIPDIS SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DOJ FOR OIA-ANDREW GENTEIN DHS/ICE MIAMI FOR MICHAEL LAPORE E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/10/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KCRM, KJUS, ST, XL

SUBJECT: ST. LUCIAN HOUSING MINISTER RICHARD FREDERICK MAY WALK

REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 810 B. BRIDGETOWN 749 C. BRIDGETOWN 49 Classified By: A/DCM Clyde Howard for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: St. Lucian Housing Minister, Richard Frederick, returned for police questioning on July 18 as part of an investigation against Frederick\'s alleged customs

violations. Various authorities and observers are concerned that the Director of Public Prosecutions will not pursue the case because of incompetence, and various members of parliament have reportedly threatened to leave the party if charges against Frederick are not dropped. In addition, the chief investigator in Frederick\'s case claimed to have received a threat on his life. END SUMMARY. 2. (C) On July 18, Richard Frederick, Minister for Housing, Urban Renewal, and Local Government, returned to Gros Islet police station as ordered during his June 18 detention. Police and customs authorities are investigating Frederick and two others for alleged customs duties evasion while importing luxury vehicles from the United States (ref A). The Comptroller of Customs and lead investigator in the case, Terence Leonard, told PolOff that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Victoria Charles-Clarke, is hesitant to officially charge Frederick because she is still unsatisfied with the evidence gathered and continues to require investigators to produce additional information. Leonard is also concerned that Charles-Clarke might intentionally be road blocking the case. WILL THE DPP PROSECUTE? ----------------------3. (U) Currently, the DPP\'s ethics and competence are under fire. At the heart of this attack is the case of Marcus Nicholas, one of Frederick\'s fellow United Workers Party (UWP) members of parliament. On April 9, Nicholas reportedly refused to cooperate with police when stopped for a traffic violation and ran from the scene before he was detained, resulting in nine charges against him. On July 12, a magistrate cleared Nicholas of all charges because his case filed \"disappeared.\" Charles-Clarke admitted that she had the file, but that she was unaware of the date of the court case and therefore unable to provide the prosecutor with the file. 4. (C) Various contacts have told PolOff that Charles-Clarke has political ties to the UWP, which led to deliberate mishandling of Nicholas\'s case. Some of these contacts also stated that the DPP is personal friends with Frederick. However, a prominent lawyer told PolOff that he knows Charles-Clarke personally and claimed that she is an honest and ethical person who would not offend the integrity of her profession. A resident diplomat also confirmed this. Many of these contacts, however, including the prominent lawyer

and diplomat, agreed that the DPP is not the most capable or strongest-willed person. POLITICAL DEALINGS AND AN ASSASSINATION THREAT --------------------------------------------- 5. (C) Two factors further complicate this case. Both Leonard and a news editor close to the UWP told PolOff that the elected UWP members of parliament, save Prime Minister Sir John Compton, recently held a meeting in which Frederick, Nicholas, and the fired Rufus Bousquet (ref B) threatened to leave the party and stand as independents in parliament unless certain concessions were made. Such a move would cripple the UWP majority and make the three independents the key decision makers in Parliament. Among the alleged concessions were reinstating Bousquet as Foreign Minister and dropping all charges against Frederick. Reportedly, the 10 members came to a compromise, but PolOff is unaware of any follow-up action to date. Another complication, according to Leonard, is that Frederick has recently put a ECD 50,000 (USD 20,000) price on Leonard\'s head. Leonard claimed that Frederick entrusted this information with a friend, who then informed Leonard of the plan. COMMENT: THE RISE OR FALL OF FREDERICK --------------------------------------6. (C) The combination of incompetence and possible loyalty to Frederick make it doubtful that the DPP will successfully prosecute a case against Frederick. In addition, Frederick\'s personal charisma and wealth have generated support among the general public and especially among members of Parliament, whose political campaigns have received Frederick\'s generous financial support. There are some who believe that no matter the case\'s outcome, the resulting damage to Frederick\'s reputation will prevent his upward climb to political power, but Frederick\'s ambitions may not be limited to becoming prime minister. According to Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King, PM Compton will likely retire this fall, possibly in conjunction with the UWP convention in October and the UWP may appoint King as PM at that time. Frederick may use this opportunity to assume the role of Minister for Home Affairs and Internal Security, a job he has coveted since the election. Given his suspected ties to narcotraffickers (ref C), this is as much a worrisome scenario as becoming prime minister. OURISMAN

"120960","9/4/2007 20:55","07BRIDGETOWN1114","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","07BRIDGETOWN589","VZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #1114/01 2472055 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 042055Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5366 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1792 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 001114 SIPDIS SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA PM SIR JOHN COMPTON ON LIFE SUPPORT REF: BRIDGETOWN 589 Classified By: CDA Anthony Fisher for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 1. (U) SUMMARY: St. Lucia Prime Minister Sir John Compton\'s health has starkly deteriorated. On September 1, he was flown to Martinique where he is currently on life support. Compton\'s chosen successor, current Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King, appears positioned to officially succeed him as prime minister. End Summary. COMPTON IN CRITICAL CONDITION ----------------------------2. (U) Prime Minister Sir John Compton was flown to Martinique September 1 for medical treatment as his health deteriorated throughout the week. Compton was hospitalized August 27 for chest pains, but released the next day under the guise that he was stable. Compton is currently in intensive care and on life support because he is unable to support natural breathing. Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King publicly stated that St. Lucians should prepare for the

worst. THE LAST LAP IN THE LEADERSHIP RACE ----------------------------------3. (SBU) As St. Lucians sit on edge following the health of the father of St. Lucian independence, they are also awaiting the climax of the race for leadership among ruling party officials ongoing since May, when a series of strokes and other medical conditions forced Compton to remove himself from an active role in government proceedings. At this time, APM King appears to be the most likely, most palatable, and most popular candidate to succeed Compton. According to various private conversations between PolOff and government officials and political observers, King\'s confidence and stature as prime minister have increased significantly during his three months acting in Compton\'s stead, as has public confidence in his ability to do the job. Currently, the public\'s greatest demand and the administration\'s top priority is returning stability to the government, and King is seen as the most likely to bring this desired stability and to continue along the course Compton has plotted for St. Lucia. The ruling United Workers Party (UWP) plans to solidify its leadership structure during its national convention in October. 4. (C) Although the UWP cabinet will most likely appoint King to the coveted post, Rufus Bousquet, the former foreign minister fired by Compton, has announced his intention to contend for the job. Rumors also continue to abound that Housing Minister Richard Frederick, infamous for alleged ties to narcotraffickers and currently under investigation for possible customs duties evasion, is using his abundant resources to vie for power behind the scenes. However, most political pundits believe that Frederick will presently support King as prime minister for the sake of stability and bide his time for a more opportune moment to assert power. THE POSSIBLE MONKEY WRENCH -------------------------5. (C) Terence Leonard, Comptroller of Customs and head of the investigation against Frederick, informed PolOff that he believes the government is actively inhibiting his ability to investigate and charge Frederick for customs duties evasion. In May, King sent Leonard to the Embassy to request assistance in St. Lucia\'s investigation against Frederick (reftel). Leonard now believes that King and Frederick have

reached a political compromise that included stopping the investigation. (Note: PolOff has heard of such a compromise from multiple sources, but has been unable to confirm details. End Note.) Leonard told PolOff that, if his investigation continues to be blocked, he will go public with any evidence he has of government officials hindering his investigation, regardless of the damage such evidence may do to King or the UWP administration. COMMENT ------6. (C) Although this may be the end of Compton\'s term as prime minister, he appears to have successfully kept the UWP administration from imploding during its leadership crisis. From his sickbed, it seems that Compton managed to pull the strings that will keep King, his hand-picked successor, in power, at least in the short-term. Prior to the leadership crisis, St. Lucia rejected Petrocaribe and showed a willingness, at least in rhetoric, to better its working relationship with the United States. A stable UWP government continuing down Compton\'s paths could result in a government receptive to U.S. positions on foreign policy matters. 7. (C) Since his first interaction with PolOff, Leonard has ardently talked about bringing Frederick to justice. He has consistently claimed his reasons are solely for the sake of justice and the good of St. Lucia. It seems, however, that this investigation has become a personal vendetta for Leonard; he once admitted to contending against Frederick when the two were in secondary school together. As such, it appears that Leonard\'s willingness to discredit the current administration, including King, for hampering his investigation against Frederick is a sincere threat as Leonard might see such a move as the only way to force justice against Frederick. FISHER

"121666","9/10/2007 20:32","07BRIDGETOWN1168","Embassy Bridgetown","UNCLASSIFIED","","VZCZCXRO3184 PP RUEHGR DE RUEHWN #1168 2532032 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 102032Z SEP 07 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5441 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1794 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY","UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 001168 SIPDIS SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, ST, XL SUBJECT: ST LUCIA PRIME MINISTER JOHN COMPTON PASSES AWAY

1. Prime Minister of St. Lucia Sir John Compton passed away on September 7 from a series of strokes and other complications. He was 82 years old. Compton led St. Lucia to independence from the United Kingdom in 1979, becoming the island state\'s first prime minister. He also served as Premier of St. Lucia from 1967 to 1979 pre-independence, then as prime minister in 1979, again from 1982 to 1996, and then from December 2006 until his passing. He came out of retirement in 2005 to lead his United Workers Party (UWP) to victory in the December 2006 elections. Compton\'s funeral is tentatively scheduled for September 22. 2. Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King was appointed prime minister on September 9. King served as acting prime minister since May 2007 when Compton became too ill to actively lead the country. He is expected to announced his cabinet in the next couple days. 3. Various press reports claim that two UWP members of parliament were hesitant to back King as prime minister. According to these reports, Rufus Bousquet, who Compton fired from his position as foreign minister, attempted to trade his vote for a position back in cabinet. Marcus Nicholas, who

was relieved of his cabinet position when appointed deputy speaker of parliament, is also alleged to having demanded a cabinet position and the firing of Ausbert d\'Auvergne, an appointed Senator who served as Minister for Economic Affairs, Economic Planning, National Development, and the Public Service under Compton. D\'Auvergne is widely considered one of the most brilliant planners in government, but also ethically dubious. He has a reputation for being an autocrat and considered by many as having too much power for an appointed official. As of yet, Post has not heard any reports as to whether these concessions were met. 4. A by-election for Compton\'s seat must be held within 90 days. However, there will be no need for national elections because, according to the Constitution, the Governor General appoints as Prime Minister from among the existing seat holders the member of parliament who appears to command the support of the majority of parliament. FISHER

"144899","3/7/2008 19:36","08BRIDGETOWN156","Embassy Bridgetown","UNCLASSIFIED","08STATE16737","VZCZCXRO9009 PP RUEHGR DE RUEHWN #0156 0671936 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 071936Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6206 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1881 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE","UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000156 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EEB/IFD/OMA-SNOW AND FIGUEROA DEPT FOR WHA/EPSC-MAIER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID, ECON, PREL, XL SUBJECT: FISCAL TRANSPARENCY IN ST. LUCIA REF: STATE 16737 1. (u) The Government of St. Lucia practices fiscal transparency by making its national budget publicly available on an annual basis. The government does this by announcing the budget in an open forum of parliament annually and doing a budgetary review in parliament at the end of the fiscal year. Also, the budget is open for public scrutiny through its budgetary offices, and available on the government website. The publicly-available data are generally accurate and meaningful and include all revenues and expenditures. St. Lucia has not volunteered for the IMF to report on the country\'s compliance with standards and codes covering fiscal transparency. 2. (u) The relevant laws governing fiscal transparency in St. Lucia have been entered into force in the Constitution at independence, in chapter five of the Constitution, which governs \"Finance of the Constitution with Authorization of Expenditure from Consolidated Fund by appropriation and Authorization by Expenditure in advance of appropriation.\" The constitution went into effect February 22, 1979. St

Lucia also promulgated updated laws in 1997 by passing the Finance and Administration Act of 1997 under which there is the Financial Regulation of 1997 and the Stores and Procurement Regulation of 1997. These laws are adequate and are actively implemented. 3. (u) Although USAID is active in the Eastern Caribbean, it currently does not fund programs supporting fiscal transparency or good governance. The Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Center (CARTAC) is available to 19 Caribbean countries to assist these countries to achieve their macroeconomic, fiscal, and monetary policy objectives. This program operates as a UNDP project with the IMF serving as the executive agency. It is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency, the Inter-American Development Bank, Ireland, the IMF, the UK Department for International Development, the UNDP, the EU, and the World Bank.

"154354","5/16/2008 21:59","08BRIDGETOWN319","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","07BRIDGETOWN49|07BRIDGETOWN525","VZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0319/01 1372159 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 162159Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6478 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1907 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000319 SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2018 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, EINV, ETRD, KTIA, ST, XL SUBJECT: FURTHER POLITICAL SHAKE-UP IN ST. LUCIA REF: A. 07 BRIDGETOWN 525 B. 07 BRIDGETOWN 49 Classified By: PolOff Tyler T. Allen for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (C) SUMMARY: Three members of parliament in St. Lucia are threatening to leave the ruling United Workers Party if their demands, which include the dismissal of a competent, but disliked, appointed member of cabinet and the reinstatement of a politically unpopular figure, are not met. If they walk, it would be enough to topple the current government in St. Lucia. The dismantling of the current, generally pro-U.S. government could slow various political and commercial initiatives in which the USG has an interest. END SUMMARY. STUCK IN A CATCH-22 ------------------2. (C) Former Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet, current Housing Minister Richard Frederick, and Deputy Speaker of the House Marcus Nicholas are threatening to leave the UWP if Bousquet is not returned to Cabinet. Since June 6, when then-Prime Minister Sir John Compton fired Bousquet for

organizing a cabinet coup against him (ref A), Bousquet has made a number of unsuccessful attempts to be reinstated. This time, however, he and his cronies have been more vocal against current Prime Minister Stephenson King, lending credence to rumors that they will declare party independence if their demands are not met -- a move that would cripple the ruling party. One minister told PolOff privately that it appears King will have to concede to Bousquet given the numbers involved. 3. (C) Jeannine Compton-Rambally, daughter of Sir John Compton and a popular political figure in her own right, further complicated the situation by publicly threatening to leave the ruling party if Bousquet returns to Cabinet. Compton-Rambally also has the backing of the nationally-adored widow, Lady Janice Compton. Ken Monplaisir, a prominent lawyer and close friend to the Comptons, confided that the Comptons are still offended over Bousquet\'s earlier actions against Sir John and believe he has damaged the party. Consequently, both Jeannine and Lady Janice would wash their hands of the party if Bousquet is reinstated. Given the role Sir John\'s stature still plays in the UWP, abandonment by his wife and daughter could irrevocably damage the party. Monplaisir projected that such a move could cause the government to gradually implode and force a return to the polls within the next two years. 4. (C) Further complicating the situation is the renegade trio\'s demand to have Minister for Economic Planning Ausbert d\'Auvergne removed from Cabinet. According to various contacts, d\'Auvergne is hated for his arrogance and autocratic style. Fellow Cabinet members allegedly resent the power he wields, power derived from his control over the budget and economic planning, and the high level of trust both Compton and King have had in him. They particularly resent his clout given that he is a nonelected, political-appointee minister. However, d\'Auvergne is recognized throughout St. Lucia as one of the most capable members of government and a vital cog if government hopes to successfully develop economically. As such, a potential compromise would be the Prime Minister removing d\'Auvergne from Cabinet, but then hiring him back as a consultant. ANOTHER SOLUTION? ----------------5. (C) D\'Auvergne told PolOff that the Prime Minister is the real target. According to d\'Auvergne, Bousquet and company

recognize that d\'Auvergne is a great strength to King, and that by ridding the Cabinet of him, along with reinstating Bousquet, they would be able to weaken King and increase their own power within the party. However, d\'Auvergne explained that King has an alternate strategy that would keep d\'Auvergne in and Bousquet out, but that King needs some time to implement this strategy. On May 14, the day following an alleged meeting in which the party met and discussed various compromises, King left St. Lucia on official business, not to return until May 18. Political observers in St. Lucia are awaiting an announcement concerning Bousquet\'s and Frederick\'s demands that week. COMMENT: THE EFFECT ON U.S. PRIORITIES -------------------------------------6. (C) Unless King can impose much better party discipline, the UWP will face difficulties for the rest of its administration -- which could be as short as a few months if those threatening to leave the party follow through, or a couple of years as the party slowly implodes. As the last 15 months have illustrated, political instability equals little policy progression in the UWP government. Unfortunately, this has not played well for U.S. priorities in St. Lucia. Post is moving towards signing an Article 98 agreement with St. Lucia and is pushing a renewal of the Status of Forces Agreement. Progress has been slow; despite assurances that the Cabinet has agreed in principle to the Article 98 Agreement, we have been told it now requires a legal scrub from the Attorney General (whose technical work is undoubtedly hindered by the need to address party politics). The current UWP administration is pursuing a bold development package that involves considerable investment from various U.S. companies, but again this has been slow to get off the ground despite best intentions, in part due to energy wasted on party squabbles. Since the development projects are tied closely to two UWP ministers with the ability and initiative to seek out investors, there is little confidence that such plans would continue under a SLP government. COMMENT CONTINUED: A NOTE ON FREDERICK -------------------------------------7. (C) Richard Frederick\'s participation in this ploy against his own party leadership is the most recent illustration of his waning political clout. The alleged money launderer and defender of narco-traffickers (ref B) took a surprising blow when he came in a distant fourth out of four in the race for

the two UWP deputy political leader spots on March 30. While his charisma and cash were once seen as necessary infusions for the UWP, his fourth place finish was a clear statement by the party that it is ready to move away from Frederick\'s role as a UWP poster child. Reasons for this range from fear of his ties to drugs and gangs to corruption and cronyism in the running of his current ministry. Recognizing this loss in stature, Frederick has likely joined with Bousquet in hopes of leveraging their way back to positions of influence within the party. OURISMAN

SUBJECT: ST. LUCIA: GOVERNMENT TEETERS ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE, BUT PULLS BACK FOR THE MOMENT
- King sends Janine to US embassy to investigate Tucker and Frederick.

"155973","5/29/2008 18:13","08BRIDGETOWN346","Embassy Bridgetown","SECRET//NOFORN","07BRIDGETOWN589|07BRIDGETOWN741|07BRIDGETOWN810|08BRIDG ETOWN319","VZCZCXYZ0006 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0346/01 1501813 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 291813Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6505 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 0294 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1909 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0743 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI PRIORITY 0146 RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL PRIORITY RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE PRIORITY RUEAORD/CUSTOMS CARIBBEAN ATTACHE MIAMI FL PRIORITY ","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. B. C. D. BRIDGETOWN 319 07 BRIDGETOWN 810 07 BRIDGETOWN 741 07 BRIDGETOWN 589

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

------SUMMARY ------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. ----------------------------JEANNINE COMPTON PAYS A VISIT ----------------------------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. -----------------TYING KING\'S HANDS -----------------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.

---------------------KING CAVES TO BOUSQUET ---------------------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. ------------------------------------COMMENT: BAND-AIDS ON BIGGER PROBLEMS ------------------------------------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

"181053","12/2/2008 20:22","08BRIDGETOWN704","Embassy Bridgetown","UNCLASSIFIED","","VZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0704 3372022 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 022022Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6919 INFO RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 5954 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC ","UNCLAS BRIDGETOWN 000704 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OECS, POL, PGOV, PINR, PHUM, PINS, XL SUBJECT: ST LUCIA CORRUPTION CASE AGAINST FREDERICK HEADS TO COURT ------SUMMARY ------1. (SBU) The long-running saga of the Minister Richard Frederick\'s corruption case appears headed towards a final resolution. Frederick lost his action for dismissal of charges against him relating to evasion of taxes for the importation of a vehicle, and the case is finally headed to trial. If Frederick loses in court, and is convicted of criminal tax evasion, he will be forced to resign. End Summary 2. (C) Five years ago, St. Lucian Housing Minister Richard Frederick imported two cars, worth USD 70,000, from Florida duty-free. The Comptroller of Customs, Terrence Leonard, objected to the duty-free status of the cars and charged Minister Frederick with criminal tax evasion. He had the Minister detained and questioned over one year ago, but did not file criminal charges at that time. Ever since then the two have been engaging in a long-running legal and public relations battle. Leonard maintains that the Minister knowingly evaded paying proper customs duty on the vehicles. The Minister disputes the claim, maintaining that he was entitled to the duty-free importation by virtue of his status as a member of government, and arguing that too long a time

has passed since he imported the cars, so the case against him should be dismissed. The Customs comptroller has complained ever since then that he has been blocked in pursuing charges against Frederick by the Attorney General and others in the government allied with the Minister. Frederick is very popular among the poorer elements of Castries, but is widely seen as corrupt, and some also claim that he is allied with narco-traffickers. 3. (C) In the most recent court battle, Minister Frederick filed two suits against the government. The first suit sought to have the customs case dismissed, charging that it was without merit and had been instigated to embarrass him politically. He also sought damages of USD 448,000 in compensation for loss of use, return of the vehicles and for wrongful arrest in the customs investigation. The court ruled against Frederick in the attempt to have the customs case dismissed and ruled against him in refusing to enter damages against him for wrongful arrest. This ruling now opens the way for the Customs Comptroller to formally charge him with criminal evasion of customs duty. Poloff spoke with Leonard, who was very pleased that he would finally get his day in court. He noted that Frederick has filed an emergency appeal, but is confident Frederick will lose the appeal and the case will proceed to trial, probably early in January. ------COMMENT ------4. (C) The Frederick case has been at the center of St. Lucian politics for a number of years. In addition to the customs case and possible narcotics ties, several American investors claim that he illegally expropriated land holdings. They have appealed the decision to the Prime Minister. Minister Frederick is politically well connected, however, and is closely allied with Rufus Bousquet\'s faction of the ruling party. In person, Frederick can be charming and gregarious, but also comes across as self serving and duplicitous. The Customs Comptroller has a well deserved reputation for being both the most honest government official in St. Lucia and for being as stubborn as a pitbull. Despite the wishes of many that this case would go away, he clearly has persevered in not letting the matter rest. If Frederick is convicted, it will rmove one major source of opposition to Prime Miniter King within the cabinet, allowing the PM to onsolidate his shaky base of power. End comment. HARDT

"200703","4/3/2009 16:42","09BRIDGETOWN210","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","","VZCZCXYZ0014 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0210/01 0931642 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 031642Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7284 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0307 RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0151 ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000210 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2019 TAGS: PGOV, KCRM, PREL, INRB, XL, CH, TW, EAID, OFDP SUBJECT: ST LUCIA: GOVERNMENT WEAKNESS AND FOREIGN INTERFERENCE POST CHALLENGES TO GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY Classified By: Charge d\'Affaires, a.i. D. Brent Hardt, reasons 1.4 (b,d ) ------SUMMARY ------1. (C) The government\'s integrity and accountability are under increasing strain in St. Lucia in the face of continued tensions within the governing party and windfall foreign funds being deployed by Taiwan into government constituencies. With the ongoing economic slowdown impacting the island, the pressure to accept money from foreign sources or pursue illicit schemes -- including liaison with drug traffickers -- for personal or political gain is on the rise. The main culprits are government Ministers that the PM has struggled to control and who are eager to challenge his leadership. Taiwan has ramped up its financial involvement in St. Lucia in order to tilt the political balance toward the government, as the opposition has promised to shift recognition back to China -- likely in its own bid for funding. End summary. ------------------------------------Will the UWP hold a Party Convention? -------------------------------------

2. (C) Ruling party MP Jeannine Compton expressed concerns to poloffs about the upcoming UWP party convention. She said the party may postpone the convention, due in April, rather than risk a leadership challenge against Prime Minister King. She noted that King is still unable to control the various factions of the party, despite a recent ebbing of the influence of Housing Minister Richard Frederick as corruption charges against him have begun to move forward. 3. (C) Kenneth Monplaisir, a prominent local lawyer and head of the election commission, meanwhile, sees King\'s weakness not as a impediment to maintaining power but as an asset, as the lack of established hierarchy allows a more decentralized power structure among the various ministers and leads to ministers concentrating on keeping power in -- and profiting from -- their own \"fiefdom\" rather than challenging for leadership of the party. Monplaisir lamented, though, that corruption and malfeasance in the fiefdoms were getting out of hand and the public was losing patience with the government. --------------------------------------------- -Official Corruption: Frederick, Mondesir Cases --------------------------------------------- -4. (C) Customs Comptroller Terence Leonard continues his pursuit of Minister Frederick for false invoicing. Leonard told poloffs he is ready to move forward but does not have the assistance of the attorney general, who has refused to participate in the case. Leonard claims his office is without legal counsel and does not have the funds to hire an outside lawyer to pursue the case. He claims to have been actively discouraged from pursuing this case further by the PM, the attorney general and the public prosecutor\'s office. According to Kenneth Monplaisir, the case is getting stale and the public is starting to lose interest, despite the widespread perception that Leonard is one of the most honest officials in St. Lucia and that Frederick is widely considered a \'thug\'. 5. (C) Leonard fears that he could be put on administrative leave and that a successor would be told to get rid of any incriminating evidence against Frederick. If Leonard could be displaced for even a short amount of time, the case against Frederick would be seriously weakened. The new comptroller would have the ability to release the evidence and try to dismiss the allegations against Frederick. In a new turn, Leonard told us that a new deputy comptroller was

installed in his office. Leonard had no input in the hiring of this individual, who he said has a poor track record in government and has been investigated numerous times for corruption in previous posts. 6. (U) As the Frederick case stagnates, Health Minister Keith Mondesir is being investigated for falsely claiming that his Bonne Terre residence is part of the nearby Tuxedo Villa Hotel, in order to qualify it for duty free concessions. According to opposition leader Kenny Anthony, this is a serious breach of public integrity, and the opposition has started a procedure to sue PM King over this violation of customs duties by a Cabinet level official. Due to the delays in getting the case started, Mr. Anthony has been awarded a sum of $935 USD to cover his legal costs.

---------------Taiwan Influence ---------------7. (C) According to Jeannine Compton, Taiwan is providing each Government MP with US$1 million that is ostensibly designed for development projects, but is actually being used to fund elections and to personally enrich the MPs. Philip Pierre states that this contribution and its disbursement is not transparent and creates a sharp partisan divide between those constituencies that see the money go into actual community development projects, and those constituencies where the money vanishes into an MP\'s pocket or where communities represented by an opposition MP cannot enjoy the bounty. Compton told us (and Pierre later confirmed) that she refused to accept the money in the ordinary fashion, forcing the Taiwanese to make the donation to a government accounting board that would provide oversight to its eventual use. This makes her, so far, a minority of one in St. Lucia politics. 8. (C) Taiwan\'s Ambassador to St. Lucia Tom Chou has riled up the opposition further by locating a technology center consisting of 10 Acer computers in the election headquarters of Home Affairs and National Security Minister Guy Mayers. This office, in Castries East, is where Mayers (currently an unelected senator) is challenging Pierre for his MP seat. According to Pierre, the government has targeted his seat and is using Taiwanese money to build support. Opposition leader Kenny Anthony has called for the Ambassador to be deported, and makes no bones about believing that Taiwan is blatantly

favoring the government and becoming involved in domestic politics. Ambassador Chou has stated (disingenuously) that he was unaware of the political dimension of this project. ------Comment ------9. (C) During the current economic downturn, there is concern that outside money will be able to exert greater influence in the political process. Public salaries are insufficient to run an election, let alone maintain an office staff. The easy availability of funds from Taiwan and, to a lesser extent, Venezuela has expanded opportunities for graft. Minister Frederick is potentially a top player in this game, possibly skimming millions of dollars from a variety of illicit projects. So far, Terence Leonard is one of the few to publicly challenge widespread official corruption. 10. (C) During recent Independence Day festivities, it was easy to notice the conspicuously large diplomatic presence from Taiwan and their constant side meetings with numerous ministers and government officials. The Taiwanese Ambassador was accorded special access in the Prime Minister\'s box, while all other Ambassador\'s sat in a separate viewing section at some distance from the PM and Governor General. Since Taiwan\'s only interest in St. Lucia is that of maintaining official diplomatic recognition, they do not feel any compunction in bribing Ministers and undermining the rule of law. In the current economic environment, and without strong leadership at the helm of the ruling party, Taiwan should have little trouble finding willing takers. It is therefore not surprising that we have begun to hear that the opposition is taking money from China, Taiwan\'s foil in the region. HARDT

"213135","6/19/2009 19:04","09BRIDGETOWN369","Embassy Bridgetown","UNCLASSIFIED","09STATE49477","VZCZCXRO4489 PP RUEHGR DE RUEHWN #0369/01 1701904 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 191904Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7506 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE","UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRIDGETOWN 000369 SIPDIS WHA/CAR FOR JACKIE ROSHOLT EEB/IFD/OIA FOR HEATHER GOETHERT EEB/IFD/OIA FOR KIMBERLY BUTLER L/CID FOR PATRICK PEARSALL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CASC, EINV, KIDE, OPIC, PGOV, XL SUBJECT: EXPROPRIATION - ST. LUCIA REF: STATE 049477

1.

(SBU) St. Lucia has one outstanding expropriation case.

---------------------Claimant Designation -------------------2. (U) Claimants A through F. --------------------Date of Expropriation --------------------3. (U) The initial expropriation occurred in May 2008. The title of the land formally passed to the Government of St. Lucia in January 2009. -----------CASE HISTORY -----------4. (SBU) The expropriation concerns 230 acres of land on the west coast of St. Lucia just south of the town of Anse La Raye. The land has a small beach, but is primarily mountainous, with some swampland adjacent to the waterfront.

This land was purchased over 50 years ago by a consortium of American investors. Recently, the group made a contribution of 176 acres of land that has historic significance for St. Lucia to the National Trust. Brigand Hill, a small hotel of about five rooms is owned by Claimant A, as the land was split off prior to the current dispute, and is not included in the expropriation. 5. (SBU) The problems for the consortium started when a group of minority investors, claimants E and F, took legal action to address perceived wrongdoings. The issues are currently being handled in court, and the pending legal action prevented the land from being sold or developed. The government has used this inaction to claim that the land was being left idle. The public remarks concerning the land claim that it will be used for low income housing, despite the geography of the territory making it ill suited for such a development. In addition, the presence of poisonous snakes and the lack of clean water or access to the electrical grid make development problematic. 6. (SBU) The majority claimants (A,B,C,D) have contacted the St. Lucia Government and the U.S. Embassy to push their case. A letter from the Ambassador was sent to the Prime Minister to encourage an expeditious and adequate settlement on 20 October 2008. During the St. Lucia National Independence Day celebrations on 22 February 2009, the Charge d\'Affaires raised the issue with the PM, who gave his verbal assurance that the matter was being reversed, and that the expropriation of the land was in error. A letter confirming this conversation was sent to the PM on 27 February 2009, but the Embassy has received no response despite numerous calls. According to the local lawyers involved, the expropriation is continuing, despite the statement from the PM. Contacts have informed poloffs that the PM lacks control of his cabinet and is being fed incorrect information by select Ministers. The people involved in this case are Richard Frederick, Minister of Housing, and Keith Mondesir, Minster of Health and also the Parliamentary representative for this district. 7. (SBU) The value of the property is a point of contention. The claimants have an offer for the land in the range of 2.4 million USD. They believe that the land is worth considerably more, and that the drop in value is due to the global recession. The value of the donated land was estimated at 12 million USD, which allowed for a considerable U.S. tax deduction, but it is unlikely that the land would have received anywhere near that amount on the open market.

The land is scenic, but the small beachfront makes a tourist hotel problematic, and without a tourist appeal, the value is much lower. In case of a settlement, the government is required to pay a fair amount, but the claimants fear that any amount would be considerably less than open market value, and in any case would require a long wait for any money to trickle in. 8. (SBU) Poloff attended a court case and visited the property on 20 May 2009. Poloff is in regular contact with the majority claimants about their case, and has met the minority shareholders. On the 15th of July, 2009, a final ruling on the shareholder list is scheduled, which would end BRIDGETOWN 00000369 002 OF 002

the dispute among the shareholders, leaving the expropriation as the only remaining hurdle. A liquidator has been appointed by the court to pay the debt of the company and is exploring ways to sell the land or get a fair settlement from the government. 9. (SBU) A B C D E F All claimants are U.S. citizens. : : : : : : Michael Seely Joe Poindexter Barry Romeril Carrol Cavanagh David Bickford James Curry

Claimant Claimant Claimant Claimant Claimant Claimant HARDT

"230116","10/16/2009 21:21","09BRIDGETOWN660","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","","VZCZCXYZ0001 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0660/01 2892121 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 162121Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7898 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM J1 MIAMI FL RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000660 SIPDIS SOUTHCOM FOR LTC JOSE ANDUJAR AND MAJ MARTE STATE PLS PASS USAID FOR LAC E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2019 TAGS: EAID, MASS, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, SL, XL SUBJECT: SOUTHCOM ASSESSMENTS ON ST.LUCIA HOSPITAL DELIVERED TO PRIME MINISTER Classified By: POL/ECON Chief Ian Campbell, reasons 1.4 (b,d)

------Summary ------1. (C) The three assessments prepared by SOUTHCOM on the effects of the fire at St. Jude\'s hospital in St. Lucia were completed and delivered to Prime Minister King October 2. These assessments, encompassing the entire Medical infrastructure of southern St. Lucia, provided a roadmap for rebuilding the recently destroyed hospital and sought to enlist support from SOUTHCOM for sourcing equipment and short-term medical care. St. Lucia has specifically requested a Modular Operating Facility and multiple ambulances to convey patients on the 75-minute drive from the south to the hospital in the capital. The strategy for redevelopment has initially been to rely on foreign support, but the government now has the opportunity to take the assessments and use them to solve immediate problems while crafting a master plan for future redevelopment. End summary. --------------------------------------------- ----------------

St. Jude\'s Hospital Destroyed Leaving Gap in Medical Coverage --------------------------------------------- ---------------2. (U) St. Jude\'s Hospital in St. Lucia was destroyed by fire September 9, with three individuals losing their lives in the tragedy. The fire destroyed the 2nd and top floor of a central structure housing the surgical ward. The first floor of the structure, which housed the laboratory, pediatric ward, supplies and laundry, was also severely damaged by water. In addition, the two wings on either side of the surgery were exposed to asbestos fibers from the burning roof, but were spared fire or water damage. Some equipment was salvaged from the site, but as none of the hospital\'s equipment was insured against loss, the equipment losses were more financially damaging than the loss of the structure. 3. (U) The hospital, a structure originally built by the U.S. military in the 1940s, serviced the southern portion of St. Lucia, to include the Hewanorra International Airport. The impact on the airport of losing an emergency care facility could be significant in the case of a serious accident as there is limited capacity to move people to hospitals in the capital. If left unresolved, the lack of adequate medical care nearby could threaten Hewanorra\'s status as an international airport, which would in turn have a potentially significant impact on tourism arrivals. ------------SOUTHCOM Team ------------4. (U) A team of six experts from SOUTHCOM accompanied by poloff conducted a four-day assessment of all major sites, including St. Jude\'s hospital, George Odlum stadium as a temporary hospital, regional clinics in Laborie, Dennery, Vieux Fort, and Soufriere; Victoria and Tapion hospitals in Castries, and alternate sites for housing a temporary facility. The team consisted of a structural engineer and a director of medical plans from Miami and a team of a medic and three specialists based in Trinidad. During the trip, the team was briefed by a number of prominent St. Lucians, including Prime Minister King, Minister of Health Mondesir, Minister of Home Affairs Mayers and numerous other officials from the MFA, Ministry of Health, and local hospital administrations. Every effort was made to accommodate the team and provide access to sites and appropriate personnel.

5. (U) The assessment team concluded that it would not be cost effective to rebuild the structure, and that the asbestos needed to be removed from the site. The stadium now serving as a temporary facility lacks adequate water and electrical capacity, but otherwise is an excellent facility with wide hallways, adequate space, parking and easy access for the populace in southern St. Lucia. The stadium has two wings, but currently only the west wing is being used as a makeshift hospital. The east wing is thought to be more suitable as it houses the locker rooms with showers and better plumbing. Access to the west wing was granted by Prime Minister King on the morning after the fire, but permission to move to the east wing has been neither requested nor granted. --------------------------------------------- Alternative Sites: Good Politics, Bad Medicine --------------------------------------------- 6. (C) The team also surveyed multiple alternative sites, including Skyway Inn, a Free Trade Zone warehouse, and an empty plot of land. All sites had significant problems, and were potentially motivated by issues other than the interests of providing the best medical care. Skyway Inn has almost no guests, is in disrepair and should be shut down due to health reasons. The owner is behind in payments and the bank wants to get this liability off their books. The property is unsuitable as a hospital due to narrow hallways, no elevator, small rooms and a significant mold problem. It was suggested as a potential site more to get it off the balance sheet of the bank than as a real temporary site for a hospital. The Free Zone warehouse had different reasons for being unsuitable but was also selected as it was a gift from the Chinese government and is almost totally empty and has been unused for some time. 7. (C) The alternative site proposals also caused a stir among St. Lucians, pitting government administrators against hospital medical staff. The doctors, led by Chierry Poyotte, Medical Director of St. Jude\'s, thought that the search for alternatives to the stadium was a dangerous waste of time, and was being done more to preserve the fiction of the stadium as a real facility than in the best interests of the public. The stadium was built by the Chinese in 2003 but had deteriorated so rapidly that by 2008 that it required $7 million EC ($2.6 million USD) to refurbish. The high maintenance costs also prevent it from being used for anything but a significant event, so it sits empty for all

but a few days this facility, staff. It was the stadium as them the right

a year. The desire to get the patients out of despite its utility, angered numerous hospital only due to the multiple assessments pushing the ideal temporary site that the PM granted to stay indefinitely.

-----------------Foreign Assistance -----------------8. (U) Mondesir has made a request to SOUTHCOM for a modular (not mobile) operating facility and three ambulances. The cost of the modular unit is $1.5 million with new equipment, and potentially half that cost for refurbished equipment. If a modular O.R. is not available, Mondesir expressed interest in a portable tent facility. According to Susana Huang, a secretary in the Taiwanese Embassy, Taiwan has already made an offer to PM King to build a new hospital, but only if a fair amount of financial support comes from the St. Lucia government. This seems to be the best offer available, but has not yet been accepted. The French have offered to remove asbestos from the site. Teams from the UN and PAHO have also undertaken on-the-ground assessments of the sites, but these have not resulted in any decisions on provision of additional assistance. ------Comment ------9. (U) St. Lucia is ill-prepared to deal with a disaster of this scope. The temporary solution of the stadium is adequate, but, going forward, the country will face difficulties acquiring equipment and managing other expenses. St. Lucia this month is receiving a psychiatric hospital from the Taiwanese in southern Castries, but no accompanying equipment. In addition, construction has just started on a new EU-funded hospital on the same site as the psychiatric hospital that should be finished in 30 months, but it, too, will be furnished but not equipped. Add in the costs of the replacing St. Jude\'s (since the EU hospital is not close enough to properly service Hewanorra) and St. Lucia will have to fund the equipping of three hospitals in three years. This would be a strain on resources in the best of times; in the current economic climate, it is unrealistic to think they will be up to the challenge. 10. (U) With significant assistance from the USG and others,

St. Lucia has managed the short-term aspect of this disaster. In addition to the SOUTHCOM assessment team, Embassy\'s MLO secured an immediate $10,000 grant in Humanitarian Assistance Program funds from SOUTHCOM to cover immediate needs, and the Embassy was also able to redirect some recently-arrived medical supplies form a Denton shipment to the St. Jude\'s site as well. 11. (C) While the international community looks to solve the medical problems, the long-term aspects of recovery are exposing political cracks. With the Health Minister recently found guilty of customs violations and misleading the Cabinet about it, the government had hoped to be able to take quick and decisive action to renew confidence in Mondesir and the ruling party. Instead, the weight and complexity of this task is generating new rifts between the bureaucrats in the capital and the hospital administrators in the south. Meanwhile, the politicians have been unable to restrain themselves from trying to use the misfortune to feather their own nests through controlling the location of the new building. St. Lucia is also relying too heavily on foreign assistance for many aspects of the recovery, delaying their own domestic response. End comment. HARDT

"250530","2/24/2010 17:18","10BRIDGETOWN35","Embassy Bridgetown","CONFIDENTIAL","","VZCZCXYZ0006 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHWN #0035/01 0551718 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 241718Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0551 INFO EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RHMCSUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL ","C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000035 SIPDIS STATE FOR STATE FOR STATE FOR AMEMBASSY

INL - TERRY JOHNS WHA/CAR - KAREN MCISAAC NEA/MAG - HEATHER KALMBACH BRIDGETOWN PASS TO AMEMBASSY GRENADA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/02/24 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, ECON, MASS, SNAR, XL SUBJECT: PM King: Rising Crime Threatens St. Lucia\'s Expanding Tourism Sector CLASSIFIED BY: D. Brent Hardt, Charge; REASON: 1.4(B), (D) -----------Summary ------------

1. (C) St. Lucia Prime Minister Stephenson King told the Charge in a February 10 meeting that his government is struggling to stem the tide of violent crime that has begun to adversely affect the country\'s vital but vulnerable tourism sector. He is hiring more police, weeding out corruption in the ranks, and looking to partner with U.S. local and federal law enforcement agencies in his effort to reverse the trends. He was very pleased that St. Lucia will be the first country in the Eastern Caribbean to receive vessels and communication equipment through SOUTHCOM\'s Enduring Friendship program. He welcomes the emerging U.S. focus on at-risk youth and entrepreneurship programs, and would like to see them expanded through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI). St. Lucia\'s, Minister of Tourism Chastanet outlined his ambitious plans for tourism expansion in St. Lucia and challenges he faces in

convincing the government that it needs to do more to support the industry. He proposed an agreement in services between the U.S. and Caribbean to make the Caribbean part of U.S. airspace for travel purposes, with both sides agreeing to reduce air travel taxes, which now account for a sizeable portion of air travel costs in both directions. End Summary.

-----------------------------------------Struggling to Get a Grip on Crime ------------------------------------------

2. (C) In a February 10 meeting at his official residence in St. Lucia, Prime Minister King lamented to the Charge that the current rise in violent crime on the island that had resulted in 7 fatalities already this year -- on target for a murder record if it continues. Moreover, crime had begun to affect the vulnerable tourist sector as cruise tourists on bus tours to scenic sights had been attacked and robbed in broad daylight. Gang violence had entrenched itself within the capital, Castries, resulting in a \"proliferation of small arms, muggings, and robberies.\" Drug trafficking remained a constant concern, as much of the violence related to interruptions in shipments and struggle for drug turf. To reverse these alarming trends, King said he had already hired 58 new officers, with an additional 65 to be brought on board as soon as the first class graduated. (Comment: This would represent a 15 percent increase in the strength of the force. End Comment). Police Commissioner Regis separately told the Charge that his force is staffed for the demands of St. Lucia\'s 160,000 citizens, but not for the additional 500,000 visitors the island hosts every year. This point had helped sell the PM on the need to increase the Force\'s strength, he added.

--------------------------------------------- --------Corruption, Lack of Leadership in the Ranks --------------------------------------------- ---------

3. (C) Prime Minister King was open and direct in addressing problems of corruption within the police ranks, telling the Charge that the country would welcome U.S. assistance in this area. He said the Force is already expanding its vetting efforts, but much more is need. He acknowledged the importance of ensuring that the Coast Guard would be vetted as it takes possession of the new U.S.-provided vessels. The Charge conveyed the U.S. willingness to explore how we might support his vetting efforts. King also acknowledged his government had made a mistake in elevating a British national as commissioner -- part of a UK-funded effort to professionalize the force through an influx of senior level British officers. The displacement of the current commissioner, Ausbert Regis, who had been on extended leave, may have left a bad taste in

his mouth that could affect his level of performance, the PM indicated.

----------------------------New Strategies Needed -----------------------------

4. (C) According to King, new strategies are needed, including better surveillance and intelligence and a more creative way to target the at-risk youth who are failed by the educational system. King supports an expansion of vocational education that can better meet the needs of those students that are not well served by the current academic system. He enthusiastically welcomed the U.S. focus on programs for at-risk youth and appreciated that the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative would seek to address both the cause and consequences of the region\'s crime. King indicated that his government had decided to launch two major reviews, one on social reform and a second on education. A Council on Social Reform had been established, that would look at some of the factors pulling young people into the capital, and exploring how to create new communities through resettlement or to strengthen existing communities outside the main city. The Education Council would take a hard look at the country\'s education system, which is not serving a large segment of its population well, according to King. He believed it was time to move past the inherited British academic model and ensure the system was flexible enough to accommodate diverse interests and capabilities.

----------------------------------Libyan Diplomatic Presence -----------------------------------

5. (C) The Charge asked PM King about reports that Libya had decided to establish a diplomatic presence in St. Lucia, and King responded that the government had discovered this almost by chance. He noted that Libya has been in discussion with members of the OECS for some time (led by St. Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, whose ties to Libya date back decades), and had apparently settled on St. Lucia because it was home to the OECS secretariat. Apparently, however, the Libyan representatives arrived without informing the government of St. Lucia, and only after the government found this out and approached the Libyans about the need to follow protocol, did they begin procedures for establishing their presence. King said St. Lucia did not have any strong feelings about this presence, but said it had been guided by our recent approach to relations with Libya. PM King noted that he understood Libya had also established a bank in St. Kitts/Nevis and another entity relating it investment in Antigua as part of its expanding presence in the region.

----------------------------------Ambitious Plans for Tourism -----------------------------------

6. (C) In a separate meeting with the Charge, The energetic Minister of Tourism, Allen Chastanet, outlined his ambitious plans for St. Lucia\'s tourism sector. He believes St. Lucia is poised to be one of the top destinations for U.S. tourists in the Caribbean. Already, it has surpassed Barbados for number of long stay U.S. visitors, and he sees the potential for 250,000 long stay U.S. visitors within the next three years. He attributed St. Lucia\'s success in the U.S. market to the expansion in direct U.S. flights, particularly the entry of JetBlue into the market last October and

increased flights by Delta, American, and USAir. The increased competition also resulted in a dramatic reduction in the cost of E

roundtrip fares from the U.S. to $500, from almost $1100 last year -- which makes St. Lucia a much more affordable destination. Chastanet reiterated his interest in establishing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance facility at the International Airport, as in Aruba, Nassau and Freeport. He wondered whether there was a minimum number travelers required to secure such a facility, and noted that their airport had been designed to allow for the possibility of a secure U.S. area.

7. (C) Chastanet then raised an idea he had been developing to expand air travel between the U.S. and the Caribbean. The goal, he said, would be to reduce airport departure and security taxes both from the U.S. and the Caribbean. He wondered whether the Caribbean could be designated part of U.S. airspace for purposes of air travel. He noted that this would stand in direct contrast with current British actions, as they are in the final steps of increasing dramatically the tax burden for flights to the Caribbean, which will likely result in a reduction in U.K. tourism. Chastanet pointed out that U.S. programs such as the Caribbean Basin Initiative now had a limited influence on the local economy, due to the region\'s miniscule exports in tangible goods. A reduction in airport taxes would amount to a reduction in a tariff barrier in the services sector that would have much more effect on the region\'s economies. In cruise tourism, Chastanet said the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was restricting the potential market of U.S. travelers. Nevertheless, St. Lucia is pushing ahead with plans to open a new pier in Soufriere, the town at the foot of the Pitons, St. Lucia\'s UNESCO World Heritage Site and top tourist draw. (Note: Chastanet is an unelected Senator, and has selected Soufriere as the constituency he hopes to capture in the next election.)

8. (C) Charge asked Chastanet and Minister of National Security Guy Mayers about the recent attacks on cruise ship visitors in the country\'s interior that resulted in Norwegian Cruise Line\'s cancellation of port calls in St. Lucia. Chastanet assured the Charge that the government intended to be proactive in heading off such occurrences. He explained that there had been a proliferation of tourist sites in recent years -- remote waterfalls and hiking

sites -- and this is where recent problems had taken place. The government had already undertaken an effort to assess and register all these sites with a view to security, and planned to shut down any site that could not guarantee security for visitors. He understood the critical importance of ensuring visitor safety for the future of the country\'s tourism sector and broader economic viability, and was urging the cabinet to increase police capacity and visibility.

-------------------------------------------OECS Open to Closer Collaboration --------------------------------------------

9. (C) Charge also met with the Director of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Len Ishmael, to explore areas of potential U.S. cooperation with the generally effective regional organization. Ishmael noted that the organization\'s focus has shifted considerably in recent years, with an expanded role in regional diplomatic representation for OECS states, bulk purchasing of medicines, environmental protection, and expansion of its efforts in education and youth entrepreneurship. While the OECS has worked effectively with USAID, she believes there is potential for expanded cooperation. On Libya, she noted that the OECS has encouraged the relationship with Libya as a potential source of investment in the region and is now exploring an OECS mission in Tripoli as has been established in Canada and Brussels.

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

10. (C) Under Prime Minister King, St. Lucia remains our closest ally in the region, willing to break with CARICOM on UN votes, and still keeping a healthy distance from ALBA despite enticements from Hugo Chavez. King is grateful that St. Lucia was identified as the first recipient in the region of Enduring Friendship assets to combat drug trafficking, and also expressed gratitude for our pier

construction projects, which will give the Cost Guard greater range in protecting St. Lucia\'s extensive shoreline. St. Lucia\'s economy seems to have survived the worst of the economic downturn, and although a number of projects came to a standstill, others continued and some new investments are about to be launched. The challenge, as Chastanet explained, was to convince the bureaucracy and other members of the cabinet that tourism really was everybody\'s business, and to orient the government to making this a reality. HARDT