The United Workers’ Party (UWP) has officially unveiled career civil servant Titus Preville as its endorsed candidate for the Babonneau constituency. The announcement was made during a public launch held on Sunday at the Babonneau Secondary School, where Preville delivered a passionate address to an energized crowd of supporters.
Preville, an economist and former public servant, used his platform to critique the fiscal management of the incumbent Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) government, particularly targeting what he described as deceptive practices surrounding tax relief measures.
Of the government’s recent list of zero-rated VAT items, Preville claimed that over a third were already exempt, stating, “Are you aware that 25 of the 70 items they say they are zero-rating were already VAT exempt? You want to talk about obfuscation? About underhand and double-dealing?” He accused the SLP of misleading the public and failing to implement effective price-reduction policies to ease the cost of living.
“It’s either sheer incompetence or absolutely no care for people,” Preville declared, promising that under a UWP government, every policy would be “interrogated, analyzed, and its implications revealed” so that Saint Lucians could make informed decisions.
Positioning himself within the legacy of the UWP, Preville invoked the names of party stalwarts like Sir John Compton, Henry Giraudy, and Allan Bousquet, stating, “I stand here this evening on the shoulders of some very great and dedicated men and women… who have given their lives serving this party and this country.”
The new candidate also spoke about the personal values that guide him, crediting his upbringing for instilling discipline, responsibility, and integrity. “My parents never referred to us as poor. We were taught to get up and get. It takes hard work to succeed. That everyone must accept personal responsibility.”
