Just days before Saint Lucians head to the polls, long-time United Workers Party (UWP) member and political organiser Felix “Champagne” Deterville has publicly endorsed Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP). Deterville made the declaration on an SLP platform in Castries East on Saturday evening, citing years of unfulfilled promises, internal hostility, and what he described as an increasing disconnect between the UWP and grassroots communities.
Deterville, a familiar figure with more than three decades in politics, said the decision was difficult but necessary, grounded in his commitment to community rather than party allegiance. He noted that he had offered himself twice to represent Castries East but was not selected, yet continued to work independently for residents.
He recalled years of advocating for major improvements in the community, including a multipurpose facility that residents, especially young people, had long requested. After decades of delays, he said the ongoing construction of a modern multipurpose complex under the SLP administration finally represents meaningful progress. “For years the young men told me they would vote for me ‘for our court,’” Deterville said. “After all those years—16, 17, 18, 19, 20, now, finally, something is happening.”
Deterville said his relationship with the UWP soured last October after he publicly supported the resurfacing of the Marchand Road, a project he had also long advocated for. His open approval, he said, triggered a wave of verbal attacks and online criticism from people within the very party he had supported for decades. He stressed that although he had experienced political criticism before, he had never faced the level of disrespect and personal attacks that followed from UWP members. He recounted being called “a dog,” a remark he described as deeply painful and humiliating given his years of loyalty.
He also expressed disappointment in comments made by the UWP candidate for Castries East during a visit to the community’s newly built multipurpose complex. The candidate suggested residents might need “bulletproof vests,” a remark Deterville said disrespected the people of Castries East and undermined their long-standing efforts to uplift their neighbourhood.
According to Deterville, these incidents showed him that the UWP no longer reflected the values he stood for. He said friends and associates questioned why he tolerated the treatment, urging him to make a decision based on dignity instead of political loyalty. “It is better to stand as a man in your mother’s house than to stay where you are humiliated,” he said. “A man must stand where he is respected.”
He closed by urging Saint Lucians to prioritise respect, development, and truth as they head to the polls on December 1. “I stand with the Saint Lucia Labour Party because they are delivering for communities,” he said. “And I will stand where the people are valued.”
