Babonneau is a constituency set for change. The area is on the verge of township, with various economic and social developments scheduled for the next few years. These developments will be overseen by one of two men, as the area is set for a possible political shake-up in the upcoming general elections.
The Babonneau vote has been a pivotal one during recent cycles with the constituency shifting between the major political parties following the tallying of votes.
This election cycle is of particular interest as the incumbent, Dr Virginia Albert-Poyotte of the ruling Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP), was replaced by her party in favour of another candidate. A newcomer to the political arena Titus Preville, who was set to be her adversary in the upcoming election, will now face John Estephane.
Regardless of who takes the seat, a fresh face will serve as the parliamentary representative for the area for the next term.
In the SLP corner stands John Paul Estephane. Also known by his nickname Skip, the product of De Barras, Babonneau, is confident that he can retain the constituency for Team Labour for another five years. Estephane, who is the brother of former United Workers Party (UWP) Parliamentary Representative for Dennery South, Edmund Estephane, is an educator by profession. He has served in various leadership positions in the education sector — from primary school teacher and principal to his most recent role as senior mathematics lecturer at two tertiary institutions on the island. Estephane believes that education remains an essential tool in community development and nation building. He has also chaired the Social, Cultural, and Sports Committees on the island and is a certified Justice of the Peace.
Estephane will come up against UWP-endorsed candidate Titus Preville. The La Croix Chaubou, Babonneau, native is the former director for the CARICOM Single Market at the CARICOM Secretariat’s Single Market and Economy Unit based in Barbados. Having also served in the public service of Saint Lucia for almost 35 years, he held the post of permanent secretary for over 12 years — most of that time in the ministry responsible for Trade, Industry, Commerce, and Consumer Affairs. He also served as Permanent Secretary of Tourism and Civil Aviation as well as Permanent Secretary of the Department of Labour. Preville, like his opponent, is confident that he is the right man for the job.
As Babonneau continues to strive towards town status, a few key areas could influence voter confidence. The community still needs to achieve some infrastructure and planning requirements as well as advance in economic and social development before officially being labelled a town. Among the developmental areas of focus will be sports arenas, which could help in capturing the youth vote. Additionally, the rehabilitation of feeder roads — some of which will serve as vital links to planned housing developments and passageways for farmers — is another point highlighted by both candidates in public forums. Furthermore, proof of support for one of the largest farming populations in Saint Lucia is paramount for any candidate who hopes to win in Babonneau.
Both candidates claim that they will deliver in this regard and note that their opponent simply cannot deliver what Babonneau needs. On one hand, Estephane contends that Preville is not a true representative of the community and “was parachuted into the community, and is scrambling to make friends…as he tries to rediscover Babonneau.” He believes that his approach which is “about empowerment, about partnership, about collaboration, and about koudmen — helping each other and building from the bottom up — together” will win on election day.
In contrast, Preville believes “[my] training in development economics, direct experience in government as a permanent secretary of many years, and extensive knowledge and understanding of the needs of the people of Babonneau places me in a position to develop and implement with the people a comprehensive programme for the transformation of Babonneau.” Further, he believes “his regional experience” through his work with the CARICOM Secretariat and the network that he has developed allows him to leverage that network for the development of the constituency at large.
With the constituency ripe for development in the next few years, the election of a representative in Babonneau will be a pivotal part in how the constituency is run going forward.
