Defeated UWP Candidate for Castries South, Tommy Descartes, has sought to clarify what he says are misleading reports about his interaction with police on Election Day, December 1. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Descartes dismissed the allegations circulating online as “completely false”.
He said media reports claiming he had been arrested in connection with vote buying, and that police had recovered $30,000 on his person, did not reflect what actually took place.
“Over the last 48 hours, a number of news reports and online comments have circulated claiming that I, Tommy Descartes, was arrested by the police amidst allegations of vote buying and that law enforcement recovered $30,000 on my person. These statements are completely false.”
According to Descartes, the cash referenced in those reports did not belong to him, nor was it found on him. He explained that after polls closed, police approached his campaign finance manager, who was seated in a private vehicle and “in possession of a sum of cash intended to pay election day workers..
“These workers included over 50 individuals such as agents, drivers, runners, caterers, office staff and data clerks who had completed their duties and were awaiting payment,” he said, noting that he only approached the officers to understand what was taking place.
“At no point did the officer find any monies on my person nor did I have any of the funds in my possession.”
Descartes said officers informed him that they needed to take him and two others to the station “to count the cash”. They were transported to the police station, but, according to Descartes, no formal statement was taken from him and the money was not counted in their presence.
“This took almost about an hour,” he said.
He also raised concern about the appearance online of photographs of ID cards belonging to him and the two other members of his team.
“Even more disturbing is the fact that our ID cards… were released and circulated online by a fake profile. How did they obtain a picture of our ID on the desk? Why were they released to the public? Who authorised it? This is a serious breach of privacy and professionalism by the Saint. Lucia Police Force.”
While stressing that he respects the role of law enforcement, Descartes said the incident leaves important questions unanswered. He questioned whether he and his team were targeted, why the police insisted on taking them in if no crime had been committed, and why information shared with the media contradicted what he said occurred.
“These questions do not arise out of hostility, but out of a commitment to fairness, transparency and protection of our democratic processes,” he said. “We have no issue with the police doing their jobs.”
He ended his statement with a commitment to continue speaking out.
“I will continue to speak truth to power, and I will continue to uphold justice. And I will continue to fight for a St. Lucia where democracy is respected and protected.”
