Edmund Estephane, a former minister of the United Workers Party (UWP), expressed astonishment at the unexpected reappearance of Ezekiel Joseph, the former Babonneau MP, during the UWP’s manifesto launch on November 23. Estephane, who recently declared his support for his brother, John Paul Estephane, the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) candidate for Babonneau, criticized Joseph’s decision to publicly endorse the UWP after years of internal discord within the party. Speaking on the Zafè Nous morning show, Estephane recalled Joseph’s past assertion that he would not compromise his principles for political gain. He further alleged that Joseph had previously stated he would not support Titus Preville, the UWP’s new Babonneau candidate. However, Joseph’s full endorsement of Preville during the event contradicted this claim. Estephane also highlighted that Joseph had once supported John Paul Estephane’s candidacy, making his recent endorsement even more surprising. Additionally, Estephane attributed the UWP’s internal struggles to what he described as a poor leadership decision to appoint Allen Chastanet as party leader, which he believes led to declining morale and the departure of senior members, including Stephenson King. He suggested that this internal rift had previously strained Joseph’s relationship with the party.