“Trust is not a promise made on a platform and forgotten in the morning. Trust is the quiet nod of understanding from a farmer in the fields of Saltibus.”

The Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) on Sunday night unveiled its final newcomer, Keithson Charles, as the party’s candidate for Choiseul-Saltibus, in a rally charged with music, colour, and conviction. The event marked the culmination of the SLP’s candidate rollout, with senior party figures celebrating Charles as a man of integrity, service, and steadfast loyalty to his community.

Dennery North MP Shawn Edward gave a passionate endorsement, calling on Choiseul voters to match the rally’s energy at the polls. “Same numbers you are here tonight, with the same energy and enthusiasm, you have to go to the polls in every polling station, every polling division, in every constituency to vote for the Saint Lucia Labour Party candidate,” Edward urged.

He praised Charles for choosing principle over convenience. “I’m sure Keithson had a choice. I’m sure he could have been offered money to be on the other side. But Keithson is making a sacrifice on behalf of his community,” Edward said.

When Charles took the stage, he delivered a speech that blended personal history, cultural pride, and a vision for renewal. He promised to revive local traditions, strengthen youth development, and rebuild community trust. “If our young people can achieve that with no stage and no community support,” he said, “imagine what they can do when we give them the stage they deserve. We will bring back our Calypso competition, our district carnival, and empower our creative youth to build their own studios.”

Charles paid tribute to the elders who shaped him, invoking his late uncles, Dr. Augustine Charles, known as King Bolo, and Joseph Charles, a respected educator. “Their spirit is with us tonight,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

Reflecting on his years of grassroots service, Charles reminded the crowd that leadership begins with action. “When I was DJ Prince Charles of Dotcom Sounds, we didn’t just play music to make you dance, we used the music to raise funds and care for the sick. When I was an electrician, I didn’t just wire houses, I helped you keep your lights on when the disconnectors kept knocking. Every act of service was a brick in the foundation of trust.”

Turning his sights on the incumbent, Charles asked pointedly, “After nine years, what did you start and what did you finish? Did you build the mini stadium for our youth? Did you finish the warehouses you promised?”

As the night drew to a close, Charles left supporters with a message of unity and hope,  that framed his candidacy not as a political opportunity, but as a continuation of service. His pledge was simple but powerful: to transform Choiseul through trust, creativity, and community empowerment.

With his official unveiling, Keithson Charles completes the SLP’s full slate of candidates, each now gearing up for what promises to be a fiercely contested general election.