The Roblot Prophecy: How One Tiny Booth Keeps Deciding the Choiseul/Saltibus Election

In the quiet community of Debreuil stands a government building—the Roblot Combined School. Most days, it echoes with the chatter of children and the clatter of chalk. But every five years, this Hess-built schoolhouse transforms into something much more powerful: the most influential polling station in Choiseul/Saltibus.

Locals call it “I5.” Politicians call it ground zero.

A Pattern Too Precise to Ignore

The year was 1997. The nation was painted red—Labour red. Across Saint Lucia, the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP) swept into power in a historic landslide. But in Choiseul/Saltibus, something odd happened: the numbers in Roblot quietly mirrored the eventual victor. It happened again in 2001. Again in 2006. And every time since.

When United Workers Party (UWP) took the seat in 2016 with Bradley Felix, Roblot had already told us it would happen. In 2021, despite a national SLP wave, Felix held on—barely. But guess what? Roblot again gave him a clear lead, handing UWP a margin of more than 18 percentage points. The rest of the constituency followed just close enough to match the tone Roblot had already set.

It was no longer coincidence. It was a pattern.

The “I5 Effect”

Election strategists began to whisper about it during campaign season:

“If you win Roblot, you win the seat.”

But why? What made this small booth of just a few hundred voters so powerful?

Some say it’s because Roblot represents a perfect cross-section of the constituency—teachers, farmers, tradesmen, retirees, and young dreamers. Others believe it’s the passion of the community—voters here care. They show up. And their concerns—roads, jobs, youth programs—reflect the beating heart of Choiseul/Saltibus.

In fact, during one campaign, Roblot residents staged a spontaneous mini-protest about a neglected road. By sundown, not only was the road issue trending locally, but every candidate was suddenly promising solutions on national radio.

Why Candidates Must Win Roblot—or Die Trying

What makes Roblot so vital?

• Vote Cushion: In 2021, Felix’s total margin of victory was 385 votes. Roblot alone gave him over 120 of those. Without it? He’d have lost.
• Tone Setter: The booth reports early. When Roblot swings UWP or SLP, it energizes the entire base. It can demoralize one side before all boxes are counted.
• Media Bait: Local media often frames the election night story around Roblot’s results. It’s a perception game—and perception can sway real votes.

The Drama Returns in 2026

Now, as whispers of new candidates begin to stir in the constituency, campaigners are already marking maps. And at the center of every plan is one big circle around I5 – Roblot Combined School.

They’ll be walking door to door, listening to uncles on porches, nodding at grannies in roadside shops, and promising better days—because they know the truth.

Roblot decides.

Final thought: If elections are battles, then Roblot is the hill everyone wants to hold. And in Choiseul/Saltibus, history has taught us one thing: he who wins Roblot, wins the war.