Discovery on saddle bag latch - it's got a protective cover!

[PW2013STL]

I am in the process of doing the 28,000 mile service on my wife's 2021 sea to sky and since I have had issues with the latch cables on my 2020 RT I decided to be proactive and lubricate her cables. What I found was a protective cover on the back side of the release handle. It covers the handle mechanism as well as the top of the cable.
Looked it up in the parts diagram, but doesn't show that. Looked at 2022 diagram and all RT's show having that. I am thinking its BRP's attempt to stop water getting into the cable and rusting it.

[LimaNiner]

I have a 2022 RTL. On a recent trip one side compartment wouldn't latch. I bungee-corded it to get to a dealer. When I arrived, they couldn't open the other side. I bought the bike new and had it for less than four months. BRP replaced the entire latch mechanism on both sides.