Baptiste calls out Charles, Stephenson

New Democratic Party Senator Anesia Baptiste has cried shame on Christian members of the Unity Labour Party for their support of bills, which she says are taking away God given rights.{{more}}

Baptiste, one of the speakers at the NDP’s protest march through Kingstown, followed by a rally at the Administrative complex on Tuesday, called out the representatives from Central Leeward and South Windward about their decision to pass the Criminal Procedure Code at the last sitting of Parliament last month.

“I want to ask people like the Honourable Maxwell Charles and the Honorouable Frederick Stephenson; you guys profess Christianity, how could you sit down in a parliament and vote for bills that are taking away the rights that Christ gave to the people? How can you sit in a parliament with any good conscience before God vote for a bill to take away the rights that God has given to the people. Shame on you.”

Baptiste, who is Associate Director the Thusian Institute for Religious Liberty, said that Charles, a Seventh Day Adventist pastor, as well as Stephenson, an Anglican Lay Minister, should reflect and consider their decisions.

“You have a duty to the people; tell your Prime Minister he is wrong. Tell him to withdraw the bills, tell him to kill the bills if you stand for God as you say.”

Senator Baptiste lashed out at Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who she says is making strides to have St. Vincent and the Grenadines come like the country of his friend President Hugo Chavez, with the introduction of laws, which she claims trample on the rights and freedoms of the people.

“I want to give the Prime Minister some education on good governance: he needs to know that even though governments are elected by a majority, while they are in office their duty is to protect the rights and freedoms of all the people…. We do not want a government that will pass laws to take away our rights and freedom but one that will protect our rights.”

“No government with a one seat majority has any moral authority or otherwise authority to stand against the people’s rights and freedom… (which) comes from God and not from a DPP, not from a prime minister; it is God who gave us our rights and we will stand up for our rights forever.”

Quoting from the biblical book of Isaiah and singing the song ‘Freedom will come tomorrow’ from the South African musical Sarafina! Baptiste professed that St. Vincent and the Grenadines will soon be free.

“It is an abominable thing in the eyes of God for a government that pass laws against the rights and freedom of the people and that is why we are standing against it today.”

“We have to continue to stand up for it. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, it is only a matter of time.”(JJ)