Baptiste believes DRP will form government

Leader of the newly formed Democratic Republican Party (DRP) Anesia Baptiste says she believes that with her track record, her party can be in a position to form government in the next few years.{{more}}

Baptiste, speaking at the launch of the DRP in Kingstown on Thursday, listed a number of her achievements, which she said she aimed to continue under the DRP.

“It is a hallmark of my politics as founder to not await the taking of political office in order to work for the people. Instead my own record has shown the ability through careful planning, coalition building and partnership, to execute projects to lift the burdens of the people and meet their tangible needs in these trying times,” she said.

She said her efforts contributed to the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP)-led “No Vote” camp convincing Vincentians to vote against the proposed changes to the nation’s Constitution.

“Any honest person out there would admit that it was the efforts of Anesia Baptiste, today founder of the DRP, that influenced the Vote No campaign, ran primarily by the NDP, into having success at the polls, in defeating the Constitution Bill 2009,” Baptiste said.

Baptiste is a former member of the Unity Labour Party. She was also a member of the NDP from December 2010, until party Leader Arnhim Eustace fired her in April.

She said that she has assisted the young and elderly in the areas of education, disaster relief, poverty alleviation, domestic violence, and infrastructure.

“Now these are but a few examples of work that I have been able to do … without any particular financial base of my own and without state funds.

“Everything was done through sacrifice, and most importantly partnership with fellow Vincentians, home and abroad, who told me they were inspired in one way or the other in my work and wanted to partner with me to help others.

“Now imagine how much more I can get done, and will get done with a political party, with this Democratic Republican Party,” Baptiste stated.

Baptiste said the DRP was formed after heeding the calls of her supporters at home and abroad, and that she believes that her devotion to serving the people will bring about social and economic prosperity in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

She said she will guide the party to victory in the not too distant future.

“… in a position where we are able to field a substantial number of candidates in a next general elections and we can take government. That is where I see the DRP,” Baptiste said.