Kay Bacchus-Baptiste in for NDP, husband ‘Sheara’ out

Kay Bacchus-Baptiste wants to bring a renewed focus and freshness to the political landscape in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

Bacchus-Baptiste has been chosen by the West St George council of the New Democratic Party (NDP) to represent that constituency in the next general elections. She replaces Dr Jules Ferdinand.

Yesterday, Bacchus-Baptiste told SEARCHLIGHT that she believes St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) needs saving.

“With the situation we are in now, there is too much tribalism, there is too much crime and I think that there is too big a divide between the Unity Labour Party (ULP) and the NDP,” said the veteran lawyer, while sitting at her office at White Chapel Road.

She said if one could measure politics and where it stood in peoples’ thoughts, that number would have stood at 10 per cent in days gone by, but now it seems as if that number has moved to 99 per cent.

“Every single decision is based on politics, who you support, who you don’t support, whether you get a job, where you work, where you get transferred; all of our institutions have become tainted politically, and I really want that to end. I really want to bring a freshness to St Vincent, a new hope,” said Bacchus-Baptiste.

She said that she will be running a campaign of love and togetherness.

“I want Vincentians to get up and not be labouring on whether I will be victimized, or whether I am free to speak, or whether I can criticize my government. I want that to end. I want us to live again like brothers and sisters,” said Bacchus-Baptiste.

She added that when elections come around, persons should support whom they want to support and when that election is over and it is deemed free and fair, persons accept the results.

“This constant fighting is not good and I think that spiritually we are an outcast. I think that there is a spirit of fear over St Vincent and a spirit of murder and all the wrong things that can happen and I really think it comes from the political tribalism,” stressed Bacchus-Baptiste.

The budding politician said, in her opinion, many Vincentians are preoccupied with fighting political battles and as a result, don’t have time to relax and enjoy life and are not concentrating on the important issues.

Bacchus-Browne said that she is also interested in electoral reform, ending the violence against women, and getting the youths employed and off the streets. “But I think the major thing is to bring back peace in the land.”

She said she has always had the dream to make a difference in society, not necessarily through politics, but politics is as good an avenue as any.

“I have always been given prophecies that this is my destiny, from since I was a child in school and going through…I think that God has said to me, ‘this is your time child, your country needs a saviour’ and I am not saying that I am a saviour; what I am saying is that collectively, all of us as Vincentians have to save SVG and end this tribalism.”

Bacchus-Baptiste, 65, said she is not intimidated by the incumbent in that constituency, the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) Cecil McKie, as in her opinion, McKie does not have much standing in that community.

“In fact, I don’t even think he won the last election. Our position is that the last election was stolen and from visiting Ashburton, I am told that the results in Ashburton said that he got votes which, from visiting there and listening to the people and who they told me they voted for, something is amiss. He didn’t get those votes and that is just one area so far. I haven’t done the other areas,” said Bacchus-Baptiste.

She said that being Prime Minister is not her aim, although “that may well be good,” but she wants to mainly offer leadership and see the country improve.

Bacchus-Baptiste’s husband Lauron ‘Sheara’ Baptiste was the NDP’s candidate in the North Windward constituency in 2010, but Bacchus-Baptiste said he does not plan to contest that seat again.

She said he will be her campaign manager and has dedicated himself to seeing her win the West St George seat. She said he loves the people of North Windward, but has decided to assist in another way.