Anesia resigns as political leader of the DRP

Leader Anesia Baptiste has announced that she, and the Democratic Republican Party(DRP) that she founded, will be bowing out of the race this year, and not contesting any future elections.

“This decision was made for some time now, but I made the announcement about it today (Friday, October 9),” Baptiste revealed, in an interview following her announcement that she has decided to resign as the political leader of the DRP.

Baptiste, who founded the party in August 2012, said in her notice that she has decided to take up “a new full-time focus of advancing the preaching of the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ globally in the view of his second coming, which the unfolding of prophetic events clearly reveal is imminent.”

A former opposition senator in Parliament, Baptiste formed the DRP after being fired from the New Democratic Party( NDP) following her declaration that she would not obey an NDP policy that prohibits potential candidates for the NDP from commenting adversely on religion.

When she issued the release on her resignation, Baptiste did not mention whether the DRP as a party would be moving ahead without her. However, she clarified to SEARCHLIGHT that the party would not be contesting elections.

“The announcement that I have made concerns both me and the party because the DRP was founded by me, it was started by me and it was led by me,” she said.

“This is the decision that has been taken and all our members are aware and informed,” she continued.

When asked whether this is limited to the general elections of November 5, 2020, or if it will be permanent, Baptiste indicated that it would be permanent.

Concerning her thoughts on the ending of an era, she noted “I am very grateful to God for giving me the conviction and the heart to serve the people in this capacity.”

In 2015, the DRP contested the December 9 General Elections in six constituencies. The party’s symbol was a blue clenched fist over a red heart, with a white banner and the inscription “I am a Democratic Republican.”

“Very thankful for all who have supported me, those who joined with me in the DRP to offer themselves for political office as well as all those who voted us, over, at least, 150 persons when we look at the results last election,” she stated.

She has expressed gratitude for their willingness to stand for the protection of the inalienable or God-given rights and freedoms of humanity.

“I am satisfied that I did my best by the grace of the God, I have no regrets,” Baptiste concluded.

“I will continue to serve all the people by sharing with them the everlasting Gospel of Christ, how he chose me to do it. I just would no longer be doing the job of a political leader of a political party,” she said.

She has no comment on her hopes for this year’s general elections.

[Updated at 11:00am October 10, 2020 to include additional information gleaned from an interview with Mrs Baptiste]