FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Anesia Baptiste Founder & Leader Democratic Republican Party (DRP) Tel# 1-784-456-6257, 1-784-528-1015 E-mail: democraticrepublicanpartysvg@gmail.com Website: www.democraticrepublicanpartysvg.com 30th December, 2013

DRP COOLABORATION IN DISASTER RELIEF

Photos: From Left to Right: Members of the Thusia SDA church with one of the Shelter Managers-Ms. Mcdowall (center) and a survivor assisting her in Buccament and DRP leader Baptiste encourages Shelter Manager Ms. Louie in Rose Bank Two (2) days after the floods which affected areas of St. Vincent, on Friday 27th December, 2013, DRP leader Anesia Baptiste collaborated with New York Based Community Group JEMS Hope for Home,

members of the Thusia Seventh day Adventist Church and other anonymous contributors, to provide assistance in the form of water, Food, Clothing and shoes to two of the Shelters in Buccament and Rose Bank. Baptiste also took gift bags for a total of about 40 children at the shelters and engaged the children in prayer and games to help bring cheer and comfort to their experiences.

L-R: Children at play/skipping at Buccament Shelter and an infant survivor collects a goody bag, all courtesy the DRP collaboration. Meanwhile on Sunday 29th December, 2013, Members of the DRP took Clothing, shoes and bottled water to the Community Center/Shelter in Spring Village to assist survivors there. As Christians, Baptiste and her team lead persons in prayer and biblical exhortation to strengthen their hearts in this difficult time. The children present were also given gifts and games and both adults and children engaged in games for a light moment. Baptiste also took food packages to a family in Petit Bordel. Expressing condolences to the families who lost lives in the disaster, Baptiste wishes the surviving members the comfort of God through His Holy Spirit.

Survivors from Spring Village bow for a prayer of thanksgiving, followed by biblical exhortation. Noting that she is aware of many relief efforts taking place to assist our Country at this time, Baptiste expresses gratitude to all agencies (local and foreign) and governments, including neighbouring islands such as Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada and Barbados. Baptiste is also thankful for all the efforts of Vincentians and other friends in the Diaspora. She also commends the work of local Vincentians and friends in assisting the CWSA in their work to restore pipe borne water after the disaster. Even as the DRP leader continues to mobilize help for affected families she gave a stern warning. I would also like to give a strong warning against the politicizing of the relief efforts on the ground. Let us remember that the assistance from Foreign Countries is for the PEOPLE OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES and not for the government. Therefore, relief supplies must not be used, in any way, as an election gimmick. Baptiste counselled. It is not my opinion, but a proven fact that discrimination on the grounds of political affiliation took place during past disasters, where non-supporters of the governing party had difficulty accessing help despite their qualification for assistance. This must not happen again. I strongly condemned this action then and will do so again this time, if necessary. Baptiste warned. The government must remember that it is the government, not only of its supporters, but of ALL the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and that everybody who needs help must get it, regardless of political affiliation. Its workers in the disaster relief effort must be made to understand this also, so that they may work professionally to assist those in need and not party friends and supporters who do not have need. In order to prevent this corruption, it is crucial that we ensure the management of relief efforts is not put into the hands of political party hacks. Baptiste further stated.

The DRP will investigate any serious claims of such politicizing of this process and expose them accordingly in the interest of fairness and justice for ALL our hurting and needy people at this time. Furthermore, we call upon Vincentians to be reflective at this time and to look to the heavenly Holy Father YHWH God for comfort and guidance going forward. May our people be repentant or turn away from our sins of lawlessness, crime and violence, and ask God to change our characters that we may live upright lives before him and live loving with our fellowmen, respecting their rights and freedoms. Baptiste appealed. The DRP Fouder further stated that, Disasters of this nature taking place here and around the globe have been foretold in Holy Scriptures as signs of the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ and we are admonished by him in Luke 21:28 that when we begin to see these things happening, we must look up, and lift up our heads; for your redemption draweth nigh

About Anesia Baptiste Anesia Baptiste is the founder of the newest political party in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) called the Democratic Republican Party (DRP). She is the holder of a 1998 National Scholarship and a 2013 graduate of the University of London International programmes with a Bachelor of Laws Degree- LLB (Honours). Baptiste also holds a Double Master Degree in Hotel & Tourism Management from the Vatel Institute in Nimes and the French state University of Perpignan in France, and is also the holder of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in French from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. One of few young women political activists in SVG, Baptiste was honoured among the Top 100 Global Women in the International Womens Day March 8th 2013 edition of the Washington based Diplomatic Courier International Affairs magazine. In SVG Baptiste hosts a weekly Television program called Serving the People, frequently hosts TV show The Rights of the People by the Thusian Institute for Religious Liberty and has authored one book- Socialist Revolution: From Grenada to St. Vincent. For more information on the Democratic https://www.facebook.com/DemocraticRepublicanPartySvg Republican Party visit Facebook