NDP does not need women candidates – Shearer

New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate for North Windward Lauron ‘Shearer’ Baptiste does not think his party needs any female candidates for the upcoming general elections.

Last Saturday, as he spoke at a public meeting in Bequia, Baptiste responded to criticism from the Unity Labour Party (ULP) about {{more}}the absence of women candidates in the NDP line-up.

“You know the Unity Labour Party say that the NDP, we don’t have no women as candidates. But we don’t need no women as candidate. If we have all them women here supporting the New Democratic Party, it says something,” he insisted.

“I know… we have more women supporting us than the ULP… All the women in the ULP now is running from Ralph Gonsalves and coming to join the New Democratic Party.”

He added: “The New Democratic Party is going to win the next general election in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Lauron ‘Shearer’ Baptiste is going to win the constituency of North Windward.”

Baptiste’s comment has been heavily criticized by leader of the Democratic Republican Party (DRP) Anesia Baptiste, who has deemed it “unacceptable”.

In a post published on her Facebook profile last Saturday, November 21, minutes after the remark was made, Anesia Baptiste said that Shearer’s comment was a clear indication of how little regard he and the NDP have for the women of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Women are only to be used as supporters, but not good enough to be candidates?” the DRP leader questioned.

“What kind of government do you hope to form when you don’t understand and appreciate that women play an important role in society and should be encouraged at all levels?”

While the NDP has no female candidates contesting the December 9 general elections, the DRP has two – Anesia Baptiste in West St George and Karima Paris in East Kingstown.

The Green Party leads the way with three female candidates – Adella Samuel in Marriaqua, Marsha Caruth in Central Kingstown, and Natasha Black in West Kingstown; while the ULP has one female candidate – Debbie Charles in West Kingstown. (JSV)