Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the People's Partnership are winning more crucial endorsements in the the final days of the election campaign. Earlier this week she got the full support of the Pentecostal Movement and the Muslims of Trinidad and Tobago, two religious groups that represent a critical bloc of voters.
Read the story: Pentecostals, Muslims endorse Kamla
She had previously been endorsed by the Maha sabha, the dominant Hindu group in Trinidad and Tobago.
And on Wednesday the Council of Elders Spiritual Shouter Baptist Faith of Trinidad and Tobago announced that they would support Persad-Bissessar and the People’s Partnership.
Archbishop Barbara Burke called on her congregation and all Baptists to vote for the Partnership or “hold their vote.”
Burke was an opposition Senator in the Panday administration, which gave recognition to the Shouter Baptists and passed legislationto legalise their marriages. The Panday government also gave the religious group a national holiday.
Burke told reporters at a media conference that she is not pleased with the way the PNM has treated the Baptist community on several issues, particularly, the construction of a Primary School for the Baptist faith.
Burke has been pleading with the government to build a Shouter Baptist School on lands given by the UNC government to the group 15 years ago. Persad-Bissessar had pledged to build the school.
“He says he has a caring government. His high point for this election is education for all. Free education for all, who is Mr Manning fooling?” Burke asked.
She accused the Manning government of trying to “stifle the progress and development of our fraternity, members and the leadership of the faith." She declared, "We will no longer tolerate the deception of the PNM government.”
The religious leader added that several of "our brightest and respected members of the faith have been targeted and dismissed from positions in the Public Sector.”
Burke said, “I am of the opinion that the Prime Minister has no respect for an important group of people in Trinidad and Tobago. As a religious group the Baptist community commands thousands of votes, and holding back our votes is the only way Manning will know we are important.”
She also spoke about the controversial church in Guanapo and the Patrick Manning's closeness to the woman for whom the church is being built.
“When I sit and listen to the Prime Minster talking about the Prophetess it hurts me. I have no quarrels with her, but he assisted her in achieving lands, when he never gave us a square foot of land.
"How much millions was spent on that church, and he doesn’t want to spend a dollar on a school for us," she said.
She warned other Baptist leaders to spread the message of support for Persad-Bissessar and the coalition.
"Ask your flock at Sunday Mass to not vote for the PNM. Don’t vote; hold your vote if you want to. If you don’t take my advice you all are going to lost your property; Property Tax is coming.”
Bishop Stephen Wilson of the Mount Hope Baptist Church joined her and announced, “I am for the coalition. We have been neglected as a Church."
The People's partnership has also won the endorsement of other prominent national figures, including respected political scientist, Prof. Selwyn Ryan, who has said he believes it is time for change.
Read the story: Selwyn Ryan endorses People's Coalition
Related story: Photo of the day: Kamla celebrates with Shouter Baptists
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