Opposition MP St. Clair Leacock has agonised publicly about the pain of seeing “someone who you love and care so much for and who has given you one hundred per cent die in your presence”.
Leacock was speaking on Wednesday about the death in his vehicle two days earlier, of Journet Baptiste, 47.
Leacock and Baptiste had a decades-long extramarital relationship that ended when she died on Monday.
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Baptiste, who is said to have been battling health challenges over the past few years, died in Leacock’s vehicle Monday night as he rushed her to hospital after she fell ill.
She was also chair of the Women’s Arm of the New Democratic Party (NDP) in Central Kingstown, which Leacock has been representing since 2010.
Leacock, who is a vice president of the NDP, said on New Times, the party’s weekday show on NICE Radio, that speaking about Baptiste was not something that listeners should be “apologetic” about.
“I know people are a little cautious of being able to call my name with respect to Journet. I don’t think there is anything to be apologetic about for it,” he said.
Baptiste died after attending the annual NDP East Kingstown Easter Monday beach splash at Sion Hill Bay.
Leacock said that he began feeling unwell at the event, having consumed something that upset his stomach.
“… and I think she saw in me that something wasn’t right about me,” he said, adding that he decided to sit in his vehicle to catch himself.
“And when I caught myself, instead of going back to the event, I did otherwise. I wouldn’t carry the story from there.
“But she felt it was her responsibility to rehabilitate me, only to find that before the evening was finished, you had a complete turnaround and I have to be in her situation,” the opposition lawmaker said.
“It is hard to say because I know I live in a home and it creates tensions and situations but that I would deal with in the fullness of time. But what was very painful about that session is to see someone who you love and care so much for and who has given you one hundred per cent die in your presence.
“Because she died in my vehicle trying to get her to the hospital and here am I speeding, speedily crazy to get there to the hospital for her to get the medical attention.
“When I looked across or take a sideways glance, I saw what we call seemingly the froth, the white thing coming from her nose and I realised that she had expired.”
Leacock said there has not been “a more painful experience in my life, than that one.
“Most painful, and it would be so for a long, long time perhaps until my dying day. That’s how I am going to speak about this matter.”
Leacock described Baptiste as “a person who was honest, faithful to a fault.
“She gave away herself to everybody. Oftentimes, from seven in the morning to seven at night. And I would say to her, ‘You’re working harder than the commissioner of police, you’re working harder than the manager at VINLEC, … any store manager in town. Why are you working so hard?’
“Because she’s not turning anybody down. That’s her nature, that’s her spirit and there’s no doubt that much of my political success, including Green Hill or whatever it is, has to be credited to her.”
Leacock said that Baptiste knew how to solve everybody’s problems.
“I don’t think there’s a problem that she couldn’t solve,” he said.
Leacock said that on Tuesday evening he took from Baptiste’s purse something that she had received on March 13.
“And she either felt that the expenses were too much for me and she didn’t want me to see it.
She didn’t want to impose more on me or she didn’t want to go through that exercise that the doctors were requiring. But, certainly, if she had brought it to my attention in the way that it should have been, I would have taken the appropriate action and I would have seen as we go away to get the medical attention,” Leacock said.
He said that Baptiste, however, hid that information from him.
“Maybe she feels in my interest but she should have allowed me to make the decision,” the MP said.
Correction: An earlier version of this article reported that Leacock and Baptiste had a child together. This is not the case. They did not have any biological children. iWitness News regrets any distress that this error might have caused.
Deepest condolences to Hon. St.Clair Leacock and family.
Theo’s story is so revealing. He is expressing his love for someone whom he said care for him and give 100%, is he saying his wife never care for him and love him to that extend. This is a public slap in her face when Leacock could not, would not love and care for his wife if the tables were turned. Leacock was asking for his wife to give 100% while he was only giving 50% due to the emotionally draining affair.Why wasn’t he man enough to divorce his wife? He had put her through stress with his extramarital relations and even in death he is still poking. I hope his children break this generational curse and never do this to their families.
I am always amazed at the morally bankrupt persons Vincentians choose as their leaders, yet marvel at the escalating crimes; without linking crimes to values and character.
My sincerest condolences to you Mr st Clair Leacock. She was all that you express about her and more. May your soul RIP my dear friend. Until we meet again Journet 🙏🙏
Sorry for your lost Mr Leacock and the whole NDP family,RIP Miss Baptiste
Extramarital relationship,What that exactly?
A very sad story Major Leacock I feel your pain . And to them that love to judge . it’s not your duty to judge . The only judge we have in this case is God .. RIP miss Baptiste .my condolences to all who’s lives she has touched ..
Its alarming how we vincentians love to make noise over the wrong things. We are the morality and ethics police of the world. Yet immoral and unethical behaviors have been surrounding us for years to the point where it stinks. Mr Leacock has been in a relationship with the deceased for years and who didn’t know well you have not been following politics in svg.
I have always heard that you don’t choose who you fall in love with…what makes the Major different? He is not the first married man to gave a smallie. In life certain things take place that we have no control over. Major is a very matured man and a man who seems to fully understand what he did. Reading the article it is evident that politically she was a major asset to his success as an MP and for that he is pleased and very appreciative.
For us to be on the outside cussing and saying all kinds of degrading things against the Major and his life we have no clue.
I also believed that his wife will do what is in her best interest to do.
Whatever happens it will be over in nine (9) days.
one between a married person and someone who is not their husband or wife
My heartfelt condolences to all who mourn. May her memories be a blessing. 🙏🏽
I am more sorry for Mrs. Leacock, who had to endure the longevity of Mr. Leacock’s adultery. I only hope Journet had time to ask for forgiveness before GOD.
Sympaties to the Major and family. Hope the public debate take not that infidelity is far better than rape and he that is without sin are the only ones to cast stone! Really amazing that we can all out the NDP candidates blemishes while we hypocritically sweep those of the ULP under the carpet. Mourn publicly major that is a sign of maturity!
In the mids of life we are in death.
Condolences to her family, friends and all those who mourn her loss.
So sorry for your loss Major Leacock/ MP.. NDP. 🕊️☮️🌷
So sorry for your loss Major Leacock….
Hon. MP/ NDP.
Extended condolences to the other members of The NDP with whom she worked, family, friends and all those that mourn her untimely passing.
May your dear friend rest in eternal peace ..
☮️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️☮️
It is amazing that we as a society tolerate this adulterous behaviour. What kind of example is a well recognized politician is setting for our young men and women. Instead of condemning them for there adultery, we look away. Evil prospers, when good men fail to act.
she was a nice person its sad that she is gone so young, my concern for her soul is much cause dying outside of Jesus Christ is even worst. my condolences to her family.
NDP needs new leadership. There are so many things wrong with the conduct and utterances of this gentleman that he should be put out to pasture.
Break the Generational Curse?
Did he keep a dignify silence ?
Major leacock as a politician you are a role model. The youths will be looking up to you for guidance and the public for leadership. One may ask what does politics has to fo with leadership? It all comes down to integrity.
Many politicians in St vincent are of the view that they above the law. We have heard rumblings of a certain politician who has alleged to have raped a police woman who was assigned to him as a guardian. It was also alleged that a certain politician on the opposition side a mouthy, aggressive and a a rabble rouser broke the mortality code and was instrumental in causing a divorce after having a child with a lady […]. What a man who cannot be trusted to keep his bull dog tired.
It is these politician that is charged with making our laws. As my father used to say ” , no better the beef no better the barrel ” is a truism.
That such debauchery based on the sexual exploitation of women can be spoken of so openly by people in high places is testimony to the entrenched depravity and backwardness in our morally bankrupt and Godless society, a window into why we are such an impoverished, crime-ridden society.
Shame on you for upholding lustful extra-marital fornication in our nation, something that will never give us salvation but rather see us burning in hell for eternity.
What kind of religious leader are you REV’D JEAN YEARWOOD to not know the wages of sin is death, an early at that.
C.Ben-David your wife cousin is no different. You know what the Bible says about the beam and the mote.